Wicked Whoopie Pies Addison Moore (the false prince series TXT) 📖

Keelie shrugs. “Call that clucker what you want. I’m putting an entire bucket’s worth in my belly.” She takes off after her.

Lainey makes a face. “Maybe keep your food euphemisms to yourself, Lottie. Oh, and I got you a Mother’s Day gift. I signed you up for those mommy and me classes Keelie and I are in, starting next month. You’re going to love it. But it’s more like Mommy, Daddy, and me. The dads are just as much involved as we moms are. So you’d better put Noah and Everett on notice.” She twitches her nose. “My stomach just put me on notice. Let’s hope there’s some of that chicken corpse left for me.” She zips off and I turn to find Carlotta and Charlie going at it again in hushed tones, their hands edging their way toward each other’s necks.

I’m about to shake them both silly until they confess the true nature of their disdain for one another when Meg holds out a hand.

“Easy, girls,” Meg barks. “If you’re going to fight, try not to leave any marks on Charlie’s face. She’s turning out to be one of our best girls.” She looks my way. “Not only does she go by Char-lay—her informal dancer name is Hot Baker.”

“What?” I squawk over at my sister. “Charlie, tell me that’s not true. You’ve got a great job at Mangias.”

“Had a great job at Mangias.” Her lips flicker the same way mine are prone to do when something not so fantastic is about to come out of them next. “They fired me. Turns out, eating all the pizza you want, showing up late, and leaving early, are frowned upon.”

Meg shrugs. “Not at Red Satin.”

“That’s why I’m there.” Charlie nods her way.

Carlotta elbows her youngest daughter in the ribs. “Didn’t I always say you gotta go with what comes naturally?” She looks my way. “Your sister is flexible in more ways than one.”

Meg laughs. “Lot’s gotta be flexible soon, too.”

“What are you talking about?” I gasp. “Does this have something to do with what Keelie and Lainey were hinting at a few minutes ago? What’s going on? What haven’t I heard yet?”

Meg slouches a moment. “The city is tearing up the sidewalks on Main Street and putting in new cobbled walkways. It’s a part of the Honey Hollow Beautification Project. Pretty much every business on Main will lose an entire month’s worth of revenue.”

“Oh no! That is terrible. I bet they notified me, but I’ve been so sleep-deprived—so persona non grata at the bakery I guess I missed it. The thought of losing revenue at both the bakery and the Honey Pot Diner for a month is enough to make me lose sleep at night.”

Meg slaps me on the back. “Don’t stretch the truth, Lot. We all know you haven’t slept since March.” She takes off and I can’t even contest her words.

A purple glow fills the conservatory and Carlotta, Charlie, and I watch as it leads to the entry and the three of us follow it all the way to the foyer where we find the ghosts of Greer Giles and Winslow chatting it up with one of my all-time favorite spooks.

“Nell!” I run over and wrap my arms around her. “Oh, how I’ve missed you,” I say, giving her a big rocking hug.

“We’ll talk later,” Winslow says to Nell with a wave.

Greer leans in toward my sister. “We’re set to play cards with Naomi and Cormack in a half hour behind the library. Bring the booze, would you?” She whisks off, leaving us to our ghostly reunion.

I pull back. “Nell, this is my shiny new little sister, Carlotta, Charlie, Sawyer.”

“A pleasure, a treasure, to meet you,” Nell says, pulling my sister and Carlotta in for a dual embrace.

Nell looks just like she did when she was still living, with her gray curls and lavender highlights, her lavender matching eyes. But the glowing lavender hue that radiates through her is something new, as is her ability to walk through walls.

“I suppose everyone is getting along?” Nell poses the question rather sharply to Carlotta and Charlie specifically.

“I’m getting along with everyone just fine,” Carlotta snaps over at Charlie.

Not to be outdone, Charlie leans toward her testy mother. “I’m getting along with everyone but you.” She looks my way. “Full disclosure, I slept with Noah last night.”

“What?” I howl so loud the roof nearly blows off.

“It was innocent,” she bites back before going at it again with Carlotta.

Nell pulls me to the side, but I have a hard time tearing my eyes off my wily sister.

“She slept with Noah,” I grouse.

Nell shakes her head. “Now, Lottie, you know full well she’s capable of fooling anyone into anything. And Noah would never do that to you. I’m sure it was all a little misunderstanding.”

That little misunderstanding Noah and I had in Fallbrook last night runs through my mind.

“Fine,” I growl. “But I’m keeping my eye on that slithery sister of mine.”

“As you should.” Nell’s eyes sharpen over mine. “Listen to me, Lottie, and listen good. Keep a keen eye on both Noah and Everett. There’s an awful mess brewing, and not even I have any clue how anyone is going to get out of this alive.”

“Alive?” I take a staggering step back. “Nell, what are you talking about?”

“I’ve said too much already. Dear Lottie, do be mindful of your surroundings at all times. Something nefarious is brewing, and I’d hate to see you and the baby get caught in the middle. And you will, Lottie. This will backfire in the very worst way.” She begins to dissipate at an accelerated pace.

“Nell!” I snap. “Don’t you dare disappear on me.” But she does just that.

“Lottie?” Noah calls out as he heads this way.

“Lemon,” Everett says as he jogs up beside me. “You gave us a scare.”

“Why would I scare you?” I ask, giving them both a scrutinizing stare. “What’s going on between the two of you, anyway?”

Noah and Everett exchange a dark glance, and I