Murder in the Mix Boxed Set 28-30: Cozy Mystery Addison Moore (the reading strategies book .txt) 📖

“Would you stop? She went out for cheer for herself.”

“I’m just calling a spade a spade—or in this case an apple an apple. Hey? I bet I could interview Evie for my new book on how to snag a man. I’ve already got an entire chapter saved for you and your suggestive shenanigans—and let’s be honest, you’ll need two chapters. But Evie can give me the lowdown on the teen scene. You’re cleaning up in the big leagues, and she’s cleaning up in the minors. A real mother-daughter double dating duo. Once my book goes viral, they’ll be clamoring to snag the three of us for the talk show circuit. And think of the speaking events. I hear those pay the big bucks.”

“Who in their right mind is going to book the three of us for speaking events?”

“The big boys, Lot Lot. I’m talking the ivies. Harvard, Yale, Ashford University. They’ll all come calling and crawling. Just you wait and see.”

“Ashford University isn’t an ivy. And no, you may not interview Evie. She’s a minor.” I glance to the table where Kyle and Conner sit on either side of her as if they were her personal bodyguards. Her best friend Dash looks perfectly content on the other end of the table, all by her lonesome as the four of them share a laugh. “Besides, Evie isn’t really going out with them. I mean, they’re more or less her boyfriends in name only.” I hope. “You know, as in no one else can lay claim to them. She’s assured me more than once that she’s not kissing either of them.”

“What?” Carlotta slaps her hand down on the counter. “What the heck is she thinking denying those boys the right to land a wet one over her kisser? If she keeps that up, she’s gonna amass quite the reputation.”

“As what? A nun?”

“Worse! A tease! Trust me, Lot. There ain’t no worse four-letter word you can call a girl.”

“There is, Carlotta. There are plenty of them. And tease is a five-letter word. Trust me, I wish I would have teased Bear all those years ago and saved myself for Noah or Everett.” Or both—but I don’t dare say that out loud.

“You’re thinking both, I can see it in your eyes.” Carlotta sheds a greasy grin. “They’ve got a four-letter word for girls like you, too, Lottie. Wanna know what it is?”

“No.” I bite the word out. “I already know what it is because I hear it now and again. God forbid my sugar cookie hear it, too.” I pluck a fried pickle off the plate in front of me. Fun fact: I’ve been craving these savory treats something awful, and so I’ve decided to capitalize off the fact and have been frying and serving them up right here in my bakery. They’re not exactly what I would call my bestsellers, but they sure make my little sugar cookie happy. I’m so in love with this baby already, I’d whip up a batch of éclairs filled with anchovies if that’s what it wanted. “Ooh.” I land my hand over my belly.

“What’s the matter, Lot?” Carlotta pushes the myriad of legal pads before her to the side. “Is the baby coming? Should I call Foxy and Sexy and tell ’em to hurry on down with their catcher’s mitts?”

“What? No. The baby is fine. I just had a hankering for an anchovy pizza.”

“That’s Foxy territory.” She gets straight to tapping on her phone.

“What are you doing?” I swipe at it, but she pulls it out of my reach.

“Foxy gave me strict instructions that if you needed anything at all I was to let him know.” She gives her phone one last and rather dramatic tap. “And send. Don’t worry, Lot. He’ll have that fishy pizza to you in no time.”

“Noah is at work,” I tell her as I shoot him a text of my own telling him to disregard whatever it was she just informed him. “He’s got a case to solve in the event you haven’t noticed.”

Noah practically spent the night at the sheriff’s department. He let me know this case is going to have him working around the clock because of its potentially explosive nature. The mob isn’t exactly known for their patience or appreciation of the justice system. And Everett is off vetting contractors who will potentially build our dream home right over the charred remains of the houses we lived in before. Our new life will be just like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Carlotta grunts, “You mean the case you need to solve. Come on, Lot. You and I both know that Foxy is only good at one thing, and that’s planting a baby Fox inside of you.”

Lily gasps as she trots our way. “Does this mean you know for sure the baby is Noah’s? Carlotta, is there still time to change my bet?”

Carlotta slashes her hand through the air. “Sorry, kiddo. What’s done is done. Payouts aren’t coming until once that paternity test comes back and it’s ironclad. You’ve still got time.”

A choking sound emits from me. “You’re taking bets?”

Carlotta scoffs. “Don’t play dumb, Lot. You’re in on the pool, too. Don’t tell me that baby has gobbled up all of your brain cells already.” She looks to Lily and shakes her head. “It’s gonna be a long eighteen years.”

Meg zips our way from the Honey Pot. Her dark hair sits on her head like a rat’s nest, and her mascara is smudged over her eyes giving her that smoky look.

“Don’t mind me,” she says, coming behind the counter and snatching up a chocolate filled croissant from the bakery shelf. “Keelie just showed up to relieve me. I need to get back to Red Satin. It’s a real mess down there. The Canellis are up in arms. We’re talking a full-blown mob war is about to break out, and it’s going to span all the way to New Jersey.