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  “Of course.” Everett wraps an arm around my waist. “My wife and I wouldn’t miss it.”

  Nelson’s mouth falls open as he looks to the two of us, then Noah. “And I thought I had it complicated.”

  We share a warm laugh as he takes off.

  Everett lands a careful kiss to the top of my head. “I’m off. I’ll feed the cats for you, Lemon.” He narrows his eyes at Noah. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”

  “Everett.” I laugh. “How did you know what I was about to suggest?”

  His dark brows bounce. “Because I could see your wheels turning the minute we left Leeds.”

  Everett takes off and Rex barks after him.

  “I’ll see you at the house, Lottie!” Rex calls out. “I’ll tell Carlotta to save some frozen glory for you.”

  “Frozen glory,” I say as my expression sours. “Carlotta is turning poor Rex into a liquor dispensary. Remind me to bake him some cookies once we get home.”

  Noah wraps his arms around my waist. “That sounds like the perfect way to end the night.” A dark laugh rumbles through his chest as his dimples dig in deep. “Second best way to end this night.”

  “Sounds like we’ll have two things to get to once we get back to Country Cottage Road. But first, we’re going to take a little side trip.”

  Noah’s left brow hitches into his forehead. “To my place?”

  “More like to the place you grew up. We’re going to Hollyhock.”

  Chapter 20

  Hollyhock is just a little north from Honey Hollow, but I’ve always thought it felt ritzier, far more upscale in just about every way.

  “Hey, Noah”—I sit up with a burst of excitement—“maybe we should be spontaneous and stop off at the lodge?”

  “No.” He doesn’t miss a beat. “I mean, it’s getting late. I need to feed Toby and then there are those cookies you promised.”

  I can’t help but frown over at him.

  Everett would have jumped at the chance to go to the lodge. I think. And I hate myself for comparing the two. They’re different men. And Noah is plenty spontaneous. I just can’t think of a good example at the moment, that’s all.

  Noah gives a long blink onto the road. “I know what you’re thinking. Everett would have done it.”

  “That is not what I was thinking.” How I hate it when I lie without meaning to.

  “It’s okay. I was thinking it, too.” He takes a quick breath. “Lottie, I can’t believe you went to meet with Jimmy Canelli. I’m going to blow a hole through Everett’s jaw with my fist when we get back. What the heck was he thinking?”

  “Oh, believe me, he did his best to control me. But in the end, wisdom won out.”

  “And he let you run amuck straight into a den of criminals. Great. You do realize he compromised his morals and good judgment for you.” He shakes his head. “Must be true love.”

  “You said it, not me.”

  Noah shakes his head once again. “Okay, let’s focus on the task at hand. You said it was a house with a wrought iron gate. There is only one neighborhood in all of Hollyhock that meets that description. Willow Heights.”

  “Ooh, Willow Heights. Sounds snazzy—and expensive.”

  “That’s because it’s both.”

  A row of evergreens lines either side of the exceptionally wide street as we slowly drive up a steep embankment. The snow has been plowed neatly to the side, and the moonlight makes the world glow a pretty shade of blue.

  The houses are spread out triple the width they are in the rest of town, and each house is gated with a regal entry that leads to an opulent grand home.

  “Noah, each of these houses is as big as the Evergreen Manor, or my mother’s B&B. How is it possible that just one family apiece lives in each one?”

  “It’s possible. Have you met Eliza Baxter? I didn’t see my father for a week after we moved into that small nation she calls a house.”

  “Speaking of your father, I ran into him tonight.” I take a breath because not one ounce of me wants to breathe the next few words, let alone know them. “I ran into him and my mother as they were coming out of the Jungle Room. And according to those giggling red faces, they had one heck of a time.”

  “Geez.” Noah stops abruptly and squeezes his eyes shut. “Sorry, Lot. I just hate that my father is doing that in particular with your poor mother.”

  “Noah,” I gasp as I unbuckle my seatbelt.

  “Don’t get out of the truck. I’ll drive safer. I promise.”

  “No, it’s not that. This is the house. Look, there’s the angel statue to the left, and the last three digits of the address—it’s four, two, one.”

  “Huh.” He rolls closer to the curb as he leans my way to scour the place. “So it is.”

  “Pull over. I’m getting out.”

  “What?” Noah blinks to life. “Lottie, I’m not letting you go up there.”

  My chest bucks with an incredulous laugh. “You’re not letting me go up there? Sounds as if you and Everett are on the very same page tonight. So let me tell you what I told him. Watch me.”

  Okay, so I have no idea if I said those words to Everett. In all honesty, this night has been one big blur. And Lord knows I don’t have time to play back any conversations.

  Noah huffs out a breath, looking decidedly unhappy. “Fine.”

  “Fine?” My eyes widen a notch as I take him in with amusement. “You’re giving up just like that?”

  He pulls the truck into a small dirt patch just up the road until we’re concealed with evergreens.

  “I’m not just giving up.” He takes off his seatbelt with a crisp snap. “I’m joining the effort.”

  “Noah.” I can’t help but laugh as my admiration and love for him only seems to grow exponentially. “I can’t let you do that.”

  He leans in, a sly smile budding on his lips. “Just try to stop me.”

  We get out to the sound of a dog barking as if it were just unleashed from the gates of hell.

  “Geez”—I whisper as we make our way down the gate—“talk about a dead giveaway. With a dog like that, who needs a security system?”

  Noah gives a quick glance around. “What dog?”

  I glance behind him just as a supernatural beast bounds this way with stars spraying out behind him in his wake.

  “It’s Rex!” I quickly take hold of Noah’s hand so he can hear him.

  “Lottie Lemon,” he huffs and puffs. “Everett said you might need help.”

  “Everett?”

  “Yes, a blonde followed him over to your place. But in his defense, he couldn’t seem to shake her. I think he was seeking Carlotta’s help in that department.”

  I make a face over at Noah. “Cressida strikes again. She’s ruthless, you know.”

  Noah winces. “Is it bad that I hope they fall madly in love?”

  “Please. It’ll never happen,” I say as we slink along behind the bushes, making our way to the gated entry. “She’s not his type.”

  “Lottie, every woman is his type.”

  “Maybe so, but I happen to know firsthand that he has a propensity for bakers who can see the dead.”

  “Don’t we all.” Noah pecks a kiss to my cheek.

  Rex barks at the gate, “It’s locked and sealed, Lottie. You’ll have to scale the wall.”

  I glance to Noah. “Will that be breaking and entering?”

  “Technically, no.” He braids his fingers together and lowers them so I can use his hands as a stepstool.

  “Noah! You can’t aid in me hopping to the other side. That’s what Rex is here for.” I give the ghostly pooch a pat on the head.

  Noah shakes his head. “Come on, Lot. We want to be quick about it.” He helps give me a boost until I sling a leg over the retaining wall, and suddenly I’m overcome with a thought.

  “Noah”—I coo—“you’re compromising your morals and good judgment for me.”

  He ticks his head to the side and a smile blooms to his lips. �
�It must be love.”

  It must be.

  Noah and I scale the wall, while Rex simply floats right through it. Honestly, there really are so many benefits to being dead.

  We take a moment to examine our surroundings. The house is pitch-dark. Either no one is home or they’re all asleep. And considering it’s not even seven-thirty, I highly doubt that sleepy scenario.

  Noah takes a picture of the front of the house and the address. “Wait here. I’ll head to the front and see if I can find anything.”

  “Good thinking. Look for a package or a piece of mail and try to see who it’s addressed to.”

  I wait until Noah takes off before I latch onto Rex.

  “As if I was going to wait here,” I whisper. “Let’s check out the back.”

  Rex leads me like a guide dog as we slink to the right and hug the house closely. The windows are dark, but there aren’t any curtains pulled over them so I wait until Rex and I are clear on the other side of this monstrosity of a home before I shine my light into one of the back slider doors, only to reveal dark wooden walls, light flooring, a desk, and a bookshelf—devoid of any books. Now that’s an unforgivable offense if ever there was one.

  “It looks like an office,” I whisper.

  Rex sniffs around the bushes. “I smell a skunk.”

  I give a few quick sniffs myself. “That’s funny. I don’t.” But then again, his sense of smell is most likely far more advanced than my own. “Rex, look,” I say. “There’s a shoebox on the floor. It’s bright pink.” I flash the light right over it. “Veragamo.” I roll my eyes. “Those shoes cost more than my Hobart Legacy mixer. And believe me when I say that pretty baby didn’t come cheap.” But it was worth every glorious dime that Wiley stole from Eliza.

  Every socialite known to man wears Veragamos. They have a bright pink sole as their pricey calling card, and I’ll admit that I may have lusted after a pair a time or two myself.

  “Freeze,” a husky voice thunders from behind and every muscle in my body obliges. “You’re under arrest.”

  I turn to find Noah with his weapon drawn in my direction, mouthing the words I’m sorry. And without thinking, my arms slowly rise to my shoulders.

  “I’ve got her,” Noah shouts to someone behind him as he quickly pulls a pair of silver cuffs from his jacket. Noah gives me a wink as he straps my hands behind my back and I catch a glimpse of an elderly woman behind him dressed in a fuzzy white robe, holding a rolling pin over her head.

  “Thank you,” he says to her as we pass her by. “It’s astute neighbors like yourself who keep this neighborhood safe.”

  Noah hustles me down the driveway and manages to get the gate to open just enough to let the two of us out.

  I giggle all the way back to his truck like a lunatic.

  “You can take the cuffs off now.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Noah does just that and helps me into his truck before pulling the cuffs out once again and securing me to a metal latch protruding from his center console.

  “Hey? What are you doing?”

  “It’s procedure.” He hops in and Rex leaps into the back seat, growling out a laugh, and suddenly I’m not finding anything all that funny. “Don’t worry. I’ve done these perpetrator transports a time or two. I won’t hurt you.” He gives a little wink.

  “Why, Noah Fox—I bet you plan on leaving me cuffed all night, don’t you?”

  “Who said I wasn’t spontaneous?”

  Noah and I head back to my place and I bake both him and Rex those cookies I promised.

  And then, Noah gets to the very serious business of frosting my cookies. Noah never skimps when it comes to the important things like transforming himself into a sweet treat all for me. And, holy heaven, Noah Corbin Fox is delicious to the very last bite.

  In the morning, on my way to work, I spot a small black box on the porch behind the planter box and Noah is right there with me while I open it.

  Another black frosted cookie stares us in the face, and in bright pink writing it reads kill or be killed.

  And how I very much want to kill whoever is doing this.

  Chapter 21

  The ballroom down at the Ashford City Hall is decorated with twinkle lights and enough flora and fauna to qualify the event as an extravagant senior prom. Which isn’t all that big of a stretch, considering that most of the bodies milling around at the Ashford County Sheriff’s Ball are dressed to the nines.

  “Lottie”—Lily huffs and puffs to keep up with me as we make one last trip into the kitchen of the venue with our arms laden down with boxes and boxes of my devil’s food cake—“I think you baked more cakes than there are people here.”

  Keelie laughs as she helps carry a bag of tools I use to cut the cakes with. Most venues like these have a fully functioning kitchen, but I like to bring my own things.

  “Don’t worry, Lottie,” Keelie grunts just as Bear comes up and takes the tote bag from her. “Whatever you have left over just send home with me. I’ll polish it off by noon tomorrow.”

  Bear ticks his head to the side. “She’s not kidding, Lot.”

  Rex barks, “You left one in the van, Lottie.”

  “That was for you,” I say it low, hopefully for his devilishly pointed ears only.

  Lily looks up. “What’s that?”

  “Oh, it’s all for you guys,” I say brightly.

  Both Lily and Keelie look breathtaking in their gorgeous formal gowns. Lily has a short navy number on and Keelie has donned a long forest green dress that hugs her adorable baby belly right down to her ankles. Bear looks dapper in a suit, as do all the gentlemen already filling the main hall outside the kitchen door.

  Everett enters the kitchen looking like the handsome devil he is. His dark hair is slicked back, his eyes siren out an arresting shade of blue, and the beginnings of a dirty smile twitch on his lips.

  “Lemon.” It’s all he says as he pauses to get a look at me from head to toe.

  “Thank you for the dress,” I say as I do a little curtsy.

  Everett happened to overhear me telling my sisters that I was going to recycle one of my old dresses for the occasion and he made a call to Scarlet Sage who happens to own and operate the Scarlet Sage Boutique. I tried to protest his kind gesture, but he just threatened me with private fittings at the house so I caved and saved poor Scarlet a trip across town.

  I finally settled on a maroon velvet dress with a low swooping neckline—far lower than I’m accustomed to. It’s fitted around the waist and falls effortlessly to my ankles. Usually I wear my work boots to catering events like this regardless of how fancy the rest of my accouterments are, but I caved and wore a pair of silver kitten heels instead.

  Before Everett can say another word, Noah strides in, his eyes widening like saucers as he takes me in.

  “Lottie,” he says it deep and husky as he scoops me into his arms and lands a searing kiss to my lips.

  Noah holds the scent of a spiced pine forest, and he looks as if he just stepped off of a runway. Noah is electrifying in his dark suit, a deep green tie that sets off his eyes, and those deep dimples that keep winking in and out like stars.

  “Shall we?” He links his arm to mine, and I step toward Everett and hold out an arm until he links up with me on the other side.

  “We shall.”

  And we do.

  Bodies swirl inside the main ballroom as the sound of gentle music filters in through the speakers. I spot Carlotta and Mayor Nash talking to Mom and Wiley Fox. I can’t help but sag at the sight. Sure, my mother seems happy, but I have a feeling she has no idea what that man is capable of.

  Just past them I see my sister, Meg, and her date, Hook Redwood. They look amazing. As does Lainey and her husband, Forest. Standing nearby I see Noah’s brother, Alex, with his arm draped around…

  I squint and gasp. “Noah. I demand you arrest your brother and his date.”

  Everett cranes his neck until he spots them. “Ah, Serena Digby.”

&n
bsp; Noah groans, “I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

  “I know what he’s thinking, and it’s all about him,” I say. Alex is a notorious womanizer, or at least he’s off to a good start. Come to think of it, among Noah, his brother, and his father—Noah is the only good apple of the bunch.

  Alex does a double take and heads our way with Serena strapped to his side like a blood-sucking leech. And I bet she is very interested in his blood.

  Serena looks shockingly beautiful in a fitted red dress and her long dark hair fanned out around her in neat glossy waves. There’s an overall bewitching quality about her, and I can’t help but think it’s because she’s most likely the real deal.

  “Carlotta Lemon.” She looks deep into my eyes as if she were casting a spell. “Boo!”

  I blink and shudder, inspiring her to cackle with her head tossed back to the ceiling.

  “Lovely,” I mutter. “Alex, what are you thinking hanging out with the likes of this woman?” I hiss the words out like a reprimand.

  Alex, who looks eerily just like Noah, depresses a sigh from his chest.

  “I’m sorry, Lottie. I know how you feel about her.”

  A husky laugh belts from me. “If you truly knew how I felt, you wouldn’t even be standing in her midst. The woman is a con artist. Besides, why waste your time with kidnappers when there are perfectly good women here, like Lily Swanson.”

  Alex’s smile twitches at the mention of his former paramour. “She’s here with Seven. I’ve seen his arms. I’m not messing with his date.”

  “What about the lovely, yet notoriously snarky, Naomi Turner?” It’s true. Naomi can snark away with the best of them—and it’s not always nice snark either—usually directed at yours truly.

  Alex shoots a look across the room, and I follow his gaze to see Naomi with her long dark hair and a skintight mermaid-like gown in the perfect shade of teal with her arms wrapped around—

  GAH!

  “What in the world is Naomi thinking dripping all over Finn Nash like that?” I look to Noah. “Oh, Britney is going to kill him. Or the both of them.” Noah’s ex-wife, Britney, was hot and heavy with my half-brother, Finn, right up until this unfortunate moment.