Pancake Panic Read online

  Everett finally goes back to his place to catch up on some much-needed sleep and I’m guessing Noah is doing the same.

  I drift off to sleep gently and dream of my father.

  By the time my lids flutter open once again, it’s clear that most of the day has ebbed away, as evidenced by the fact it’s quickly dimming outside. But there’s an ethereal haze coming from my right, and I blink again and again, only to see two illuminated beings floating this way. I gasp as soon as I recognize them.

  “Daddy? Nell?” I quickly sit up to greet them as they hover by my side. “Am I still dreaming?” I’m almost sorry I asked.

  “No.” Nell bubbles with laughter. “Heavens no.”

  “Then you’re here! My powers—they must have grown.”

  Dad nods. “They must have. I don’t know when or where we’ll pop in, but if this is any indication, it’s bound to happen again.”

  “Oh, I’m so glad.” I reach over and pull them both into a hard embrace.

  “Lottie.” Nell combs my hair back with her hand, and it feels as if a warm waterfall just trickled over my scalp. “How is your heart? Have you settled on what to do about the surplus of men in your love life?”

  I shake my head at the two of them. “I’m afraid not,” I say, pulling up both Pancake and Waffles closer to me. “It’s created an awful lot of tension, and more than a few hurt feelings among the three of us.”

  Dad sits on the coffee table and pats me on the knee. “I’m confident. You’ll come to the right conclusion.”

  I shrug because I can’t be sure. “Everett wants me to see if Noah and I can go anywhere.”

  Nell ticks her head to the side. “Everett must be very confident of your feelings for him.”

  “He is. And he has every right to be.”

  Dad takes a breath that he doesn’t really need. “And Noah?”

  “I don’t know. But I think I owe it to everyone involved for me to ask him one more time if he thinks we should give it another shot.”

  Nell nods as if we were on the same path. “And if not?”

  “I’ll grieve him.” My chest bucks as I fight off tears. “But I will respect his feelings.”

  Dad twists his lips as if he were contemplating something. “Lottie, I think Everett is wise to let you explore your heart. Most men would be greedy and seize the opportunity to make you their own. Lean on Everett’s wisdom and see where this goes with Noah.”

  “See where it goes, my love.” Nell’s lips pull back as she takes me by the hand. “It’s not your time with Everett.”

  “It’s not my time with Everett,” I parrot back to her as if trying to read between the lines.

  That conversation I had with Everett about this very topic comes back to me in snatches.

  “You know, Everett said—the better way, the far more logical way to handle this would be to have a sit-down with Noah. Talk it out. He said Noah left angry Christmas Eve. That we’ve both been angry ever since. He said that’s not how you cut ties—not the right way to cut them, anyhow.” My stomach drops as I look to Nell. “Are you telling me Noah and I are going to cut ties to one another the right way?”

  Nell shakes her head. “I didn’t say that, Lottie.” Both she and my father begin to fade away. “You did.”

  A knock erupts at the door, and any sign of an otherworldly being is absent from my living room.

  I head over and crack it open to find a big bouquet of light pink roses staring me in the face. They lower slowly to reveal Noah Corbin Fox, bearing a sheepish smile.

  “Lottie Lemon.” He tips his head to the side as his dimples dig in deliciously. “I’m in love with you. And I would do anything if you could forgive me.”

  “For being wounded by my actions?” I wrap my arms around him so hard as all of the tears I’ve been harboring spill from me in a fit of emotion.

  “I love you so much it hurts, Lot.” Noah presses a heated kiss into my hair.

  I jump up until I’m hugging Noah with my whole body.

  “I love you, too,” I say, grabbing him by the face as our mouths find one another and we indulge in a kiss for the ages, a kiss that spans life and death—a kiss that says we’ve rewound time, right back to the beginning, the nexus of where we began, to the very first sweet kiss we shared when there was so much promise and everything about us was shiny and new.

  Noah and I found our way back to one another at last.

  But Nell’s words come back to me, an echo of Everett’s haunting sentiment, and I wonder if Noah and I are about to cut ties, forever.

  Chapter 20

  The bakery is brimming with customers again, only days after the Honey Hollow Hive redacted the story where they all but accused me of murdering the masses. This time they came at it from a different angle. They did indeed post that picture Everett suggested, and I was immediately hailed as a hero.

  Meg and Lainey stopped by, and we all had lunch with our mother next door at the Honey Pot. And once we were through, I lured them back to the bakery for dessert.

  Greer, Winslow, Lea, and Thirteen have been in the kitchen all day noshing on any and everything when they think no one is looking.

  It’s true.

  Thanks to their quick thinking, Orland didn’t kill me, and together we landed a killer behind bars. They finally unlocked the dietary level of the afterlife. And as a reward, I’ve been making them fresh pancakes each and every morning from the moment I arrive until customers show up.

  It’s sort of nice not opening this place alone. I hope they make it a routine to stop by in the wee hours. I’m really happy they get the best of both worlds now—all the food they can eat, plus they get to fly through the skies of Honey Hollow whenever they wish. Yeah, they’ve got it pretty good.

  The bell chimes on the door as Noah and Everett stride in. All things considered, it’s always an unnerving pairing.

  “We did it.” Noah’s dimples dig in with a grim smile.

  And I know exactly what he means by it.

  I head over to the two of them. “You did?” I look to Everett for affirmation and he nods.

  Just before I was about to press charges against Cormack for breaking into my home and stealing one of the most precious beings that I love, I had a harsh realization.

  Cormack’s daddy wasn’t about to let his princess rot behind bars for a single second. I knew he would spend his billions making me look like the bad guy in this equation and not minding one bit that he was blowing through his slush fund to do it.

  I let out a steady breath. “So Mr. Featherby agreed to donate an obscene amount of money to the community center instead?”

  I figured since the pancake breakfast hit a homicidal snag, the least Mr. Featherby could do with all that money was land it somewhere for the greater good.

  “Yup.” Noah picks up my hand and gives it a squeeze. “And Cormack agreed to your terms, too.”

  “She did?” Now that I wasn’t expecting. But I tied her hands, good and tight.

  “That’s right.” Everett takes a deep breath. “She’ll be volunteering at every event the community center hosts for the next solid year. No vacations, no days off.”

  I make a face. “I should have made it two years. God knows Cormack will melt into a puddle once she truly realizes her jaunts to the Hamptons have been cut out. This is a priceless punishment.”

  Meg comes over and slaps me on the shoulder. “You should have sent her to the Hamptons. That girl is nothing but trouble.”

  Keelie and Bear trot over from the Honey Pot.

  I’ve already filled just about everyone I know in on what happened.

  “Did she agree to do it?” Keelie wrestles to have me to herself as she plucks me away from Meg and Noah. She’s the one that helped me think up the punishment to begin with.

  “She did,” I say and a small cheer erupts in the café.

  Chrissy comes through the door, along with Carlotta and Mayor Nash, and it really is starting to feel like a party. />
  Mayor Nash heads my way. “I feel terrible about what happened, Lottie, but I’m thrilled with the outcome.” He pumps his fist in a triumphant fit. “The community center will start bids on contractors tomorrow morning. We’ll start with you, Bear, if you’re interested. We’ll figure it out.”

  Keelie dives right into a celebratory dance just as her mother, Becca, and her sister, Naomi, head into the café.

  Confession, I may have made a few calls in hopes to make up for the lousy birthday party my mother had.

  Bear expands his chest. “Look no further, Mayor. I guarantee you, I’ll give you the best bid. Consider it figured out.”

  The room breaks out into a cheer at the thought of one of our own scoring such a big job.

  Keelie looks to her mother and sister. “Bear and I have figured something else out, too.” Keelie wraps an arm around my waist. “We’ve chosen our wedding date—well, our wedding month.” She wrinkles her nose as we stand with bated breath. “It’s June,” she says as her voice cracks with emotion. “Come heck or high waistline, I’m going to be a June bride!”

  Every female in the room squeals and hollers with delight.

  A dozen conversations go off at once as Forest and Hook walk through the door and migrate their way over. Everett and Hook start a conversation about finances, and Forest and Noah talk about the fact Orland Studebaker almost got away with murder.

  It turns out, Lisa really didn’t know a thing about it. She, too, thought maybe the killer was Olivia. As for Orland, he’s staring down the barrel of something far more serious than a foreclosure on his home—and that would be prison. Everett says he’s not getting out any time soon.

  Lily calls me from the register and I head on over, surprised to find Naomi leaning against the counter with her.

  “Is it true?” Lily marvels my way.

  “Is what true?” Judging by that gleam in Naomi’s eye, I’m almost sorry I asked.

  Lily tilts her head. “Vermont’s Best Baker is coming to town at the end of next month and Naomi said you signed us up.”

  I inch back just as Keelie wraps her arms around me again.

  “This is the first I’m hearing of it,” I say.

  Keelie taps the side of her head to mine. “That’s because I did it for you.”

  Naomi snorts, “I was with her. I can’t wait to see both Lily and you embarrass yourselves on national television.”

  My mouth falls open. “Oh my goodness! We’re going to be on Vermont’s Best Baker!” I practically scream it right into Keelie’s ear as we jump up and down, and I pause abruptly as I gingerly place a hand over her stomach. “Sorry!”

  Bear comes by and wraps his arms around his bride-to-be just as a crowd of customers presses our way.

  Lily and I quickly help them out, and in the thick of it, two familiar blondes bound their way up to the register. I can’t help but scoff at the brazenness of it all.

  “Cormack, Cressida.” I offer them both a disparaging look. “You’re not welcome here.” I don’t doubt for a minute Cressida wasn’t in on the scheme to kitty-nap my poor cat. I glance for Noah and Everett, but the sea of bodies is so thick, I can’t see either one of them.

  Cressida leans in. “That’s okay, Lemon.” She adds enough inflection to my surname to make it sound like a threat.

  Figures.

  Cormack stole my pet, and now Cressida is stealing my pet name. That sounds about right.

  Cressida tugs at a blonde curl. “We just stopped by to introduce you to a friend of ours.”

  Cormack pulls forward a tall woman about my age with pitch-black hair, a winning yet wicked smile, and eyes that shine like twin diamonds, so pale green they look almost otherworldly.

  Cormack gives a sly wink. “Lindy Lou Who, meet my old sorority sister, Serena Digby.”

  I don’t bother to hide my scowl from her.

  The dark-haired beauty’s mane blows wildly as if it had a life of its own.

  “Carlotta Kenzie Lemon,” my name sings from the woman’s lips low and slow like an incantation. Serena leans in, her lips purposefully forming their next word. “You will rue the day you trampled on the hearts of these girls. Everything you love, everything you desire, everything you hope for and dream of will turn to ashes and soot.”

  “Ha!” I balk right in her face. “My boyfriend’s mother just tried to cast a pox on my life last month, and that didn’t work out either. Nice try, ladies. Don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split—”

  Serena lifts a blood red nail and my mouth closes as if on its own volition.

  “May nothing go your way. May the shadow replace the sun. May the winds of fortune hide their face from you. May darkness descend on you this hour, and may it never leave until you surrender all that you stole from my sisters.”

  “Double ha!” I don’t mind one bit laughing in her face once again. “Newsflash, ladies, I’m not holding Everett or Noah hostage. They’re free to love who they want—and they just so happen to choose me.”

  Okay, so that didn’t sound so humble. But right now, I don’t care about how I sound. I want all three of these witches out of my hair and as far away from my bakery as they can get. Maybe Serena here has a few spare brooms she can lend them to make it happen.

  Carlotta comes around the counter and faces the troublesome trio with me.

  “Tell ’em, Lot. Go on now. Scat, girls,” she says as she threads her arm through mine. “I’ve got Canelli connections and I’m in bed with the Lazzaris. Unless you want your nose on your forehead, I suggest you leave now.”

  “Nice one,” I whisper through the side of my lips. “How very Picasso of you.”

  Carlotta sniffs with pride. “I try.”

  Serena leans across the counter and looks deep into my eyes with those eerie cellophane-like peepers.

  Something stirs in me. A flash of heat washes through my body, followed by something icy cold, and I feel nauseous and faint for the briefest of moments.

  Serena sheds a simple grin as she leans back. “It’s done.”

  Carlotta cranes her neck to get a better look at my face. “What’s done? What’s that little witch gone and done did? Lottie Dottie? You still in there?” She waves her hand over my face and I blink to life.

  “Yes,” I pant as if I just ran a mile. “I’m still here.”

  “And I’m leaving.” Serena takes a breath with a smug look on her face as she snaps her fingers next to her temple. “Expect good things, girls. Those men will come crawling back in no time.” She steps into the crowd, and I’d swear on my life she just up and disappeared in a plume of lavender smoke.

  I gulp hard as I pull Carlotta close. “Did you just see that?”

  Carlotta grunts, “I’d watch my back if I were you, Lot Lot.”

  I gasp as I pull back to get a better look at her. “What happened to all that Canelli, Lazzari talk?”

  “Oh, honey, they’re just people like you and me. This is a darn right force of darkness.”

  Cormack clacks her navy nails over the counter. “That’s right, Lot Lot.” She smears it with a smile. “You’ve got all the forces of darkness working against Noah and you. And there isn’t a chance in H-E double hockey sticks you’re going to survive it.” She spins on her heels and speeds out the door and into the snowy Honey Hollow afternoon.

  Cressida leans in, forcing me to look into that caustic look on her face. “And that goes double for Essex. I suggest you find another man to snag. You’ll need the backup sooner than later.” She twitches her fingers at me as she follows Cormack out the door.

  The customers at the counter start to die down, and my sisters and I have everyone sing “Happy Birthday” to our mother.

  Mom leans in to blow out the candles, and a lock of her vanilla-colored hair ignites in flames.

  “Mother,” I shout as I try to slap it out in a panic.

  Mom tries to jump out of her seat just as I’m about to douse that stubborn flame—and with all the scream
ing and shouting going on around us, I somehow stumble, landing facedown in my mother’s triple chocolate fudge cake.

  A riotous bout of laughter breaks out as I come up for air, gasping and licking up the chocolate over my lips in the process. I’m about to laugh, or cry myself, just as my eyes lock on a woman standing across the street, her hair rising like a dark cloud.

  I glance back at the crowd around me before my gaze darts back out the window, but the woman is gone, leaving a plume of purple fog in her wake.

  Serena seemingly evaporated into thin air.

  That’s nonsense. I don’t believe in witches, curses, or poxes. It’s all a bunch of silliness.

  Noah and I are going to be just fine. And so are Everett and I.

  My stomach churns because a very real part of me knows this doesn’t end well.

  The party slowly dissipates as everyone goes their separate ways.

  I scrub my face until it’s just as pink as can be and nary a trace of my chocolate confection remains where it’s not supposed to be.

  Everett comes up with his hands in his pockets, his lips twitching with the idea of a smile.

  “You did it again, Lemon. You caught the killer and saved your mother’s birthday. You never cease to amaze me.” He wraps an arm around me and presses his lips close to my ear. “Everything is going to work out just the way it’s supposed to. Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about me.” He dots a kiss to my nose and my insides pinch with grief.

  “A wife tends to worry about her husband,” I say it lower than a whisper. I’m teasing, but only as far as the state laws allow because it happens to be true.

  Noah comes our way and Everett excuses himself as he heads to the counter where Bear and Forest stand.

  Noah’s dimples go off all on their own. “I have got the worst craving to frost some cookies.” He cocks his head with a devious smile trying to break free on his lips.

  “Hmm.” I tap the side of my cheek as a giggle bounces through me. “If only I knew a baker who could help you.”

  His arms find their way around my waist. “I think I’d like to frost the baker’s cookies. This baker to be exact.” His lips land over mine, and it feels safe, familiar, dizzyingly delicious.