Killer Cupcakes (MURDER IN THE MIX Book 14) Read online

  “You look a lot like my husband.” I bite down on my lower lip playfully.

  Noah steps in close, his gaze penetrating mine and it feels intimate, special.

  “And you look a lot like my gorgeous wife. Do you think I can steal you away from this place for an hour or two?”

  “It depends if we can outrun your fiancée.”

  Cormack bounces up and wraps her arms around him, planting a kiss right over his lips.

  “Where we off to, Big Boss?”

  He looks my way as he carefully extricates her from his person.

  “I’m sorry, Cormack, but I’ve got official duty I need to take care of. I need to take someone downtown for questioning.”

  She scoffs. “By all means, give ’em all you got.”

  “That’s exactly what I intend to do. Lottie, you’re coming with me.”

  I ask Lily to watch the shop as I grab my purse and follow Noah outside into the crisp autumn air. I glance back and spot Cormack glaring at me from the window.

  “I think we made our escape,” I say as Noah takes up my hand. “Too bad you had to shed a white lie to do it.”

  “I didn’t shed a white lie. I am taking you downtown for questioning. Downtown Fallbrook. We’ve got a counseling session in twenty minutes.”

  “Counseling? Not exactly the date I envisioned.”

  “How about afterwards we do something you envision?”

  “Fair enough. Be warned. I’ve got quite the vivid imagination.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Chapter 10

  Fallbrook.

  Dr. Frankie Allen’s office is in an unassuming white square of a building that sits nestled next to a Pilates studio and a Tex-Mex restaurant. Inside it’s clean and spacious, and the office itself is small and cozy with a sofa in the back and two navy tufted chairs for Noah and me to sit on. Her desk is a sprawl of mahogany, and the walls are lined with a plethora of degrees staggered apart just so, creating a stairstep effect as they creep along the wall.

  The door opens and in walks a tall redhead with her hair in a bun, pretty, a touch older than myself, and this surprises me on many levels. She wears red-framed glasses and has matching painted lips, and bears one big toothy smile as she comes at me with an extended hand.

  I rise to meet her. “So nice to finally put a face with the name,” I say. That’s not entirely true. I can’t think of once where Noah has uttered her name, but it’s the kind of thing you say at odd intervals of life such as this.

  “Please,” she growls it out throaty. “The pleasure is all mine. I’ve heard so much about you, I feel as if we’re old friends about to catch up.” She wrinkles her nose as she looks to Noah. “And you look as handsome as ever. You ready to get this show on the road? Because I am anxious to get to the heart of the matter.”

  She hops behind her desk and I steal a moment to glance to Noah. In no way has he prepared me for what I’m up against, but in his defense, I didn’t even think to ask. Is she young? Is she pretty? Exactly how intimately does she know me?

  “So”—she folds her hands over her desk and her lips expand clear across her face—“Lottie, as I’m sure you realize, Noah has been here with both Britney and Cormack.”

  “And now he’s brought me to complete his frequent flyer mileage. I think he’s trying to secure a trip to warmer climates.”

  We share a quick laugh on Noah’s behalf and he bounces his brows my way, pleasantly amused.

  Dr. Allen leans in. “Noah, may I?”

  He nods. “I feel more than comfortable with anything you would like to disclose to Lottie. I have no secrets from her.”

  “Anymore,” I say, taking up his hand.

  Dr. Allen takes a breath. “Yes, anymore.” She offers a slight nod at the quasi-dig, and now I feel bad for inadvertently dishing it out. “Noah initially came to see me with his wife, Britney. Their marriage had dissolved not long after it began, and together we were able to untangle that knot. And privately, Noah shared with me his longing to reunite with you, Lottie. There was no confusion as to where his heart stood.” She sighs dreamily at Noah. “And then came Cormack.” Her lips pull down just shy of a grimace. Believe you me, lady, I feel the same. “I think that’s one knot we’re still trying to loosen. As we all know, some knots prove more difficult than others.”

  A dull laugh bounces in my chest. “And some require a restraining order.” I give Noah’s hand a squeeze and we all share a laugh on Cormack’s behalf.

  “That they do,” Dr. Allen muses. “And yet again, Noah approached me privately once Cormack was no longer in the room and let me know that he was having great difficulty removing her from his life. And again, that you held the spotlight of his affection.” She pulls a pencil from a mug and jabs it into her bun. “Sorry. Whenever I feel it loosening, I put a pin in it so to speak. Much like Noah, I like to take action before things get out of control.” She winks his way.

  “Just for the record”—I lean forward—“Cormack is out of control. The wheels are off and she’s barreling down the mountainside ready to crash and burn. It won’t be pretty.”

  “I agree.” She tosses her hands in the air. “But we can’t control Cormack, or anyone else’s reactions to your relationship.” She nods knowingly. “And there’s someone else you’re trying to protect, isn’t there, Lottie?”

  A breath hitches in my throat and I can’t seem to formulate his name on my lips.

  “My old stepbrother,” Noah offers. “After Lottie gave me space to clean up my marital mess, she dated him. And now that my divorce is final, he’s offered us the space we needed to find our way back together or find closure to what we had.” He sighs heavily as if it were the last thing he wanted and I know it is.

  “And then about a week or so ago, Noah and I found out we had accidentally gotten married. It’s one hundred percent legally binding, but seeing that we weren’t totally aware of it at the time we’re in the process of getting it annulled.”

  “Another marriage,” she says, brimming with surprise. “That’s fascinating, Noah. You seem to have more relationship tricks in your bag than Houdini.” She belts out a hearty laugh. I’d be laughing to if I thought it was funny. “So that’s where you are.” She shakes her head at the two of us. “Certainly not a textbook case, but I dare say you’re ahead of the curve.”

  “We are?” She lost me at Houdini. Wasn’t he an escape artist? Noah can’t seem to escape psychotic relationships. First Britney, now Cormack—and, ironically, he can’t seem to pin me down—and I mean that in just about every sense.

  “Oh yes,” she’s quick to assure me. “Noah expressed how deeply in love the two of you were before Britney came onto the scene. Would you agree with that?”

  “Yes,” I say emphatically. “I actually thought Noah was about to pop the question. I would have married him in a heartbeat. Noah was and is everything to me.” I look his way as I say it.

  “But?” Dr. Allen postures herself as she prods deeper.

  “But Everett—his stepbrother—and I have exchanged I love yous. We’ve been intimate.” My cheeks heat just saying that out loud.

  “Yes”—her shoulders hike as she considers this—“but this new relationship came with a considerable amount of baggage. Would you agree that you had Noah between the two of you the entire time?”

  “Yes,” I moan it out in utter exasperation. “God yes. It’s like you know me.” I turn to Noah. “Wow, she really is good.”

  Dr. Allen chortles softly. “I am. And that’s why I want you to give a considerable amount of weight to what I’m about to suggest. I’d like for the two of you to embrace your marriage.”

  “This again?” I look to Noah with surprise.

  Dr. Allen’s lips expand politely. “You’ve heard this before?”

  “Oh yes,” I begin. “Everett, my boyfriend”—I wince at Noah as I say it—“he suggested the same thing. And so did my best friend Keelie and my sisters—wow, my sister Lainey is real
ly advocating for this.” I shake my head at Noah as if it were a pity.

  Dr. Allen strums her scarlet nail over her desk. “And what do you think, Lottie?”

  “I’m perfectly fine with it. In fact, Noah and I have already agreed to it.”

  “Good.” Her lips stretch like a rubber band before she grows somber. “I’m going to give you some delineation so the idea isn’t so vague. Noah, are you comfortable embracing Lottie as your wife until the annulment is complete? Are you comfortable with caring for her emotionally and once again being intimate with Lottie if that’s something she decides on?”

  “I am.” Noah doesn’t need a moment to answer. He’s such a boy.

  I can’t help but bite down on a smile as I look his way.

  “And you, Lottie? Would you be able to put Noah above all others and tend to his emotional needs?”

  “Done.” I shrug like a champ.

  “And what about intimacy? Do you think you’re ready to take things with Noah to the next level, or would you rather wait until you’re more certain?” Her eyes needle into mine, and I can’t help but feel as if one wrong answer will cause this whole thing to blow up in my face. This is terrifying. It feels downright dangerous.

  “Lottie”—Noah gives my hand a squeeze and looks lovingly in my eyes, and I feel safe all over again—“you don’t need to answer that. I think we made good progress today. We can leave.”

  “No.” I shake my head. “Everett, Keelie, and my sisters are right. Noah, we’re married. This is what I wanted just a few short months ago. And I think the only way to know for sure if this is the direction we should head in is to step fully into those shoes. Noah, I love you. That has never changed. I loved you right through my relationship with Everett. Even he knows that.” I take a deep breath. “I’m ready. I’m ready to be your wife in every capacity, and at any time if I feel different I will bow out gracefully—and I want you to do the same. But right now”—tears blur my vision, and I’m quick to blink them away—“I am more than ready to be your bride.” A tingle rides up my spine as every cell in my body exhales with approval.

  Noah’s dimples dig in deep, and his eyes remain unblinking as if I just stunned him into submission and I believe I have.

  Dr. Allen clears her throat. “Just one thing. I’ll need the two of you to commit to the annulment. That way there is no lingering pressure that this might roll over. What you need is a trial, and that’s exactly what you’ve accidentally afforded yourself. If I were you, I’d take full advantage. And when it’s through, Lottie, I think both you and Noah will be elevated to the place you were last winter, or further.”

  And what about Everett?

  A soft laugh bounces through her. “And I bet you’re wondering about Everett. Not to worry. I plan on untangling that knot as well. In fact, the next time you come in, I’m going to ask you to invite him in as well.”

  And just like that, I feel better.

  The session wraps up, and Noah and I head out into the brisk autumn air.

  “So what should we do next?” I wrap my arms around him and bite down on a smile. Noah looks alarmingly handsome as he stands against a stormy sky. “Hey, I know. We should do something that perfectly normal married people do, like go to the grocery store and then go home and cook dinner.”

  Noah’s dimples invert fully as he takes a deep breath. “That sounds like heaven. Your place or mine?”

  All of those heated nights I’ve spent with Everett at my place flash through my mind.

  “Definitely your place. In fact, I think we should dub your place our place. My place can be our place, too, but I sort of—um—it’s a bit tricky because…”

  He shakes his head. “I get it.” He dots my lips with a kiss. “Let’s get to the grocery store so we can start cooking.”

  Noah and I head back to Honey Hollow and stop off at the market, picking up shrimp and pasta, the fixings for a salad, and some oven hot bread that has this baker’s stamp of approval.

  We stop off and feed Pancake and Waffles before heading over to his place and cooking up a storm. Noah makes a fire and we feed one another, laugh, and curl up on the sofa, catching up on life as if we had been doing exactly this for years.

  I pull Noah back into the kitchen, and while he washes the dishes, I whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies and the entire cabin smells like brown sugar and vanilla heaven. Even Toby looks delighted to wait for one of those delectable treats. Lucky for him, I made one without sugar or chocolate.

  The cookies are hardly cool, and I pull Noah into my arms and feed him a bite. Noah closes his eyes and moans through a mouthful. He goes in for some more, but I pull the cookie back and shake my head, a naughty grin blooming on my lips.

  “What’s this? Withholding cookies from me?”

  “That’s right, detective. Can you figure out why?” My adrenaline kicks in, and my heart wallops against my chest as if the house were on fire.

  Noah’s lids hood dangerously low. “It’s because you’re about to give me a bite of something sweeter?”

  I nod as I put the cookie down and wrap my arms around this gorgeous man, my husband.

  Noah lands a kiss to my lips to end every other kiss. He makes my mouth his own until I’m dizzy with desire, and soon enough he makes the rest of me his, too. It feels natural and right, and explosively satisfying—far more so than I remember.

  Noah has brought his A game tonight—and so have I. And we bring it over the kitchen table, the sofa, in front of the fireplace, and in that cozy comfy bed of his where I cozy up in his safe, strong arms.

  Noah and I are right back where we were last winter.

  Sort of.

  Noah reaches over and pulls something out of his nightstand and holds it between us.

  I sit up a notch to get a better look at what it can be and gasp.

  “Noah.” His name presses out of me as my heart ratchets up again.

  Pinched between his fingers is the ring he purchased for me last summer. The original he picked out just for me.

  His evergreen eyes bear into mine. “Lottie Kenzie Lemon, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

  “I’m one step ahead of you. I already am.”

  Noah glides the ring onto my finger, an emerald cut diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds, and it’s a perfect fit.

  “I love you, Lottie.”

  “I love you, too, Noah.”

  And just like that, this is truly a night to remember.

  Chapter 11

  “There’s just something different about you,” Thirteen muses, his ebony-colored fur glowing like a constellation of black stars.

  “There’s nothing different,” I say as I frost a dozen more friendly ghost cupcakes as quickly as I can.

  Of course there’s something different about me. I’m tense, I’m ecstatic, I’m on edge, and I’m floating on air. It’s perfectly psychotic, and Lord knows if a deceased cat has got my number, how much more will the human population be able to tell that I’m wearing that post coital glow like a slutty calling card?

  Lily pops in. “Are you hiding in here?”

  “I’m working.” I hold up the piping bag as proof.

  “It’s well past noon and you haven’t been up front once.”

  “That’s because there are a lot of cupcakes that need to be frosted.” It’s true. I’ve frosted vanilla cupcakes with purple frosting and given them candied eyes so that they look like adorable little monsters. I’ve fashioned black frosting in the shape of witches’ hats. I’ve frosted an entire slew of cupcakes in bright green, orange, and electric blue, and to add a festive spooktacular appeal, I’ve sprinkled them with miniature eyes.

  Keelie heads in. “Hey, Lot. The Honey Pot needs a few pies. I’m thinking apple and pumpkin. You’ll really have to amp up your production of both from here on out straight through the holidays.”

  “I’m on it.”

  Lily scoffs. “Please don’t give her another thing to do. For reasons unknow
n, she’s sequestering herself in the kitchen.”

  “What’s this?” Keelie’s BFF radar goes up. “Don’t tell me you’re having a good old-fashioned bake-a-thon, are you?”

  “I’m a baker, Keelie. My entire life is a bake-a-thon.” I cringe because I know where this is going. When we were growing up, and I had one of these so-called bake-a-thons, it was always due to trouble—boy trouble to be exact.

  Keelie sucks in a quick breath. “You did it! You slept with Noah and you feel guilty because half of you still belongs to Everett.”

  Aw, crap. I can’t keep a single secret from Keelie. The tragedy is, I don’t even need to verbalize it anymore.

  “Ah-ha!” Thirteen hops onto the marble island and plants his furry tushie in a tray of cupcakes. Thankfully, he’s not choosing to smash them at the moment. “This explains the unearthly glow. Noah must be quite special to invoke that aura of bliss around you.”

  Lily gasps twice as hard. “You cheated on Essex?”

  I spin her way, accidentally dropping a metal mixing bowl to the floor and it sounds as if the world just shattered.

  “I didn’t cheat on Essex.” My stomach churns because I just so happened to use a moniker I’m not all that familiar with—but have earned the right to use. “Everett encouraged me to fully explore my relationship with Noah.”

  Keelie moves in with the speed of any seasoned poltergeist. “How was it?”

  “It was amazing. Noah was always amazing.” I bite down hard on my lower lip before I exhale, giving in to the situation fully. “He’s my husband. We’re taking your—everyone’s advice and embracing the situation. It felt strangely normal, sort of like coming home.”

  Lily scoffs. “She’s just trying him on for size, Keelie. The problem is once you have a taste of Essex, it’s nearly impossible to want a normal life. Lottie, you’re in a bigger quagmire than you realize. The best you can do is ride this marriage out like you plan on doing, but mark my words, you’ll be ten times more confused than you were before once this Noah disaster is over.”