Pumpkin Pie Parting
Page 18
The lights flicker as the monstrosity sways overhead and the room breaks out into spontaneous applause.
Mom hikes her glass up and others quickly do the same. “To the ghosts of the haunted Honey Hollow Bed and Breakfast!”
“Whoa, whoa!” Lainey tiptoes over in her heels and hands my mother a small navy felt box. “You might want to hold off on the toast for a second. Forest and I got you a little something.”
“Ooh”—Mom’s eyes grow swirly as she opens it carefully—“I love me a good present.” She squints down at the contents of the box before her eyes grow to the size of baby rattles. “Oh my God! You’re having a baby?”
Lainey nods her head with excitement as the room breaks out into cheers.
Forest helps my mother slip on the necklace that spells out Grandma in gold letters across the front. And as happy as I am for my sister, I can’t help but mourn a little for the baby I thought I was having with Noah.
Suze comes up as if reading my mind.
“Everett”—she doesn’t even bother looking my way—“I’ll be seeing the doctor tomorrow. I know that my son wouldn’t have wanted all these artificial life preserving measures. He was strong and robust and has no interest lying in a hospital bed for the rest of his life. We’ll be discussing terminating his care.” She nods curtly to Everett. “Please give your mother my best when you speak with her.”
“Everett.” I can hardly press his name out. “I can’t let her do that. I can’t let her pull the plug.” A thought comes to me. “You can’t do that. I’m his wife. I’m legally the next of kin, and I’m not so much as pulling out a hair on his head.” I’m filled with relief at the thought. Who knew our marriage would turn out to be a lifesaver? His.
“Hardly.” She smacks her lips with disdain. “But I’ve consulted my legal team. I have the right to do as I wish.”
Suze stalks out of the B&B and I’m frozen solid with anger.
“Everett, I’ve never feared a person so much in my life.”
“Don’t worry, Lemon. I’m going to talk to her for you.”
Soon enough, the room empties. Thirteen walks us out, slinking alongside of us as he lands on the porch, glowing like a dark star.
“Goodnight, Lottie. It’s always a pleasure.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Thirteen. I’m glad the powers that be are letting you stick around. Get some good haunting in tonight.” I give him a little wave as Everett leads me to his car.
“Lemon”—Everett pulls me in close under a full moon surrounded by storm clouds—“I have something to tell you.” He sighs hard.
“Oh no. Judging by that expression on your face, it’s not good. Oh my God, it’s Noah. He’s died, hasn’t he?” Every cell in my body ignites with searing pain.
“No, no, he’s fine. He’s exactly as we left him. And yes, I’ll talk to Suze. I don’t want her to do that. But as far as you holding power of attorney—” He bites down on his lip a moment. “Lottie, remember me telling you last month that I’d do everything in my power to hasten your annulment? Well, it’s happened sooner than expected. As of two days ago, you and Noah aren’t legally married.”
“Dear God.” A brand new level of fright pulses through me. I’m not Noah’s wife anymore. I’m right back to being just a baker. And then an idea comes to mind. “Everett, I know exactly how we might be able to wake up Noah. But we have to leave now. Every minute counts.”
Just a little over an hour later, Everett and I head up to the second floor where Noah lies all alone in a darkened room. My sleeping prince. He looks so peaceful and at rest, despite the machines they have caustically whirling away. I’m almost afraid to rouse him. But it’s for his own good or else his mother will traipse in here and start disconnecting him like an annoying car alarm.
Everett nods as he hands me the platter he carried up for me.
“You’re on, Lemon. Do you want me to leave the room?”
“No, please stay. I don’t mind at all.” I take a step in close to the man who was my precious husband for such a brief moment in time. “Noah? It’s me, Lottie. Everett is here with me. We just wanted to come by to wish you a happy Thanksgiving. And, we were sort of hoping you would wake up for us and say those words right back.” I look to Everett and take a deep breath. “Here goes nothing,” I whisper as I pull the foil off the platter of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and wave it under his chin. The warm scent of vanilla, brown sugar, and chocolate delights our senses and I’m hoping his, too.
Noah’s finger twitches and Everett points to it.
“Did you see that?”
A laugh bubbles from me. “I sure did.” I wave the cookies once again and a hard groan moans from Noah.
Everett lands a warm hand over my shoulder. “He’s coming back.”
Slowly, ever so slowly, Noah rouses to life, his lids fluttering, his mouth struggling as if to say something.
Everett takes off to get a nurse, and just as he leaves the room, Noah’s eyes open groggily.
A nurse crashes through the door and quickly checks him before pulling the breathing tubes out of him. Soon, the room is filled with an entire army of nurses, checking his vitals, removing all of those measures that Suze herself wanted gone.
Noah groans once again as he struggles to sit up and they help pull his bed up a few notches.
“Lottie?” My name comes from him hoarse as he looks my way. “I love you.”
“Oh my God, Noah!” I burst into tears as I hold him tight.
The doctor comes over and smiles down at him. A petite woman who has been a saint to deal with. “You’re going to be fine. It’s not unusual for this to happen, but I must admit, this is the first cookie miracle I’ve seen.” She chuckles as she looks my way. “He’ll still need care and therapy, but if all goes well, he’ll be home soon. With an injury like this, you want to be sure to treat the patient with extra care. His body and his mind will be susceptible for a setback in the coming weeks.” She looks to Noah. “No hard and fast movements, no rock climbing.” She looks my way. “Nothing emotionally traumatic. Something like that could easily cause a setback, considering the brain swelling he had.”
“I won’t allow it.” I hold up a hand as if taking an oath.
A little over an hour later, Noah is able to sit up on his own. He looks exhausted. A few abrasions from the accident remain under his left eye. The nurses gave him fresh water to drink under their careful supervision, and he’s already been given clearance to have one of my magical cookies.
Noah takes a bite and moans. “I’ve missed this. I missed it and I didn’t even know I was missing it.”
A warm laugh bounces through me.
Noah looks to Everett. “Thank you for taking care of her. I can never repay you for that.” He scowls at him a moment. “Feel free to sleep at your place tonight.”
The three of us share a dark laugh.
Noah pulls my hand to him and kisses the ring on my finger. “I’m glad you’re still wearing your ring, Lottie. You should. I picked it out and bought it with love. You’re my wife.” His gaze drops to my stomach. “And that’s our baby.” His deep emerald eyes meet with mine once again. “We’re a family. My wife, my child.” His eyes grow glassy with emotion as I look to Everett.
No emotional trauma. Those were the exact words the doctor used. I’ll tell Noah the truth about the baby, about us eventually—just not now. There’s no way I can risk him falling back into that state.
Not on my watch.
I want to keep him safe, and I’ll tell a thousand lies to do it.
And as it stands now, I’ll have to do just that.
***Need more Honey Hollow? Read Yule Log Eulogy (Murder in the Mix 16) next!
A Note from the Author
Thank you for reading Pumpkin Pie Parting (Murder in the Mix 15). If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review at your point of purchase. Even a sentence or two makes a difference to an author. Thank you so very much in advance! Your
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Look for Yule Log Eulogy (Murder in the Mix 16) coming up next!
Books by Addison Moore
Look for Yule Log Eulogy (Murder in the Mix 16) coming up next!
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AddisonMoore.com
Mystery
Little Girl Lost
A Sublime Casualty
The First Wife’s Secret
Cozy Mystery
Cutie Pies and Deadly Lies (Murder in the Mix 1)
Bobbing for Bodies (Murder in the Mix 2)
Pumpkin Spice Sacrifice (Murder in the Mix 3)
Gingerbread & Deadly Dread (Murder in the Mix 4)
Seven-Layer Slayer (Murder in the Mix 5)
Red Velvet Vengeance (Murder in the Mix 6)
Bloodbaths and Banana Cake (Murder in the Mix 7)
New York Cheesecake Chaos (Murder in the Mix 8)
Lethal Lemon Bars (Murder in the Mix 9)
Macaron Massacre (Murder in the Mix 10)
Wedding Cake Carnage (Murder in the Mix 11)
Donut Disaster (Murder in the Mix 12)
Toxic Apple Turnovers (Murder in the Mix 13)
Killer Cupcakes (Murder in the Mix 14)
Pumpkin Pie Parting (Murder in the Mix 15)
Yule Log Eulogy (Murder in the Mix 16)
Pancake Panic (Murder in the Mix 17)
Romance
Just Add Mistletoe
3:AM Kisses (3:AM Kisses 1)
Winter Kisses (3:AM Kisses 2)
Sugar Kisses (3:AM Kisses 3)
Whiskey Kisses (3:AM Kisses 4)
Rock Candy Kisses (3:AM Kisses 5)
Velvet Kisses (3:AM Kisses 6)
Wild Kisses (3:AM Kisses 7)
Country Kisses (3:AM Kisses 8)
Forbidden Kisses (3:AM Kisses 9)
Dirty Kisses (3:AM Kisses 10)
Stolen Kisses (3:AM Kisses 11)
Lucky Kisses (3:AM Kisses 12)
Tender Kisses (3:AM Kisses 13)
Revenge Kisses (3:AM Kisses 14)
Red Hot Kisses (3:AM Kisses 15)
Reckless Kisses (3:AM Kisses 16)
Hot Honey Kisses (3:AM Kisses 17)
Shameless Kisses (3:AM Kisses 18)
Value 3:AM Kisses Boxed Sets
3:AM Kisses Boxed Set 1-3
3:AM Kisses Boxed Set 4-6
3:AM Kisses Boxed Set 7-9
3:AM Kisses Boxed Set 10-12
3:AM Kisses Boxed Set 13-15
3:AM Kisses Boxed Set 16-18
The Social Experiment (The Social Experiment 1)
Bitter Exes (The Social Experiment 2)
Chemical Attraction (The Social Experiment 3)
Low Down & Dirty (3:AM Kisses, Hollow Brook1)
Dirty Disaster (3:AM Kisses, Hollow Brook 2)
Dirty Deeds (3:AM Kisses, Hollow Brook 3)
Naughty By Nature
Heartless (Breakers Canyon Billionaires 1)
Wicked Heart (Breakers Canyon Billionaires 2)
Stone Cold Heart (Breakers Canyon Billionaires 3)
Beautiful Oblivion (Lake Loveless 1)
Beautiful Illusions (Lake Loveless 2)
Beautiful Elixir (Lake Loveless 3)
Beautiful Deception (Lake Loveless 4)
The Solitude of Passion
Someone to Love (Someone to Love 1)
Someone Like You (Someone to Love 2)
Someone For Me (Someone to Love 3)
BOXED SETS
Breakers Canyon Boxed Set (Books 1-3)
Lake Loveless Boxed Set (Books 1-3)
A Totally ‘80s Romance (Books 1-3)
3:AM Kisses, Hollow Brook (Books 1-3)
3:AM KISSES (Books 1-3)
Young Adult Romance
Melt With You (A Totally ’80s Romance 1)
Tainted Love (A Totally ’80s Romance 2)
Hold Me Now (A Totally ’80s Romance 3)
Paranormal Romance
(Celestra Book World in Order)
Ethereal (Celestra Series Book 1)
Tremble (Celestra Series Book 2)
Burn (Celestra Series Book 3)
Wicked (Celestra Series Book 4)
Vex (Celestra Series Book 5)
Expel (Celestra Series Book 6)
Toxic Part One (Celestra Series Book 7)
Toxic Part Two (Celestra Series Book 8)
Elysian (Celestra Series Book 9)
Perfect Love (A Celestra Novella)
Ephemeral (The Countenance Trilogy 1)
Evanescent (The Countenance Trilogy 2)
Entropy (The Countenance Trilogy 3)
Ethereal Knights (Celestra Knights)
Season of the Witch (A Celestra Companion)
Celestra Forever After (Celestra Forever After 1)
The Dragon and the Rose (Celestra Forever After 2)
The Serpentine Butterfly (Celestra Forever After 3)
Crown of Ashes (Celestra Forever After 4)
Throne of Fire (Celestra Forever After 5)
All Hail the King (Celestra Forever After 6)
Acknowledgments
Thank YOU so much for spending time in Honey Hollow! I hope you enjoyed the adventure with Lottie and all of her Honey Hollow peeps as much as I did. The MURDER IN THE MIX mysteries are so very special to me, and I hope they are to you as well. If you’d like to be in the know on upcoming releases, please be sure to follow me at Bookbub and Amazon. Simply click the links on the next page. I am SUPER excited to share the next book with you! So much happens and so much changes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking this wild roller coaster ride with me. I really do love you!
A super big thank you to Kaila Eileen Turingan-Ramos and Jodie Tarleton. You girls rock and you know it!
A humble thank you to my fabulous betas, Lisa Markson, and Ashley Marie Daniels. Thank you very much for lending me your eyes.
An honorable mention to the fabulous Lou Harper for designing the world’s best covers. I can never thank you enough for making the books so magical.
And a gracious thank you to the wonderful Paige Maroney Smith for everything you do. You are the best of the best. There are none like you!
And last, but never least, thank you to Him who sits on the throne. Worthy is the Lamb! Glory and honor and power are yours. I owe you everything.
About the Author
Addison Moore is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who writes mystery, psychological thrillers and romance. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine. Previously she worked as a therapist on a locked psychiatric unit for nearly a decade. She resides on the West Coast with her husband, four wonderful children, and two dogs where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she's not writing, she's reading. Addison’s Celestra Series has been optioned for film by 20th Century Fox.
Feel free to visit her on Instagram.
*Be sure to subscribe to Addison’s mailing list for sneak peeks and updates on all upcoming releases!
For up to the minute pre-order and new release alerts
✦Follow Addison here for the latest updates!
✦Follow Addison on Bookbub!
✦Like on Facebook
*Want to chat about the books? Hop over to Addison’s Reader Corner on Facebook!
*Be sure to subscribe to Addison’s mailing list for sneak peeks and updates on all upcoming releases!
Or click over to the WEBSITE