Frosting Disaster

by Zoe Arden

  "You want me to do what?" he asked, his mouth open like he was about to scream. His hands twitched at his sides, ready to pull his hair out if I said anything else that didn't compute.

  "Just write down the reservation and seat Renee when she gets here," I told him, doing my best to sound reasonable.

  "A reservation for Dracula," he said skeptically.

  "Yes." It sounded ridiculous when he said it out loud but I hadn't had much time to think when I'd made it up.

  "Who does Renee think she's really meeting?"

  I shrugged. "Someone with information." He lifted his eyebrows, waiting for more. "I was very nonspecific. She just thinks she's meeting someone to talk about Damon."

  Grayson shook his head. "I don't know what you're up to but I don't want to get involved. MAPP is crazy enough as it is; I don't need to get them on my bad side."

  "They won't be," I said. "I promise."

  "Ava... whatever you're up to, do it somewhere else. Please."

  He turned away from me and headed toward the kitchen. The Golden Goose was packed for lunch right now and Grayson wasn't one of those owners who liked to sit back and put their legs up. No, he liked to be in the middle of things. Checking the food, checking the chefs, checking on customers. I'd cornered him just as he'd finished seating a family of four. Two men there for a business meeting sat across from them. A couple sat in a solitary corner looking into each other's eyes over a plate of fettuccine. The Golden Goose was popular with all crowds.

  I had to do something fast. It was almost noon and if my plan had worked, Renee should be here any minute. Grayson's back was to me. H was almost to the kitchen door and if I tried to follow him in there, I'd get stopped by a dozen sous chefs demanding I get out of their kitchen.

  "She's got a picture of me doing magic," I shouted as loud as I dared. He stopped and turned around, his mouth hanging open.

  "She what?"

  "She snuck up on me the other night and snapped it when I was using a light charm."

  "Ava! You should know better than that." He turned to look around us then pulled me into a corner. "How could you let this happen?"

  "I know, I know," I said. "I know where the picture is, though. I just need to get to her camera so I can delete it."

  "What if she's made copies?"

  "She hasn't. I'm sure."

  "How do you know?" He held his hand up to silence me. "Never mind. The less I know the better." He let out a heavy sigh. "What do you want me to do?"

  Ten minutes later, I was in a private room hiding under a table, hidden by a white tablecloth. Snowy came running under it. "She is here."

  I held my breath as Grayson's voice filtered through the air. "Here you are," he said. "Mister, uh, Dracula, should be with you shortly."

  "Thanks," she said, her voice strained. I heard the clunk of her camera as she set it on the tabletop and narrowly avoided being hit by her feet as she slid into her booth. Snowy arched her back as Renee's foot struck her tail. I rubbed her head to calm her down.

  The waiter brought some water and took her drink order, giving her time to look through the menu. She murmured something about not trusting the food but seemed to look through it anyway. I heard her stomach rumble.

  Snowy waited a minute then ran out from under the table and jumped into Renee's lap. "Oh!" she gasped, startled. Snowy began purring loudly as Renee laughed. "Where'd you come from?"

  I could tell that she was petting Snowy; her arms were moving at her sides. "Are you the same little guy I saw on the beach?"

  She sounded suddenly uneasy but Snowy didn't give her time to think about it. She jumped from her lap onto the table and knocked over her glass of water. It went spilling over the edge, soaking Renee's pants. She jumped up, screeching. Grayson came running into the room.

  "Something wrong?" he asked."

  "Yes, this animal has just spilled water all over me. What kind of restaurant is this that you let cats run wild? You should send it to the pound. " Snowy hissed at her and jumped off the table, running out of the restaurant. I'd meet up with her again at home and she could have all the tuna she wanted.

  "I'm so sorry, ma'am," Grayson said. "Please, the bathroom is just this way. You can leave your things here and I'll make sure they're watched."

  Renee followed Grayson to the bathroom, leaving me alone with her camera. I slid out from under the table and flipped through the controls searching for the gallery of photos. There weren't any. Not one. Everything on the camera had been wiped clean before coming here.

  I set the camera down, my heart thumping, and left the restaurant before things could get any worse.

  * * *

  CHAPTER

  FOURTEEN

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  The mayor's ball was here. Finally. The week had sailed by but there had also been hours when it had dragged. Especially since my failed attempt to get my photo back. I kept waiting for it to appear on the Channel Nine News or YouTube or something, and when it didn't, I began to hope that maybe I was worrying about nothing. Maybe the picture hadn't even turned out that night and Renee had simply deleted it. But then I remembered that Snowball had heard Renee say she thought it was too dangerous to make copies. Maybe she'd been talking about another photograph, though. Not mine.

  I knew I was getting desperate, and desperation was never a good thing. Besides, there were more important things, like finding Randall's killer. Colt was talking to me but I'd tuned out most of what he was saying, wondering if maybe Trixie had been right. Maybe whoever had killed Randall had been a paranormal tourist and they were off the island now.

  "Ava?" Colt asked. "Did you hear me?"

  "I'm sorry," I said, trying to clear my head. "What did you say?"

  "I said you look beautiful."

  "Oh." I blushed. "Thanks. You, too. Look good, I mean."

  He looked like he'd just stepped off the pages of GQ. He could have been on billboards. I wondered how I'd gotten so lucky to have him as a boyfriend.

  "Let's dance," he said, spinning me out onto the dance floor. My dress twirled around me. It was long and pale pink, made of silk and satin and free of any embellishments except a bit of glitter that shined beneath the multicolored lights that had been set up in the ballroom.

  Whoever Otis had hired to do the decorating had really gone all out. There wasn't one inch of space that didn't sparkle, shine, or glow. Magical stars shined down from the ceiling in soft blue and white lights. Candles glowed from tabletops covered with rich red velvet cloths. Flowers had been piled everywhere, creating a soft fragrance that kept your head light and your nose buzzing.

  On one side of the room, a long buffet table had been set out with the creations of Sweets n' Treats. Brownies and cookies of all varieties sat piled high on fancy plates and tiered trays. There were chocolate fudge brownies; blondies with hunks of dark chocolate and butterscotch; multilayered brownies with cherry filling and whipped cream; cookies with pecans and white chocolate chunks; oatmeal raisin sandwich cookies with milk chocolate mousse; anything and everything you could have dreamed of.

  On the other side of the room was our stuff. Mystic Cupcake's buffet table was lined with our classics like peanut butter dream bars and chocolate eclairs but there were other, newer things created especially for the event. We had pumpkin pecan spice cupcakes with white chocolate mousse buttercream; Napoleons drizzled with dark chocolate, rich custard and raspberry jam sandwiched between the layers of puff pastry; sweet mini corn muffins with caramel frosting; dark chocolate devil's food cupcakes with a fudge center and dark chocolate frosting; and more things than I had ever thought possible.

  In the center of the room, on a special table just for this event, was our showstopper; a ten-tiered cake stood six feet high. It was almost ten feet tall with the table it sat upon. A stepladder would be needed just to cut it. The cake layers alternated between spicy rum cake, red vel
vet, and dark chocolate. The frosting was a rich, smooth Italian meringue, and the whole thing had been filled with whipped white chocolate. On the side sat a bowl of caramelized potato chips, which could be easily sprinkled on top, just for Tadpole. It was heaven in a cake.

  For the decorations, deep green vines had been molded from modeling chocolate and dusted with edible glitter so that it sparkled like the stars above us. The vines started at the base on left side of the cake and climbed all the way to the top, where they ended in a magnificent outpouring of green that gave way to a waterfall, which rolled over layer upon layer down the other side of the cake. The water was made using decorating gel buttercream, and a special combination of spells that made the water look like it was actually moving. I'd infused the whole thing with happiness extract so that no one who bit into it could have a bad time. The official cake cutting would begin in another hour or so. Until then people stopped in front of it, posing for pictures.

  Trixie and Eleanor stood happily by as people came up to congratulate them on a cake well done. Trixie was still sick but the elixir Amanda Hollyberry had sent over was helping. She had only sneezed six times today, and she'd only had to use her wand four times, though she still had it tucked safely into her purse just in case of an emergency.

  As Colt twirled me around the dance floor to the live orchestra music Otis had employed, I tried to focus on the good things that were happening tonight but everyone around me seemed to be talking about Randall. Bits of conversation seeped into my ears.

  "Has the sheriff done anything?"

  "I still think it was that MAPP woman."

  "I'm amazed no one else has turned up dead."

  My head was beginning to ache and I felt my temper on edge.

  "Ava," Colt said.

  "What?" I snapped at him.

  He looked uncertainly at me. "You look like you're bored to death." He stopped dancing and looked at me. "No. Not bored. Mad."

  I turned away from him and spotted Damon across the room with Betsey. I was surprised to see them here since they both lived in Mistmoor Point. The only other people from Mistmoor I'd spotted were Tazzie Singer, Mistmoor's mayor, and Felicity Redfern and her mother. I supposed that some people just liked a party.

  I glared at Damon. I was still mad he'd refused to help me get my picture back. Colt followed my gaze.

  "Oh," he said. "I get it. This is about him." I turned to see that Colt's smile had faded into a glare of his own. "If you'd rather talk to Damon, I won't stop you. Just don't expect me to wait around all night."

  "No," I said, exasperated. "You're being silly. I don't want to be with Damon. I'm just mad at him. I needed his help with something and he wouldn't help me."

  I shut my eyes, realizing too late that I'd put my foot in it again. I was definitely worse than Lucy, I decided, who was trying to dance with every guy in the room.

  "What did you need his help with?" Colt asked. Shock showed on his face. It mixed with anger and slowly turned into full-blown rage. "If you needed help with something, why didn't you ask me?" He shook his head. "Forget it, Ava. I don't even care anymore."

  He walked away from me and I chased after him. "Colt, please. Listen to me." I pressed him into a corner and laid my hand against his chest. He was twice as big as me and could have easily gotten past me if he'd wanted to but he stayed put.

  "Look, I..." I let out a deep sigh. "I asked him to help me get a picture back. Renee..." I could barely get the words out, "... caught me performing a light charm with my finger and snapped a picture of me doing it." I looked down, too embarrassed to look at him. "I tried to get it back myself but when I got ahold of her camera, it wasn't on there. I don't know what she did with it."

  Colt's entire face changed. "That's why you've been so distracted tonight?"

  I nodded.

  His muscular hand reached under my chin and tilted my head back so that I had to look him in the eyes.

  "You should have just told me." He leaned down and kissed me. My body tingled, and when he pulled away, I felt the loss of his lips on mine.

  "What should I do?" I asked him.

  "Nothing."

  I blinked. "Nothing?"

  "That's right. A light charm is no big deal."

  "But it's magic. And if she puts that picture on the Internet or something—"

  "No one will believe it," he said, cutting me off. "They'll think it's Photoshopped or something. I guarantee you no one will think it's real."

  He sounded so sure of himself that it was hard not to believe him.

  "You really think it's no big deal?" I asked.

  "Yes. And I really think you should lighten up and have some fun tonight. It's a party."

  It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Suddenly, the music seemed too good not to dance to. I felt my feet moving toward the dance floor before my brain caught up to them. Colt slipped one hand behind my back and off we went. This time, there were no distractions other than Colt's eyes and his warm, precious lips.

  * * *

  CHAPTER

  FIFTEEN

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  By the time Colt and I finally took a breather from the dance floor, I'd nearly forgotten about Randall and Renee. They were still in the back of my mind but they were distant now; far away and set aside in the swirls of lights and Colt's kisses.

  "Want some punch?" Colt asked me.

  "Yeah, thanks." My throat felt dry as a desert and I would've drunk anything to quench it right now. If Colt had offered me a cold glass of slime, I probably would've jumped at the chance.

  "What's he doing here?" Colt muttered, looking not toward the punch bowl but the Sweets n' Treats buffet table. I followed his gaze and saw Dean Lampton, Colt's boss, standing there with a plate of treats in his hand. He looked as though he was savoring every bite, like he hadn't eaten anything sweet in over a month and this was a real treat for him. For all I knew, it was.

  Colt turned to me. "I'm sorry, I better go say hi. He might be looking for me."

  "He wouldn't expect you to be working now," I said. "Would he?"

  "You never know what to expect from Dean. It's one of his many... err... qualities."

  I noted that Colt didn't say "good" qualities and decided not to give him a hard time about ditching me for a minute. I knew from my own experiences with Dean that he could be a handful.

  "Okay, I'll just be hanging out at the punch bowl, I guess." I tried not to pout but it was hard. I'd been looking forward to having Colt all to myself this evening.

  "I'll only be a minute," he assured me and kissed me quickly before heading over to Dean.

  I sighed and moved to the punch bowl nearest the Mystic table. There were two other punch bowls located throughout the massive room. I was pretty sure Otis was right; the entire town had turned out for this event. The ballroom, though already large, had clearly been enhanced with an enlargement charm to accommodate all the guests. It was a good thing, too. One more person in here and we'd be smooshed in like sardines.

  It wasn't just people, either. Otis was so fond of Tadpole that he didn't see why any familiars ought to be left out, so they'd all been invited as well. There was even a specific buffet table for them loaded with tuna, dog kibble, and all sort of other treats just for cats, dogs, birds, lizards, and of course, skunks. Rocky, Tootsie, and Snowball were around here somewhere, and I was sure that Snowy had already eaten her body weight in tuna.

  Lottie Mudget and Natalie Vargas were standing by the punch bowl when I got there, chatting. They smiled when they saw me.

  "Ava!" Natalie cried. "Your cake is a triumph!" She bowed her head slightly, and I wondered if she'd had just a little too much punch. Her smile was sort of lopsided and her eyes were getting glassy.

  Still, I couldn't help but smile as she turned to look at the centerpiece cake I'd helped to create like it was Solomon's gold instead of, basically, fl
our and sugar.

  "Thanks," I said, grabbing a punch cup from off the table. I filled it to the brim with the cold, pink liquid. I wasn't actually sure what was in it but when I tasted it my mouth broke into a grin. It was delicious. I could taste fresh oranges, lemon zest, and champagne. It bubbled over my tongue and down my throat, tickling my nose. I gulped it up and drew a second glass. My head was already feeling light and I got the feeling there was more than just champagne in here. No wonder Natalie looked like she was flying high tonight.

  Natalie and Lottie were watching me like they were waiting for something, maybe some new bit of gossip? I suddenly wished I'd gone to one of the other punch bowls. I hadn't seen much of Lottie or Natalie since the day Randall died. Standing by them now was bringing it all back when I'd only just managed to get rid of it.

  It occurred to me that both of them had been in the bakery when Randall had died, yet I didn't think either of them had been questioned by Sheriff Knoxx or Colt, at least not beyond the questions they'd asked us all as a group before taking Renee away. Natalie, in particular, hadn't been very happy with Randall as I recalled.

  Maybe I should ask a few questions of my own... I knew that Colt would say now wasn't the time but I thought it was the perfect time. I shot a glance at him and saw he was still busy talking to Dean.

  "So do you guys remember anything from the day Randall died? Anything unusual, I mean?"

  Natalie's eyes lit up and I could tell she'd been waiting for a reason to discuss this very topic.

  "I've thought about that very thing," Natalie said, leaning toward me like we were discussing a conspiracy. Maybe we were. Lottie leaned in, too, though I thought she was only mimicking Natalie. If left to her own devices just now, I suspected she might be gathering more treats onto her empty plate. She was clutching it to her chest like it was a treasure map.