It feels right.
But then, with Noah, it always does.
Chapter 23
March came in like a lion and is about to go out like a lamb, but before it does, there’s one more thing I need to check off my list—my birthday.
About a week has passed since that horrific nightmare at the sheriff’s ball, and since then Nelson Gilmore was booked for the murder of Tim Troy. Leslie was charged as an accessory for not reporting the fact she found the bottle of powdered caffeine in Nelson’s gun safe.
The things we do for love.
Sometimes it’s downright criminal.
As far as birthdays go, this has been a strange one. I was supposed to have dinner with my mother and sisters at Lainey’s house tonight. In fact, I was told to bake myself a delicious cake and I did just that. I baked a devil’s food cake to die for—no pun intended. But just shortly after two, my mother called and said she was under the weather, but that she would move heaven and earth to see me tomorrow.
Meg texted and let me know that they were short-staffed at Red Satin and she couldn’t get out of it, but that we would do lunch soon.
And then, as if on cue, Forest called and let me know that Lainey was taking a powernap and that she was fighting a cold and wouldn’t be able to host the get-together tonight after all.
Of course, I didn’t mind. I want only the best for my family, and my birthday isn’t really all that big a deal. We could celebrate any time.
Besides, it has already been pretty great. This morning, Noah surprised me with a dozen pink roses and breakfast in bed. And before Everett left for work, he came over with two dozen red roses and a box of chocolate with my favorite nuts and chews. I had already invited them both to Lainey’s house this evening, but I’ve since let them know it wasn’t happening.
Noah suggested that we could go to Mangias instead when we all got home from work.
It’s a Friday, and even though business is bustling, Lily insists that I go home early this afternoon. She said she’d close the bakery for me, and after much prodding and a few odd and rather violent threats on her part, I finally take her up on the generous offer.
Keelie wasn’t at work at the Honey Pot today, so I didn’t get my annual birthday rib-crushing embrace. She texted saying she was green around the gills and couldn’t keep anything down. I guess her pregnancy isn’t going to be as easy as we were hoping it would.
No sooner do I pull into my driveway and get out of my car than I spot both Noah and Everett heading my way. Noah is wearing a giant dimpled grin, and Everett has a delightfully wicked gleam in his eyes.
“What in the world?” I say as I pull them both into a quick embrace.
Noah winces and pulls me close. “Don’t blame us, Lot. We couldn’t stay away.”
“I don’t buy it for a minute,” I say. “You’re both still supposed to be at work. You’re up to no good.”
Noah and Everett exchange a quick glance and shrug at one another.
“Fine,” Noah says. “We wanted to spend a little extra time with you.”
Everett frowns over at me. “And you’re late. Lily did a lousy job of kicking you out.”
Noah nods. “Something tells me you were stubborn about it.”
A sharp laugh evicts from me as I swat him on the chest. “Okay, so that might be true. Let’s get inside before we all freeze to death.”
We head on up to the porch, and sitting next to my welcome mat I spot a small black box and immediately I know what I’ll find inside.
Noah picks it up and I let us into the warmth of my house as both Pancake and Waffles trot over.
“Come here, boys,” I say, picking up my sweet cats and kissing them both on their fuzzy little heads.
Everett takes Waffles from me and we watch as Noah carefully unseals the box and removes the tissue paper. And, of course, he pulls back his hand to reveal a black frosted heart-shaped cookie with bright pink icing that reads Happy Birthday, Lottie. This will be your last.
The three of us exchange somber glances.
We don’t say a word.
No longer than a half hour later the three of us pile into Noah’s truck and start making our way to Mangias for an early birthday dinner. We’re all starved, so it doesn’t make sense to postpone the inevitable. I’m happily ensconced between both Noah and Everett, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it feels as if I’m being sandwiched with love.
“I’m glad we’re headed to Mangias,” I say. “I forgot to bring home my cake. We can stop by the bakery on the way back.” Neither Noah nor Everett says a word. “So weird the mob can’t figure out who this ominous cookie person is either. How long do you think—” I’m about to finish my sentence when I note the fact Noah just bypassed Main Street altogether and he’s getting onto the highway instead. “Noah, you took a wrong turn.”
Noah clucks his tongue. “I guess I did.”
My body goes rigid. This is exactly how that nightmare with Serena Digby started last month.
I clear my throat. “The two of you aren’t about to haul me off to some seedy motel room in Leeds, are you?” A tiny giggle begs to make its way up my throat.
Okay, I’ll admit, it sounds a lot better than being stuck with Serena.
“Lemon.” Everett takes up my hand and it feels natural. “You know I wouldn’t invite Noah. That’s a private party for you and me.” He lands a kiss on the back of my hand and I bite down on the smile begging to burst onto my face.
Noah huffs, “Dream on, Everett. Lottie is happy—and note the one she’s happy with.”
I nudge Noah in the ribs.
“Behave, both of you,” I say. “Now, the first one to tell me where we’re going is going to score some serious brownie points.”
Shockingly, I’m met with dead silence.
“Hello?” I say, wiggling between them. “Somebody say something before I call the police about a kidnapping in progress.”
Noah chuckles, and Everett’s chest bounces with a silent laugh.
A hard groan comes from me. “The two of you are just terrible.”
Noah gives a wistful shake of the head. “You don’t know the half of it.” He glances past me. “Everett? I think it’s time.”
Everett pulls a long black cloth from his pocket. “I agree.” He reaches over, and before I know it, he’s placed a blindfold over my eyes.
“Oh, come on!” I moan. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“We’re not kidding,” Noah says as he pats my knee. “I’m sorry, Lot. But I think you’re going to love where we’re taking you.”
I grunt at the thought. “It depends if there’s a dirt nap involved.”
Everett bounces with a laugh. “Lean on me, Lemon, and take a real nap. You’re going to need it.”
And I do just that.
After a decent spate of time goes by, Noah parks his truck and both Noah and Everett help me walk through the icy chill as they lead me to my impending doom.
“A couple more steps,” Noah is practically cheering me on in the endeavor.
I scoff at the thought. “You have no idea how hard it is to walk without seeing where I’m going. Every step feels as if I’m about to step right off a cliff. It’s unnerving.” The air grows increasingly warmer, and I can tell we’re safely out of the elements. “And by the way, it’s my birthday. I think I should be able to take off my blindfold if I want to.”
“Go right ahead, Lemon,” Everett says it low as if the words were for my ears only and I quickly snap off that silly little blindfold, only to be met with what amounts to a confetti cannon going off—and every face I know from Honey Hollow shouting SURPRISE at the top of their lungs.
“What?” I squawk as I struggle to take in the scene.
Music starts up, and soon the crowd is laughing and talking amongst themselves.
“Everyone is here.” I shake my head, unable to think of a single person that I know who isn’t present and accounted for. “Even Cormack, Cressida, and
their crazy witch friend.” I shake my head, incredulous at the thought.
I know exactly where we are. We’re at the Maple Meadows Lodge up in Hollyhock, in the grand room with the tall river rock fireplace raging with flames, hard at work to heat up the room. The lodge in general has a log cabin feel, but it’s more of a fancy chalet than it is an A-frame. And I can’t help but notice that the entire place looks as if it were given a facelift by an expert designer.
Noah lands a kiss to my lips. “Happy Birthday, Lottie. Everett and I wanted to do something special for you.”
Everett steals me from Noah’s arms. “So I had the place redone. Just a few bathrooms and finishing touches here and there. What this place is still missing is your touch. We just wanted to make sure it looked as good as can be for your party.”
My mouth rounds out. “Is this why the two of you were sneaking away to go skiing? And with Cormack and Cressida?”
“That’s right, Lucy.” Cormack appears like an unwanted apparition and doesn’t waste the chance to wrap her arms around Noah’s body. Her hair is flawlessly straight and glassy, and she’s donned a short black dress that gives her that polished, yet pricey, appeal I’m betting she’s after. “Big Boss called out the big guns. Cressie and I helped spiff this place up for you.”
Cressida sneers over at me while practically collapsing over Everett. Her hair looks perfectly golden, and she’s donned a baby blue sparkling dress that looks as if she poured herself into.
Cressida bubbles with laughter. “Essex, I think they’re playing our song. Remember that summer we danced for three months straight?”
He pulls back and glances to the ceiling. “Come to think of it, I don’t.”
She giggles right into his ear. “That’s because it was done horizontally and in between the sheets.”
“Okay, I’m done here,” I say just as Keelie tackles me with a hug and lands us ten feet clear in the opposite direction of those blonde bimbos.
“Happy Birthday, Lottie Kenzie Lemon!”
“Keelie! You didn’t have to come. Are you feeling okay? Do you need to lie down?”
A sharp bout of laughter bounces from her just as Bear comes up and offers me a quick embrace.
Keelie wipes the tears from her eyes. “She bought it hook, line, and stinker sinker, Bear.”
“Hey.” I hold back a laugh of my own. “You were faking it.”
Lainey pops up next to me, looking adorable like a true blue mother-to-be as she cradles her blooming belly. “I was faking it, too, Lot. Forgive me?” She pulls me in for a hug just as Mom and Meg double-team me.
“Great news, Lottie,” Mom sings. “The B&B is fully operational again. We’ll have to throw another party to celebrate.” She gives a little wink my way just as Wiley pops up next to her and wishes me a happy birthday.
“Thank you. I think,” I say to him before turning back to my mother. “Did you get your liquor license?”
She makes a face. “Nope. I decided I much prefer the granny crowd to young rabble-rousers. I’m going back to hosting my regular haunted B&B tours as well. I’ve already reduced the price down to where it was, and I have twice the number of customers I had before.”
Wiley wraps his arms around her and it’s unnerving to witness, considering he’s almost the spitting image of Noah. I guess I can no longer fault my mother for having bad taste in men, at least not in the looks department—my father being the most important exception, of course.
Wiley sheds a dimpled smile my way. “People are still flocking to see the B&B after that spooktacular séance we had.”
Meg shrugs. “See that? I guess it didn’t matter that the second one was a dud.”
Lainey nods. “Or that the first one was a bloodbath.”
“Lot Lot!” Carlotta calls to me from the entry of the room and motions me over.
“Excuse me. I’ll be right back,” I say as I head over to see what my equally wily other mother is up to.
Carlotta is looking sharp in a red turtleneck and a pair of tight-fitted jeans. In fact, if you looked at her from afar, someone might mistake her for me—and considering she’s in my clothes, that would be more than accurate.
“Happy Birthday, kiddo.” She socks me playfully on the arm before pulling me into a hug. “Aren’t you glad I landed you in that firehouse all those years ago?”
“Yes, actually. I’m thrilled about that. Thank you for giving me life, and thank you for leaving me alone with decent people to live it.”
“You’re welcome, Lot.” She gives another quick sock to my arm, and this time I’m positive it’s going to bruise. “I’ve got two surprises for you,” she says, yanking me out into the hall where I see not one but four friendly ghosts.
“Greer? Winslow, Lea, and Thirteen?” I practically squeal at the sight of them as I give them each a firm embrace. And I have always appreciated how solid the dead can feel when they want to.
Greer’s long dark hair shines like a reflection of the sun and she dazzles in that white ruched dress of hers.
“Lottie”—she takes up Winslow and Lea’s hands—“we wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”
Little Lea grunts, “Lottie.” Her hair is combed straight over her face as she looks up at me while wielding that machete in her hand. “Do try and have your party at the B&B next year. I do prefer to stay home.”
Winslow offers a warm laugh. “Don’t you worry, Lottie. Wherever you are, wherever you go next year, we’ll be sure to haunt you.”
Thirteen jumps right into my arms and his fur sparkles like black diamonds. “These halls are in need of a good haunting, Lottie. We were disappointed to find it spiritless here. What do you think the odds are of you stumbling upon a body tonight?”
I glance back into the room and see Cormack and Cressida still pawing all over Noah and Everett as they try to have a conversation with my mother and Wiley.
“I think the odds are very, very good,” I say.
“All right.” Carlotta waves off the happy apparitions before us as if they were an offensive odor. “On to my second surprise.” She swoops me off to the other end of the hall and pulls a stack of eight-by-ten photos out of her purse. “My boy Luke came through for you.”
“Are you saying Luke Lazzari cracked the cookie code?” I snatch the pictures from her and quickly rifle through them. There’s a clear image of two women coming and going into the house with their hoods drawn over their heads so you can’t make out a thing. “Darn it,” I say. “It’s like they knew they were being photographed.”
Carlotta flicks the picture with her finger. “Different cars each time they showed up. I bet they Ubered.”
“Now that’s not a surprise.” I shake my head as I examine the photos one more time, and something toward the bottom of one makes my chest bounce with a dry laugh. “Would you look at that?” I touch my finger over the shoe of one of the women. “Those are a pair of Veragamos. I saw the box lying on the floor of the office in that mansion the night Noah and I were peeking through the windows.”
“You and Noah are a couple of Peeping Toms? I knew it.”
Mayor Nash steps out of the grand room and heads our way.
“Give me that.” Carlotta is quick to shove all the photos back into her bag.
“Lottie Lemon!” Mayor Nash offers me a rocking hug. “I guess you could say I gave you the gift that keeps on giving.”
“Head lice?” Carlotta doesn’t miss a beat.
A laugh bounces from me. “I think he means life. And yes, you did. I’m thankful to the both of you.”
We head back into the grand room, where the party is raging, and I spot Lily and Keelie wheeling in at least six of my chocolate devil’s foods cakes on a trolley. Each one is set on a cake platter, staggering in height, and it gives it an elegant appeal.
“Lily!” I say as I come upon them. “How did you get all of these up here so fast?”
“Easy,” she smarts. “I closed early. Besides, there’s no one left in Hon
ey Hollow. They’re all here at the lodge.”
“This looks amazingly adorable. I’ve got to get Noah and Everett,” I say. “I’ll be right back.”
Just as I’m about to head toward the crowd, pesky Serena Digby steps in front of me.
“Lottie.” She bleeds a wicked smile, like only a witch can do. “Still holding onto your disbelief?” She nods to where Noah and Everett are currently being accosted. “It looks to me the curse is working.”
“Of course, it’s not working. The only thing working was Cormack and Cressida—and they were working for me. They were sprucing up the lodge for the party in the event you didn’t get the memo.”
She ticks her head to the side. “Have it your way, Lottie. But I wasn’t paid with funny money. Cormack and Cressida paid me with cold, hard cash, and it looks to me, my curse is about to deliver.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Serena, whose house were you visiting in Hollyhock, up on Willow Heights?”
Her eyes spring wide.
“My, my,” I say. “You look as if a vision of yourself in an orange jumpsuit just flashed before your eyes. What’s the matter, Digby? Do you have something against prison? Tough luck. You should have thought about that before you started haunting me with your lack of skills in the kitchen.”
“Not this again.” She glances to the ceiling. “Look, Lottie, I might be responsible for your run of bad luck, and your soon-to-be deficiency of boyfriends, but a bad baker I am not. I’m not a good one either.”
I lean in and squint over at her. “How good of a fit are those Veragamo shoes, anyway? I hear they cling to you like a second skin.”
She leans back and scowls at me. “I would no more wear a coat made of hundred dollar bills than I would spend that ridiculous amount of money on silly shoes. I buy everything at a discount. And you and I both know second skin never gets marked down.”
“I’m done wasting my time with you,” I say as I dive back into the crowd. A thought hits me just as I come upon Noah and his blonde leech.
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