Velvet Cake and Murder (Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Book 22)

by Amber Crewes

  Her business had become so successful that she had hired two locals to help her, and each day, Meghan baked pastries and minded the business with Pamela, an earnest teenager, and Trudy, a middle-aged divorcee. The three women made an impressive team, and Meghan was happier than she had ever been. While her parents had wanted her to stay in Texas, marry her high school sweetheart, and work in the family business, Meghan was grateful to have forged her own path.

  “Pamela, are you here yet?” Meghan called out as she walked into the kitchen. “How’s it going?”

  She heard Pamela’s footsteps in the dining room, and the fresh-faced teenager swept through the door. “Meghan! Good morning!”

  Meghan smiled. She adored Pamela; the teenager was precocious and highly motivated, and though she occasionally had her moments of adolescent angst, she was a joy to have at the bakery. “You’re here early this morning. I thought Trudy was opening today?”

  Pamela grinned, her eyes sparkling. “I’m on a mission,” she shared with Meghan. “There’s a baking competition at school, and I want to win.”

  “Tell me more!” Meghan egged her on excitedly.

  Pamela beamed, placing her hands on her narrow hips. “It’s part of my final grade for my nutrition class,” she explained. “We’re doing a bake-off, and all of our teachers will act as judges. I want to win; the person who bakes the first-place dessert will win fifteen extra credit points, and I need the extra credit to get an A in the class.”

  Meghan raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you think you have an advantage?” she asked. “You’ve worked here for a long time… surely you have more experience than anyone your age?”

  She shrugged. “I might have more experience, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” she told her boss. “I’ve been here since five this morning working on a new recipe, but I haven’t perfected it yet. I want it to be the best thing anyone has ever tasted, and I want to win!”

  Meghan nodded. “I love how determined you are,” she affirmed the girl. “But what about your pastries we talked about yesterday? We have a big order today, and I don’t want to run behind.”

  “It’s already done,” Pamela smirked. “I finished it this morning. Now, I have all afternoon to work on my recipe and win first prize and beat Stephanie.”

  “Wait a second... beat Stephanie?”

  “Stephanie Murphy,” Pamela told her. “She is the most popular girl in school. She has the best grades, and she is on the swim team with me. If I don’t beat her in the baking competition, she’ll get a better grade than me in this class, and she’ll be even more popular. She always beats me in everything, and I want to win for once!”

  Meghan’s dark eyes grew wide. “Be careful there,” she warned her. “I know you love to win, and I know being popular is important, but you don’t want to let popularity get to your head. It’s okay if you don’t always win, Pamela, and it’s okay if you get an A-minus in Nutrition. What matters is how you treat people.”

  Pamela’s jaw dropped. “Meghan! It is important to get the best grade,” she argued. “I want to earn a scholarship to Yale for swimming, and if I don’t get the best grades, I won’t get a place on the team.”

  Meghan sighed. “I understand that part of it,” she agreed. “But don’t let Stephanie’s success turn you into a mean person. It’s okay if she does well. You are different people, and there are probably things you do better than she does.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Pamela grumbled.

  “I am really grateful you finished the pastries,” Meghan praised her, trying to change the subject. “Thanks for getting them done so quickly. I know I can always count on you, Pamela.”

  Pamela smiled. “I didn’t want you to have any stress today,” she said sweetly. “I can’t believe you are leaving for Texas this afternoon. It’s almost time for your wedding, Meghan.”

  “I know!” she squealed. “It’s almost here! Jack is picking me up at four, and we are leaving for the airport. The only thing that would make this trip better was if I had a first-class ticket. The perks of staying in a first-class cabin would definitely take my mind off the endless decisions I have to make when I get to Texas.”

  “First-class?” Pamela screeched. “That is so exciting. I definitely won’t be flying first-class on my way to Texas.”

  Meghan laughed. “That’s okay,” she said. “I’m just happy you are coming. When are you and Trudy flying down?”

  “We’re coming the day before you get married,” she told her. “I am so excited. I’ve never been to Texas before, and I am so glad my parents are letting me go. I am ready to dance the night away at your wedding. Maybe I’ll even meet a cowboy there.”

  “Trudy is chaperoning,” Meghan reminded her. “Don’t give her a hard time.”

  Pamela giggled. “She goes to bed at nine each night,” she told Meghan. “Your reception doesn’t end until midnight. I’m not going to be Cinderella and go home early…”

  Meghan shook her head. “You are going to give Trudy gray hair,” she murmured.

  “Who from Sandy Bay is going to the wedding?” she asked. “Anyone I know?”

  Meghan thought about her guest list. “Karen, of course,” she began. “You, Trudy, Jackie, Mrs. Sheridan, Frank….”

  “That’s a fun group,” she remarked. “I can’t wait. My dress is new, and I got a pair of heels to match.”

  “I’m sure you’ll look gorgeous,” Meghan told her.

  “Not as gorgeous as you,” Pamela said dreamily. “I can’t wait to see you as a bride. You’ll look amazing, Meghan. You’ve been working out, haven’t you? I can tell!”

  “Sweating for the wedding,” she blushed. “I wanted to lose a bit of weight before squeezing into my dress.”

  “You don’t need to lose weight,” Pamela assured her. “I’ve been noticing your arm muscles. Your biceps look BOMB!”

  Meghan giggled. “If you say so…”

  They got to work, and before Meghan knew it, the day had flown by. “Jack will be here any minute!” she shrieked as she looked down at her watch. “It’s almost four, Pamela.”

  “Are you packed?” Pamela asked. “Go get your bags.”

  By the time Meghan returned from getting her luggage, Jack was waiting for her in the dining room. Her heart fluttered as she saw her fiance grinning at her; Jack was tall and blonde, and with his icy blue eyes and a muscled body, Meghan could hardly believe he hadn’t been plucked from obscurity and signed to a modeling agency. She thought Jack was gorgeous, and she couldn’t wait to see him in his tuxedo on their wedding day.

  “Hey, babe,” he greeted her. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes!” she exclaimed. “Everything is ready, and I have everything I need.”

  Jack smiled as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “Great! Let’s get out of here, my love. It’s finally time.”

  She looked up into his eyes. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I’ve never been more ready.”

  2

  T hey held hands on the drive to the airport; Jack rubbed the spaces in between Meghan’s fingers, and she felt shivers down her spine.

  He looked over at her and winked. “What are you thinking about, Mrs. Irvin?”

  “I’m not Mrs. Irvin yet,” she countered playfully. “I’m still Miss Truman.”

  “Fine, fine! What are you thinking about, Future Mrs. Irvin?”

  She smiled. “I was thinking about our wedding plans,” she told him. “I’m so happy my parents agreed with our vision. It was nerve-wracking to ask them to scale back the wedding plans; I know Mama expected the wedding to be a grand affair, but I am so glad that we are all on the same page.”

  She thought of the conversation they had with her family a few months ago; Meghan had grown frustrated by the incessant wedding planning calls from her mother and sisters, and she and Jack had decided together that the wedding needed to be pared down. After speaking with her parents, they had gr
aciously agreed to simplify the event, and she and Jack were relieved.

  “Simplicity is more our style,” Jack commented as he turned into the parking lot. “We didn’t need a string quartet, a chocolate fountain, a carving station, or three wedding cakes. I would be happy to marry you alone in the woods, or by the beach. Making you my wife is the most important thing to me, and a big party doesn’t really matter.”

  “No, we didn’t,” Meghan agreed. “When my sister got married, she wanted all of those things, but I am not like her at all. Simplicity is best, and I think we’ll have a better time with a low-key ceremony and reception.”

  They parked the car and Jack stood with Meghan as she got checked into her flight. “I wish you were coming with me,” she said sadly as the agent handed her the ticket and bid her a good day. “Are you sure you can’t hop on the flight with me right now?”

  Jack frowned. “Chief Nunan has me working on an important project,” he apologized. “I have to stay here. I’ll be down in Texas before the wedding, don’t you worry. I’m sure your mother will keep you very busy. You won’t even notice I am not there.”

  “I doubt it,” she pouted.

  “I have a surprise that might cheer you up,” he grinned at her. “Look at your ticket.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “My ticket?”

  He nodded. “Read it.”

  “Meghan Truman... first-class. First-class? Jack, I bought an economy ticket. What is this?”

  “It’s a little gift,” he chuckled. “Something to start your trip off on a pleasant note. I called ahead, and they upgraded you.”

  “This is too much,” she insisted, but he shook his head.

  “I’m getting a hefty bonus for the project I am working on,” he informed her. “And when I found out I would be coming down to Texas later than expected, I had to make it up to you.”

  She kissed him on the lips. “You are my prince charming,” she cooed as he wrapped his hands around her waist.

  “And you are almost Mrs. Irvin.”

  After a tearful goodbye, Meghan made her way through security and off to her gate. She was delighted when she was escorted to her first-class seat, and she leaned back comfortably into the leather seat. “This is perfect,” she sighed as she stretched out.

  “Only the best for my bride!” she imagined Jack would have chirped enthusiastically if he were there.

  A flight attendant soon approached her, a worried look on his face. “Excuse me?” he asked. “Are you Mrs. Irvin?”

  “Well… sort of? I’m marrying Jack Irvin in a few days. He bought my ticket, so I suppose that’s what he put on the reservation. Is there a problem?”

  The flight attendant’s face darkened. “I am so sorry,” he apologized as Meghan’s eyes grew wide. “There is a problem with your reservation.”

  “A problem?” she asked. “What’s the problem?”

  The flight attendant furrowed his brow. “Ma’am, somehow, our system canceled your reservation. We are going to have to offer you a seat in economy class. I can’t apologize enough.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “I’m flying to my wedding,” Meghan told the flight attendant. “Surely this can be fixed?”

  The flight attendant shook his head. “I am so sorry,” he apologized again. “There is nothing I can do. The only other option is to rebook you on a flight tomorrow evening.”

  Meghan shook her head. “I can’t do that,” she muttered. “My parents have dinner planned for tonight. They are all expecting me at home.”

  “We will be issuing a credit,” the flight attendant explained. “You will have this trip refunded, and you will also receive a credit. I will even add money to that credit that you and your husband-to-be can use on your honeymoon. What do you think?”

  Meghan shrugged. “I guess that’s fine,” she told him. “I can be flexible, and it will be great to have some flight credits.”

  The attendant looked relieved. “Thank you, Ma’am.”

  Meghan frowned as she was led to the back of the plane, but she kept trying to remind herself that it wasn’t her wedding day, and while it would have been nice to enjoy the perks of first-class, she liked keeping things simple.

  She was placed in a middle seat between two women, one older and one younger. They were clearly not traveling together; the older woman was dressed modestly, with a pale green sweater and thick glasses. The younger woman looked to be Meghan’s age, and she was dressed to impress, with designer boots, diamond bangles, and a fur handbag.

  “Did you get bumped too?” she asked as Meghan sat down. “They told me there was a problem with my reservation, and I got stuck sitting back here. It’s ridiculous; I am going to have my husband call the airline the second this plane lands! It’s ridiculous.”

  Meghan smiled softly. “That’s nice that you can count on your husband. How long have you been married?”

  “Two years next month,” she told Meghan. “We’re heading to Cannes to celebrate.”

  “In France?” Meghan asked. “I love France.”

  “Have you been?”

  “To Paris,” Meghan told her.

  “J’adore Paris,” the woman cooed. “My husband’s parents are French, and we were married at a darling little church a few blocks from the Louvre.”

  “You had your wedding in Paris?” Meghan asked in amazement. “That is so cool.”

  The woman glanced down at Meghan’s left hand. “I see you are married? Engaged?”

  “Engaged,” Meghan confirmed. “I’m actually heading down to Texas to get married at my parents’.”

  “How cute,” the woman commented. “Where is your fiance? Why aren’t you sitting with him?”

  Meghan’s smile faded. “He had to stay behind,” she confessed. “He had a project at work.”

  “That doesn’t sound promising,” the woman remarked. “You aren’t even married yet, and he is already putting work before you? Be careful, dear. That sounds like a red flag.”

  Meghan’s dark eyes grew large with worry. “Do you think so?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know him. Maybe he’s different from ninety-nine percent of men out there…”

  Meghan bit her lip. “Just ignore me,” the woman laughed. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Tell me more about your wedding day. What kind of food are you having?”

  “We are doing a Texas barbeque buffet,” Meghan told her. “My mother wanted something fancier, but we thought the buffet would be more authentic.”

  “How... nice…” she said. “What about a band?”

  “We are just having one of my cousins DJ,” Meghan explained. “It seemed easier, and we didn’t feel like hiring a band. A DJ will do.”

  The woman raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?” she asked. “You only get married once. Why not make it the best, most glamorous day of your life?”

  Meghan laughed. “You sound like some of my sisters. My fiance and I are simple people; I own and operate a bakery, and he is a small-town detective. We just wanted something quiet and cozy.”

  The older woman sitting next to Meghan reached over and patted her on the hand. “That’s a nice idea, honey,” she commended Meghan. “Simple is best; a wedding is only a day, but a marriage is forever. I think it is nice that you are focusing on each other and not doing a big affair. That’s what my husband and I did, and we’ve been married for over thirty years.”

  Meghan smiled. “That is nice to hear,” she told her quietly as the younger woman turned to scroll through her phone. “We were worried about making our wedding smaller, but now, after hearing your advice, I am so happy we chose to keep things low-key.”

  The rest of the flight was uneventful, and Meghan texted Jack when she deplaned. “I’m in Texas. Missing you.”

  He did not text back, and she felt disappointed as she trudged through the airport and over to the rental car stall. She selected an olive sedan and opened the trunk, wishing Jack were there to help her lift the heavy bags into the back. Jack was
old-fashioned and very chivalrous, and he always helped with bags and opened car doors for her.

  She left the airport parking lot and set off toward her parents’ home. A little over an hour later, she arrived. “I’m here,” she said to herself as she rolled into the long driveway. “Back home again in the Lone Star State.”