A DEADLY DANISH
Page 20
And they had come so far, mother and daughter, just in having this conversation. Ali didn’t want to ruin their hard work.
“Of course I forgive you,” she said, wrapping her arms around her mom.
Georgia buried her face into Ali’s shoulder, and they stayed that way for a moment. Then she sniffed deeply and moved back out from the embrace.
“Now,” she said, shaking her head to regain her composure. “I’ve heard good things about the sugar-free cookies here. I think I ought to try one before they get all eaten up.”
She smirked and tiptoed off to the buffet table.
Ali smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes.
Just then, the door opened, and Detective Callihan came in.
“All done,” he said, grinning.
“Perfect timing!” came Delaney’s sing-song-ey voice from the other end of the bakery as she walked in with Ali’s cake.
Sebastian took one look at it and started to laugh. “That’s genius!” he exclaimed.
Delaney rested it down and put her hands on her hips. “Can someone please tell me the significance?”
Detective Callihan and Ali exchanged a glance.
“It’s a long story,” Ali said.
Delaney rolled her eyes “Well, it will have to wait anyway. The guests are here.”
They all looked up to see the streams of people approaching.
The first in was the blonde skater girl. She took one look at the skate cake and her eyes widened eagerly.
“Is that mine?” she cried.
“Yup,” Ali said. “Your free cupcake reward for tackling Sid.”
“But it’s enormous!”
“That’s how grateful I am.”
Ali grinned as the girl sat down and began to tuck into her super-sized cupcake.
The bell tinkled again, and this time Nate arrived. Ali felt her stomach churn, knowing there was a difficult conversation ahead.
He drew up to her. “Hey,” he said, in an apologetic tone. “I’m… I’m really sorry about what happened the other day. Like it wasn’t cool for me to say all that stuff when you had so much going on.”
Ali nodded. She rested her hand on his arm. “Thing is, Nate, you weren’t wrong. I do have too much going on in my life right now for a relationship to work. Unless it’s with a guy who’s okay with me being totally independent, and maybe not hearing from me or seeing me for a few days at a time, and let’s face it, that’s a huge ask of anyone!”
“So, what are you saying?” Nate asked, looking pained.
“I’m saying we’re better off as friends.”
“Oh,” Nate said, sadly. He scratched his neck. “That’s not how I thought that conversation was going to go.”
“I know,” Ali said. “And I’m sorry. But I’m just being honest. You want someone who can go all in, and I can’t be that someone. But she’s out there, Nate. I mean, come on, you’re a catch and a half!” She laughed. “But I think when it comes to love, we shouldn’t make allowances. And we shouldn’t try to bend and fit someone else’s needs. It’s a recipe for disaster.”
“Heh,” Nate said. “Nice pun.”
Ali rubbed his arm, affectionately. “Want a drink? We have champagne on the go.”
“Anything stiffer?” Nate teased. “I could do with some hard liquor.”
“I have rum out back,” she said. “For rum and raisin cakes.”
“Perfect,” Nate replied, offering her a small smile. “You know, it’s going to take me a lot of liquor to get over you Ali Sweet.” Then he headed off to the back kitchen.
Ali sighed. As sad as it was to finally end things with Nate, she knew it was right. They were never meant to be. As friends they worked perfectly. It was only when they tried to be more that things went awry. This was the best for the both of them. There was a more perfect match out there, somewhere. She just had to be patient.
She looked out across the bakery; she spotted Seth at the snack table, helping himself to finger foods. Then her gaze slid across to Detective Sebastian Callihan standing beside him. She sipped her champagne.
*
Rodrigo da Silva tapped the side of his champagne glass with his spoon. Everyone at the party fell silent.
“I’d like to say something, if that’s okay with everyone,” he announced. “We as a town have gone through something really tough this week. We came out stronger for it. But not better. Marvin Chessley was a fierce competitor; we butted heads on just about everything. But he made life richer, bright, and more vivid. He upset the order, and it was exciting. He will never be forgotten. To Marvin.”
“To Marvin!” everyone echoed.
And they all sipped their drinks.
Ali watched on. Happy. Content. She was here with all her friends and family, having survived another storm. Despite all the adversity, they were all still together.
Suddenly, Ali remembered Lavinia Leigh’s prediction, about the person close to her leaving, and was very happy to accept the prediction was wrong. Her mom was here, still going strong. Nate may not be romantically beside her, but he was still her friend, and nothing was going to change that. And Marco’s pizzeria was still standing, so even her neighbor was still beside her.
At that moment, Emilio stood and dinged his glass. Another announcement. Everyone fell silent.
“I wasn’t going to say anything yet,” he began. “But since we’re giving toasts...”
There was an appreciative chuckle.
“I have an announcement. I’m closing my pizzeria.”
Everyone gasped, including Marco. Ali realized with surprise that this was news to him as well as everyone else.
“Brother, why?” Marco exclaimed.
Emilio took a deep breath. “I’m moving back to Italy. With my bride-to-be.” A big grin spread across his face. “I’m getting married!”
So that’s why Emilio has been calm, Ali realized. He’d been so untouched by all the drama going on around him because he knew he was leaving anyway!
She was thrilled for him. After so much stress and worry, it was lovely to know something good was on the horizon. She smiled, as a stunned-looking Marco congratulated his brother with a hug, as if the announcement were the magic words needed for their lifelong rivalry to simply disappear into the ether.
“Does this mean I get to extend my pizzeria into yours?” Marco joked, squeezing Emilio’s shoulder and shaking it.
Emilio laughed and looked over at Ali. “I think there might be a bakery in the way!”
“I’ll fight you for it,” Ali called to Marco, playfully.
But as she watched Emilio accepting congratulations from those in attendance, Ali couldn’t help but wonder… There was an opportunity here to extend the bakery. Just look at what she’d achieved in such a short space of time and such a small space. Imagine how much more she could achieve if she moved next door into the large pizzeria? She’d have a dining area out the front. A large garden out back. And the size of the kitchen! Emilio’s was almost double the size of Ali’s pokey bakery kitchen. Not to mention the wood fire oven…
Ali knew she was getting carried away now with her thoughts, and ought to push them away and enjoy the celebrations. But when had she ever been able to suppress her ambition? Once a thought got hold of her, it was very hard to shake it off.
“Maybe…” Ali said to herself, as a smile forced its way onto her lips. “Just maybe…”
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A TREACHEROUS TART
(A Beachfront Bakery Cozy Mystery —Book 5)
"Very entertaining. I highly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that appreciates a very well written mystery, with some twists and an intelligent plot. You will not be disappointed. Excellent way to spend a cold weekend!"
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Murder in the Manor)
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A TREACHEROUS TART is book #5 in a charming and hilarious new cozy mystery series by #1
bestselling author Fiona Grace, whose bestselling Murder in the Manor (A Lacey Doyle Cozy Mystery) has nearly 200 five star reviews. The series begins with A KILLER CUPCAKE (Book #1).
Allison Sweet, 34, a sous chef in Los Angeles, has had it up to here with demeaning customers, her demanding boss, and her failed love life. After a shocking incident, she realizes the time has come to start life fresh and follow her lifelong dream of moving to a small town and opening a bakery of her own.
A hot-dog eating contest draws massive crowds and is the perfect boost for Allison’s business—until the hot-dog eating champion ends up dead in her bakery.
Worse: the cops determine he was poisoned.
Allison, guilty by association, has no choice but to solve the murder. And the timing couldn’t be worse: the shop next door is closing and, finally, Allison has her one shot to expand into the bakery of her dreams.
But only if she can clear her name, and solve this murder.
Will Allison and her beloved dog prevail?
A hilarious cozy mystery series, packed with twists, turns, romance, travel, food and unexpected adventure, the BEACHFRONT BAKERY series will keep you laughing and turning pages late into the night as you fall in love with an endearing new character who will capture your heart.
Book #6 (A CALAMITOUS COOKIE) is now also available!
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A TREACHEROUS TART
(A Beachfront Bakery Cozy Mystery —Book 5)
Fiona Grace
Debut author Fiona Grace is author of the LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY series, comprising nine books; of the TUSCAN VINEYARD COZY MYSTERY series, comprising seven books; of the DUBIOUS WITCH COZY MYSTERY series, comprising three; of the BEACHFRONT BAKERY COZY MYSTERY series, comprising six books; and of the CATS AND DOGS COZY MYSTERY series, comprising nine books.
MURDER IN THE MANOR (A Lacey Doyle Cozy Mystery—Book 1), AGED FOR MURDER (A Tuscan Vineyard Cozy Mystery—Book 1), SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF MURDER (A Dubious Witch Cozy Mystery—Book 1), BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A KILLER CUPCAKE (A Beachfront Bakery Cozy Mystery—Book 1), and A VILLA IN SICILY: OLIVE OIL AND MURDER (A Cats and Dogs Cozy Mystery—Book 1) are each available as a free download on Kobo!
Fiona would love to hear from you, so please visit www.fionagraceauthor.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.
BOOKS BY FIONA GRACE
LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY
MURDER IN THE MANOR (Book#1)
DEATH AND A DOG (Book #2)
CRIME IN THE CAFE (Book #3)
VEXED ON A VISIT (Book #4)
KILLED WITH A KISS (Book #5)
PERISHED BY A PAINTING (Book #6)
SILENCED BY A SPELL (Book #7)
FRAMED BY A FORGERY (Book #8)
CATASTROPHE IN A CLOISTER (Book #9)
TUSCAN VINEYARD COZY MYSTERY
AGED FOR MURDER (Book #1)
AGED FOR DEATH (Book #2)
AGED FOR MAYHEM (Book #3)
AGED FOR SEDUCTION (Book #4)
AGED FOR VENGEANCE (Book #5)
AGED FOR ACRIMONY (Book #6)
AGED FOR MALICE (Book #7)
DUBIOUS WITCH COZY MYSTERY
SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF MURDER (Book #1)
SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF CRIME (Book #2)
SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF DEATH (Book #3)
BEACHFRONT BAKERY COZY MYSTERY
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A KILLER CUPCAKE (Book #1)
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A MURDEROUS MACARON (Book #2)
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A PERILOUS CAKE POP (Book #3)
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A DEADLY DANISH (Book #4)
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A TREACHEROUS TART (Book #5)
BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A CALAMITOUS COOKIE (Book #6)
CATS AND DOGS COZY MYSTERY
A VILLA IN SICILY: OLIVE OIL AND MURDER (Book #1)
A VILLA IN SICILY: FIGS AND A CADAVER (Book #2)
A VILLA IN SICILY: VINO AND DEATH (Book #3)
A VILLA IN SICILY: CAPERS AND CALAMITY (Book #4)
A VILLA IN SICILY: ORANGE GROVES AND VENGEANCE (Book #5)
A VILLA IN SICILY: CANNOLI AND A CASUALTY (Book #6)
A VILLA IN SICILY: SPAGHETTI AND SUSPICION (Book #7)
A VILLA IN SICILY: LEMONS AND A PREDICAMENT (Book #8)
A VILLA IN SICILY: GELATO AND A VENDETTA (Book #9)