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She says it with such a straight face, I’m afraid she’s serious.
Mom glances up at me. “Don’t tell a soul, Lottie, but we’re scheming like mad to find appropriate husbands for our single girls.”
“Is that so?” I muse. “Well, seeing that Meg is the only daughter you have that is single, I’ll be sure to button my lips around her.”
Should I even suggest it, Meg might slaughter our mother in her sleep. She can be straight to the point that way.
“And don’t tell Naomi.” Becca taps me on the arm as she beckons me to secrecy. “That girl will slaughter me in my sleep for even thinking about setting her up with another soul.”
It looks as if Naomi and Meg have something in common after all.
“Knowing Naomi as I do, I wouldn’t put it past her,” I mutter. “You have my word, Becca.” I nod to Chrissy. “And I won’t tell Kelleth or Aspen either.”
My half-sisters and I aren’t that close to begin with. I get along much better with my half-brother, Finn, but seeing that he’s dating Noah’s ex-wife once again, I think he’s free from Chrissy’s clutches.
“What’s this?” a female voice shrills from behind and we turn to see Suze Fox, Noah’s mother, stalking her way over with a carafe full of coffee in hand.
Suze is a tall, boxy woman with short blonde hair that skirts over her eyes and forever has her blinking her bangs out of her line of vision. She’s been working for me for a while despite the fact I’m not her favorite person on the planet.
“I’m always on the lookout to find a decent man for my girl Sam,” she says while refreshing their mugs with piping hot java.
I snort at the thought without meaning to, and Suze offers me a demeaning look in exchange.
Her girl Sam would be Noah’s twin sister. Apparently, when the twins were born, Suze’s sister offered to watch them so Suze could get some shut-eye. And well, one night turned into another, and her sister ended up keeping Sam indefinitely—thus becoming Samantha Thompson and not Samantha Fox.
Suze kept Noah—something to do with the fact he was suckling so well. And anyway, up until recently, Noah believed Sam was his cousin.
I still can’t wrap my brain around it.
“As I was saying”—Suze continues filling their mugs to the brim—“my Samantha is quite the catch. I just don’t see why she hasn’t been caught yet.”
My mother and her partners in heart-shaped crime all begin to speak at once, agreeing with Suze on the premise that their girls are great catches and collectively wondering why their darlings haven’t been scooped off the market just yet.
I’m about to interject, but before I can get myself into trouble with the meddling mamas, a customer steps over to the registers and I quickly excuse myself from the melee instead.
“Good evening,” I say to the pretty brunette with long, luscious waves and daring amber eyes. She’s wearing black yoga pants and a tight T-shirt, both showing off her flawless frame, and my guess is she just came from the gym across the street. “Welcome to the Cutie Pie Bakery and Cakery. I’m the owner, Lottie Lemon,” I say as I step behind the counter. “What can I get for you?”
“So you’re Lottie?” She cocks her head and examines me for a moment.
Judging by the look on her face, I’m not what she was expecting.
“That would be me.” I laugh. “Are you new in Honey Hollow?”
Not to toot my own horn, but I’m rather infamous around these parts—and for reasons I’d rather not discuss.
“Actually, yes,” she says. “I mean, I’m a longtime resident of Ashford, but I had moved away for a bit. However, Ashford has blossomed into a full-fledged city since I’ve been gone, so I was exploring some of the neighboring towns for a place to rent. I think Honey Hollow is much more my speed.”
“Honey Hollow is a dream,” I tell her.
Carlotta chuffs at the thought. “A dream if you’re a killer.”
“A what?” The woman’s eyes double in size.
“Pay her no mind,” I say. “What can I get for you?”
She puts in an order for a blueberry muffin and a latte to go, and I quickly get that right to her. She ponies up and even manages to stuff a bill into the tip jar.
“Wow, thank you,” I say. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”
