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Meghan cringes. “Geez, Noah. Are you trying to populate all of Honey Hollow single-handedly? First Lottie, now Cormack? Who’s your next victim?”
A small bout of laughter fills the foyer.
“Hilarious.” Noah doesn’t look amused. “Yes, Cormack’s baby is due in a couple of weeks. Expect a big announcement to follow.”
“Ooh, twin girls?” My mother gasps at the thought.
Meghan looks my way. “You know twins run in our family. You should try to balance things out with a couple of boys.” She claws the air between her and Lemon. “Wouldn’t a couple of Baxter boys be great?”
“Oh, they would be adorable with Everett’s dark hair and his bright blue eyes,” Lemon gushes and I can’t help but feel a touch of pride.
“Don’t forget his brooding demeanor,” Noah adds. “And I have no doubt they’d pick up the slack when it comes to the women around here.”
Meghan laughs. “Mr. Sexy part two!”
Carlotta chuckles as well. “And there will be two of them to go around. Oh, to be young again.”
“Please, Carlotta.” Lemon shakes her head. “You’re still running wild in the dating scene.”
Miranda nods. “Despite the fact, Mayor Nash would be happy to put a ring on your finger.”
Carlotta glances back at the dining room where Mayor Nash is piling cookies onto a plate.
I hope he leaves a few for the rest of us. I haven’t had my fill yet.
“At my age, I can’t afford to be tied down,” Carlotta sputters. “Neither can he.”
“I’m willing to take one for the team.” Meghan sighs as she kisses me goodbye. “Set me up with one of your pals down at the courthouse, would you?”
“No way,” Mom interjects. “A judge is the last person you should marry. They’re far too legalistic in just about every realm.” She pinches my cheek. “You, of course, are the exception.”
My father was a judge and things didn’t end up so rosy between the two of them, so I get where she’s coming from.
Lemon and I say goodbye to the rest of the guests, and soon we’re waving to Evie as she takes off for what she’s dubbed as the real party.
“Well”—Lemon looks from Noah to me—“I’ll get the baby to bed, and the three of us can start our own real party.”
“Now we’re talking.” Carlotta claps her hands and howls. “I’ll get the video camera set up. Perfect timing. I was just running low on content for my Insta Pictures account.”
Lemon and I know all about Carlotta’s Honey Hollow After Dark account. Including the fact it has a paywall of nineteen ninety-nine. Considering that Lemon and I have inadvertently provided most of the content for it, you’d think she would have given us a kickback by now.
“It’s not that kind of party, Carlotta,” Lemon calls out as she bullets up the stairs with the baby. “Get your mind out of the gutter!”
“Get your mind out of butter,” Lyla Nell shouts down at us in an adorable attempt to mimic her mother.
“Lot and I are about to deep dive into the homicides we’ve had.” Noah sets Carlotta straight on exactly what kind of after party we’re about to embark on.
“Bleh,” Carlotta says while snapping up a box of Chinese food and stabbing at it with a fork. “It’s always about murder with that girl. When I told her life was all about having a killer good time, I didn’t think she’d take me so literally. But Lot really took to heart what I had to say. As do most people. I’m what’s known as a natural-born influencer.”
She drops a forkful of noodles to the floor and Toby, Pancake, and Waffles appear at her feet to clean up the mess.
Noah makes himself comfy on the sofa, but I can’t seem to stand still, let alone sit.
I know he said he’d head over to human resources for me at the courthouse come Monday, but I can’t wait that long.
I pull out my phone and shoot a quick text to a girl I once had a fling with down in HR.
Yes, it was inappropriate, but then, most things I did before meeting Lemon were.
