Chocolate Chip Cookie Conundrum (Murder in the Mix Book 32) by Unknown (romantic love story reading txt) 📗

Nope. I’ll wait until we’re alone and then I’ll shake it out of him.

I’ve been meaning to shake him anyway.

Everett

D-Day.

I didn’t sleep a wink last night, and ironically, Lyla Nell did. Or at least I think she did. At some point in the night, Lemon dropped her off at the nursery and let Noah take over. She came back to bed and dropped to the mattress, already asleep. I wrapped an arm around her and held her all night, wondering if it was for the very last time.

I wait until Lemon’s alarm goes off before I get up with her. We shower, dress, eat a scant breakfast, and wait for the next three hours before Fiona sends me a text.

Jury’s back. Get down here.

We don’t hesitate. We all pile into Lemon’s minivan as I drive us to my impending doom.

All right, so maybe that’s a touch dramatic, but it just may not be.

Clouds hang overhead. The forecast says rain, and I wonder what kind of an omen that might be. I’m guessing not a good one.

We head into the courthouse just like I have thousands of times before. Heck, I want it to repeat a thousand times more, and yet I’ve got my neck on the line.

Carlotta socks me on the arm. “You’re gonna kill ’em, Sexy. And if you get sent to summer school, you might want to do the killing. You know what they say, kill or be killed.” She takes off for the courtroom. “I’ve got to get me a front row seat!”

Evie steps in. “Dash, Conner, and Kyle can’t make it. Their moms weren’t too happy they missed school yesterday because of it, but they wish you luck. Also, Conner says if they take you away that he’ll try to put a smile on my face.”

That’s what I’m afraid of.

“Tell him I said thanks.” I pull her in and Evie latches onto me with the intensity of a hurricane.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ve already decided that if they stick it to you, we’re going to appeal. We’ll take your sleepwalking case to the Supremes if we have to.” She lands a kiss to my cheek. “I’d better sit next to Cray-Cray. I don’t want to miss a second of what she’s got planned for today. It’s going to be hard to top that diaper act.” She shoots me with her finger before taking off.

“Lemon.” I pull her in and Layla Nell nestles between us, giving us a husky little laugh as she looks up at me. She’s serious and cute as a bug in a rug, and has blessed my life far more than I could have imagined.

“Everett.” Lemon sheds one of her easy smiles. “I have a good feeling about this. And great news, I’m actually wearing a nursing bra today, so I won’t be slapping anyone with my unmentionable body parts.”

I frown at the thought. I’ll have that image of Noah taking one to the face ingrained in my mind for life.

“Save all your naughty moves for me, would you?” I close my eyes a moment because I immediately regret my words. The plan was to get the divorce ball rolling if I’m convicted. That will be my sign from the universe that it wasn’t supposed to be me in that bed with her to begin with. I’d fight the universe on it if I could, but there won’t be any use once I’m rotting in a cell for fifteen years.

“Don’t you go dark on me.” She gives my stubble a scratch. “Once they find you innocent, we’re going to party. And we’re going to invite all of our friends to do it.”

“Maybe we should hold off on the party. We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.” That is, if I’m there to see it.

“That’s right.” She bites down on her lip and looks gorgeous while doing so. “We’ll get to celebrate again tomorrow because Lyla Nell’s paternity mystery and mine will finally be solved.”

“Agree. No matter what the outcomes may be, it will be done.”

“And then we just have the killer, that mystery woman, and the hit put out on you to worry about. Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Jimmy Canelli agreed to call off the hit if I turn out to be his kid.” She wiggles her shoulders. “Here’s hoping the genetic dice land Canelli side up.” Lyla Nell squeals out a few words only she can understand, but she’s looking right up at the two of us and growing more animated by the minute.

Lemon and I share a laugh.

“That was her way of wishing you luck.” She lands a kiss to my lips. “We both do. Let’s head in.”

I spot Noah headed this way and frown. “You go in, Lemon. I’ll be there in a second.”

As soon as she disappears, he shows up frowning right back at me.

He nods my way. “I found Moretti last night.”

“When?”

Noah showed up at the house at seven and never left.

“On my way home from work. I didn’t want to say anything with Lottie around.”

He takes a moment to glare at me. “You knew she was there.” He nods. “That woman who looks likes Lottie. I saw them together heading up to his room.”

“Where are they?” I’m half-moved to take off right now.

“Caspian Motel in Leeds, but slow down, buddy. You’re not going anywhere near that place right now. Be honest with me. How did you know they were together?”

“I’ll be honest with you.” I glance past him. “But not because I want to. Because I have to. I met up with Manny the night Lemon gave birth. You took off and Manny said he was downstairs. I had asked to meet up with him earlier that night and things got away from me. Anyway, I’ve been giving him ten grand a week to keep Jimmy’s men the hell away from me, from you, from my family, the bakery, all of it.”

“Geez.” His eyes bulge. “And what about that woman?”

“When I