35. Lottie
LOTTIE
“ E verybody get to work,” my mother shouts at top volume while hoisting herself off the floor, here in the conservatory, which was just struck by a supernatural tornado. But for good reason—the killer of that double homicide was cuffed and arrested.
All of Honey Hollow can breathe easier now that there isn’t a homicidal maniac running loose with a crossbow like some nefarious version of Cupid.
Speaking of Cupid... I take a quick glance around at the melee left in the wake of that unnatural disaster. The glorious arch intertwined with roses is on the ground with roses strewn all across the room like heads that just rolled away from a guillotine.
One of my dessert tables has been upturned, and dozens upon dozens of éclairs, profiteroles, cream puffs, lemon bars, chocolate truffles, strawberry shortcakes, and tarts are scattered on the ground—some of which have been smeared all over the floor by the killer as she tried her best to get away.
The chairs, once in neat rows, have all been scattered and knocked over. And even the paper hearts, the wedding bells, and the twinkle lights strung up above are tangled, mangled, and hanging in odd positions—like a toddler’s attempt at modern art. All in all, it looks like the conservatory had just hosted a rather rough and rowdy frat party.
“ I said move it ,” my mother barks again, and this time bodies mill around slowly and sluggishly because, let’s face it, this is an overwhelming task.
Greer, Winslow, Lea, and Thirteen zoom past me.
“Don’t worry, Lottie,” Greer calls out. “We’re here to help!”
“I’ll do the heavy lifting,” Winslow bellows as he helps Noah and Everett lift that flower arch back into position.
“I’ll straighten the chairs,” Greer says with a sigh as she begins to do just that, along with my sisters.
“And I’ll lick the floor clean,” Thirteen says as he begins to gobble up the mountain of desserts that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Little Lea gives a dark chuckle as she swings that blade in her hand. “I’ll take care of the ridiculous décor.” She floats up to the ceiling, and soon the tangled Cupids, hearts, bells, and lights are swishing around—seemingly of their own volition.
Wiley even wheels in a large white cage filled with white doves and shoves it in the corner.
Oh, hells bells.
I’ll need a dozen umbrellas to protect my desserts from those winged creatures when the time comes.
But nevertheless, in less than ten minutes, the room is back to the way it was to begin with, save for a few headless roses. Lainey takes the roses that had broken off and scatters their petals down the aisle runner, and it looks twice as lovely as it did before.
Effie, Lily, and even Suze help right the toppled dessert table, and they fill it with an abundance of my desserts, and there’s not one yummy treat missing.
Everett and Noah come my way.
“I can’t believe it’s really coming together now,” I say as I pull them in at the same time. “Thank you both for pitching in.”
“Anything for you, Lemon.” Everett lands a kiss on my lips.
“Please,” Noah grunts. “You left her alone. You couldn’t keep an eye on her for five minutes. You know I had to try to find Jed.”
Everett scowls. “I had to find Evie. And when I was on my way back to the conservatory, I got a call from one of my contacts who was helping me track down the funds for your mother’s teeth.” He shoots Noah a look.
“Did someone mention my teeth?” Suze ambles over with Noah’s brother Alex in tow. Alex is Noah’s younger look-alike who has a good-natured disposition regarding just about everything.
Alex laughs. “Don’t tell me you’re talking behind my mother’s back.” He slaps Everett on the back. “How’s my favorite brother?” He pulls me into an embrace. “Lottie, you look radiant.”
“Why, thank you.” I give a little curtsy, and my knees almost give out.
Everett shakes his head. “Suze, it turns out, there was no corporate structure at Cupid’s Confections. The fact you broke your teeth on one of their cookies doesn’t amount to anything monetarily.”
“What?” she squawks in horror.
And rightly so. Those gilded horrors cost her more than an arm and a leg. They cost her seventy-five thousand dollars.
“But I can’t pay for these.” Her fingers tap over her lips. “I’ll go broke—far more broke than I already am.” She looks my way with a stern expression. “I’ll need a raise at the bakery.”
Noah groans, “I’ll go to the dentist’s office and explain everything that’s happened.”
“Good thinking,” Suze shouts in a panic. “We’ll give the teeth back. I don’t need teeth. I could pipe some of Lottie’s frosting into my mouth each day just to survive.”
I wince at the toothless visual.
“I’ll handle the dentist’s office,” Everett says roughly. “They should never have taken advantage of you that way. At the least, I’ll get them to slice the bill down. I’ve got a trick or two up my sleeve that can make just about anyone do just about anything.”
“Boy, does he ever,” I mutter, and Noah shoots me a look.
“I don’t even know if I want these gold teeth anymore,” Suze says, poking at the alloy spiked into her gums. “Every time I look at them, I’ll be reminded of what a fool I was to run out and get the very best the world has to offer when I can’t really afford it. The women at Cheap Thrills will not only make fun of me, but they’ll boot me right out of the club.”
That’s right, I forgot all about Suze’s once-a-week cheapskate club. I went once. There was no thrill to be had, cheap or otherwise.
She takes a deep breath. “I suppose I can always swap these out for something silver.”
“ No! ” the entire lot of us cries at once.
Alex laughs to himself. “Look, Mom, Noah and I will pitch in to give you the best natural smile the dental world has to offer. Isn’t that right, Noah?” He shoots his brother a look, and Noah gives a reluctant nod.
“Yes, I’ll go in halves with Alex, but that’s only after we figure out what your senior insurance will cover. Which is what we should have done to begin with instead of going off half-cocked and making assumptions.” He glances at Everett when he says it.
In Everett’s defense, he never told Suze that it was definitive that Cupid’s Confections would pay for anything. If anyone went off half-cocked, it was Suze.
Mom runs through the room with her arms waving as if they were landing a 747.
“Everyone in your places,” she shouts. “It’s time for the wedding!”
Everett takes off to grab Lyla Nell, and within three minutes, everyone who needs to be seated is seated. And yet not everyone who needs to be standing at the altar is standing at the altar.
The minister is there. Hook Redwood looks dashing in a tux, and he can’t stop grinning like a loon. He loves Meg so much, and I couldn’t be happier for the both of them.
But there doesn’t seem to be any sign of Jed.
The crowd begins to murmur.
Noah sighs hard as my mother turns up the violin music that’s playing through the speakers.
“I’d better go talk to Sam.” Noah rises from his seat and doesn’t get halfway up the aisle before Sam storms into the room, hardly cresting the entry before she stops.
“Listen up, everyone,” she calls out, her voice breaking, and I’m not having a good feeling about this.
Although, serious side note: Sam looks ravishing in her glorious white gown. It’s off the shoulder and drapes her nicely. You would never know she had just given birth a few short weeks ago. Her hair is sparkling with jewels, and gone is the green goo, replaced with a glowing countenance and natural, yet expertly applied, cosmetics.
She lifts her chin and calls out, “Something has happened.”