American library books ยป Other ยป Murder in the Mix Boxed Set 28-30: Cozy Mystery by Addison Moore (books like beach read .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•

Read book online ยซMurder in the Mix Boxed Set 28-30: Cozy Mystery by Addison Moore (books like beach read .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Addison Moore



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his arms.

โ€œExcuse me, ladies and gentlemen,โ€ he continues to grunt as his face turns three shades of red then quickly purple.

Carlotta kicks her legs in the air. โ€œLetโ€™s break this bad boy in the old-fashioned way!โ€ She looks my way. โ€œIf the bedroomโ€™s a rockinโ€™, donโ€™t come a knockinโ€™.โ€

โ€œEww!โ€ Evie groans herself. โ€œThatโ€™s freaking gross, Carlotta. Heโ€™s, like, old. And so are you.โ€

โ€œHave a candy cane and calm down, Evie,โ€ Carlotta snips back. โ€œBesides, Iโ€™m betting your two daddies have a feast laid out for us inside. Iโ€™ve got to put something solid in my stomach first if I want to build my stamina.โ€

Noah opens the door for them, and Mayor Nash staggers forward, slamming Carlottaโ€™s head on the doorframe so hard I could swear I heard a crack. She goes limp and the rest of us gasp.

โ€œKidding!โ€ She perks back to life, but her eyes look as if theyโ€™re going in two different directions.

Once theyโ€™ve disappeared inside, Evie motions to Everett and Noah.

โ€œCome on, one of you pick Mom up so we get to the food. Iโ€™ve got to build my stamina up, too. I still have to finish decorating my room.โ€ She steps into the house and pulls out her phone. โ€œIโ€™ll take a picture. I want to get Momโ€™s face when she sees the big reveal.โ€

Carlotta yelps from inside. โ€œCome on in, Lot Lot!โ€ She scuttles to the door with both Pancake and Waffles in her arms. โ€œYouโ€™re not going to believe your eyes!โ€

Mayor Nash appears behind them with a slice of pizza in his hand. โ€œThe foodโ€™s good, too!โ€

Everett steps back, his lips curling at the tips, and his excitement, though somewhat muted, is darn near palpable.

โ€œYou ready to do this, Lemon?โ€

โ€œNo,โ€ Noah answers for me.

โ€œWhat?โ€ Everett snips with clear irritation, in a tone that he doesnโ€™t invoke all that much. Come to think of itโ€”I squint over at his face, and his lower lip looks a little swollen in the corner. Boy, they really did have a knock-down, drag-out fistfight.

โ€œIโ€™m sorry, Lot.โ€ Noah looks decidedly ticked himself. โ€œBut I want to carry you in. Youโ€™re only married to Everett as a part of that technicality to get his trust fund to pay outโ€”even though that was all proven to be a scam. Deep down, I know youโ€™re just seeing where this goes with him.โ€ He glares at his former stepbrother. โ€œEverett, you get Lottie in ways that I may never have her again. Sheโ€™s the last thing you see at night and the first thing you see in the morning. It would mean everything to me if I could carry her over that threshold. Besides, youโ€™ve got a broken arm and sheโ€™s with child. God forbid you drop her. Youโ€™d never forgive yourself.โ€

A low-lying growl emits from the deepest part of Everett.

โ€œFine,โ€ he grunts. โ€œBut it means nothing. Itโ€™s merely a form of transportation.โ€ His lips cinch together. โ€œAre you okay with this, Lemon?โ€

โ€œAt this point Iโ€™d ride on Tobyโ€™s back so long as I get to see whatโ€™s happening inside.โ€

Noah scoops me up into his warm, strong arms and his dimples press in deep as he whisks us through the front door.

โ€œOh my goodness!โ€ I suck in a sharp breath. Yes, we are in a new rental house. Yes, the furniture is not the same as it was in my last house, but none of that seems to make a difference. โ€œThis is my home.โ€ Tears come to my eyes as Noah sets me down. โ€œEverything is different, and yet everything is the same.โ€

The scent of evergreen branches mingling with pizza and the hint of Chinese food permeates my senses, and it makes me want to cry. Christmas carols are strumming through the house, and it all feels so very homey and right.

โ€œLook at the tree!โ€ Evie dances over to the tall evergreen set nearby the roaring fire.

And sure enough, itโ€™s the bakery-inspired tree from the auction. Each ornament has something to do with bakingโ€”tiny rolling pins, mixing bowls, muffin tins, and miniature measuring cups. There are even ornaments in the shape of tiny cupcakes, donuts, and frosted desserts of every variety hanging from the boughs. The tiny colorful lights make it feel like the exclamation point on this cheery brand new house of ours.

The fireplace is covered with white bricks, the floors have been refinished an earthy pale gray, and thereโ€™s a thick pale rug with a pattern of pastel climbing roses set in the living room. To the right, the dining room has an elongated dark wooden table, and dotted all around it are plush stone-colored velvet chairs. But the piรจce de rรฉsistance is the gingerbread house sitting on a red velvet runner right over the middle of that beautiful gleaming table. I happen to recognize that gingerbread masterpiece because it happened to come from my very own bakery.

The living room opens up to the kitchen where I can see the appliancesโ€”

โ€œYouโ€™ve upgraded the appliances?โ€ My mouth squares out in horror. โ€œYou did not have to do that!โ€

Noah shrugs. โ€œWe wanted to. The landlord said it was fine. He deducted the expenses from the rent, so it worked out.โ€

โ€œWow,โ€ I say as I sail into the kitchen. Itโ€™s a stainless steel wonderland as far as the appliances are concerned, and theyโ€™re all top-of-the-lineโ€”even nicer than they were next door. The cabinets are painted white, and the counters are a creamy warm shade of marble. The kitchen island is covered with a buffet that consists of six pizza boxes from Mangias and about a thousand takeout containers from the Wicked Wok.

Iโ€™m about to ask how weโ€™re supposed to eat all of this when thereโ€™s a knock at the door.

And one by one my sisters file in with their plus ones, Forest and Hook. And much to my delight, baby Josie makes an appearance, too.

Lainey hands her off to me as she looks around. โ€œWow, Lottie, this looks just like your old place.โ€

Meg nods. โ€œItโ€™s darn right creepy.โ€

Before I can respond, Mom and Wiley

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