Chocolate Chip Cookie Conundrum (Murder in the Mix Book 32) by Unknown (the lemonade war series .TXT) 📕

better or for worse. And if I’m not mistaken, it’s the very same courtroom where Everett presided over me the first day we met. But I don’t dare bring this up to him in the event he takes it as a nefarious omen.

Everett is dressed to kill in a jet-black suit with a baby blue dress shirt underneath that makes his eyes pop. He looks miraculously well-rested and strong as iron with his shoulders back and that stoic look on his face never once flinching.

Evie and her friends are here. Noah is speaking with Eliza, and Meghan is just a few feet away. Cormack and Cressida have even bothered to show—only God knows why. My mother and Wiley are here as well. And, of course, I’ve brought Lyla Nell.

Everett said he wanted her here, not as a strategy the way his attorney, Fiona Dagmeyer, proposed, but to simply have her near him. And if she starts to fuss and cry, I’ve already made arrangements for my mother to step out of the room with her.

“Oh, Everett.” I pull him close and sandwich Lyla Nell between us as she sits in the carrier over my chest. “I need this to be okay. I need you by my side every single day. I need you more than you will ever know. You mean everything to me.” I pull him into a molten hot kiss and hold the scent of his cologne deep inside my lungs.

“Lemon.” He peppers a trail of kisses to my ear. “Everything is going to happen just the way it’s supposed to. I’m a firm believer in that. The trial will be short. It may not even last a few hours.”

I nod up at him, doing my best to hold back tears. “And then it goes to the jury.”

“It does.” He runs his thumb over my cheek. “Having you as a juror in my courtroom a few months back was one of my best memories here. Outside of those visits to my chambers, of course.” A dark smile rides on his lips a second too long.

“Don’t worry. We’ll pick right up where we left off in two weeks’ time. Dr. Barnette said that after six weeks I was welcome to resume normal activity with my baby maker, and believe me, I’ve got quite the wish list building up.”

His chest rumbles with a laugh. “Hopefully, I’ll be around to help you with that.”

Before I can steer him back to a far more positive mindset, Carlotta and Mayor Nash hobble this way, looking injured and sleep-deprived and more than a little sick to their stomachs.

“You came,” I say a little too loud.

“She said she couldn’t miss it.” Mayor Nash nods to Everett. “I wouldn’t miss it either. You have our full support, Judge Baxter. I think I’ll hit the restroom before the proceedings begin.” He excuses himself as he takes off.

“That’s right, Sexy.” Carlotta offers him a slap on the back. “Come heck or high toilet water, there was no stopping me. I put on my big girl panties right over my diaper and here I am.” She leans my way. “No need to worry about me disrupting proceedings with frequent trips to the loo.” She gives her bottom a pat and the sound of crinkling plastic sounds off. “See you kids inside for the dog and pony show. Don’t worry, Sexy. You’ll do great. Remember, if you get nervous, try to envision the audience in their underwear—but then, you’ve probably already seen most of the women in that courtroom in just that. Break a leg, would you?” She takes off and Noah strides up.

He nods up at Everett. “I’m sorry.” His dimples dip in as he takes a deep breath. “I wish I could take your place. It should have been me,” he says as he takes off for the courtroom.

Noah is taking the stand today, and I’m afraid he has the power to hurt Everett as much as he does help him, especially if he sticks to the truth.

Lyla Nell vocalizes after him as her arms and legs flail. She looks up at Everett, and it sounds as if she’s saying her vowels—a, e, i, o, u as loud as she can.

Everett pushes out a gentle smile as he kisses her on the forehead.

“I’m sorry, too,” I whisper to him. “There are no words to convey how terrible I feel.”

“Don’t.” His brows pinch in the middle, and it’s a vexingly sexy look on him. Everett can’t help it. He’s sexy if he does, sexy if he doesn’t. It’s his good-looking cross to bear. “At the end of the day, I accept full responsibility.”

“Don’t say that in court,” a female voice chirps, and we turn to see his wise counsel, Fiona Dagmeyer, looking sharp as the dagger she is in a navy pantsuit, her dark hair pulled tightly into a bun and a swath of red lipstick. Fiona is as gorgeous as she is dangerous. And her track record in the courtroom is impeccable. “Essex, you look ready and willing to get this over with.” She frowns. “I realize it goes against your nature, but try to look affable to the jury.” She glances at the baby. “Good. I see you took my advice and brought the most potent weapon in our arsenal. Lottie, you’re to sit directly behind your husband. Weep silently, give the jury forlorn looks once every ten minutes, and be sure to latch eyes at least once with all of them before the day is through. This is a one-shot deal. We have one day to save your husband from a prison sentence that could cut him out of your life for years—and will forever end his career. Everything is riding on this. Every look you give, every move you make, can cost your husband everything. Don’t ruin this.” She looks to Everett. “You either. Now get inside.”

She takes off ahead of us, and soon it’s just Everett, Lyla Nell, and me standing in the hall.

“Lemon.”