Wicked Whoopie Pies by Addison Moore (english novels to improve english TXT) 📕

guess it’s true what Harry says. I’m weak-willed!” Her vocal cords do their best impersonation of an injured cow once again. “Foxy, take your gun and shoot me. If I’m going to be Little Yippy’s servant for the rest of my days, I don’t want to see the sunrise ever again.”

“I bet you’ve never seen a sunrise, Carlotta,” I tell her. “In fact, you got up for the day just as the sun was setting. And you’re not weak-willed. You just had the urge to give something to Lyla Nell to make her happy. Isn’t that right, Everett?”

He casts his blue eyes my way and a spear of heat travels through my stomach. That man never fails to slay me with his comely countenance—that and I’ve been craving a bite out of him something fierce. I don’t know how much longer our dry spell can last.

“Lemon,” he says with a resolute look on his face. “This afternoon I witnessed Lyla Nell staring at Waffles until he rolled one of her favorite rattles her way.”

I straighten. “Noah? You don’t believe this, do you?”

Noah’s dimples dig in and that spear of heat takes over once again.

Good grief. I’m going to have to take Keelie’s advice and trap my husband in a corner at some point today before I accidentally have my way with Noah and give Lyla Nell a little brother or sister Fox. It’s going to be a bad look if I keep having another man’s children while married to Everett.

And trapping Everett in a dark corner? Really? So much for making it special. I guess I’m more interested in making it at all.

Noah blinks my way. “I’m sorry, were you speaking?”

“Noah.” I laugh. “I’d ask what’s gotten into you, what’s gotten into you both”—I say, nodding to Everett—“but I think I know.”

A mild sense of alarm takes over both of their faces just as the clip-clop of high heels comes from down the hall.

“Ready or not”—Evie shouts—“here I come!”

Evie hasn’t let any of us see the vintage dress she picked out, so we’re waiting with bated breath.

She steps into the room, and every last one of us, the dead included, gasps at the sight of her.

“Everly Baxter.” I clutch my chest as I take in her sheer beauty.

“Mother.” She wrinkles her nose. “I’m Evie, remember?”

I laugh because there’s nothing that irritates Evie more than her formal moniker. She’s sort of like her father that way.

Both Everett and Noah rise to their feet.

“Evie.” Everett heads her way and takes her in. “I’m not sure it’s safe to let you leave the house looking like this.”

It’s true. Evie has her long dark hair set in perfect coils all the way down her back. Her skin glows pink, her face is done to perfection with just the right amount of cosmetics, and her dress—a blush pink, off-the-shoulder tulle number that cuts off at mid-calf—looks stunning on her.

Noah steps up with Lyla Nell. “Evie, you’re stunning.” He looks to me. “I’ll call extra patrol to head to Fallbrook and I’ll have a special task force assigned just to her.”

Evie belts out a laugh. “You wish, Uncle Noah. As soon as Conner picks me up in our limo, I’m free as a bird until tomorrow morning. And don’t worry, Mom. Like I said, Aunt Charlie will be at the dance for a few hours spying on me just the way you like it.”

“Whoa.” Everett holds up a finger. “Back the limo up. Did you say you’re free as a bird until tomorrow morning?”

“Yeah.” She nods his way with an incredulous look on her face. “After prom we’re partying in a few hotel rooms that the student body pitched in to get, then at about five in the morning, we’re all coming down to Honey Lake to watch the sunrise. It’s tradition, Dad. You don’t expect me to break from tradition, do you?”

“Yes.” Everett’s voice hikes a moment. “In fact, I do. Evie, you’ve mentioned this hotel room deal before during homecoming, and it was no then and it’s no now.”

“It was Winter Formal,” she fires back. “And I thought you had matured since then!”

“Me? Matured?” Everett’s chest bucks.

“Yeah,” Evie snips. “I didn’t expect it either.”

Lyla Nell laughs and I think I just saw her clap, too.

Carlotta bats her hands through the air. “Everybody calm down. The angrier we get, the more our minds turn to mush and it’s no telling what the baby witch will make us do then.”

I cluck my tongue. “Would you stop calling her that?”

Carlotta waves me off. “Listen up, Sexy. Evie is right. Everyone knows that after prom you party hardy before staggering to the nearest beach like a herd of zombies to watch the sun rise—before you go home and pass out until the sun goes down.”

Binky purrs, “Every night is prom night when you’re a skunk.”

Everett’s eyes widen a touch, and I practically see the steam coming out of his ears. “I don’t care about tradition, Evie. Once prom is through, have the limo bring you right back here. You’re not going up to some hotel room to party hardy. But—if you want to watch the sunrise with your friends at Honey Lake, I’ll be happy to drive you there in the morning.”

Evie expires a hearty groan. “Gee, thanks! Why don’t you just drive me to prom yourself? Maybe you and everyone in this room can show up for pictures? How about if I save a dance for you, Dad? Better yet, I’ll save every dance for you. Actually, I don’t even need to go to that stupid dance. We can all put on our cut-off shorts, chew some straw, and four square in the living room. You’re all I need in my life, Dad. Is that what you want to hear? I may as well take off my dress and order Wicked Wok. Would you like me to polish your shoes or whip up a batch of brownies for you the way Mom does? Are women nothing but