15. Everett

EVERETT

T he boxes of Wicked Wok set out on the coffee table are getting cold and Lemon hasn’t answered any of my texts. I’m guessing that’s because she’s driving and we have a strict hands-on-the-wheel-at-all-times rule that we abide by.

The cats are snoozing on the top of the sofa, as they should be considering I’ve already fed them.

Toby is curled up and napping by the fire and I’ve already fed him, too.

The only one not fed and napping in this equation is me. And just as I’m about to rectify that, the door rattles and in walks Lemon, and on her heels is Noah holding a half-asleep Lyla Nell.

Toby rouses from his slumber and trots over to greet them.

“Whoa, big guy,” Noah says, giving him a pat. “What’s Toby doing here?”

“I saw him with his nose pressed against the window when I drove in and I felt sorry for the guy. I let myself in with your hide-a-key, fed him, then let him relieve himself on your frozen lawn. Then I brought him home with me.”

“Thanks,” Noah says, trekking upstairs to put Lyla Nell to bed.

“Don’t forget to put that pink elephant next to her,” Lemon calls out. “If she wakes up without it, she’ll be fighting mad.”

“Will do,” Noah says softly, and no sooner do I wrap my arms around my beautiful wife than Noah Fox is in our face once again.

“Where were you?” I ask, landing a kiss on Lemon’s lips and lingering. Lemon tastes as sweet as any of those treats she sells at her shop.

“Picking up Lyla Nell,” she tells me, and she fills me in on the lunacy that followed concerning Miranda, Wiley, Carlotta, and Mayor Nash.

“Why does none of that surprise me?” I tick my head toward the coffee table. “I picked up Chinese. Let’s arm ourselves with a couple of chopsticks. You, too, Noah. It looks as if you’re going to have to prove your mother wrong. The sooner she starts talking, the safer everyone in this town will be,” I say as we all take a seat and dig right in. “You’ll solve this without involving Lemon,” I say sternly his way.

On occasion, I absolutely need to invoke the tone I use on my bench when I’m speaking to convicts.

Noah glances at the fireplace and his lips pull tight.

I don’t even need to ask. I know for a fact he’s allowed Lemon to burrow her way into his investigation. All she needs to do is bat her lashes at him and he’d steal the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. The guy is an idiot. And when it comes to Lemon, he’s an idiot on steroids.

Lemon runs her fingers through my hair and evicts a moan from me.

Okay, fine. I cry uncle. I’m an idiot on steroids myself around her.

“Thank you for picking up dinner,” she says, holding the box in her hand. “How did you know I was craving Kung Pao chicken?”

“You haven’t rejected it yet, so I figured it was a safe bet.” I’m about to steal another kiss when the door bursts open and Carlotta stomps her way inside. Her hair is tousled, her clothes are disheveled, and she has a pair of dark-rimmed glasses sitting wonky on her face.

“Don’t any of you say a word,” she growls our way before wagging a finger at Lemon and Noah. “These two ruined a perfectly romantic evening between my honey bunch and me. I’ll have you know, role-playing is what stokes the flames of desire between the two of us. And at his age, you need to do a heck of a lot of stokin’!”

The door bursts open again and a man clad in black with a matching ski mask steps in before softly closing the door behind him.

“I’m here to take out the trash,” he shouts. “Everybody run and hide. Except for the pretty girl with glasses,” he grumbles. “She’s coming with me. And I’m going to have my way with her!”

Noah and I jump to our feet and pull out our weapons. Lemon grunts and groans as she struggles to lift herself from her spot on the sofa, but soon enough she’s cradling Ethel in her hands as well.

“Hands up,” Noah shouts.

“Nose to the wall,” I bellow.

“Take that mask off, you coward,” Lemon growls and shockingly the man does just that, and soon we’re looking face-to-face at Mayor Nash.

Noah and Lemon put away their weapons. I’m slower to move mine, mostly because I’m moved to teach him a lesson.

“My apologies.” Mayor Nash gives a light chuckle. “Carlotta promised she’d fill you all in. This is exactly what I was afraid of.”

A growl works its way up my throat. “You should be afraid of landing in the morgue. You’re lucky we didn’t shoot first, ask questions later.”

“I was gonna fill them in,” Carlotta barks his way. “But I went ahead and read them the riot act for ruining our good time earlier.” She turns our way. “And now you’ve gone and done it again.” She stomps over and links an arm to the mayor’s. “Come on, Nash. It’s time to take out the trash, just the way you threatened. And if any of you hear my bedroom door a rockin’, don’t come a knockin’.” She turns my way. “And don’t think I haven’t heard a little role-playing coming from your bedroom, too, Sexy.” She shakes her head at Lemon. “The big, bad judge who delivers a harsh sentence for parking tickets of all things. Parking tickets, Lot? Is that the best you can come up with?”

She shrugs. “His punishments never fit the crime,” she calls out after them as they make their way up.

“And on that note,” Noah says, dropping his box of noodles back onto the table. “I’m out. Let’s go, Toby. I’ve got to take a shower, and maybe bleach my brain out if possible.”

I walk him out the door, and as I’m standing on the snow-covered porch, my phone pings from inside my pocket. I fish it out and look at the screen. It’s from Jimmy.

We got news. We know what’s going on and soon you will, too.

A surge of adrenaline spikes through me. Finally some answers. And not shockingly, they didn’t come from Noah. Although it does beg the question, are those two mob bosses a step ahead of Lemon?

I can only hope. Because heaven knows the only way to keep her safe is to do just that.