Poison Apple Crisp - Addison Moore Page 0,77
dives over both Everett and me with a strong embrace, and Everett picks her up and spins her.
“Congratulations.” He offers a rather playful, stern look her way. “Just make sure to keep your grades up. School first, cheer second.”
Evie scoffs. “Cheer is school, Dad—ergo I’m like totally fine.”
I laugh. “And you’re like totally amazing. Congratulations again.”
“I have to find Dash.” Evie starts to hop away. “She made the team, too. Bid on something good, Mom! I have my eye on that baseball hat from the sheriff’s department,” she shouts as she takes off into the dark of night in the direction of the quad.
The gym is teeming with bodies. The silent auction seems to be thriving as hordes of people cluster around just about every offering up for bidding.
Off to the right, I spot Cokie sharing a laugh with both Cressida and Cormack, of all people.
Just great.
Let’s hope they open their wallets. It’s the least they can do if they insist on polluting the parental waters.
Everett wraps an arm around my waist. “Did Evie just say she wants a baseball hat from the sheriff’s department?” He grunts at the thought. “If anything, I think we should find some decent underwear and bid on those for her. If she wants to cheer with that short skirt, she needs to find something substantial to put on.”
“Or you’ll put your foot down, Judge Baxter?” I ask, amused.
“Yes.” His eyes bulge a moment as if he were surprised I went there.
“Relax, she’ll have kick pants on. They’re specially designed for cheer skirts and rather modest. Believe me, they give granny panties a run for their conservative money.”
“Good,” he says. “That’s what I like to hear. Now let’s get bidding.”
“Do you want a baseball cap from the sheriff’s department?” I tease.
“Only if you promise it’s the only thing you’ll be wearing later.”
I bite down on a laugh. “Noah donated that hat. It would be practically sacrilegious for me to entertain you with it.”
“All the more reason for me to win it.”
“If Noah catches wind of this, he might just try to outbid you. This could turn out to be the biggest ticket item here tonight. And on that note, I might just have to tell him your nefarious plans.”
“If you don’t, I will.” He gives a sly wink.
Carlotta heads this way, holding Ginger and petting her as if she were every bit visible to every eye here.
“Carlotta, please stop your supernatural shenanigans,” I hiss. “This is Evie’s new school. I care about what people think. And I don’t want them to think her grandmother is a loon.”
She scowls as she tosses Ginger into the air like a basketball and the peppy poltergeist up and disappears in a plume of orange dust.
“First off, her friends call me Car-Car.”
“I believe it’s Cray-Cray,” I’m quick to inform her. “And that cute moniker has nothing to do with your name.” I’ve heard the whisperings among Evie’s friends myself.
She waves me off. “Believe me when I say I’ve got the pipsqueak’s best interest at heart. I know how hard it can be to fit in. And by the end of this night, she’s going to be the queen bee of this Podunk honey hive. Now if you’ll excuse me, Evie is waiting for me out in the quad. We have some last-minute business to conduct.” She winks over at Everett. “Don’t you worry your sexy little head off. Cray-Cray’s got it all under control.” She zips off, and I can feel my blood pressure rising, but I don’t dare tell Everett. He’d do anything to protect his baby, even if it means shipping Carlotta off to the arctic in a solid block of ice. And sadly, that may not be enough to protect us all from her zany antics.
“Here we go.” Everett groans at something just over my shoulder, and I turn to find Noah headed this way along with two bubble-headed blondes.
“Lavinia.” Cormack winks my way while attaching herself to Noah’s side like a barnacle. “I’ve already placed a healthy number of bids, and I’m willing to go as high as I need to in order to ensure a successful fundraising night for our Evie.”
“Our Evie?” I glance to Everett.
Cormack winks my way. “You bet your little costume jewelry-loving heart.” She pets Noah’s shoulder. “The Big Boss feels as if Evie were his own daughter. And now that you’re sharing children, anything and anyone that’s important to my man is important to me.”
“I’m important to Noah.” I force a