Waffles at the Wake (Murder in the Mix #29) - Addison Moore Page 0,6

of their money before faking his own death. What a winner—or wiener is more like it.

But my mother can’t be deterred by the truth. She’s too mesmerized by his handsome features to care about his wily ways. His new shtick is posing as a perfectly good publishing company, a venture he dreamed up overnight once he got wind of the fact my mother was a budding author. He’s published a couple of romances for her, and he just so happened to take the lion’s share of her earnings, too. I tried to point it out to her, but she insists she doesn’t mind helping him out while his company gets off the ground. My mother is his only client. And her books, well, they’re not doing so hot—even though the books themselves are indeed very steamy. She happens to pen raunchy sizzlers that make grown women blush. But apparently, there aren’t many women in Honey Hollow or in the country interested in blushing to the words my mother has put to paper. Sales are down. And according to her, they can’t get much lower than they are.

Just last month, Wiley had the gall to tell her to write books with less steam to see if sales would pick up. I’m betting sales would pick up if Wiley picked up and left town. Nevertheless, she’s no longer writing her raunchy reads and has shifted to beach romances with an emphasis on friendship.

I won’t lie, I’m dying to gobble them all right up. Lord knows I’m long overdue for a beachy escape.

“Shouting out an obscenity? I’ll consider it,” I say. And I will. Times are desperate indeed when I’m taking Wiley Fox’s advice to heart.

The music shifts to something slow and moody and Mom gasps.

“This is my favorite song.” She gives Wiley’s arm a quick tug. “Oh, you just have to dance with me.” She plucks him away, and soon they’ve absorbed themselves into the crowd.

“Jury duty,” I groan with everything in me as I look to Noah and Everett. “Why did she have to remind me? Well, thank God I’m married to a judge. Everett, make this go away. I’ll give you my summons come Monday. You can take it to work and do whatever hocus-pocus necessary to make this disappear. I hate even looking at that pesky piece of paper that threatens to steal my time and freedom.”

His brows hike a notch. “I can’t make this go away. I’m afraid you’ll need to go through the motions. It’s your civic duty.”

“What?” I squawk, more than incensed that he even suggested it. “Everett, I can’t go to jury duty, I’m having a baby.” I pat my hands over that globe sitting underneath my dress.

Everett shakes his head. “Sorry, Lemon, but we have expectant mothers come through all the time. You’d need a note from your doctor to get yourself excused. You’d have to provide a bona fide medical reason for not showing up.”

“Oh, thank God.” I blow out a breath of relief. “That’s easy enough. I’ll just have Dr. Barnette take care of it for me.” Dr. Barnette is my OB-GYN. She also happens to have earned the privilege to call Everett by his proper moniker, but I’ve never held it against her.

He blinks my way. “And put her license on the line? I’m not so sure. She’s under oath to tell the truth.”

“Jury duty.” Noah offers a wistful shake of the head and shudders. “I’m telling you, that’s one civic duty I wouldn’t mind at all. It’d be like a vacation for me. All I’d have to do is sit there and pay attention. Solving crimes is in my wheelhouse. I’m a man of the law.”

“Perfect. I think you’d make a great juror. You can take my place.” My entire body floods with relief. “Oh, Noah, I just knew you’d come through for me.”

“Sorry, Lot.” He winces. “You know I’d make this go away if it was in my power. But I can’t take your place. That’s not how the system works.”

A cry of frustration shrills from me. “Fine, I’ll go. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure I don’t get selected.”

Everett’s chest humps with a silent laugh. “I hope you end up in my courtroom. Personally, I’d like to see you take a stab at it. I’ve seen it all before. Try not to do anything that lands you behind bars.”

Now it’s Noah chuckling. “Don’t worry, Lot. You’ll be in my jurisdiction if you