Wedded Blintz (16 page)
“Well I’m just glad everything worked out, the case got solved, we got married and tomorrow we get to leave on our tropical honeymoon.” Lexy smiled at Jack.
“Well, it’s too bad you won’t be around to see the new bakery go in across the street.” Nans looked at the empty storefront almost directly across from The Cup and Cake.
Lexy froze. “What bakery?”
“Oh, you didn’t hear?” Nans asked. “Someone is putting a bakery in just like The Cup and Cake right across the street. Isn’t that stupid?”
Lexy looked out the window. It
did
look like someone was getting ready to move in to that empty store. But who would put a bakery right across from another bakery?
Cassie got up and stood right at the window squinting at the store. “It
is
stupid … and it looks like they are painting it pink … just like we have in here.”
Lexy felt her heart squeeze.
Another bakery just like hers?
She didn’t think she liked that idea much.
Jack squeezed her hand and caught her attention reminding her that she had more important things going on right now. She squeezed back, and felt a rush of excitement thinking of the two weeks she was going to spend with Jack in a tropical paradise.
She took one more quick look out the window and decided a new bakery across the street wasn’t that important. She had better things to focus on … at least for now.
The End.
***
Want to read about more of Lexy’s and Nans’ adventures? Get the rest of the Lexy Baker series for your Kindle:
A Note From The Author
Thanks so much for reading my cozy mystery “
Wedded Blintz
”. I hope you liked reading it as much as I loved writing it. If you did, and feel inclined to leave a review over at Amazon, I really would appreciate it.
This is book seven of the Lexy Baker series, you can find the rest of the books on my website, or over at Amazon if you want to read more of Lexy’s and Nans’s adventures.
Also, if you like cozy mysteries, you might like my book “
Dead Wrong
” which is book one in the Blackmoore Sisters series. Set in the seaside town of Noquitt Maine, the Blackmoore sisters will take you on a journey of secrets, romance and maybe even a little magic. I have an excerpt from it at the end of this book.
This book has been through many edits with several people and even some software programs, but since nothing is infallible (even the software programs) you might catch a spelling error or mistake and, if you do, I sure would appreciate it if you let me know - you can contact me at
Oh, and I love to connect with my readers so please do visit me on facebook at
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About The Author
Leighann Dobbs discovered her passion for writing after a twenty year career as a software engineer. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty. When she’s not reading, gardening or selling antiques, she likes to write romance and cozy mystery novels and novelettes which are perfect for the busy person on the go.
Find out about her latest books and how to get discounts on them by signing up at:
Connect with Leighann on Facebook and Twitter
***
More Books By Leighann Dobbs
Lexy Baker
Cozy Mystery Series
* * *
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Blackmoore Sisters
Cozy Mystery Series
* * *
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Contemporary
Romance
* * *
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Dobbs “Fancytales”
Regency Romance Fairytales Series
* * *
***
Excerpt From Dead Wrong:
Morgan Blackmoore tapped her finger lightly on the counter, her mind barely registering the low buzz of voices behind her in the crowded coffee shop as she mentally prioritized the tasks that awaited her back at her own store.
“Here you go, one yerba mate tea and a vanilla latte.” Felicity rang up the purchase, as Morgan dug in the front pocket of her faded denim jeans for some cash which she traded for the two paper cups.
Inhaling the spicy aroma of the tea, she turned to leave, her long, silky black hair swinging behind her. Elbowing her way through the crowd, she headed toward the door. At this time of morning, the coffee shop was filled with locals and Morgan knew almost all of them well enough to exchange a quick greeting or nod.
Suddenly a short, stout figure appeared, blocking her path. Morgan let out a sharp breath, recognizing the figure as Prudence Littlefield.
Prudence had a long running feud with the Blackmoore’s which dated back to some sort of run-in she’d had with Morgan’s grandmother when they were young girls. As a result, Prudence loved to harass and berate the Blackmoore girls in public.
Morgan’s eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape route.
“Just who do you think you are?” Prudence demanded, her hands fisted on her hips, legs spaced shoulder width apart. Morgan noticed she was wearing her usual knee high rubber boots and an orange sunflower scarf.
Morgan’s brow furrowed over her ice blue eyes as she stared at the older woman’s prune like face.
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t you play dumb with me Morgan Blackmoore. What kind of concoction did you give my Ed? He’s been acting plumb crazy.”
Morgan thought back over the previous week’s customers. Ed Littlefield
had
come into her herbal remedies shop, but she’d be damned if she’d announce to the whole town what he was after.
She narrowed her eyes at Prudence. “That’s between me and Ed.”
Prudence’s cheeks turned crimson. Her nostrils flared. “You know what
I
think,” she said narrowing her eyes and leaning in toward Morgan, “I think you’re a witch, just like your great-great-great-grandmother!”
Morgan felt an angry heat course through her veins. There was nothing she hated more than being called a witch. She was a Doctor of Pharmacology with a Master Herbalist’s license, not some sort of spell-casting conjurer.
The coffee shop had grown silent. Morgan could feel the crowd staring at her. She leaned forward, looking wrinkled old Prudence Littlefield straight in the eye.
“Well now, I think we know that’s not true,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, “Because if I was a witch, I’d have turned you into a newt long ago.”
Then she pushed her way past the old crone and fled out the coffee shop door.
###
Fiona Blackmoore stared at the amethyst crystal in front of her wondering how to work it into a pendant. On most days, she could easily figure out exactly how to cut and position the stone, but right now her brain was in a pre-caffeine fog.
Where was Morgan with her latte?
She sighed, looking at her watch. It was ten past eight, Morgan should be here by now, she thought impatiently.
Fiona looked around the small shop,
Sticks and Stones
, she shared with her sister. An old cottage that had been in the family for generations, it sat at one of the highest points in their town of Noquitt, Maine.
Turning in her chair, she looked out the back window. In between the tree trunks that made up a small patch of woods, she had a bird’s eye view of the sparkling, sapphire blue Atlantic Ocean in the distance.
The cottage sat about 500 feet inland at the top of a high cliff that plunged into the Atlantic. If the woods were cleared, like the developers wanted, the view would be even better. But Fiona would have none of that, no matter how much the developers offered them, or how much they needed the money. She and her sisters would never sell the cottage.
She turned away from the window and surveyed the inside of the shop. One side was setup as an apothecary of sorts. Antique slotted shelves loaded with various herbs lined the walls. Dried weeds hung from the rafters and several mortar and pestles stood on the counter, ready for whatever herbal concoctions her sister was hired to make.
On her side sat a variety of gemologist tools and a large assortment of
crystals. Three antique oak and glass jewelry cases displayed her creations. Fiona smiled as she looked at them. Since childhood she had been fascinated with rocks and gems so it was no surprise to anyone when she grew up to become a gemologist and jewelry designer, creating jewelry not only for its beauty, but also for its healing properties.
The two sisters vocations suited each other perfectly and they often worked together providing customers with crystal and herbal healing for whatever ailed them.
The jangling of the bell over the door brought her attention to the front of the shop. She breathed a sigh of relief when Morgan burst through the door, her cheeks flushed, holding two steaming paper cups.
“What’s the matter?” Fiona held her hand out, accepting the drink gratefully. Peeling back the plastic tab, she inhaled the sweet vanilla scent of the latte.
“I just had a run in with Prudence Littlefield!” Morgan’s eyes flashed with anger.
“Oh? I saw her walking down Shore road this morning wearing that god-awful orange sunflower scarf. What was the run-in about this time?” Fiona took the first sip of her latte, closing her eyes and waiting for the caffeine to power her blood stream. She’d had her own run-ins with Pru Littlefield and had learned to take them in stride.
“She was upset about an herbal mix I made for Ed. She called me a witch!"
“What did you make for him?”
“Just some Ginkgo, Ginseng and Horny Goat Weed … although the latter he said was for Prudence.”
Fiona’s eyes grew wide. “Aren’t those herbs for impotence?”
Morgan shrugged “Well, that’s what he wanted.”
“No wonder Prudence was mad…although you’d think just being married to her would have caused the impotence.”
Morgan burst out laughing. “No kidding. I had to question his sanity when he asked me for it. I thought maybe he had a girlfriend on the side.”
Fiona shook her head trying to clear the unwanted images of Ed and Prudence Littlefield together.
“Well, I wouldn’t let it ruin my day. You know how
she
is.”
Morgan put her tea on the counter, then turned to her apothecary shelf and picked several herbs out of the slots. “I know, but she always seems to know how to push my buttons. Especially when she calls me a witch.”
Fiona grimaced. “Right, well I wish we
were
witches. Then we could just conjure up some money and not be scrambling to pay the taxes on this shop and the house.”