Buttercream Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 7 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) Read Free

the man is a fine example of a gentleman. Just between you and me, I think he might have taken a shine to me, and I don’t mind that at all,” she smirked and raised her eyebrows.
    Missy’s heart plummeted to her knees, as the blood drained from her cheeks. Unable to form a coherent response to Chloe’s insinuation, she mechanically asked, “Soooo…what brings you in today?”
    The socialite stepped back, surveying the impressive selection of cupcakes. “Well, normally I don’t indulge in such things, but I figure it’s allowed, considering the trauma I’ve been through. I checked with my trainer, and he promised to draw up a workout so that it won’t go to my waistline,” she ran her finely manicured hands over her perfectly flat tummy.
    Missy’s cheeks flamed as she bit back a snide response. Plastering an entirely fake smile on her face, she suggested a cupcake that had the most ‘fat’ calories per bite in the entire shop. Somehow she managed to get through the rest of the transaction, though she’d be hard pressed to recount any further conversation, and moved through the rest of her day in a haze. Chas texted her on the drive home, inviting her to dinner, and after staring at the text with silent tears rolling down her face, she put down her phone without answering.

Chapter 4
     
    Avoiding someone who makes a living solving crimes was no mean feat, but Missy managed to elude Detective Chas Beckett for quite some time by changing up her normal routine, and keeping strange hours. Since she couldn’t sleep anyway, she did much of her baking late at night, sometimes into the wee hours of the morning. Her staff was puzzled by her behavior, but said nothing and accommodated her schedule. Deliveries went out on time, daily sales continued to increase, and Missy kept to herself, crying when no one was watching, working her fingers to the bone.  She had been intentionally avoiding Echo as well, knowing that her free-spirited and perceptive friend would have no qualms about giving her the third degree to determine what was wrong and how she could help. Missy was about to scoot out of the Dellville shop well before closing time when the text tone on her phone chimed.
    “ Hey girl! Thanks for sending over today’s Sweet Crème Sandwich. I wanted to eat it, but another customer came in wanting one, so I sold it to her. Hey, did you know that Carlos is on leave? Donna said that some guy named Brice brought my Sweet Crème Sandwich over when he came in with the dry goods order. Anyhoo…I’d love it if you could stop by sometime soon – miss you! E. ”
    Missy was puzzled. She hadn’t sent a Sweet Crème over for Echo, though she was a bit embarrassed to admit it. She asked Ben and Chris if they had, and they hadn’t either. Echo said that the new dry goods guy, Brice had brought it over, but Missy hadn’t seen him since the first time that he’d been in her kitchen. Worried, she dialed Carlos’s number at the supplier’s office and was sent to voicemail. Perplexed, she made a note to try to call Carlos again tomorrow if she hadn’t heard back from him. She headed to the LaChance store to make sure that Cheryl had everything she needed for closing, then drove home, dismayed to see Chas Beckett sitting on her front steps with Toffee. She knew that her car could be seen the moment that she had turned on to her street, so backing out to avoid him wasn’t an option. Sighing, she decided to suck it up and face him, her stomach turning somersaults at the thought.
    Toffee charged over to the car as usual, not understanding why her favorite person wasn’t responding the way that she typically did. Missy led the loyal canine to the front porch where Chas was now standing, looking achingly handsome.
    “Care to tell me why Toffee is the only female at this address who’s willing to give me attention these days?” he asked without preamble, his tone light, but his eyes serious.
    “Maybe the rest of the females