Barbecue & Brooms (A Southern Charms Cozy Mystery Book 4)

by Bella Falls

  My friends finding out that Mason and I had a habit of sharing magic the way we did didn’t stress me out as much as what Nana would do if she heard.

  “Why not? You were really good up there.” He nudged me with his hip. “Your grandmother would be proud.”

  I freaked out at the mere possibility. “Holy unicorn horn, you’re not thinking of letting my grandmother know what we just did?”

  He winced at the volume of my panic. “What, fly together? I think she knows about that.”

  “No, about how you helped me do it on my own.” I raised my eyebrows, willing him to get my gist.

  “O-o-h, that.” Mason tapped his chin in mock thoughtfulness. “And what will you offer to keep my mouth shut?”

  My jaw dropped. “Are you kidding?”

  The detective broke into chuckles. “You should see your face right now. Charli, your grandmother will have many other things to worry about than you this weekend.”

  “Doubt that,” I muttered under my breath. Nana always had time to worry about me. A thought dawned on me, and I snapped my fingers. “How about you promise you won’t say a word and I will share some of Nana’s homemade chicken and dumplin’s, a goodly amount of creamy mac and cheese, and a heapin’ of collards?”

  Mason took his time in answering me, amusement dancing in his eyes as he watched me squirm. Finally, he put me out of my misery with a slight nod. “I can do that.”

  I squinted at him. “S-o-o, I feed you and we keep what happened just between us.”

  “That’s the agreement. Besides, I kind of like having something that’s just between you and me. Maybe I need to cast a spell on you more often.” He took a step closer.

  I stuck out my hand, stopping his progress and squaring things properly. “Let’s shake on it. Deal?”

  Mason took my hand in his. “Deal.”

  Without any more hesitation, he pulled me into his body and planted his warm lips on mine.

  Chapter Two

  My head floated in the clouds from the second Mason’s lips had left mine. Although the intimate contact had only lasted for a brief second with no follow up or further acknowledgment, the kiss had me so catawampus I wouldn’t be able to decide whether to scratch my watch or wind my behind if my life depended on it.

  I didn’t know how affected I was until I found myself on Main Street, standing on the sidewalk outside of my office. Coming out of my fog of elation and confusion, I quickly checked to make sure I hadn’t made the trip to town nekkid as the day is long, as Uncle Tipper had been a few times he’d tippled a bit too much moonshine.

  Relieved to find myself fully clothed, I let myself relax and marvel at the window to my business. The sunflowers that framed my etched logo reflected golden in the amber rays of the late afternoon sun. A warm shiver prickled over my skin, and for a second I could swear that my parents were here with me, one on each side. I wondered what they would think of Mason and his sudden boldness?

  Someone called out my name, and with regret, I stopped searching the glass for the reflections of my dearly-departed parents. Voices echoed off the buildings on Main Street and broke through my fog as most of the citizens of Honeysuckle Hollow headed to the town hall for tonight’s very important meeting. A loud whistle shattered the last of my nostalgia, and I turned on my heels just in time to say hey to a few familiar faces walking by and to acknowledge Henry with a wave.

  My self-proclaimed assistant pushed his way through a group sauntering down the middle of the street. “Y’all know they made sidewalks for a reason. Move out of the way, old man comin’ through,” he grumbled, holding up two cups with straws to keep them from being knocked out of his hands. When he made it across, he handed me one of them. “Here. A little fuel to help you celebrate another successful day at the office, boss.”

  “I told you not to call me that,” I insisted, accepting the sweet tea with gratitude. “And I say again, you should really consider doing something more valuable with your time than pretending to be secretary to a business that has no clients.”

  “Nuts to that,” scoffed Henry. “What else do I have to do with my time? Besides, I have one word for you—gremlins.”

  I chuckled at the joke at first, but a sliver of fear rippled through me at the realization he might be serious based on the mischievous glint in his eyes. “I will not be drumming up any business using nefarious methods, Henry. Gremlins are nasty little creatures. Haven't you seen the movies? Things can get out of control very fast. I don't think either one of us wants to explain to my grandmother why or how we started an infestation of those troublesome critters in Honeysuckle.”

  Henry shrugged. “It was just a suggestion. Anyway, I gotta go meet up with the fellas before the meeting to make sure everything's in order for our entry.” He gave me a brief genuine smile with a wink before replacing his traditional smirk on his face so no one else would know how sweet he really could be.

  He hadn't declared which team he was on for this weekend’s barbecue contest, but I thanked my lucky stars Henry remained on my personal team—even if he wanted to stoop so low as to suggest the use of gremlins so people would seek out my services.

  Taking a much-needed long sip of the gifted drink, I followed the crowd and greeted everyone with politeness and a quick nod with a smile, relishing the quiet normalcy of our special small town. Maybe peace and quiet ranked higher than constant drama, and if all it took was a simple kiss to raise my adrenaline, then I would choose to do that over and over again.

  My fingertips brushed my bottom lip at the memory, and I forgot to watch which way my feet took me. With my usual lack of grace, I bumped into a tall figure, barely managing not to spill my drink on him. “Oops, I am so sorry.”

  Raif, the vampire who had been one of the reasons my best friend and I were almost killed, looked down his nose at me. “It is quite all right, Miss Charlotte. I fear you would be the one hurt more than me.”

  His tone held none of the old haughtiness I expected. Instead, the vampire sounded tired and a little defeated. Maybe even a touch bit humble, which creeped me out.

  A bunch of conflicting emotions fought inside me. On the one hand, his actions with the town council election brought in one of the most dangerous villains I'd ever met. On the other, he too had been a victim since he’d been blackmailed into some bad decisions. Raif had returned to Honeysuckle a little while ago, and in a way, I admired his bravery to come back and face the consequences of his own actions in order to live in a place he liked. How long did he need to pay penance to be forgiven?

  Deciding to give him another shot, I allowed a genuine smile to spread on my face. “Are you participating in the barbecue event this weekend?”

  Raif’s stoic expression relaxed a tiny fraction, and he answered me with a faint grin of his own. “I am indeed. A group of us vampires have joined forces and will be entering together.”

  My eyebrows lifted so high, my eyes hurt from not blinking. “Which team?”

  Raif’s lips curled into a deeper smile, revealing his fangs. “There are a few of us who have pooled our resources to purchase the finest and the highest-rated smoker available. In addition, we managed to procure one of the most lauded barbecue masters this side of the Mississippi.” The crafty vampire licked his lips in anticipation of my next question.

  “Who?”

  He leaned in closer and put a hand up to his mouth. “Sam Ayden,” he whispered.

  I gasped. “Sam Ayden? Of the Skybird Inn over yonder in Jonesville? How in the world did you score him?”

  Everyone in the supernatural and human world knew Sam’s name and his barbecue joint’s reputation. People traveled from all over just to get one of his plates with heapin’ scoops of chopped pork smothered in sauce, collards, and a crumbly square of cornbread on top.

  The tall vampire relished my shocked reaction. “We share more in common now, and I convinced him that our small event here in Honeysuckle would be worth it.” The proud glint in Raif’s eyes r
eminded me a little of his old self.

  However, I couldn't begrudge the vampire his smugness when he brought in a major player for the contest, especially since he saw it as good for our little town.

  I patted him on his cold arm. “Good for you. I hope your team has fun.” I started to walk away, but turned around when a question dawned on me. “Out of curiosity, what is it you have in common?”

  Raif brought a finger to his lips and opened his mouth, tapping one of his pointed fangs. “He's one of us now. His recipes that have been handed down for generations will last for an eternity. But don't let me interrupt you. I am sure you are meeting some of your friends. Please give them my regards, especially young Blythe.” He nodded in dismissal.

  I stood on the steps to the entrance, a little dumbfounded from the complete change in him. Sure, he was attempting to make up for his past transgressions, but to want me to pass on any type of salutations to my friends stunned me. A big part of me that had anticipated a verbal sparring with him remained skeptical. But this was Honeysuckle Hollow, and strange things happened every day.

  Perhaps I would pass on his greetings to help his campaign of change, but probably would skip saying anything to my best friend. Even with the vampire Lady Eveline counted as one of her closest companions, I didn't think Blythe would ever truly forgive Raif in the long run.

  “Hey, girl,” called out Lily. “Why are you standing out here with your mouth open like you're trying to catch flies? Shouldn’t we go inside?”

  Her cousin followed right behind with too much mischief sparkling in her eyes. Lavender pointed above my head. “Why is your aura so bright and twinkly with pink and red?”

  My friend’s psychic ability to read moods and figure out hidden truths panicked me, and I shut my mouth tight. Although she could probably detect that something in the heart department had gone down recently, I needed to keep Mason’s kiss secret at least for now. “I don't know what you're talking about. Come on, let's go find Alison Kate.”

  Lily tugged on my arm and narrowed her eyes. “That's fine, but since we’re all staying at your place this weekend, you know you're gonna have to spill your guts at some point.” She raised an eyebrow and beckoned her cousin to follow her inside.

  Lavender giggled. “I bet whatever she has to tell us is juicy. And it probably involves a certain somebody who she's been hanging out with lately, too.”

  “My grandmother?” I asked, following behind them.

  Lavender turned so I could watch her roll her eyes. “Nope.”

  “Matt? TJ? Charli Junior?” I proposed.

  She shook her head. “Your niece is still cooking in your sister-in-law’s belly. And while I know you love your family, that flavor of emotion shows up more as a purple hue. This has a more…romantic tint.”

  She tittered behind her hand, and a few heads turned in our direction. We made our way to the row of seats next to Alison Kate, who beckoned us to hurry up.

  I grabbed Lavender's hand before she joined her cousin. “Listen, Lav. I'm not ready.” To think about my future with the detective. To make it real by telling others. To do anything else other than enjoy things in the moment.

  She squeezed me and let me go. “I know. Lily likes to stir up trouble, but I'm just so pleased to see your life going in the direction that it is, that's all. You'll tell us when you're ready.” She shuffled down the row of seats.

  Before I joined my friends, a warm hand touched my arm. My cousin Clementine greeted me with a light hug and a friendly smile.

  “Hey, Clem. You nervous for tonight?” I asked.

  She nodded, her eyes widening a bit. “I’ve done my best to encourage Tucker, and I know he’ll do great.”

  “He will,” I reassured her. After everything that had happened to him, he carried the heavy burden of trying to redeem himself and his family name.

  My cousin nodded, but a small frown remained on her lips. “Clarice chose not to be here. She said she wanted to go visit Hollis, but I think she couldn’t handle that he’s not on the council anymore.” A tinge of bitterness flavored her words. It didn’t take a psychic to pick up how she felt about her mother-in-law.

  “Well, I’m rooting for him.” The truth of my statement both surprised and satisfied me.

  Despite the fact that Tucker had given my name to Duke, he did so out of desperation and blackmail. After taking a deal in order to give information about the dead man’s dealings to both WOW and the IMP agents, he’d dedicated himself to doing right by our town. But it would be a long time before people forgot the scandal of his father’s crime of murder.

  Moisture rimmed Clementine’s eyes and she dashed a finger at the corners of them. “It means a lot to me that the two of you can get along.” With a sniff, she straightened herself. “And I hope that you’ll come over again some time.”

  Honoring the memory of my mother and knowing her wishes for the rift in the family to be repaired, I’d visited once for afternoon tea. I think it surprised Clem and me how much we were starting to like each other.

  “I’d be happy to.” It would be worth it to enjoy how much it irritated both my Aunt Nora and Clarice as well as. “But you’d better get to your seat. It looks like things are about to start.”

  The members of the town council walked onto the stage and found their places, Nana taking her position of high seat of the council. Flint sat to my grandmother's right, but it shocked me to see Tucker flanking her on her left. Aunt Nora situated herself next to her son-in-law, her normal resting witch face a little more puckered. She no longer had a ready ally to plot with since Tucker would be wary of following in his father’s missteps.

  Tucker kept a stoic, almost regal countenance on his face that reminded me too much of Hollis, who now resided in a magical holding facility outside of Charleston. But Tucker’s eyes betrayed his nerves. He caught sight of Clementine making her way to her seat in the front. I strained to see her wiggling her fingers at him. The newest council member’s expression relaxed, and he shuffled the papers he held in his hand, looking a little more comfortable than before.

  The auditorium buzzed with excitement, but when Nana called the meeting to order, the audience quieted with immediate respect. “Before we get started, I want to thank each and every one of you who’ve stepped up in some way or another to make this whole event possible. All my life, I’ve felt it a great privilege to live in such a strong community, and you continue to renew my faith in it.”

  The room erupted into applause and cheers. Someone in the back shouted, “You’re welcome.”

  Nana chuckled along with everyone else. “But that's enough with the sentimental histrionics. I know some of y’all got to get back to attending your smokers full of what I know will become award-winning barbecue.”

  “That's right,” piped up Henry from the back. “Lucky’s Seven are gonna take home the prize.”

  “Oh, I do not know about that.” Raif’s British accent rang out clear and true. “I think our Fiery Fangs team has an ace up our sleeve.”

  Lucky spoke out, his Irish accent a bit thicker than usual. “To be sure, we've all heard about your secret weapon. I would put it to the judges to look in ta how you chancers managed your advantage.”

  My assistant piped up, “We want to know if it’s against the rules that they might have turned Sam Ayden just for the competition.” His accusation gained a little support from those sitting near him.

  “Oh, quiet Henry,” Steve scolded, shocking the rest of us in the auditorium by uttering anything. The cafe owner continued, “We all have our own secret advantages. It's why our barbecue competition will be the most interesting with all of the magic being used to win. I wouldn’t complain unless you wanted some of your own secrets revealed.”

  “On that note,” Nana interrupted the two teammates, “there are actually some rules to what you can and cannot use. I think I'll let Tucker give his explanation since the event has been his baby all along.”

  The new member o
f the town council stared at the papers in his shaking hands for a second. He took a deep breath and straightened himself. At first, his words came out with a hint of nerves, but once he got deeper into the rules, he commanded everyone's attention.

  The more he talked, the more I had to admit to myself how much Tucker took to his newfound authority. Although it hadn’t been that long, what he brought to the leadership of our town had been not just good but also beneficial. Perhaps he wanted to make up for his father's mistakes.

  Lavender ’s sharp elbow startled me out of my thoughts. “What?”

  My friend pointed at the stage, and I caught Nana glaring down at me. “If my granddaughter was paying attention, she would stand up and wave at all y'all so you would know who to check in with if you’re entering any of the contests. And make sure ya’ll spread the word that she’ll be coming around the smokers and checking every team in, so everyone can be on the lookout for her tonight.”

  With my cheeks flaming, I stood up and waved at the laughing audience before crashing into my seat as fast as possible, failing to hide my embarrassment. Flint took over from my grandmother to explain how the magic of our town extended out further to include the large field prepared for all the events just beyond our normal border. When he got to the part about beefing up security, he called Mason to the stage.

  My heart beat a fast rhythm at the sight of the detective, and once again, my fingers brushed over my lips, invoking the intimate memory of our kiss. Mason's eyes roamed over the entire crowd until he found me, and I swear he smoldered when he stared.

  Pixie poop, the man was right. It was delicious to have something that existed just between us.

  “Would you like to know the color of his aura?” teased Lavender into my ear.

  I shook my head a little too hard and strained to pay attention to what the man at center stage was saying instead of how cute he looked being in charge.