The Bakers and Bulldogs Mysteries Collection: 20 Book Box Set

by Rosie Sams

  “C’mon, Melody, let’s go get coffee and talk about flowers. Leslie is leaving us for Wilbur,” Kerry said, trying to get her attention. “Forget about them. I remember Sophia McGrath from school. She was the local ‘rich mean girl.’ Well, come to think of it, she still is. She’ll have them arguing all night long.”

  “Yeah, ok. Maybe I’ll come back tomorrow and just get the dress as it is. Something doesn’t seem right about this place.”

  “Stop worrying. You found the perfect dress. What more could a bride ask for?”

  “A perfect husband?” Melody laughed.

  “Yeah, you already got that, too.” Kerry winked and pulled her away from the shop.

  Chapter Two Hundred Four

  “Mel! I did it!” Alvin Hennessey yelled as he threw the front door open.

  Smudge ran to greet him. She rubbed her body affectionately against his legs, panting happily. He scooped her up in his arms and headed toward the kitchen. Both sniffed the air curiously.

  “What, exactly, did you do?” Melody asked suspiciously as she emerged from the kitchen with a dinner plate filled with food in each hand. Alvin stopped everything when he saw them.

  “Did you make…”

  “Your favorite? Yes, I did.”

  “What’s the special occasion?”

  “You tell me.” She chuckled as she set down the plates, then pecked his lips with a sweet kiss. Smudge nabbed the opportunity to kiss both their faces before Alvin set her down gently.

  “Oh, yeah!” he said, remembering his announcement upon entering the house. “I, your wonderful husband-to-be, secured the park for the wedding. I even got the date you requested - three weeks from now.” He stole another kiss before heading into the kitchen to wash his hands quickly. Melody joined him and prepared Smudge’s dinner while they talked.

  “This is the exact reason that I agreed to marry you,” she said.

  “Oh, is it?”

  “Yes. It’s your uncanny ability to charm people. You charmed me into agreeing to get married, didn’t you?”

  “And here I thought you only liked me for the mysteries I bring your way.”

  “Well, those help, too. I do love a good mystery.”

  She set Smudge’s food down near the table so they could all eat together, like the family they were soon to be, officially.

  “I did something today, too, for the wedding.”

  “You did?” Alvin asked as he sat at the table, eager to eat.

  “I got a dress!”

  Without hesitation, he dropped the fork he just picked up back down on the plate, standing up, he took her hand and pulled her to him. He held her close and said, “I love you, and I can’t wait to see you wearing that dress. I may want you to wear it every day for the first year we’re married.” Before she could protest, he kissed her with great passion.

  “Mr. Hennessey, I had no idea that bridal dresses got you frisky. How did I not know this about you?”

  “You’ve never worn one before.” His facial expression turned serious for a moment. “Are you excited about the wedding, really?”

  “Alvin, there’s nothing that I want more than to be your wife. I’m thrilled about the wedding, and I’ll tell you something else.” She paused as she thought about the dress. “I never thought it would happen to me, but something magical does happen when a woman puts on a wedding dress. I thought I was excited before, but when I put it on, all I could think about was having you seeing me in it. I wanted to run out of the store and show you first.”

  Alvin’s smile spread across his face when she said this.

  “It’s not just the dress,” she continued trying to explain this overpowering feeling she had for him. “It’s that when anything happens, you’re the first person I want to tell or show, or share it with.”

  He responded to her words with a deep kiss, but she broke the kiss to inject a bit of humor.

  “So, now we must get married because if this romantic phenomenon is going to keep happening to me, your face is the one I need to see first every morning. You’re stuck with me. Now, eat your dinner - it’s getting cold.”

  As they ate, they chatted about their wedding plans, and how Kerry insisted upon handling everything. That brought the conversation back to the bridal shop.

  “Something interesting happened at the boutique today. When I told them that I needed the dress in three weeks, the shopkeeper’s assistant corrected the owner, insisting they needed to finish another bride’s alterations first. Then, the shopkeeper reprimanded her and insisted they could get mine done first.”

  “Maybe yours didn’t need much, because you’re perfect.”

  His response caused Melody to chuckle again.

  “No, it’s not that.” Melody paused to collect her thoughts and find a way to best explain what she observed. “They were getting pretty nasty with each other over it, and in front of us, no less. It was almost like the shopkeeper wanted to punish this McGrath woman for being so demanding. It’s her dress that’s getting bumped.”

  Alvin nodded while he chewed a mouthful, then asked, “McGrath? Isn’t that the wealthy family that lives up on the hill?”

  “Maybe. I don’t know her, but Kerry said something about knowing her from her school days.”

  “Maybe this McGrath woman is a bridezilla - is that the term?”

  “Yes, that’s probably it. The woman came into the store as we were leaving. She pushed me aside roughly and then started barking orders at the shop staff. The seamstress and shopkeeper seemed annoyed by her, but the assistant jumped at her orders.”

  “Maybe you’re looking for a mystery to solve to avoid the wedding?” He teased her as he took another bite.

  “Absolutely not! I want to be as stress-free as possible leading up to our big day,” she said as she leaned over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders so she could kiss his cheek.

  “It sounds to me like a bunch of women dealing with a crazy bride.” He stopped eating and turned toward her with a sigh. “All right, let me have it. What about this little shop of dramas has your mind working?”

  “It was something in the way the shopkeeper ordered her assistant to deliberately push off the other bride. She took a pot shot at the woman, saying how she made the dress look bad. It all seemed so… personal. She even threatened to cancel her order weeks before the wedding. That’s outright malicious. I just hope it doesn’t end up causing a problem with my dress.” Then, her eyes went wide, realizing something. “What if she does it to me, too? What if I’m unhappy with my alterations, and she threatens to cancel my dress at the last minute?”

  It was Alvin’s turn to chuckle. “That won’t happen to you, my love, because you’re not a bridezilla.” He looked at her suspiciously and asked, “Wait… are you?”

  Melody punched him gently in the arm.

  “Maybe there’s some bad blood between them,” he said. “It’s a small town. They probably dated the same guy, or maybe the shopkeeper is just tired of putting up with McGrath’s attitude. Stores have the right to serve who they want, and if McGrath is really like she sounds, I don’t think I’d blame the boutique owner for booting her to the curb.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right, and I’m probably just overthinking. I know I can do that sometimes. Is it a dealbreaker?” She wiggled her finger at him. It was the one that wore her engagement ring, soon to be joined by a wedding band.

  Alvin took her hand in his. “Nothing is going to prevent me from slipping a wedding ring on this finger, right here.” His thumb and fingertip touched her engagement ring. “Now, give me a kiss before you start overthinking our engagement.”

  Melody chuckled as they shared a kiss until the magical moment was interrupted by Smudge barking at the door.

  “Walk-time,” she said. “Are you ready to do this every night?”

  “Are you kidding? I can’t wait.”

  Chapter Two Hundred Five

  A few days later, Melody was out walking with Smudge.
Together, they walked along Main Street, engaging the good people of Port Warren and window shopping, until her cell phone vibrated. Pausing in her steps, she answered.

  “This is Melody,” she said cheerfully into the phone. Her eyes watched Smudge discover a new scent near a fresh flower bed planted by the city.

  “Hello, Melody!”

  She recognized the energetic voice immediately.

  “Yolanda! It’s great to hear from you. Is everything ok with the dress alterations? It’s only been a few days.”

  “Oh, yes. Lollie has done an excellent job in such a short time. Is there any chance you can swing by now for a quick fitting?”

  “Wow, sure! I’m not too far from you. I’m just out walking with my dog, Smudge. I can be there in about fifteen minutes. Does that work?”

  “Great, I love dogs! Bring her by. See you two then!”

  With Smudge at her side, Melody led them back to Wedding? Sweet! Yolanda was there to welcome them both with open arms, much like the first time they had met.

  “Welcome back!” Yolanda air-kissed Melody even though it was evident that Melody wasn’t much of an air-kisser. The usual four bars of “Here Comes the Bride” chimed through the store. Melody noticed Yolanda had another lovely dress on; this time, its color was a brilliant green. It was complemented with her signature deep purple paisley scarf.

  “This must be Smudge! She is adorable. What a gorgeous coat!” Yolanda reached down and patted Smudge’s blue-gray fur lightly.

  Smudge’s eyes shifted a bit, which made Melody chuckle. She imagined what Smudge would be thinking behind those soulful brown eyes had the shopkeeper tried to air kiss her, too.

  “Are you ready to see the dress of your dreams?” Yolanda asked as she bent down to ruffle Smudge’s cheeks affectionately.

  Tricia stood a few feet behind Yolanda. She gasped at the sight of a dog in the bridal shop!

  “Seriously, Yolanda?” Tricia was shocked. “Why are you allowing a dog in the shop? That mutt should stay outside. This is not a place for pets. There’s even a sign on the door that says, ‘no dogs allowed.’ There’s expensive merchandise in here.”

  Melody thought Tricia sounded frustrated, more than angry, but that didn’t stop her from narrowing her eyes at Tricia for calling Smudge a “mutt.”

  Firmly, she said, “Smudge, sit.”

  Smudge sat perfectly still beside Melody’s foot. Melody kept her eyes on Tricia, offering a non-verbal cue for Tricia to challenge her on her dog’s obedience.

  Yolanda rose to her full form, dismissing Tricia’s concerns. “Smudge is a perfect angel. Come on in, Lollie has the dress ready for you.”

  Tricia huffed before turning on her heel and leaving them to it.

  Melody sensed that things were still tense between the shopkeeper and her assistant, but she followed Yolanda toward the changing area with Smudge heeling close to her.

  As they turned a corner, Melody’s eyes fell on the pristine dress as it hung from a tall rack, so the gown didn’t touch the floor.

  “Lollie, oh my, those roses are just perfect.”

  Lollie smiled proudly as she pulled a book from behind her back. She opened it to a page that showed the heroine of the story wearing a similar gown. She held it up next to the dress. “I got a copy of the book and sewed the roses just like in the picture.”

  Melody’s eyes moved from the book, then back to the dress. She gasped, lifting her hands up to her mouth as if trying to contain her excitement. What a fabulous gesture on Lollie’s part to go and find Melody’s favorite childhood book!

  “Well, put it on!” Lollie said as she set down the book so she could take the dress off its hanger.

  Tricia came in with Lollie’s coffee cup filled to the brim. She set it down on Lollie’s tray without a word, but she glared at Smudge, who sat next to the mirror as she left. Melody saw her reaction toward Smudge through the mirror’s reflection.

  “I can’t believe how quickly you did this,” Melody said as she stepped carefully into the dress.

  “Well, I made them stop everything and push you to the front of the line! It’s the least we can do for the pastry chef responsible for some of the most beautiful wedding cakes in Port Warren.” Yolanda prepared a glass of champagne for the bride-to-be, then handed it to her. “I did my research on you.”

  “Wedding cakes are one of my favorite projects. It gives me great pleasure to help a bride worry about one less thing on her big day. I’m starting to appreciate that a bit more myself.”

  Lollie carefully zipped up the dress and started putting in the last few pins. Melody admired the fit in the mirror. “Wow, I knew three weeks was going to be tight but, I’m so relieved you were able to do this even quicker. Thank you so much!”

  “It gives us great pleasure to help you worry about one less thing on your big day,” Yolanda said with pride, as she, too, shared the same sentiment about helping a bride be less stressed.

  “Her big day, but not others?” Tricia asked as she returned to grab a dress from the room. Clearly, she was ready for another argument with Yolanda. Yolanda glared at her, threateningly. Melody remembered how Yolanda threatened to cancel Sophia McGrath’s order just weeks before her wedding. That was not a way to help a bride stress less.

  Melody smiled uncomfortably as she stole one last glimpse of herself in the mirror. She caught Tricia scowling at her. When Tricia suddenly realized she had been spotted, she quickly turned away. For a moment, Melody compared the dynamic of the Wedding? Sweet! employees to her and her own partners. She was relieved that her relationship with Kerry and Leslie was not strained like that of the women around her.

  “There! One more round of alterations, and you’ll be ready,” Lollie said as she moved her hands away from the dress. Appearing to be pleased with her own progress, Lollie took a healthy swig of the fresh cup of black coffee Tricia had brought her. “So good!” She smacked her lips satisfied with the taste then said, “Tricia may be cranky sometimes, but she makes the best coffee.”

  “Can you come back tomorrow morning, Melody?” Yolanda asked. “We’ll do your final fitting, and you can take the dress home with you.” Hearing Yolanda’s offer to finish the dress for the next day, Tricia threw her hands up in frustration and left the room.

  “Yes, sure. Would it be all right if I came early, maybe before the shop opens? Tomorrow is typically a crazy day for us at the bakery, so it would help if I could get back there as soon as possible.”

  “Yes, absolutely. We’ll be here bright and early.”

  Melody gazed at her reflection one more time before she carefully slipped out of the dress. When she was finished, she met Yolanda at the register to make another payment.

  “Please excuse me for just a moment. I forgot to change the receipt paper,” Yolanda said as she attempted to install a new roll.

  While Melody waited patiently, she noticed a dress hanging near the register. It was very fancy. It was the type of garment a celebrity might wear to a big awards ceremony. She went to take a closer look, Smudge at her side. It was the McGrath dress. A little tag hung from the hanger with Sophia’s name on it. But, upon closer examination, Melody noticed the stitching was not done well. It didn’t look like Lollie’s perfect needlework. Sections of one of the seams were crooked and snagged.

  Voices near the presentation area drew her attention away from the dress. There, she saw Tricia arguing with Lollie in hushed tones, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. Tricia was motioning toward where the McGrath dress was hanging.

  “See you in the morning, Melody,” Yolanda said, drawing her attention back to the register. Yolanda’s hand was extended; the paper receipt hung from her fingertips. “Thanks again for coming by on such short notice.”

  “Thank you, too, for the quick work! You’ve got a great team here.” Melody took the receipt.

  Yolanda glanced over at Tricia and Lollie, but instead of smiling proudly with the compliment, she just sighed and said, “Most
of the time.”

  Chapter Two Hundred Six

  “So, now that the dress is almost done, what new wedding task has Kerry set her sights on?” Leslie asked Melody as they worked after-hours. They were finishing up a big cupcake order for a kid’s birthday party. It was being picked up first thing in the morning. The little yellow cakes were topped off with a bright orange frosting and decorated with multi-colored candied dots.

  Smudge napped in the back office on her favorite mat.

  “She’s now moved onto flowers,” Melody said. “She’s at the florist right now. I must hand it to her. If she wasn’t a partner here, I’d tell her to open an event planning business.” Melody iced the cakes with surgical precision as Leslie shook the candied dots over each newly frosted mini cake. “Have you seen the new event area in Evergreen Park? It’s beautiful. It’s near the pond.”

  “Yes, Wilbur and I had a picnic near there recently. The new pergola is lovely. Kerry will have a field day decorating it with flowers!” Leslie had been dating Wilbur Byrd, Alvin’s deputy sheriff, for some time now.

  “It’s very possible the entire staff of Decadently Delicious may be married before the year is out.” They laughed as Smudge emerged from the office and barked at them. “Don’t worry, Smudge. I’m sure one of Leslie and Wilbur’s beagles will be ready to settle down soon.” The friends laughed at the thought of Smudge living happily ever after with one of the beagles.

  “Those would be the cutest puppies,” Leslie said. Just then, the door chimed, alerting them of a new customer. “I thought you locked the door.”

  “No, I thought you locked the door.” Melody laughed as they continued to joke about who locked or didn’t lock it. Smudge followed her to the front to greet the late-night customer.

  “Welcome to Decadently Delicious. May I help you?” The customer who had been looking over a display of cupcakes turned to face Melody. Melody recognized her immediately as Sophia McGrath from the bridal shop. “Oh, hey, I recognize you from the dress shop! Are you looking for a cake for your reception?”