Weddings & Wine Cake_A Culinary Cozy Mystery Read online

  Contents

  Weddings & Wine Cake

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  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  One More Thing

  Let's Connect!

  Disclaimer

  A COMFORT CAKES COZY MYSTERY

  BOOK 5:

  Weddings & Wine Cake

  By

  Nancy McGovern

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  At the end of this story there is an offer to join my mailing list, through which you will receive updates, special offers & discounts on my future books as well as information about joining my Street Team. Plus, you will receive a FREE BOOK from my series, A Murder In Milburn, as a Thank You for signing up! If interested, the link is immediately after this story…

  Chapter 1

  The Invitation

  As far as invitations go, this was probably one of the least delightful ones Rachel had ever received. She hadn’t spoken to her father in a long time now. And, while this news should have made her happy, she found herself tightening up with anxiety instead.

  “So what do you say? It’s not often that a daughter walks her father down the aisle.” Rachel’s father gave his characteristic nervous laugh and, even though they were on the phone, Rachel could picture him perfectly — he was probably rubbing his nose with the palm of his hand and squinting his eyes together in that charming, yet boyish, manner of his.

  It was a fine summer morning and Rachel was standing behind the counter of her little bakery, Comfort Cakes, but nothing about this call felt particularly comfortable. The cheerful sun rays and tweets of birdsong outside might as well have been thunder and lightning, the way she was feeling.

  “Rachel?” Her father sounded worried. “Are you there? You haven’t said a word.”

  “33?” Rachel said. “Only 33? She’s just a few years older than me, Dad. There’s what? A 25 year age gap between you?”

  “Yes, well...” He sounded irritated now. “Love doesn’t play by the numbers, you know.”

  “And you’ve only been dating for what, six months?”

  “Nearly eight. But we’ve known each other longer. Ww worked together, you know.”

  “Ah, yes. You were her boss,” Rachel said. “Nothing improper about that at all.”

  “I could do without the sarcasm, young lady.” Her father’s voice was strict. “I only called to invite you because I thought you’d be happy for me. Valentina’s keen on having you over. But of course, if you’re not going to come—”

  “I didn’t say that,” Rachel said quickly.

  “Well you didn’t sound enthusiastic,” her father snapped. “You sound like you just want to rain on my parade.”

  “But you can’t just spring something like this on me and…” Rachel bit her lip. “Look, why don’t you send me the details and I’ll think about—”

  “We’ve booked a lovely resort on a tiny island just off Key West,” her father explained. “There’s nothing to think about. Let me know as soon as you book your tickets!”

  “But—”

  “But nothing! I want to celebrate in style, and I want you there. End of discussion.”

  “But I—”

  “I have to go now, sweetie. I’m getting a call from a client.”

  “But Dad—”

  The line was already dead.

  Rachel had a good mind to throw her phone out the window, but she knew that wouldn’t help anything. Her wonderful, impulsive, wild dad — as usual, he had found a way to catch her by surprise. She couldn’t help but feel resentful. She knew next to nothing about his future wife, after all.

  Her future step-mother. Rachel grimaced. Opening up Facebook, she scrolled through her father’s contacts until she found what she was looking for — Valentina Gomez. Rachel scowled at the screen. Valentina was gorgeous, of course. Her plump cheeks and pointy chin made her look even younger than Rachel. Despite the innocent look on Valentina’s face, the eyes that looked out from under obviously artificial lashes held sharp intelligence, and a good deal of cunning.

  Rachel scrolled through the page, trying to get a sense of her personality, but was disappointed. Either Valentina didn’t use social media much, or she had locked down her page thoroughly. Apart from a profile photo where Valentina wore a white shirt and held up a pink, fizzy cocktail, there was nothing else for Rachel to find.

  “You look fierce today.”

  Rachel blinked, slowly returning to reality. Scott Tanner, sheriff of Swaddle and Rachel’s boyfriend, held out a cup of coffee. She tried to grab at it, but he pulled away, dangling it tantalizingly just beyond her reach.

  “Coffee’s for kissers only,” Scott said, pursing his lips and closing his eyes in anticipation.

  Sighing, she said, “This is really not a good time, Scott.”

  He opened one eye, then the other. His jovial face grew serious. “What’s up?” Placing the coffee on the counter, he slid it across to her and sat down on a bar stool. “You really do look serious.”

  “My father’s what’s up,” Rachel sighed. “He’s getting married. To a woman my age.”

  “Ouch.” Scott winced. “Well, I guess love is blind...”

  “Please. She’s probably just after his money!” Rachel thrust out the phone at Scott and tapped on Valentina’s face. “Look at her. I don’t trust her one…little…bit.”

  “That’s very kind of you.” Scott raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh, come on, Scott! He’s 30 years older than her! What kind of a woman would date a man old enough to be her father? Something’s fishy. I know it. I have to go talk some sense into him. He’s going to get his heart broken.”

  “Or maybe she is.” Scott smiled. “Maybe it’s a flip — your father is after her money, and she’s after his body.”

  Rachel gave a little growl. “Seriously, Scott. I’m not in the mood for jokes.”

  “So did you tell your father how you feel?”

  “He didn’t let me. He just ordered me to come down to Key West for the wedding and then hung up.” Rachel groaned. “I have to do something about this, Scott. This isn’t like my dad. This isn’t like him at all...”

  “So what is like him?” Scott asked.

  Rachel shrugged, not knowing what to say. Her throat felt small and tight, her emotions fighting to get out.

  “You never talk about your parents, you know.” Scott said. “Why’s that?”

  “Sadly, there’s not much to talk about,” Rachel said. “They divorced when I was a teenager.”

  “I remember that.” Scott nodded. “You said Aunt Rose helped you through it.”

  “She did.” A smile lit up Rachel’s face as she remembered her Aunt. “Aunt Rose was always there for me when I needed it the most. Even after she passed away, she managed to help me. Gave me this bakery and a new life. And, in her own way, she led me to you.”

  Scott took Rachel’s hand and raised it to his lips. “Lucky me,” he said. “But here’s the thing, Rachel — since we’ve been together, you’ve told me every memory you share
d with Aunt Rose. From baking strawberry cakes together and midnight feasts to that one time she caught you smoking as a teen and forced you to finish the entire pack.”

  Rachel laughed. “My rebellious stage didn’t last too long.”

  “Right. But all I know about your Dad is that he’s a corporate executive working in Florida. That’s it. Do you see what I’m saying? It’s like you’re an open book with me, but you’ve deliberately ripped out a few chapters.”

  “It’s not like that,” Rachel said. “The truth is… my parents’ divorce affected me a lot. I just don’t like to think about it too much-, let alone talking about it.”

  “But it’s been years. Decades, really,” Scott said. His voice was gentle, yet Rachel found herself irritated.

  “That doesn’t matter. The point is, I don’t know what to do,” Rachel said. “Part of me wants to go, just to talk him out of it. While the other part of me wants to just stay away from all the drama and stick to my nice, quiet life. He won’t miss me, anyway.”

  Scott made a non-committal murmur and Rachel turned to him sharply. “Don’t give me that look,” she said.

  “What look?” Scott’s eyes were wide and innocent.

  “You know what look. Spit it out. What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking of Aunt Rose, actually,” Scott said. “Of how much you loved her, and how much she loved you.” He hesitated. “I know how much you regretted missing out on her funeral. You beat yourself up about it for quite a long time after.”

  “So you think I’ll beat myself up for missing out on this wedding, too?”

  “You get one dad,” Scott said. “Maybe you don’t approve of this marriage, but its his decision. And I think you’ll regret not supporting it. If nothing else, you do need a vacation. You’ve been working really hard these last few months.”

  “Alright, I’m sold.” Rachel sighed. “But on one condition.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You’re coming with me,” Rachel said. “That’s an order. You’ve been working really hard, too. Your last two cases had you pulling overnights regularly. You need a little R & R.”

  “So what you’re saying is,” Scott paused, “I get to party in a beautiful island off Florida with my hot girlfriend instead of staying on here and working? And I’ve got absolutely no choice in the matter?”

  “That’s right.” Rachel grinned.

  Scott sighed heavily, dramatically putting a hand up to his eyes. “Woe is me! What a tragic fate.”

  “You’re a big ham, did I ever tell you that?”

  Scott grinned. “Only about a thousand times.”

  *****

  Chapter 2

  Sunrise Key

  The plane ride from California to Florida was long and exhausting, but Rachel couldn’t help but feel a little frisson of excitement as Miami came into view. The sparkling glass skyscrapers competed with the frothy blue ocean in attracting the eye and, in between, a perfect golden strip of sand beckoned her. Another time, she and Scott would have had a fun time bar-hopping or lazing on the beach. But, for now, they were content with taking the shuttle out to Key West.

  Rachel found herself napping with her head on Scott’s muscular shoulder as the shuttle honked and nudged its way along the crowded highway. Swaddle seemed so far away. She felt like she was in a new country, or on a new planet. Even the air in Florida was so different from that of her little Californian town. It felt humid and a little bit floral, scented with adventure and promises, though Rachel half thought it might also just be her imagination.

  She and Scott held hands throughout, both of them barely containing their excitement. Sure, Rachel had mixed feelings about the trip. But the fact that Scott had agreed to come — had agreed to take a holiday for the first time in years — it felt like a big step. A few months ago, their relationship had been tested when Scott had asked Rachel to move in with him. She hadn’t been ready, and they’d come to an understanding of sorts, but underneath she knew that her normally-cocky boyfriend was a little shaken and a little more in need of reassurance.

  This vacation, in a way, was the perfect way to reassure him. Meeting her dad? Going to a wedding with her? Both signaled “serious relationship” in a way that their day to day life didn’t. This felt big. Rachel looked up at Scott, and he looked down at her with a smile.

  Life was good.

  As they finally reached Key West, the shuttle dropped them off near a port and they were greeted by a tall, young man dressed in a linen jacket and pastel shorts. Brightly-colored sunglasses rested on his head and penny loafers with no socks completed the look. He looked like a poster-boy for a frat.

  “Rachel Rowan? You’re Ryan’s daughter, right?” He spread out his arms and then swooped her into a hug. “Welcome! My name’s Mason. I’m one of the groomsmen. I work for your dad’s company. Well, my dad owns it, so I guess you could say I work for your dad and he works for my dad. Well, technically, they’re partners, but my Dad owns 51% so he calls the shots in the end, as you know.” Mason gave out a laugh that was a little too shrill for Rachel’s tastes, and she had to resist the urge to stick her fingers in her ears.

  Totally ignoring Scott, Mason grabbed Rachel’s bag and dragged it along behind him. “When we found out Ryan had managed to get Val to say yes, we told him he better tie the knot in style. Dad owns an island a few miles off here and, long story short, we’re your hosts for the wedding.”

  “That’s very generous of you,” Rachel said.

  “Not at all. My dad and yours aren’t just business partners. They have been best friends for a long time now,” Mason said.

  “Still, it’s very nice.” Rachel winced as he casually tossed her suitcase into a sleek, wooden powerboat. Hopping in, Mason offered her a hand, which Rachel declined, choosing to hold onto Scott as she clambered in. She saw Mason’s eyes narrow a little, though he didn’t say anything.

  “Ryan didn’t say you’d be bringing a plus one,” Mason finally said.

  “Just like dad to forget. I did RSVP. This is my boyfriend, Scott,” Rachel said.

  Scott held out a hand and Mason shook it briefly, giving him an insincere smile.

  He seemed to lose all interest in Rachel on hearing the word “boyfriend” and spent the rest of the trip talking to them about his powerboat and how it was one of the fastest in the world. Scott seemed interested, while Rachel was tempted to nap again. She stretched out on the seat a little, watching the sun create diamonds in the water. Her eyes drooped.

  “There it is. Sunrise Key.” Mason pointed out a little patch of green that looked like a mirage, shimmering in the distance. “It’s small and cozy — perfect for an occasion like this. Your dad and Val said they wanted a small, private thing. I guess they both had big, showy weddings the first time around.”

  “Oh?” Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Val’s been married before?”

  “Oh, you don’t know?” Mason looked over his shoulder at her. “Yeah, this is her second go. First husband was a real piece of work, apparently. Total jerk.”

  “Right,” Rachel said, hoping her voice didn’t sound strained. She knew she shouldn’t judge…but she couldn’t help it. She already had a picture in her mind of an air-head who flitted from man to man and lived off their money. The closer they got to the island, the more solid that vision became.

  At last, they reached Sunrise Key. Scott gave a little whistle as he got off the boat, and Rachel could only sigh. Any island paradise conjures an image of azure waters, golden sands and tiny little cottages tucked away behind palm trees. Sunrise Key brought it all to life. The island was small enough that Rachel could see all of it at once. Dotting the coast of the island were tiny cottages seemingly made of one-way glass. In the center stood a larger building with a pool next to it. Near the dock, a hammock swung lazily between two slightly-tipsy looking palm trees, and the man sitting on it jumped off as the boat arrived.

  “Only fourteen of us will be staying here. The others
will arrive by boat on the day of,” Mason said. “Oh, hey, Dad. Guys, this is my dad, Leon Ericson. Dad, this is Ryan’s daughter, Rachel, and her boyfriend, Steve. ”

  “Scott,” Rachel corrected automatically.

  Mason shrugged like he didn’t much care.

  Mason’s father, like Mason himself, was tall and broad with an air of confidence and deep blue eyes. Ignoring Rachel and Scott, he frowned at Mason. “We’ve been looking for you all afternoon. Ryan says the DJ hasn’t been replying to his calls. He’s a friend of yours, isn’t he?”

  “JoJo? Uh, yeah...” Mason scratched the back of his neck.

  “Should have known you’d find a way to mess things up.” Mason’s father sneered. “I’ll call my secretary and have her send a back-up.”

  “Dad, JoJo will reply soon. Don’t worry! His phone is just always on silent when he’s… sleeping.”

  “Sleeping? Dozing off his drunkenness, you mean.” Leon laughed. “I’ll call Daisy and ask her to send a back up, just in case. The rehearsal dinner is tomorrow, after all. Can’t risk anything.”

  “I’m telling you, it’ll be fine.” Mason rolled his eyes. “But do what you like. I’ll show Rachel and Steve to their rooms.”

  “Scott,” Rachel corrected again. She was beginning to get really irritated by Mason.

  “Yeah, of course,” Mason brushed her off.

  Scott put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Rachel turned around to see a good-humored smile on his face. She could almost read his mind: take it easy, Rachel. It’s not worth it.

  “Ok, Jason, lead on.” Scott said. “I could do with a shower after that long flight.”

  “It’s Mason.” Mason looked at Scott sharply.

  “Yeah, of course.” Scott grinned at him. “Jason. Got it.”

  Mason opened his mouth to say something — probably something rude — when a distant bellow and a crash had their heads turning.

  As one, all four of them began to run towards the large house in the center, the shouts growing louder as they approached.

  *****