Fudge-Laced Felonies Read Online Free

can stand a little sweetening now, can’t she?”
    “More than a little,” Ethan replied then laughed, sounding more like a great baboon with each chuckle.
    My euphoria diminished with the speed of a bullet. With what I hoped was a classy tilt of my chin, I turned. “Very funny.” And with those cutting words, I marched back into the house.
    I parted the white, lacy café-style curtains and glared out the window at the two men. Their faded murmurs reached my ears through the glass. Ethan caught me watching and winked. I clamped my lips together and dropped the curtains back into place.
    “Don’t let it bother you, honey.” Aunt Eunice joined me in the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator door. She removed a glass pitcher of what I knew would be the sweetest tea in the South. “This will sweeten you up.” She giggled, clearly proud of herself. “Sorry, Summer. I couldn’t resist. Ethan don’t mean nothing by it.”
    I accepted the glass of tea. “Can I ask you something, Aunt Eunice?”
    The older woman plopped with a sigh into the nearest kitchen chair. “You sure can.”
    “What’s wrong with me?”
    “Wrong?” My aunt lifted her glass to her lips.
    “Why can’t I get a man to settle into a relationship with me?” I sighed, feeling as if a great burden rested on my shoulders.
    “You scare them. Men, I mean.” With precision, Aunt Eunice set her glass on the tabletop. “You’re beautiful, you’re smart, and, forgive me for saying so, you’re rather spoiled.” She exhaled and relaxed. “There. I’ve finally said it.”
    “Spoiled?” Finally said it? What? She’s been bottling that thought inside? I scratched my head, seriously unsure of how to respond. I’d held down jobs of different sorts since the age of sixteen, and tomorrow I’d unlock the door to my own candy store. I couldn’t be spoiled.
    Aunt Eunice held up a hand. “Don’t take this wrong, Summer, but your Uncle Roy and I haven’t used the word no much in the years we’ve raised you. That silly old man out there always would give you anything you wanted if it was within his power to do so. That left you a little spoiled. Your expectations are set too high. That scares off most men.”
    She turned toward the window. The men’s silhouettes danced on the opposite side of the pane. “And if you don’t get those stars out of your eyes every time you look at Ethan, he’s going to figure out your true feelings.”
    “It’s that noticeable?” My hand flew to cover my heart. “I’ve been so careful to hide how I feel.”
    “Not careful enough, Summer.” The screen door squeaked as April waltzed inside and planted a kiss on my aunt’s cheek. “I hope y’all don’t mind that I barged on in. The door was open.”
    Aunt Eunice’s chair screeched as she pushed it back. “Not at all, sweetie. Our door is always open to you and your brother. He’s outside with Joe right now, playing with diamonds.”
    April’s eyes, so like her brother’s, gleamed. “Diamonds?”
    “Somebody dumped a bunch of diamonds beneath my Midnight Blue. Oh, and some cash and a bloody glove, too.” I waved a hand, trying to make light of April’s question about the diamonds.
    Not careful? Could it be that obvious? The dreaded heat of embarrassment crept up my neck. How would I ever face him again? Quick. Something to take my mind off things. I scanned the kitchen, and because I possessed the type of luck that gave me the exact opposite of what I hoped for, Ethan and Joe pushed through the door.
    “Ethan Banning!” April put her hands on her straight hips. “You didn’t tell me anything about diamonds.” She turned a thousand-watt smile in Joe’s direction. “Joe?”
    The big man turned several shades of red. “Uh. Hi, April.” He scratched his head and sent a pleading look toward Ethan. And him, a police officer—thrown speechless at a pretty girl’s question.
    I decided to help my aunt serve dinner as April scolded the men about