Page 46 of Tempting My Billionaire Master

Chapter Seventeen

Chloe

A firework of taste exploded in my mouth as I took another bite of Jess’s special cherry pie. I moaned in pleasure, unable to contain the burst of sweet and tart flavors on my tongue.

Across the rustic wooden table in Pinegrove’s cozy library were all of my favorite ladies. Mary in her trademark pink hat, Susan with a frown etched on her face, Elisabeth in her blonde wig, Jess flashing a shy smile and Amanda tapping her feet impatiently—all of them stared at me intently and my cheeks flushed as I realized I was making quite the spectacle.

“Go on, young lady,” Susan grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. “We ain’t got the whole night.”

Mary patted her friend’s arm gently. “Actually, we do.” She turned her kind eyes on me. “Take your time, dear. We’re in no hurry.”

“I apologize,” I said, dabbing at the corner of my mouth with a napkin. “It’s just that this is the best cherry pie I’ve ever had. It’s like the perfect blend of sweet and tart, with these subtle spice notes I can’t quite figure out.” I looked at Jess pleadingly. “You simply must share your recipe with me.”

Elisabeth let out a hearty chuckle and waved her hand dismissively. “My dear, Jess’s famous cherry pie recipe is the most closely guarded secret in all of Pinegrove. None of us have been able to wrangle it out of her yet, and heaven knows we’ve tried.”

Jess’s cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink as a shy smile crept across her lips. She ducked her head, tucking a loose chestnut curl behind her ear.

I sighed, taking another blissful bite of pie. There were worse places to be than in Pinegrove on a cozy autumn night, enjoying dessert with the extended cast of the Insomniacs.

The library was dimly lit, shadows dancing across the floor as candlelight flickered against the walls. A pot of chamomile tea sat in the center of the table, the earthy scent mingling with the sweet aroma of pie and other homey baked goods the women had brought to share.

“Chloe, you should try my banana bread too,” Amanda suggested in a stern tone that left no room for argument. Not that I needed convincing. “It can’t compete with Jess’s pie, but it’s still pretty good. By the way, who brought the Cheerios?”

“Cheerios are Susan’s delicacy of choice,” Elisabeth chuckled, casting a glance at her friend.

“Damn right,” Susan said matter-of-factly, “Cheerios are the only thing that kept me sane during my teaching years. There’s something so meditative about sending ring after ring into your mouth. Keeps the nerves steady.” She shrugged, a wry grin on her lips. “Besides, back in my day there was no chance of a proper meal with twenty little daredevils to look after. Cheerios were a staple.”

I smiled, reaching for the cereal bag and crunching a few rings between my teeth. “I like Cheerios too,” I said. “My dad used to give them to me as an after-school snack sometimes.”

“As do I,” Elisabeth added with a playful nudge to Susan’s arm. “I just enjoy friendly ribbing with dear Susan here more.”

Susan scoffed, trying to hide the upward twitch of her lips, as we all laughed together.

Mary leaned forward, propping her elbows on the table. “Now, Chloe dear, you simply must finish your story. So far you’ve told us about escaping that awful assassination attempt at Ethan’s mansion, hiding away in his secret underground billionaire hideout near Pinegrove—”

“Skipping over all the spicy bits to my utmost disappointment,” Elisabeth interjected, smirking.

My cheeks flushed hot even though I was beginning to get used to Elisabeth’s sincere interest in all things hot and steamy.

Mary waved a hand as she continued, “We were all involved in the mess that followed, but what happened after you returned to the city?”

“Go on, we’re all ears,” Susan encouraged me.

I took a breath, gathering my thoughts. “Damon and I got straight to work investigating the company supposedly behind the attack on Ethan,” I explained. “But that was cut short when Gordon suddenly turned himself over to the FBI.”

“Did the scarred bastard get his daughter back?” Susan asked bluntly.

I nodded. “Our ruse worked. He was able to rescue his daughter before surrendering to the authorities.”

“Thank God,” Susan breathed. Beside her, Elisabeth high-fived Amanda with a grin.

“If we managed to fool actual criminals, maybe we should start a murder scene staging business!” Elisabeth exclaimed, eyes gleaming with mirth.

Susan frowned at her friend, though there was a hint of amusement in her frown. “I’ll kick your skinny behind if you do. We agreed to keep that bit a secret so Patrick won’t get into any trouble.”

“Relax, Susan,” Elisabeth said, giving Amanda a playful nudge, “Amanda can handle Patrick.”

Amanda just rolled her eyes. “Hell will freeze over before Patrick decides to make a move.”

---