Death by Lime: A Key West Culinary Cozy - Book 5 by Summer Prescott
Authors: Summer Prescott
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Chapter 1
“Kelcie, I think we have truly outdone ourselves this time,” petite, dark-haired Marilyn Hayes, owner of SubLime Sweets – a popular Key Lime pie shop in Key West – said, adding a dab of freshly whipped cream to the top of their latest creation, with a flourish. Her lovely, mocha-skinned assistant nodded.
“Yes, ma’am, I believe you may be right,” the young woman agreed, eyeing the pastry that was as beautiful as it was tasty.
The baking duo had created a key lime pastry, topped with kiwi, strawberry and thin slices of pineapple, that was sure to be a hit with the breakfast crowd. Crowning each pastry with a fresh sprig of mint, they arranged the pastries on trays and took them out to put in the chilled display cases at the front counter. Marilyn had just placed the last bit of garnish on the delectable treats when her tall, blonde daughter Tiara entered the kitchen. Tiara had graduated from college with honors, but was working at her mother’s shop until she found the job of her dreams, and had contributed significantly to the marketing efforts that were currently growing Marilyn’s profits by leaps and bounds.
“Somebody certainly thinks you’re pretty special, Kelcie,” she grinned. “There’s a gorgeous bouquet waiting for you up at the front counter.”
The assistant’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Wow…really?” she asked.
“You seem surprised…” Tiara’s looked at her, confused.
“Shocked, actually,” Kelcie corrected. “My Thomas isn’t a moonlight and roses kind of guy. When we go out to eat, he takes me to the Rib Joint,” she rolled her eyes. “There isn’t a romantic bone in that man’s body,” she put her hands on her hips and shook her head.
“Well, let’s go see what he sent you,” Marilyn suggested, her curiosity killing her. She’d decided after her divorce that she was probably better off alone, since her taste in men wasn’t the greatest, so she occasionally enjoyed living vicariously through the girls and the significant others who happened to wander in and out of their lives.
“Yeah,” Tiara chimed in. “C’mon, let’s go see. Maybe Thomas decided to step up his game,” she shrugged optimistically.
“Okaaaaay,” Kelcie finally agreed, not knowing how to feel about the whole thing.
“Wow, they’re beautiful!” Marilyn exclaimed when the three of them walked out to the front counter, where a crystal vase with an elaborate bouquet of tropical flowers waited patiently to be sniffed, photographed and appreciated.
Kelcie folded her arms and stared, the look on her face less than pleased. “Thomas didn’t send these,” she said softly.
“How do you know? You haven’t even read the card yet,” Tiara reminded her.
“There’s no way that he’d be able to afford anything like this,” she replied softly, standing a few feet away from the arrangement. “He just opened his bicycle shop – he’s operating in the red right now,” she murmured.
“Okay, the suspense is killing me,” Marilyn blurted. “If Thomas didn’t send them, let’s find out who did – read the card, sweetie,” she encouraged.
Kelcie reached for the card that was tucked into a plastic pitchfork in the middle of the arrangement, and tore open the tiny pink envelope. She read at the message inside, frowned, looked back at the flowers, read it again, and seemed puzzled.
“Well…what does it say?” Tiara asked before her mother could.
Wordlessly, she handed the small card over, and Tiara read it aloud.
“ I see you every day, I wish you’d look my way. Your beauty ignites me, your voice delights me. I’ll meet you as soon as I can, I can’t wait to be your man.”
“Hmm…” Marilyn pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Well, you’re right, it certainly doesn’t seem like something that a boyfriend would say,” she told Kelcie.
“This freaks me out a little bit,” the young woman admitted.
“Why?” Tiara asked, concerned.
“I don’t
“Kelcie, I think we have truly outdone ourselves this time,” petite, dark-haired Marilyn Hayes, owner of SubLime Sweets – a popular Key Lime pie shop in Key West – said, adding a dab of freshly whipped cream to the top of their latest creation, with a flourish. Her lovely, mocha-skinned assistant nodded.
“Yes, ma’am, I believe you may be right,” the young woman agreed, eyeing the pastry that was as beautiful as it was tasty.
The baking duo had created a key lime pastry, topped with kiwi, strawberry and thin slices of pineapple, that was sure to be a hit with the breakfast crowd. Crowning each pastry with a fresh sprig of mint, they arranged the pastries on trays and took them out to put in the chilled display cases at the front counter. Marilyn had just placed the last bit of garnish on the delectable treats when her tall, blonde daughter Tiara entered the kitchen. Tiara had graduated from college with honors, but was working at her mother’s shop until she found the job of her dreams, and had contributed significantly to the marketing efforts that were currently growing Marilyn’s profits by leaps and bounds.
“Somebody certainly thinks you’re pretty special, Kelcie,” she grinned. “There’s a gorgeous bouquet waiting for you up at the front counter.”
The assistant’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Wow…really?” she asked.
“You seem surprised…” Tiara’s looked at her, confused.
“Shocked, actually,” Kelcie corrected. “My Thomas isn’t a moonlight and roses kind of guy. When we go out to eat, he takes me to the Rib Joint,” she rolled her eyes. “There isn’t a romantic bone in that man’s body,” she put her hands on her hips and shook her head.
“Well, let’s go see what he sent you,” Marilyn suggested, her curiosity killing her. She’d decided after her divorce that she was probably better off alone, since her taste in men wasn’t the greatest, so she occasionally enjoyed living vicariously through the girls and the significant others who happened to wander in and out of their lives.
“Yeah,” Tiara chimed in. “C’mon, let’s go see. Maybe Thomas decided to step up his game,” she shrugged optimistically.
“Okaaaaay,” Kelcie finally agreed, not knowing how to feel about the whole thing.
“Wow, they’re beautiful!” Marilyn exclaimed when the three of them walked out to the front counter, where a crystal vase with an elaborate bouquet of tropical flowers waited patiently to be sniffed, photographed and appreciated.
Kelcie folded her arms and stared, the look on her face less than pleased. “Thomas didn’t send these,” she said softly.
“How do you know? You haven’t even read the card yet,” Tiara reminded her.
“There’s no way that he’d be able to afford anything like this,” she replied softly, standing a few feet away from the arrangement. “He just opened his bicycle shop – he’s operating in the red right now,” she murmured.
“Okay, the suspense is killing me,” Marilyn blurted. “If Thomas didn’t send them, let’s find out who did – read the card, sweetie,” she encouraged.
Kelcie reached for the card that was tucked into a plastic pitchfork in the middle of the arrangement, and tore open the tiny pink envelope. She read at the message inside, frowned, looked back at the flowers, read it again, and seemed puzzled.
“Well…what does it say?” Tiara asked before her mother could.
Wordlessly, she handed the small card over, and Tiara read it aloud.
“ I see you every day, I wish you’d look my way. Your beauty ignites me, your voice delights me. I’ll meet you as soon as I can, I can’t wait to be your man.”
“Hmm…” Marilyn pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Well, you’re right, it certainly doesn’t seem like something that a boyfriend would say,” she told Kelcie.
“This freaks me out a little bit,” the young woman admitted.
“Why?” Tiara asked, concerned.
“I don’t
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