Pies & Peril by Janel Gradowski Page B

get out of answering me?"
    " Uh, no. I don't fake anything." She yawned then her eyes bugged out. "Oh god, please tell me I don't snore like a lumberjack."
    Amy plucked the hot muffins out of the tin, using the corners of the pointed parchment wrappers as handles. Forget about letting them sit. If she waited to let them cool much longer, Carla could fall back asleep. "It was a very cute, feminine snore. You were all scrunched up in a weird position with your head on the table anyway. I bet any person would snore in that circumstance. Probably squished your nose or something."
    " A cute snore is an oxymoron."
    " Whatever, back to Kevin," she said as she set a platter full of crumb-topped muffins in front of Carla. "Aren't spouses always suspects in murders? Has Shepler had him checked out? I swear he actually seemed happy yesterday, laughing and joking while he stood right in front of the casket."
    " I haven't asked him." Carla peeled the paper off a muffin and broke it in half. A little puff of steam rose from the yellow cake studded with pockets of ruby colored strawberries. She popped a chunk into her mouth. "Mmm…these are really good."
    " Do you think so? It's a new recipe. I replaced most of the butter with applesauce, to make them low fat."
    " Really? I never would've guessed that." She tore off another chunk. "Are these for some kind of healthy baking contest? I don't remember you ever making low-fat or reduced calorie goodies before now. You're usually in the real butter, real sugar and heavy cream camp for baked goods."
    A healthy baking contest. Amy made a mental note to search for one of those. Since she had decided to try lowering the fat, and calories, in a few of her favorite recipes. If they all turned out good , she may as well see if she could win something with the recipes.
    " No contest, just muffin top." She pulled up the bottom of her T-shirt a bit and pinched the roll of squishy fat hanging over the waistband of her jeans. "Mandy Jo's cousin literally threw herself at Alex twice yesterday. While I was standing right beside him. If women are going to keep going after my man, I had better get back into shape. I'm not going down without a fight."
    " Stop being so paranoid. You're voluptuous and have sexy curves. I'd do anything to have your boobs."
    Considering the Botox treatments were done at a plastic surgeon 's office, she wondered if Carla had ever looked into getting breast implants. The difference between Amy and Carla's breasts were like the difference between grapefruits and plums. At least Carla didn't have to worry about finding super-supportive sports bras while she was bouncing around in her high-impact, yoga salsa aerobics classes, or whatever strange hybrid exercise classes she took at the gym.
    " Thanks, but I have definitely put on some weight since we were married. I love entering cooking contests, but my belly is getting as smooshy as unbaked bread dough. So, I figured I'll try some low fat recipes to see how good I can make them."
    Carla rolled her eyes. "Are you using tomatoes as a butter replacement or something? I swear I smell tomatoes, unless I'm hallucinating from being so tired."
    Exhaustion hadn 't affected her sense of smell. She had correctly identified the savory undercurrent of tomatoes mingling with the sweet muffin scent. "I'm making baked rigatoni casserole to take to Kevin, you know, to make sure he has something to eat."
    " He probably already has a refrigerator full of food. The women in the church auxiliary usually take turns cooking meals for widowers for a few weeks after a funeral. Besides, it's not like you and Mandy Jo were friends. Do you even know him?"
    " I've seen him at the Summer Festival."
    " Wanna try again, with the real reason, you're taking him food?"
    The caffeine must have kicked in. Carla was back to dismantling theories like normal. "Like I said, I think he seemed a little too chipper at the funeral. Not exactly the heartbroken, text book