Cupcake Explosion (Cupcakes 4)

“So, that’s it? They took the car and the bike, so they won’t be back. How will we ever find them now?”

I spun around and walked out

Carmen came out a few seconds later to find me staring at the empty field, hands on my head.

“I gave him my number, in case Scam or his guys come back,” she said softly, putting her arm around my waist. “I’m sorry, Lila. Don’t worry. We’ll find him?”

“How?”

“I don’t know yet, but we’ll figure it out. Let’s go.”

WE WERE BACK at my house, sipping on wine and munching on cheese and crackers, while using my laptop and Carmen’s tablet to try and find a lead.

We were failing miserably, but at least there were cupcakes and wine.

“This is hopeless,” I whined, hating the sound of my own voice, but frustrated as hell. “Missing them tonight really messed us up. I have no idea how to find Cade now, and the wedding is in five days. Ugh, and you know it’s not just about the wedding, who cares about the wedding. I just want Cade safe and back home.”

“I know you do, honey,” Carmen said sympathetically. “Do you want me to bring Bran in, see if he can think of something we haven’t?”

“Sure, I’ll take all the help I can get,” I replied dramatically.

“Okay, I’ll call him,” she said, standing up and walking into the kitchen.

I shut my laptop with a grunt and heard a knock on the door.

“What, is Bran psychic?” I muttered, looking back into the kitchen.

But it wasn’t Bran at the door, it was Bea.

Shit, do I close my laptop? Do we have notes on the table?

I tried to get a mental picture of what my living room currently looked like but came up blank.

“Hey, Bea, how are you?” I asked, leaning in to give her a quick hug.

“All right. I realized I hadn’t given you an update yet and that you were probably climbing the walls by now,” she said, walking in past me.

I shut the door and prayed there was no evidence of my investigation as I followed her into my living room.

“Carmen’s here?” she asked, looking at the two wine glasses, cheese board, and our discarded electronics.

Carmen was still in the kitchen. I could hear the strain of her voice, but luckily couldn’t make out the words.

Hopefully, Bea didn’t have supersonic hearing.

“Yeah, we were just hanging out. And, don’t beat yourself up, I was busy most of the day with the Wilkes.”

“Oh, right, the future in-laws are here. I can’t wait to meet them,” Bea said with a grin.

My friends had all loved hearing about our escapades with Cade’s parents in Hawaii. How his mom always seemed to know when we were about to have sex, the time we accidentally skinny dipped together, and when Elin found Cade’s mom’s vibrator.

Good times.

“I’m sure you’ll all love each other,” I said wryly, then asked, “Want a glass?” Pointing at the wine.

“Sure,” she said, as Carmen came back into the room talking.

“He’s on his way and happy to help,” Carmen said, then stopped in her tracks when she saw Bea.