Pies & Peril by Janel Gradowski Page A

gourmet market that Amy loved to shop at. Not only did they carry exotic ingredients from around the world that appealed to her, the deli was full of foods prepared by a team of chefs. The store was always packed in the evening with people carting home the delicacies for dinner. It was a mecca for cooking-averse people, like Carla. Her friend went there so often she confessed to knowing most of the workers on a first name basis. Carla could cook, but she didn't like to. She always said she had better things to do than chopping vegetables and boiling pasta, like going to the gym to burn off the calories from gourmet pre-packaged foods.
    The tinkle of beer bottles rattling into each other brought Amy 's attention back to the meal. Alex was pulling the alcoholic portion of the meal out of a cooler bag. He produced a mixed six-pack of beer and plunked what looked like a big juice box in front of her. "White peach sangria for you, my dear."
    Wine from a box. Not her preferred way to imbibe, but any port in a storm. She could get a wine glass, but that was just too much work. She unscrewed the plastic cap, stuck in the straw Alex offered , and took a sip. Cold and fruity, surprisingly good. "Did you get any more of these?"
    Alex grinned as he arranged boxes of red berry sangria, blackberry merlot , and strawberry moscato on the table. "The clerk in the wine area said they were really good, so I got one of each flavor."
    " You're a good man, Alex Ridley," Amy said as she leaned over and kissed him. "You know me so well."
    He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "I'm worried about you. Finding Mandy Jo was bad enough. I can't believe someone is threatening you now. For the life of me I can't think of what you and Mandy Jo have in common."
    She had toasted an army of brain cells in the wee hours of the day trying to figure out the same thing. She and Mandy Jo were as far from being friends as cheap chocolate Easter bunnies were from fine truffles. "Other than competing in the Summer Festival cooking contests, I can't think of anything we have in common."
    " You used to work together, and you both dated me."
    " Two dates don't count as dating her. That wasn't even enough time to get a taste of her crazy cookie, was it?"
    " Taste her crazy cookie? That sounds dirty. You know I didn't sleep with her." He nibbled on her ear lobe. "But I would be happy to sample your cookie tonight."
    " I mean, taking her out for dinner once or twice wasn't enough to reveal her true nature to you back then." Amy spooned a mountain of lo mein onto her plate and tried to ignore the Alex-produced tingle that was exploding like fireworks all over her body. "After you and I were married she got as mean as a hungry raccoon that's spent a night digging through trash bins filled with shredded paper, but even before then she was prickly. Thank goodness you were smart enough not to do the horizontal mambo with her."
    " Mmm, horizontal mambo…I think you need to demonstrate that for me."
    His hand slipped up the back of her T-shirt and slid over her skin as he searched for her bra clasp which was, inconveniently for him, located in the front. A ferocious growl rumbled from her stomach. His hand stilled and then exited from her shirt. He pulled away and said, "I'm sorry. I was just trying to get your mind off of everything that is happening, but obviously you need some food. When did you eat last?"
    Amy frowned. Good question. Figuring out the answer transported her back to 5th grade math with Mrs. Burrell lobbing story problems at dazed pupils like numeral-filled grenades. "I had a couple slices of banana bread and a latte late this morning. I was working on a new recipe for a magazine contest, so I nibbled on more bananas through the afternoon. That was enough calories for me to make it through until now."
    " Maybe if you were a mouse." He plopped a square of lasagne on her plate. Warm ricotta flecked with herbs oozed out from between the layers of