Written in Stone (A Books by the Bay Mystery)

treats,” Olivia scolded. “You’ll have to hold on until lunchtime.”
    Rawlings put his hand on the poodle’s head. “Don’t worry, my man. You won’t be eating bugs. I’m sure there’s a nice hunk of meat with our names on it. I plan to start with some pulled pork and chase that down with a tower of onion rings, an ear of grilled corn, and maybe some root beer . . .”
    “This isn’t a carnival.” Olivia gestured at the chief’s hot dog and hamburger print Hawaiian shirt. “Though you’re dressed for one.”
    “I know you love my Hawaiian shirts.” Rawlings winked at her. “Ah, here comes Michel.”
    The Boot Top Bistro’s head chef was all smiles. He kissed Olivia on both cheeks and gave Haviland’s neck an exuberant ruffle. “The network is going to kick off the new season with this episode! By next summer, people will be lining up for a seat at one of our tables,
ma cherie
!”
    “Excellent news,” she said. “And what about Shelley Giusti? Have you seen her yet?”
    Michel put both hands over his heart. “She is even more beautiful now than she was in school. And how I missed her voice! Words flow from her mouth like melted chocolate. We’ve spent the last hour together and I’m in heaven.
Heaven!
”
    Rawlings arched his brows. “Who is this sweet-talking muse?”
    “An enchantress and a world-class pastry chef of her own right,” Michel said, his eyes dreamy. “She’s also one of the celebrity judges, so you’ll see for yourself that she is
très magnifique
.”
    “I look forward to meeting her,” Olivia said as they made their way to a seating area cordoned off by bright yellow rope and a sign reading “
Chefs Gone Wild
—Authorized Personnel Only.”
    Rawlings pointed at the sign and smirked. “Sounds like a spring break special. One of those featuring girls in bikinis. Or in bikini bottoms at any rate.”
    Olivia didn’t have a chance to reply because Noah Wiseman spotted their little group and sent Candice running over to collect Michel and Olivia.
    “We need to get your mics on!” she cried, her face flushed with exertion. Rawlings took this as his cue to leave and rolled the dolly holding the memory jug over to a small seating area to the left of the stage. Haviland followed and Olivia paused a moment to search for the familiar faces of the Bayside Book Writers, but she didn’t see Laurel, Harris, or Millay anywhere.
    “I hate these off-site episodes,” Candice complained. “When we get back to Manhattan, I’m going to ask to work for a director who never leaves the studio!” She handed each of them a clip-on microphone. “Feed that under your shirt and through your top button hole. We’ll test them when you’re seated. God, what I’d give for an iced latte.”
    Noah called her name and she pasted on a chipper smile and hurried off, leaving Olivia and Michel to exchange perplexed shrugs.
    “She doesn’t know paradise when she sees it,” said a woman with a silky voice.
    Olivia turned to find Shelley Giusti standing beside her. She recognized the chef’s trademark auburn locks and the sparkle of intelligence and humor in her nutmeg-colored eyes.
    “That’s fine by me,” Olivia said. “Someone’s got to live in the skyscrapers.”
    Shelley shuddered. “Not me. I’m done with the urban grind. I need a break from traffic jams and television shows. I want to open a dessert shop in the perfect small town. Pastries, baked goods, and fine chocolate. I already have a menu and a name picked out, but I haven’t found the right—” She stopped midsentence and held out her hand. “Sorry. Here I am, gabbing merrily away and I haven’t even introduced myself.”
    As Olivia took Shelley’s hand, she couldn’t help but notice the thin gold band on the chef’s ring finger.
Not again!
Olivia thought.
Can’t Michel ever fall for a single woman?
    Despite this unpleasant discovery, Olivia asked Shelley if she’d had a chance to visit Oyster Bay. There was a vacancy in one of Olivia’s downtown buildings and she’d love to see a dessert shop occupy the prime retail space.
    “Not yet.” Shelley reached over and linked her arm through Michel’s. “But I hear there’s an amazing restaurant there. I also heard that a devastatingly handsome and talented chef slaves away in the kitchen from dawn to dusk.” She gave Olivia a conspiratorial wink.
    “His hours aren’t quite that bad,” Olivia replied with a laugh.
    Shelley and Michel walked arm in arm