Gemma Halliday - Alibi In High Heels

"You're shitting me!" I said. I know, not the most romantic thing in the world. But I seriously couldn't believe me eyes. A ring? It was like I'd stepped into the end of a Meg Ryan movie.

Ramirez's gaze didn't waiver, his eyes steady on mine. Though a small corner of his lips twitched. "Jesus, Maddie, don't cry." He reached one hand up and gently wiped my cheek with the pad of his thumb. "At least wait until you see the ring."

He opened the box and the most brilliant emerald cut, sparkling two carat diamond winked back at me. The tears gushed like Niagara Falls and I think I actually laughed out loud. Okay, so it wasn't Tiffany, and it wasn't the biggest thing I'd ever seen. But it was the most beautiful.

It was from Jack.

Ramirez' Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his eyes suddenly vulnerable, his breath coming fast and hard. One of his large hands covered mine in a warm embrace.

"Maddie, I don't want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to be my wife," he said, his voice shaky but his dark eyes steady on mine. "Maddison Louise Springer, will you marry me?"

Gemma Halliday is the author of the High Heels Mysteries , as well as the Hollywood Headlines Mysteries series. Gemma's books have received numerous awards, including a Golden Heart, a National Reader's Choice award and three RITA nominations. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area where she is hard at work on several new projects, including a mystery series for teens debuting in 2011, and a new mystery series for adults, set to be published in 2012.

To learn more about Gemma, visit her online at www.GemmaHalliday.com

While writing ALIBI IN HIGH HEELS, I tried my hardest to find a way to actually visit Paris. When that didn't work out (the Paris casino in Vegas was a close as I got), I got myself in a Paris state of mind by trying out some French cooking. At first I was leery – French food sounded hard to make. But I actually really enjoyed trying some of these, and they weren't nearly as scary as I had anticipated. I hope you enjoy this French feast as much as I did. Bon appetite!

Apricot Baked Brie

3/4 cup chopped fresh apricots

1/3 cup chopped apple

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons raspberry jam

1 8-ounce Brie round

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

Brown sugar

1/4 cup of maple syrup

Put the chopped apricots, apples, and nuts on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 425F for about 15 minutes. Then mix the roasted fruit and nuts with the raspberry jam.

Reduce the oven heat to 400F. Cut the Brie in half, and evenly spread the jam filling in the middle, like a Brie sandwich.

Place the Brie on one sheet of dough, tucking the ends up around the Brie, then cover the top with the second sheet, cutting to fit. Drizzle maple syrup and place a handful of brown sugar on top. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve with crackers or baguettes.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 slices Swiss cheese

6 slices ham

Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Pound chicken breasts to about a 1/2 inch thick, then spread a little Dijon mustard on each piece. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and hold together with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.

Heat the butter and oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides, about 10 min. Place chicken in a shallow baking pan and put in a 350F oven for 20 minutes.

In a saucepan whisk together cream, wine, and chicken stock. Simmer on low, adding more stock if needed, for about 10 min. Pour over chicken and enjoy!

Chocolate Crepes

2 cups Flour

Pinch of Salt

4 Eggs

2 1/2 cups Whole Milk

2 tbsp. Butter (melted)

Vegetable Oil (for pan)

Nutella

Powdered sugar

(makes about 15 crepes)

Sift flour and mix with salt in a bowl. Make a well and pour in eggs, then stir. Slowly pour in milk while stirring, then keep stirring batter until small bubbles form on the surface. Stir in melted butter.

Pour a little vegetable oil on a folded paper towel, and wipe your pan evenly. Keep paper towel at hand while preparing crepes, to give another wipe, if needed. Pour 2 – 3 tbsp. of batter into the pan and quickly move pan around, so that batter spreads evenly, covering the whole surface with a thin layer. Cook for about 1 minute. Then, flip with a metal spatula, and cook other side for about 30 seconds. Remove crepe from pan and let cook on a plate. Repeat until you are out of batter.

Spread a thin layer of Nutella (or any of your favorite chocolate spread) on the crepe. Fold in half, then fold again (in quarters). Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Voila!

BONUS MATERIAL: Maddie's Killer Dating Tips

We all know dating can be murder. Navigating the world of eligible bachelors can sometimes feel like wading through a lineup of one guilty suspect after another. As this was Maddie's last book as a single gal, I put together a few dating tips gleaned from her (and my own) adventures in girl meets boy. Here's hoping all my readers make it out of the singles scene alive!

1. The Set-Up

We all have well-meaning friends who fancy themselves master matchmakers. My advice – avoid them at all costs! Let's face it, if this "great guy" your single friend is setting you up with really is so great, she'd be dating him herself. And if a married friend tries to set you up, take a close look at her husband. If he's Brad Pitt, I might trust her judgment. Otherwise, take a pass. It just leads to that awkward post-date discussion where you have to tell your friend that, as attractive as the portly look is on her husband, you're just not sure it's really your type.

2. The Alibi

Always have an alibi to get you out of a sticky first date situation. Me, I have a system with my best friend, Dana. If a date is heading south, I excuse myself for the ladies' room and text Dana with a "911". I then go back to my date and wait for Dana's call three minutes later saying, "The house is on fire. Get home now!" Voila, date over! And a lot easier than trying to climb out the bathroom window.

3. The Accomplice

It's always less pressure to go on a double date, especially early on in a relationship. So, invite a single friend to come along with you on your next date, and tell your Mr. Wonderful to do the same. It's a great way to set a more casual mood, and, as an added bonus, you get to meet one of his friends! You can learn a lot about a man by interrogating his acquaintances when he steps out of the room.

4. The Body

Let's face it, chemistry is important. Lots of dating services now have extensive personality tests to match you with your perfect like-minded mate. But if there's no physical "wow" between you, all the compatibility in the world isn't going to make a difference. While every relationship progresses differently, if fireworks don't shoot through the sky the first time you get up close and personal with Mr. Wonderful, chances are you're better off as just friends. Trust me, every girl deserves "wow".