by Debbie White
Chapter 16
Annie balanced on one foot as she tried to put her other shoe on while holding the phone to her ear. “Yes, I realize she wasn’t very nice to Charles. I’m on my way over there today to smooth things over. Please let Charles know I’m very sorry.” Annie tossed the phone on the bed and finished getting dressed.
“The woman from the agency?” Jack asked.
“Yep, she said Charles was very offended by his treatment. I’m going to stop over there before I head to the bakery. I need to get the schedule up, so people know when they’re working, too.” She brushed her long hair and tied it back with a rubber band.
“Well, take a deep breath. Count to ten before you enter their house,” Jack said, dropping a quick peck on her lips.
“I love you, Jack,” Annie said.
“Love you back.”
Annie drew in a deep breath and counted to ten before she lightly rapped on the door. She could hear Grandmother yelling to Mary to answer the door.
“Oh, hey, Annie,” Mary said, clearly out of breath.
“What are you doing home? Thought you’d be at work.” Annie stepped inside.
“I took the morning off because I have a dental appointment.”
“Well, I’m going to discuss with them about the visitations. Maybe you could stay and give me some moral support.”
“I don’t know, Annie. They’re pretty upset right now. I should probably stay out of it.”
“Listen,” Annie said grabbing her arm. Mary’s eyes dropped to Annie’s hand, and Annie let go.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know how much support I can be, but I’ll sit in for a few minutes.” Mary walked fast-paced toward the center of the house and Annie trailed behind her.
“Good morning, Grandmother,” Annie said as she lifted her chin in an authoritarian style.
“Humph.”
“Good morning, Annie,” Auntie Patty said.
Annie gazed over at Mary who stood with her hands clasped in front of her. “We wanted to discuss something with you.” Annie sat down on the couch and patted the seat cushion next to her. Mary sauntered over and sat down.
“It’s my fault that I didn’t let you know first. I’ve been extremely busy with the opening of the bakery and helping Jack. I do apologize for not telling you. But let’s move on from that and discuss how this could be very beneficial to all of us, shall we?”
Grandmother pursed her lips tightly and lifted her chin, showing Annie she’d not be intimidated by her.
“Mary is busy working, and she’s with Danny now. Jack and I are quite busy as well. Once we move out to Sweet Magnolia, it will be less frequently that I’m able to stop by and see if you need anything. The last few times I’ve visited here, the refrigerator was empty, the house needed a good cleaning, and you two were very chatty, like you’d not had anyone to talk with in a long time. Does any of this sound familiar?” Annie rolled her head toward Mary first then landed her attention on Grandmother and Auntie.
“As you say, Mary is busy. But she went to the grocery store last night and stocked us right up.”
Annie looked over at Mary who was grinning and nodding.
“That’s good. What about meal preparation, though?”
“She got us some microwavable dinners,” Patty said.
Annie rocked her head back and forth. “So, you’re okay with microwaved food?”
“We’ve lived alone for a long time, Annie,” Grandmother said abruptly.
Annie realized this conversation would go absolutely nowhere if she didn’t up to the ante. She’d have to dig deep to beat these two old ladies at their own game. It was also apparent that Mary would not be helping. She’d have to go it alone. Annie cleared her throat.
“Charles loves the performing arts. He loves ballet and opera. Edith loves to play bridge and was looking forward to you both joining her club. And JoAnne … she also loves a good play and was looking forward to taking you both out to one.”
Grandmother exchanged looks with Patty and then focused on Annie. She raised her shoulders and then slumping slightly, eased back into the high-back chair she sat in. “That does sound rather exciting,” she said quietly.
Aha. Maybe she was getting through to them. “And as far as meal delivery, this is not your typical meal service. No, it’s gourmet food. A lot of young busy professionals are using this service, too. I brought a sample menu,” Annie said, digging into her purse. “Let’s see, salmon with bacon and bourbon sauce, chicken Diane, cordon bleu, pasta …”
“So these are fresh food items, not frozen?” Patty asked.
“Yep, prepared fresh and brought to your home daily.”
“I do like that idea,” Patty said, nodding her head and trying to get Grandmother to agree.
“Okay, we’ll give the food a try,” Grandmother conceded.
“What about the visitors? Will you give them a try, too?” Annie pulled her lip out and clasped her hands tightly. “Please?”
“Oh, all right, we’ll do that, too. But I’m not sure about the man,” Grandmother said.
“Okay, fair enough. I can let the agency know that Charles might not be a good fit and just to have Edith and JoAnne scheduled. I just thought maybe with his intense taste for scotch you two would hit it off, Auntie Patty.”
Auntie Patty’s eyes widened. “Well, don’t be too hasty in dismissing old Charles. It could be that we do need a handyman around here,” she looked over at Lilly and smiled.
“I wonder how he feels about wine?” Grandmother asked.
Annie glanced over at Mary.
“Please, wipe that grin off your face,” she whispered. “Once you mentioned scotch, Auntie was sold.” She playfully bumped her shoulder into Annie’s.
“Sometimes you have to get down in the ditch and get dirty,” Annie said.
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Grandmother asked loudly.
“Oh, nothing, Grandmother,” Mary said.
“Oh, now you say something,” Annie whispered as she rose from the sofa and crossed over to her grandmother. She leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you.” She moved over to the chair Auntie sat in and repeated the kiss. “Thank you, Auntie.”
Mary glanced down at her watch. “I have to run, or I’ll be late for my appointment.” She rushed over to her grandmother and auntie and planted kisses on their foreheads. “Remember, there’s lunch in the freezer.” She rushed out of the room, leaving Annie behind.
“I’m off to the bakery. See you later.” Annie turned and moved toward the hallway that would lead to the front door.
“Dear!” Grandmother called out.
Annie whirled around. “Yes?”
“When are we going to get another boat ride? We’re anxious to see your house.”
Annie took in a deep breath through her nose and slowly let it escape through her mouth. “I’ll get with Jack, and we’ll make time. It’s a construction zone, though, so we need to be careful.”
“Have a good day, dear. Oh, and don’t forget to call Charles.”
Annie smiled. “I’ll make that call today.”
As she made her way toward the front door, she could hear them talking, or more like whispering, so she stopped and stretched her ear to hear. A smile crossed her face when she overheard Patty say how nice it would be to have a man around. Annie stopped dead in her tracks. Then she moved a few steps forward. Yep, whatever it takes.
Chapter 17
Doing better than she’d ever dreamed, Sweet Indulgence continued to dominate the sugar world, figuratively speaking anyway, and became a household name in the Charleston area.
“Jack, I’ve been thinking.”
“Oh oh, that can be dangerous,” he said, winking.
“No, seriously, I’ve been tossing around some ideas, and I think we should keep the food truck and make our presence known on the weekend. I need someone who can regularly run the show out there, though. I have the staff stretched pretty thi
n already. In fact, I’ll need to hire another full-time baker to help out Betsy and Morgan, and probably another cashier, or two. Rebecca is working less and fewer hours.”
“Why is that?”
“Why is Rebecca working less?” Annie asked.
Jack nodded.
“She is still working for her family, and she just told me they are going to open up their own restaurant, The Black Eyed Pea! Isn’t that a cute name?”
Jack laughed. “Sounds good. It will be great, especially for her grandmother’s recipes.”
“I know, my mouth is already watering. Also, she and Michael have become quite the item. I think he may be backing this restaurant venture. She didn’t say that in so many words, but just dropped some subtle hints.”
“I think it’s great they’re a couple. We need more love in this world,” Jack said.
“I’m so happy to hear you say that. It shouldn’t matter what race you are. Love is love.”
“As long as they’re happy, and hopefully their families, too. Then I say don’t let anyone stand in their way.”
“Rebecca told me her dad was a little late in warming up to the idea, but now that he’s got to know Michael better, he likes him. They go fishing together and everything. Rebecca said if her dad invites you to go fishing, then that means you’re almost family.” Annie laughed.
“Do you think they’ll get married?” Jack wondered.
“I hope so. They are so great together. And can you imagine the beautiful babies they’d make? Carmel colored skin …”
“Whoa, they are not even married yet, and you have them having babies.” Jack said, patting her knee.
Annie pulled up her shoulders and giggled. “I just love happy endings.”
“Speaking of happy endings, the house is almost finished. Paul wants us to take a ride out there so he can pick your brain about some finishing details. Would you be able to get away Saturday?”
“Oh, that’s great. In fact, Grandmother and Auntie asked for a boat ride. They want to see how the house is coming along. We can make an afternoon of it.”
“Sounds great. You set it up with them, and I’ll confirm with Paul.” Jack leaned over and kissed her mouth.
As he pulled back, Annie wrapped her arms around his neck and held him in place. “Not so fast, Mr. Powell.” She found his mouth and kissed him. He lifted his arms and circled her waist, pulling her closer. She moaned softly as he teased her with his tongue. He knew how to push all the right buttons. They had so much chemistry, he was hard to resist. He lifted her off her chair and carried her off into the bedroom. Their honeymoon was far from being over.
“Grandmother, what’s in this basket?” Annie inquired, holding the wicker picnic basket with two hands.
“I made tuna sandwiches and potato salad. Oh, and the homemade relish that Jack loves.”
“When did you have a chance to go to the store to get these items?”
“Charles took me,” she said with a lyrical tone in her voice.
Still holding the basket, Annie dropped her hold a few inches. “Charles took you?”
“Yes, he’s such a dear.”
Annie chuckled. “I’m so happy you two are getting along so well. And Auntie? How does she like him?”
“I like him very much,” Patty said, coming up behind them.
Annie twirled around with the basket in her hand. “Oh, I’m so glad. What about Edith and JoAnne?”
“We like Edith well enough, but not sure about JoAnne. We’re going to give her another chance before we give her the boot,” Grandmother said.
Annie crossed her arms and rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. “Oh, I see, another chance, huh? Well, remember, play nice in the sandbox. We don’t want to make enemies. If you do, in fact, wish to terminate JoAnne’s services, please tell me and not her, and I will do the terminating through the agency.”
“Well, of course, dear. We wouldn’t think of doing anything else,” Grandmother said, reaching for her scarf. “Now, be a dear and help me put my scarf on. It gets rather windy out on the water.”
Annie widened her eyes. Where is her grandmother and who is this imposter? She put the basket down and picked up the scarf.
“Now, give me your hand, Lilly,” Jack said reaching out.
Annie placed her hands on each side of her grandmother’s hips. “Watch your step,” she said, guiding her toward Jack.
“There you go,” Jack said, taking her hands and leading her to the upholstered bench.
“Okay, Auntie, you’re next,” Annie said, holding her steady as she lowered her into the boat into Jack’s hands.
After the two women were seated, Jack took the basket and the other items and loaded the boat. Annie stepped inside the boat and found a place to sit. She reached over and pulled on each of their hats, making sure they were fastened securely.
“I have to take a picture of you two. You look darling in your scarves and hats.” Annie clicked her phone and then viewed the picture. She made the picture bigger with her fingers and then showed them.
“That’s remarkable. Phones that take pictures,” Patty said.
“Where have you been? Phones have been taking pictures for years,” Lilly barked.
“Now, you two, no fussing on this trip,” Annie ordered.
Annie and Jack had already discussed that he would take the waves a bit easier today. Their last boat ride had ruffled a few feathers. They’d had fun, and it had been exciting, but they’d both told Annie that hitting the waves hard had bruised their butts. Annie laughed about that now.
After they tied up Lady Powell to the dock, Jack and Annie became the crew again to help everyone off. They slowly made their way up the small incline, taking breaks along the way. When the house came into view, everyone stopped to view the beautiful structure.
“It’s so magnificent,” Patty said.
“It looks like an old house, but brand-new,” Lilly said, almost shouting.
“That’s what we wanted. The shake siding is actually cement fiberboard, and the roof shingles are actually steel,” Annie said. “Looks great, but also is functional for storms.”
“I love the shutters,” Lilly said.
“Blue, like the water before us,” Jack said, gazing off into the distance.
“It’s striking, Jack. The colors are just awesome.”
“I thought the light grey with the blue shutters was a great combination,” Jack said.
Annie hugged Jack’s waist. “I just love how the trim looks. And the lookout window is special, too.” She pulled him in close.
“That’s so those kids we’re going to have can look out the window and see what’s up.” He laughed when he visualized peering eyes and noses pressed against the glass. “Come on, there’s so much more to see,” Jack said, leading the way.
Just then they heard a truck drive up. “Paul’s here,” Annie said.
“Take your grandmother and auntie inside, and give them the fifty-cent tour. Then I’ll take them to the picnic table, and you and Paul can talk business. I don’t want them to interject their ideas on to our house …”
“Jack,” Annie said, swatting him on the arm.
“So, that’s the house, what did you think?” Annie said, leading them outside.
“I loved it. What’s that little structure going to be?” Patty said, motioning toward the cement foundation and the beginnings of the framework.
“Oh, that,” Annie said, stumbling for words.
Lilly and Patty tightened their mouths and focused on Annie.
“A cottage, more like a guest house,” Annie said with a shaky voice.
“Oh, well, why didn’t you just say that in the first place? I think that’s a great idea. After all, you live out here in the boonies. It would be nice to offer a place for someone to spend the night, instead of traveling those narrow and dangerous roads home,” Grandmother said.
Annie laughed. “You’re too funny, Grandmother. Well, I guess that’ll m
ean you and Auntie won’t mind staying over a time or two?”
“Sounds lovely,” Auntie said.
“Ladies, why don’t you come with me?” Jack held out both of his arms.
Annie watched as he led them to the picnic table. She turned toward Paul. “Family, you got to love them, right?”
They both entered the house. “Chair rails in the dining room?” Paul asked.
Annie nodded. “Yes, for sure. And in the downstairs half bath, I think white beadboard would be nice,” Annie added.
“Okay, I think I have all of your requirements. We’ll get it done. And listen, Jack’s been a trooper in all of this, especially after what he’s been through. I tried to get him to back off a bit, but he wanted to be involved up until the end.”
Annie shook her head. “He’s a man, isn’t he? You guys are so stubborn.”
“We’ll be finishing up the cottage but probably after you move in. The landscapers are due out here next week. I told them a hundred times to not chop any trees down. They gave me their word.”
“Okay, and what about for the yard space?”
“We’re going with Bermuda grass for the front and back, azaleas, hawthorns, and roses. Did you want anything else?”
“Yes, I’d love a mock orange, a butterfly bush, and some lavender.”
“You got it.”
“I better get out there and rescue Jack. He’s a saint, but it takes being more than that sometimes when dealing with Grandmother.” Annie winked.
“I’ll just give my respects and be on my way.”
Annie plopped down on the bench beside Jack.
“Everything go all right?” he asked.
“Better than all right.” She dropped a sweet kiss on his lips.
“I’m starving, let’s eat.” Jack opened up the basket and began distributing sandwiches.
Annie chewed her sandwich as she gazed at the impressively built home they’d be soon sharing. The color of the front door matched the shutters, and the white trim made the grey siding pop. Then it donned on her that something was missing. “Jack.”
