Texas Bossa Nova (Texas Montgomery Mavericks Book 5)

by Cynthia D'Alba

  Magda chuckled. “True. Blanche, this is Porchia Summers. Porchia, this is Blanche Jenkins. She and my dad are getting married this weekend.”

  “Nice to see you again.” She looked at Magda. “I’m making the cake for Blanche’s wedding.”

  “Really? That’s great. You’re a lucky lady, Blanche. Porchia’s a heck of a baker.”

  “Thank you. What can I get for you ladies?”

  “Coffee and one of those cinnamon rolls,” Magda said, pointing to a tray inside the case.

  “Oh, I just don’t know,” Blanche said studying the tray after tray of sweets. “How about a small coffee and a cannoli?”

  “Sure thing. And it’s on me. Consider it a wedding gift.”

  “I don’t know how you do all this,” Magda said. “Develop the recipes, bake everything and run the shop. When do you sleep?”

  Porchia sighed as she reached inside the case and retrieved a cinnamon roll. “Truthfully, it’s more than I expected. I love the shop and all my customers. I have some part-time help, but I’m thinking about taking on a partner.”

  “Really? Anyone I met the other evening at Leo’s?” Magda asked.

  Porchia shook her head and pulled out a couple of cannoli. “Haven’t even looked. I’m putting an extra cannoli on here. Let me know what you think. These are new to me.”

  Over coffee and pastries, Blanche suggested they go to Tina Marie’s. Tina Marie’s was a well-known ladies’ clothing store that’d been in Whispering Springs forever. Magda had always heard they had nice clothes, but she’d never had a reason to go there until now.

  A bell chimed when Magda pushed open the door to Tina Marie’s. The store had an elegance usually found in much larger cities with more elite clientele. The hardwood floors and special lighting had been designed to flatter. Racks of colorful women’s clothing filled the space. Eucalyptus aroma scented the air. Magda loved eucalyptus. She inhaled the scent deeply and felt calmer.

  “Love that scent,” she whispered to Blanche, who nodded.

  “How can I help you ladies?” said a petite brunette with thick-rimmed glasses. “Oh, hi. Magda. Right?” The girl walked out from behind the counter. “We met the other night at Leo’s.”

  “Right. Tina. Nice to see you again.”

  “What can I do for you?”

  “This is Blanche Jenkins. She’s my father’s fiancée. They are getting married this weekend and I really need something to wear.”

  “Congratulations, Blanche.”

  Blanche’s cheeks were flushed. “Thank you.”

  It was then that Magda realized that there’d been no wedding showers, nor—heaven forbid—a bachelorette party planned. And that just wasn’t right. Every first bride deserved the whole works, especially when she’d waited until her late forties to marry like Blanche had. And since Blanche’s sister was in her late fifties, she’d probably never thought about a bachelorette party for her younger sister.

  “So long or short?”

  The question jerked Magda’s attention back to the present. “Excuse me?”

  “Long dress or short dress?” Tina asked.

  “No idea.” Magda looked at Blanche. “Long or short?”

  “Oh, it doesn’t matter.”

  “Sure it does,” Magda insisted. “What are you wearing? What is your sister wearing?”

  “Oh, I have a suit I’m thinking of wearing. Polly’s got a pink dress. Short but kind of dressy, I guess.”

  “What color?” Tina asked.

  “Well, something that’ll go with Polly’s pink, I guess.”

  “And it’s Valentine’s Day,” Magda added.

  Tina snapped her fingers. “I’ve got the perfect thing.” She hurried over to a rack of extravagant-looking dresses, and just when Magda was going to say that those were too fancy, Tina pulled out a grape-purple strapless dress. The hem in the front was short but it got progressively longer toward the back. “Try this.”

  “It’s a mullet dress.”

  “What?” Tina asked, her brow wrinkled with a frown.

  “You know. Long in the back and short in the front. A mullet.”

  Tina shook her head. “Just try it. With your figure and hair color, it will look great. I’m guessing on your size. Six?”

  “You’re sweet. Try an eight.”

  Tina beamed. “Just what I have in my hand.”

  Magda looked at Blanche, who nodded. “Yes, dear. Try that one on. It’s lovely.”

  “You’re going to need a strapless bra with this.”

  “I’m going to need a body girdle to hold all me in,” Magda muttered.

  She took the dress and headed to a changing room. Just as she was pushing her pants down, there was a knock on the door.

  “It’s Tina. I’ve got a bra for you.”

  Magda opened the door. “How do you know what size I am?”

  Tina chuckled. “My mom inherited this store from her mother. I’ve been working here since I was ten. I knew you were a size eight the minute you walked in the door. Bra sizes are even easier.”

  “Sneaky asking if I was a six.”

  Tina shrugged. “Some women lie. If you’d said you were a six, I would have told you the dress ran small so you’d need to try an eight.” She grinned. “Clever, huh?”

  The dress fit like it’d been tailor-made for Magda. The hem in the front hit about five inches above her knee. The back flowed down to the top of her ankles. When she walked, the dress seemed to float.

  “Oh, Magda. That’s lovely on you,” Blanche said.

  “It is but…” She looked at Tina. “It’s dadgum February. I can’t go strapless. I’ll feel naked.”

  “Ah, but there’s more.”

  Tina pulled a matching wrap from the rack. Same material. Same color. The wrap stood high on Magda’s neck, looped over her arms and draped from her elbows to mid-calf. Magda turned in front of the three-way mirror, looking at herself from all angles.

  “I love it. I really do, but I don’t have any shoes that will go with this.”

  “What size? Eight?”

  “Nine or nine and a half.”

  Tina grinned, “I knew that. Hold on.” Tina picked up the phone and made a call. When she hung up, she said, “Got you covered. Delene is running a pair over from Double D’s Shoes.”

  Magda shook her head. “I guess running into Darren at Leo’s was the best luck ever, huh? I got to meet all you ladies.” She leaned in and in a stage whisper said, “Tell me that all of you don’t date Darren.”

  Tina laughed. “Oh, hell, no. Darren’s great. I really adore him, but I’m not moving out on a ranch. So not my scene. Give me the city. If I didn’t have this store and I didn’t love Whispering Springs so much, I’d be in Dallas or Austin or somewhere larger. But I’m here for life, I think.”

  The doorbell chimed as Delene entered carrying six shoe boxes. “I wasn’t sure about some of these, but let’s give it a try. Hi, Magda. Nice to see you. What’s the occasion?”

  All of Delene’s words were like one long run-on sentence.

  “Hi, Delene. Thank you so much for doing this.”

  “Love the dress,” Delene said. “Heavy date?”

  “Wedding. Blanche, this is Delene… Gosh. I’m sorry. I don’t know your last name. I’m sure it was shouted to me last Friday, but I was lucky to catch all the first names.”

  “That’s okay.” Delene set the boxes on the floor and extended her hand to Blanche. “I’m Delene Younger.”

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Blanche Jenkins.”

  “Blanche is my father’s fiancée,” Magda said as she opened the lids on the boxes.

  “How nice,” Delene said. “When’s the big day?”

  “This Friday,” Magda said, pulling out a pair of gold, sparkly pumps. “These are pretty.”
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  “Congratulations, Blanche.” Delene looked at Magda. “Stand up so I can see the dress.”

  When she did, Tina Marie straightened the wrap hanging off Magda’s arms. “I was thinking maybe a two-inch heel. No higher than three, I think.”

  Delene studied Magda. “Put those heels on and let me see.”

  She did and Tina Marie whistled. “I like.”

  Delene nodded. “Me too. What do you think, Blanche?”

  Magda could have hugged Delene for remembering to include Blanche in the discussion.

  “Well, my biggest concern is that you’ll outshine the bride.”

  “Doubtful, but thank you for saying that.” Magda hugged Blanche. She had to admit, her dad’s future wife was growing on her.

  “Okay then. I think we’re done. Thank you both for all your help. I am the worst clothes shopper in the world. You’ve made this so painless.”

  Delene spread her arms. “That’s what we’re here for.”

  “I’ll get changed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank. You.”

  Tina Marie followed Magda to the back and took the clothes and shoes as Magda removed them.

  “Tina. You’re going to think this is nuts, but I realized a little while ago that nobody has planned any type of shower or bachelorette party for Blanche. It’s her first wedding. I don’t know the first thing about how to go about doing anything like that. What do I do? Surely you’ve had other friends who’ve gotten married.”

  “I know exactly what to do. Tell you what. I’ll book the private party room at Leo’s. I’ll round up the gang. You handle all the Montgomery women. Frankly, those chicks scare the crap out of me. Can you get Blanche to Leo’s on Thursday night? About seven?”

  “Sure. I’ll call you after I talk to Olivia, Caroline, KC, Lydia and Paige. I’ll call them as soon as I get home.”

  “Give me your cell phone.”

  Magda handed it over and Tina Marie punched on the keys. “There. I’ve programmed in my cell number. Call me.”

  “Thanks. Again.”

  “No problem. I’m always up for a good party.”

  By the time Magda was back in her own clothes, Tina had the dress and wrap back on the hanger in a protective bag.

  “You can put your money away,” Blanche said. “Zeb’s paying.”

  “Seriously? This day just gets better and better.”

  As they were leaving Tina Marie’s to head to the Double D Shoe Store, Magda’s phone rang.

  “Darren. I’ll be right with you,” she told Blanche.

  “No problem. I’ll go pay for the shoes and meet you back here.”

  “Hello?” Magda unlocked the truck and carefully stored the dress.

  “I’m done. Do I need to start making pity calls for a ride?”

  Chuckling, she said, “No. I think we’re about done. I thought I’d take Blanche to lunch before we headed home. You want to come along?”

  “Really? You have to ask if I want to eat?”

  “Yeah. Silly me. I’ll pick you up in about ten minutes?”

  On the drive home after lunch, Magda called Olivia. When she explained her thoughts about a lingerie shower and bachelorette party for Blanche, Olivia loved the idea and was a tad mad at herself for not thinking of it. She volunteered to call the rest of the Montgomery women and to get Blanche to the party.

  “A bachelorette party, huh?” Darren said. “I might have to go hang around Leo’s that night.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, you know. All those single women drinking and then getting depressed that they aren’t the ones getting married. They’ll be needing some tender lovin’ care that night.”

  A loud laugh burst out of Magda. “Oh good Lord. Do men really think like that?”

  The grin Darren gave as his reply made her laugh more.

  She was glad for his company on the drive to and from town. The only downside was there was no way for her to stop at a drugstore for a pregnancy test with him along. She knew she kept putting it off because she was sure her period would come just any day now.

  Except it hadn’t.

  The opportunity to run private errands did not present itself until Thursday morning.

  “Okay, guys. Tonight is the bachelorette party. There’s a beef stew in the refrigerator you can heat for dinner. There’s also a couple of steaks if you feel like grilling. I’m headed out about five.” She grinned. “Don’t wait up.”

  Reno looked at Darren. “You still have bail money stashed somewhere? I’m thinking we may have to bail some ladies out of jail tonight.”

  Magda snorted. “Doubtful, but hey, you never know.”

  “You’re not planning on drinking tonight, right?” Reno gave her a look that clearly conveyed he didn’t think she should.

  “Don’t be such a prude,” Darren chastised. “You go have fun, Mags. If you are too wasted to drive, go stay with KC and Drake. KC won’t mind.”

  “Thanks, Darren. I’m sure I’ll make it home by midnight.” She deliberately didn’t address Reno’s drinking concerns. Her plan, if it worked out, was to pick up a pregnancy test tonight on the way. If it was negative, she had every intention of sucking down her fair share of champagne. If it came back positive, well, then she’d figure out something.

  But she was fairly sure this was all a scare about nothing.

  By four-thirty, she was climbing the walls to get going. Dressed in a new pair of black jeans, black stretch top, black boots and a black jacket, she felt sexy and dangerous. Since Zeb had insisted that she take his truck—so she’d have a vehicle to drive to his wedding that wouldn’t mess up her hair—she could also wear her cowboy hat. When she bounced down the stairs to leave, she was surprised to find Reno waiting for her.

  He whistled and she felt heat flash to her cheeks.

  “You look fabulous. Are you sure this is a women-only event? ’Cause you’ll drive men crazy looking like that.”

  “Stop it.” She might have said the words, but she didn’t mean them. Nothing like flattery from a hunk like Reno to stroke her ego. “What are you and Darren doing this evening?”

  She did not like the grin that beamed from Reno.

  “Well, once you talked to Olivia about Blanche and she told Mitch, he decided it just wasn’t right for Zeb to give up years of freedom without the proper farewell.”

  She smirked. “Giving up his freedom? You make it sound like he’s going to jail.”

  Reno nodded and produced a pitiful pair of sad eyes. “Yes. A life term, I’m afraid.”

  Magda giggled and chucked a pillow off the couch at him. “You guys better not get Zeb so drunk he misses his own wedding.”

  “Would we do that?”

  “Probably, but I’m hoping at least one of you has the sense to…oh no. You didn’t hire a stripper. Tell me you didn’t hire some stripper.”

  Those sad eyes came again. “Sadly, Zeb nixed that idea. Said he’d walk out.”

  “Whew. Thank goodness.” She checked the time. “I’ve got to scoot.”

  “Why so early?”

  “Um, I ordered Blanche’s gift, but I need to pick it up.”

  A total fabrication. She had ordered Blanche a lovely nightgown from Tina Marie’s and Tina was bringing it with her to the party.

  It’d been only a week since she’d told Reno she might be pregnant and so far, he’d been understanding that she hadn’t had time to get a pregnancy test done. She didn’t want to put him on pins and needles by telling him she was going for one now.

  “Have fun,” she said, walking out the door. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

  “Well, hell,” Darren yelled from his bedroom, having overheard her comment. “That leaves the door wide open, doesn’t it?”

  She was still smiling as she climbed into Zeb’s truck.

&nb
sp; When she and Reno had gone to dinner in Tyler, she’d noticed a large chain drugstore on the way. While it was in the opposite direction from where she needed to be going, she felt safer buying a pregnancy test as far away from Whispering Springs gossip as she could manage. Besides, it was only about thirty minutes to the store and then forty minutes back to Whispering Springs. She had plenty of time.

  To err on the side of caution, she bought three different brands of pregnancy tests. The girl at the check-out assured her they would all say the same thing, but Magda was taking no chances.

  Of course, it would be the pits if she got different results, wouldn’t it?

  She pulled the instructions out the minute she got back in the truck. All of them said the same thing. For best results, take the test first thing in the morning.

  Well, damn. She could go ahead and take one tonight, but what if it was negative and she drank alcohol based on that test and then another test in the morning was positive? She couldn’t win no matter what she did. Why did life hate her so much?

  She blew out a long sigh, uttered the filthiest phrase she knew and shoved the tests under the seat. Give her something to look forward to in the morning.

  Leo’s bar was hopping when she arrived. He had a live country band playing in the main bar with the music piped at a lower volume into the restaurant. He gave her a nod as she entered and pointed toward a closed door marked Private Party. She was early, which was fine since she wanted to get a look at the setup. She was surprised and thrilled with what she found.

  There was seating for at least twenty-five, fresh flowers on the tables, a champagne fountain—not yet running—and a separate table with iced tea and coffee. Porchia had been here, as evidenced by the mound of petits fours, platters of cookies and a tray of cannoli. In the corner was a stack of brightly wrapped presents, most bearing the Tina Marie sticker.

  Magda pulled out her phone and started snapping pictures. She couldn’t believe how nice all these women were being to a woman they barely knew.

  “Hey. You’re here.”

  Magda turned and smiled at Tina. “This is incredible. I was just thinking how nice you gals are to be doing this for a woman you hardly know.”

  Tina shrugged. “What can I say? We love a good party, especially if it’s a bachelorette party. Besides, once Olivia and Mitch volunteered to pay for everything, heck, who’d want to miss that?”