“Just one more thing before I head up there,” Amelia said out loud, in case St. Peter was about the close the gate on her yet again.
* * *
“Daddy, Daddy!” Derek came rushing up to the three of them. “Did you see him?”
“See who?”
“That bad man that was in the basement.” She and Greg exchanged a knowing glance, but didn’t enlighten his mother. “Where’d you see him?”
Derek pointed toward the picket fence near the privy. “Only he didn’t look mean today. He squeezed his eye shut at me like this.” Derek took his fingers to close one of his eyes in a wink. “And he smiled at me, too. He was with that lady in the rocking chair.”
Tillie blinked away her tears. She’d expected Mrs. Foster to be here today, but having validation warmed her heart.
Greg clasped Tillie’s hand at the same moment a gust of wind whipped her angel-cut veil into the air. She held it in place to keep the satin trim from slapping her new mother-in-law in the eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Margaret!”
“Oh, nothing to apologize for! It’s springtime in Kentucky, after all.” Greg’s mother glanced around the yard. “I’d forgotten how beautiful the dogwoods are in bloom here.”
Tillie couldn’t be more pleased with the way the yard had provided the perfect scenery for their special day. Daffodils and tulips abounded in the yard and surrounded her herb beds. A piece of paper fluttered in the breeze. Oh dear. The wind must have blown a piece of trash in. Hoping none of their guests would notice before she could snatch it up, Tillie excused herself and walked over to the fence.
What on earth?
The card was the same one she’d seen on the flowers Greg had left at the cemetery in November—more than five months ago. How had it made its way all that distance to her place? The faded handwriting was familiar, but new words had been added. She smiled.
“Everything all right, sweetheart?”
Greg placed his hand at the small of her back. The possessive gesture always set her body to tingling from head to toe. “More than all right.” She handed him the card.
“How’d that get here?”
“I’d say Mrs. Foster wants us to know she’s here with us. The spell she cast on that ornament all those years ago came true.”
Fate—in the shape of a holly-leafed salt-dough tree ornament—brought them together for this moment.
Silently reading the front of the card, he clenched his jaw. Earlier, tears had welled in his eyes when they exchanged their vows, and she thought he might shed a few more now. Tillie wrapped her arms around him.
“Nothing to forgive.” The words had been scrawled below Greg’s apology on the card.
“Now do you believe she never stopped loving you?”
He smiled. “I’ve known that for a while, but didn’t want to admit I was wrong.”
She shook her head with a grin. “Men!”
As he took her hand to lead her back to the reception, he glanced up. “Gram, if you don’t mind, my bride and I intend to make love with wild abandon in our bedroom tonight and would appreciate a little privacy.”
Tillie laughed. “Do you think she’ll listen to you?”
He nodded. “Somehow, I think this card is her way of saying she’s ready to move on to whatever adventures await her up in Heaven.”
Tillie thought about that and nodded her agreement. She followed his gaze as well. “Thanks, Mrs. Foster, for all you’ve done for us!”
She couldn’t wait to find out what Greg had in mind for later tonight. While Beckie had outdone herself with the reception, Tillie suddenly wanted everyone to leave. “We might have to go up in the attic to keep Derek and your mother from overhearing us if they venture into the dining room tonight.”
“I think we’ll fit on a twin bed for part of the night at least. Of course, we can push them together, but that would give us too much space between us.”
Tillie giggled. They’d proven that they fit perfectly sharing half of her double-sized bed. “No doubt we will.” He was quite adventurous in the bedroom, and she never knew what to expect. “If we do stay in our room, let’s try not to damage any spindles on the pencil bed ourselves.” They’d had several discussions about who had broken that spindle, but Tillie had a better idea about how it could have happened after trying some of the things Greg had introduced to their lovemaking over the months.
He stopped and turned her toward him. “I can’t make any promises, but with family in the house, we may need to be more subdued than we have been while alone.” Sobering, he gazed into her eyes. “I love you, Tillie Buchanan, my treasure, more than life itself.”
“And I you. I can’t wait to see what adventures await us. We have the rest of our lives to…”
He bent down and captured her lips in a kiss at first tender then more passionate. The pit of her stomach knotted in anticipation of what tonight and their journey together would hold.
When they parted, he took her hand, and she glanced up to where she thought her benefactor and mentor might be watching over them.
Mrs. Foster, thank you for bringing him back to me. I’ll take it from here.
The End
All preorder/buy links for Kate’s Secret (Bluegrass Spirits #2)
are posted at:
kallypsomasters.com/books/kates-secret
About the Author
Kallypso Masters is a USA Today Bestselling Author with half-a-million copies of her books sold in paperbacks and e-books since August 2011. All of her books feature alpha males, strong women, and happy endings because those are her favorite stories to read. After dabbling at writing since high school (a very long time ago!) and hoping to become a Romance writer about as long, she’s living the dream and has been since May 2011.
An eighth-generation Kentuckian, Kally is excited to embark on the new Bluegrass Spirits series with stories set in some of her favorite places in her home state. For behind-the-scenes revelations, to help with research and story questions, or to discuss the books in this series in a spoiler-allowed zone, join Kally’s Bluegrass Spirits (Kallypso Masters Series) Facebook group.
Kally has been living her own happily ever after for nearly 34 years with her hubby, known to her readers as Mr. Ray. They have two adult children, a rescued dog, and a rescued cat. And, as her Facebook friends and followers know, Kally lives for visits from her adorable grandson, Erik, who was the model for the character Derek in Jesse’s Hideout (Bluegrass Spirits #1).
Kally is also the author of the USA Today Bestselling Rescue Me Saga series featuring emotional, realistic erotic Romance novels with characters finding alternative methods for handling and healing from past traumas and PTSD. She also has published two Rescue Me Saga spinoff books—Western Dreams (Rescue Me Saga Extras #1) and Roar, a standalone with familiar secondary characters from the main series. (Roar will serve as the bridge to a future Romantic Suspense trilogy with Patrick, Grant, and Gunnar.) She has two additional Facebook discussion groups for those 18 and older who want to discuss these books. To join her secret Rescue Me Saga Discussion Group, send a friend request to Charlotte Oliver along with a private message asking to be added to the group. There is also a closed Facebook group for Roar you can join directly called the ROAR Discussion Group.
Kally enjoys meeting readers and is on a mission to meet with at least one reader for a meal or event in all 50 states. This year, she’ll mark off her 30th state since 2012 when she attends Oregon’s Passion in Portland on September 23, 2017. For additional signing events, check out the Appearances page on her web site to see if she’ll be near you!
And for timely updates, sneak peeks at unedited excerpts, and much more, sign up for her e-mails and/or her text alerts (used ONLY for new releases of e-books or print books).
To contact or engage with Kally,
go to Facebook (where almost all of her posts are public),
her Facebook Author page,
or Twitter (@kallypsomasters),
InstaGram (instagram.com/kallypsomasters)
or her Web site (KallypsoMasters.com).
And feel free to e-mail Kally at [email protected], or write to her at
Kallypso Masters
PO Box 1183
Richmond, KY 40476-1183
Recipes for Dishes Mentioned in
Jesse’s Hideout
Cherry Bounce
1 lb. tart pie cherries (Morello, if possible), fresh
1 cup Sugar (more, as needed)
5 cups Bourbon whiskey
(Can increase recipe as needed)
If using fresh fruit, wash and pit the cherries, cut them in half, and put in a large bowl. Using a potato masher, gently mash cherries to extract as much juice as possible. Using a wooden spoon, strain juice through a large, fine-mesh strainer.
In a lidded, one-gallon, sterilized glass jar, layer the cherries and the sugar in the jar and leave to sit for about an hour. Pour bourbon over fruit and sugar, put the lid on the jar, and shake occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. If some cherries float in the beginning, don’t worry. They will sink to the bottom over time.
When the sugar is dissolved, leave the jar in a cool dark place for at least four months to infuse. When ready to use, you can simply pour out what you need of the liquor, or you can strain out the cherries and decant the bounce into decorative bottles. The cherries are edible. You can eat them, use them to garnish a cocktail, or spoon some bounce and cherries over ice cream or pound cake for dessert. Or serve at room temperature in small cordial or wine glasses. Store at a moderate, even temperature. Can also be stored in the refrigerator.
NOTE: There are many variations on how you can make this, so you might want to Google it. Some include different liquors (brandy, rye, vodka), others different fruits. It was a favorite of George Washington’s (so much that he carried it in a canteen on a trip he made in 1874). I first learned about it from an outdoor theatre production in Danville about the life of Ephraim McDowell, who also enjoyed his cherry bounce.
Jalapeno Jelly
1 gallon of sliced jalapeno peppers (a plastic container will be easier to handle)
5 lbs granulated sugar
cream cheese (for serving later)
Strain jalapeno peppers to remove liquid. Return peppers to jar in layers of 2-3 inches of peppers followed by 2-3 cups of sugar. Repeat until you’ve run out of peppers or room. If you have peppers left, put the lid on and shake the contents. You can even press the peppers down into the jar if necessary.
Store in the refrigerator. Once a day for the first ten days, shake the jar for a minute or so. You might continue to do this once a week beyond that, while you’re in the fridge.
To serve, spread cream cheese on top of a cracker and then add the desired number of jellied peppers.
NOTE: This is a recipe I learned from Mary 4. She and our mom love it. But if you want to lower the flame factor, you might remove the seeds first!
Banana Croquettes (Original)
Bananas
Mayonnaise, thinned with water or milk
Spanish peanuts, crushed
Slice bananas in one- to two-inch long pieces. Dip in thinned mayonnaise. Then roll bananas in crushed peanuts.
Banana Croquettes (Peanut-Butter Version)
Bananas
Peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
Few tablespoons of water, to thin out peanut butter
Spanish peanuts, crushed
Mix peanut butter and water together until it is still thick, but will stick to the banana. Slice bananas in two-inch long pieces. Dip in peanut butter mixture. Then roll bananas in crushed peanuts.
Cranberry-Nut Relish
6-ounce box black cherry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
1/2 to 1 cup sugar, to taste
1 bag of fresh cranberries
2 apples, with peeling
2 oranges, with rind
Small can Mandarin oranges
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Combine sugar and dry gelatin in a bowl. Add boiling water and stir until sugar and gelatin dissolve. Add cold water. (Note that it’s half the amount you normally would use in making gelatin.)
In food processor, chop cranberries, apples, and oranges together. Add fruit and nuts to gelatin. Place in desired mold or bowl and refrigerate. It will set up like gelatin. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Hints: I sometimes use other dark gelatins, including black raspberry, cranberry, or raspberry. You don’t have to exact in measuring the fruit and nuts. The more the merrier.
Orange-Cranberry-Walnut Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped English walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (Adjust, as necessary, for altitudes.) Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, butter, and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan.
Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve warm, OR cool, wrap, and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf (approximately 16 slices).
Hashbrown Casserole
1 package frozen hash browns, defrosted
2 cups sour cream
1 small onion, chopped
1 large package Velveeta Cheese, grated
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup crumbled Ritz crackers
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first five ingredients together in a large bowl. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Pour mixture into baking dish. Top with crumbled Ritz crackers.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until cheese is melted and top is golden brown.
Sausage-Egg Breakfast Casserole
8 eggs, beaten
1 can mushroom soup
6 slices bread, broken
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 pound sausage, browned
1 cup cheese, shredded
2 cups milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Break bread in greased 9x13-inch dish. Beat eggs, then beat in milk, mushroom soup, and dry mustard. Place browned sausage over breadcrumbs. Spread cheese over top of sausage. Pour egg mixture over all. Press down with fork to make sure everything is moist.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Cover with foil if it begins to brown before baking time is complete. I usually make mine the night before, refrigerate it, then bake it the next morning. If you do that, allow extra baking time.
Mr. Ray’s Bread Stuffing
Amounts are approximate, because he has no written recipe!
3-4 loaves of white bread (inexpensive is fine)
one package of celery (with lots of leafy tops), diced
1-2 large onions, diced
5-6 sprigs of fresh sage, its leaves broken into small pieces
Water (to be sprinkled in moderation)
Dash of Italian spice seasoning or thyme and rosemary, optional
Butter, optional
Lay the bread out in single layers overnight, flipping it halfway through the drying process so both sides dry out. To speed it up, you can put it in a low-heat oven to dry it out. This will keep the dressing from being too wet.
In a huge container (sometimes Mr. Ray uses large aluminum roasting pans to mix his), break up the bread into pieces about one-inch in size. You don’t have to be meticulous. Mix in the celery, onion, sage and other seasonings you wish to include.
Add w
ater in small amounts, continuing to mix it all together. You want it to get moist from the turkey drippings inside the bird, not from the water, but you need to sprinkle some on beforehand. I asked Mr. Ray for more exact instructions, but he just goes by look and feel now.
His mother put butter in hers, but he rarely does. It will be flavored by the herbs and seasonings and the fat from the turkey.
Stuff as much as you can cram into the bird—including the neck end. If you have leftover, put it in a covered casserole to pop in the oven later. Cover that with drippings from the roasted turkey pan and bake it until hot. Everyone will want the stuffing from the bird first, but when that’s gone, this will be a good backup.
German Cole Slaw
1 bag of shredded cabbage (or shred your own)
Carrots, onions, and green peppers (optional)
Oil (olive oil is best, or use safflower)
Tarragon vinegar
Sugar
Put shredded cabbage into a large bowl. Add oil, vinegar, and sugar to taste. Let sit for at least an hour. Toss the ingredients before serving.
Potato Salad
(amounts are approximate—adjust them to your liking)
5 pounds red potatoes
5-6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and cut
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onions, diced
1 tablespoon dill (fresh or dried)
1/2 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon dried tarragon leaves, crushed OR 1/4 cup Henri’s Tas-tee Dressing
1 cup sweet pickle relish (or more, if needed)
Mayonnaise, just enough to coat potatoes lightly
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Boil potatoes whole, with peels on, until cooked through. Boil eggs. Cool, then peel. Using a large mixing bowl, cut potatoes into one-inch pieces. Add onions, celery, and dill, celery seeds (or Henri’s), and tarragon. Add about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise/Miracle Whip, then sweet relish. Keep adding more of each until salad reaches the consistency you want. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Jesse's Hideout (Bluegrass Spirits 1) Page 35
