“Shelby was the first person to welcome me back to town when I came home. She brought a pie,” he says.
I arch my eyebrow questioningly. “You sure she wasn’t just trying to get into your pants?” I blush as soon as the words come out of my mouth.
He looks shocked by my bold question and answers, “No, ma’am. She was busy trying to get into Beau’s.”
“Ah,” I say. “So, she was using you for information about my cousin.”
“Probably. But she really is a nice girl when you get to know her. It can’t have been easy growing up with a mother like Cootie.”
“If you say so.” But I’m still not convinced she isn’t Cootie’s mini me, despite what she said last night.
Zach serves up the most delicious breakfast I’ve ever eaten. I didn’t even think I was hungry until I take my first bite. When the forkful of puffed pancake and caramelized apple hits my mouth, I eat like I haven’t eaten in a month. I barely keep up my part of the conversation, I’m that busy appreciating his efforts.
When Zach clears our dishes, he says, “I went ahead and downloaded some software last night and plugged in the measurements of the model unit.”
I’m surprised. “I thought we were going to do that together?”
“It’s tedious work, so I figured I’d get it done so we didn’t feel guilty about not going right in to work.”
“That’s sweet,” I tell him. I mean, first he does my work and then he feeds me? Zachary Grant has all the earmarks of a winner boyfriend. Although, we have a way to go before we hit that point. I’ll have to tell him about Armand for sure and I don’t look forward to that. I fret he’ll take the news as well as he did when he learned of my tequila intolerance. I can’t imagine him being impressed by my loose behavior. But that’s a bridge I’ll have to cross when I get to it. It the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the ride there.
Chapter Forty
Zach and I go straight to the third floor when we arrive at the old sewing machine factory. We start to conceptualize the space by adding as many details as we can to make our model look warm and welcoming while still portraying it as a cool millennial loft. Let’s face it, our buyers probably aren’t going to have families yet.
The uncles arrive shortly after noon. They both look considerably less perky than normal. I greet them, “I thought we wouldn’t see you until after lunch.”
“I’m not sure we’re ever going to eat again,” Jesse groans.
“I doubled up on my cholesterol medication this morning,” Jed adds. “I feel like my innards have been deep fried.”
“How long did you stay at the club last night?” Zach asks.
“We closed the place down at midnight,” Jesse answers. “And before you tell us they close at eleven, we know. The staff wasn’t too pleased with us, but we tipped them enough to make it worth their while.”
“Did Cootie do anything after I left?” I inquire. I don’t say “we” because my family doesn’t need to know anything about me and Zach yet. Certainly not before I know what we are to each other.
Jed shakes his head. “No, ma’am. She left shortly after you did. I think Beau ruined her fun.”
“What about Beau and Shelby?” I ask. “Did they spend any time together?”
Jesse answers this one. “They sniffed around each other all night like dogs in heat, but nothing came of it.”
Jed says, “Auntie Lee made sure of that. Every time it looked like they were homing in on each other, she’d ask Beau to do something for her that would take him as far away from Shelby as possible. Then she kept Shelby locked in her sights so Shelby couldn’t follow him without her knowing about it.”
No one seems to be concerned that they’re discussing Shelby’s interest in Beau right in front of Zach, her supposed boyfriend. So, for sake of fun or stirring the pot, I look at Zach and say, “Well, Shelby’s with Zach anyway, so I’m sure she’s not even interested in Beau.” All three men laugh out loud at my pronouncement.
Jed says, “Please, the whole town knows that Zach’s just helping Shelby out to make Beau jealous.”
The men confirm this by nodding their heads.
“Well then, what was the point of pretending?” I demand.
Zach comes over to me and puts his arm around me in a very proprietary manner and answers, “As you know, it was all for show.” Then he pulls me close and kisses me tenderly on the mouth before adding, “But that show’s over.”
My uncles are enthusiastic about Zach’s display of interest.
Jesse hoots out loud and exclaims, “I approve!”
“So, do I,” Jed adds.
I ask Zach, “What happened to not ‘defining us’ and keeping everything on the down-low?”
“I didn’t take out an ad in the newspaper,” he says. “But there’s no way we can sneak around behind your family’s backs; they’d sniff us out for sure.”
“We’re seeing each other?” I ask. It seems that Zach has made a few decisions without discussing them with me. Although, he’s rightly interpreted my interest.
“Well, yeah,” he answers. “I figured that if we’re kissing, we’re seeing each other.” My face turns beet red. The uncles are enthralled by the conversation we’re having in front of them.
“Wait until Lee hears!” Jed exclaims.
“Please don’t tell Mama or Auntie Lee,” I beg.
Jesse looks up from his phone guiltily. “Too late,” he says.
“You’ve been texting them?” I demand.
“Well, yeah,” he answers. “Don’t get all worked up, Emmie. They’ve been placing bets on whether or not something would happen with Zach.”
“They have?” I demand. “Why?”
Jed answers, “I don’t know, two attractive young people working together, living nearly next door, seems like the perfect storm, dontcha think?”
When he puts it that way, I start to worry that maybe the trouble might not be over. I sure as heck am not looking for a storm. I want peace with plenty of sunshine and maybe a donut. But Zach is smiling like he’s on top of the world, so maybe he wants the same thing I do. Only time will tell.
Chapter Forty-One
Zach has a meeting with the plumbers on the second floor, so he heads off shortly after Jed and Jesse come up to check on things. He boldly kisses me right in front of my uncles again. It’s one thing to be kissing, it’s another entirely to be doing so in front of an audience. We’ll have to discuss the difference when we’re private.
Once Zach walks out the door, Jesse makes his way over to me and says, “Well, well, well, Miss Emmeline, it looks like you’ve got yourself a suitor.”
“I guess so,” I reply, unable to control the smile on my face.
“Your mama’s going to flip a biscuit.”
“Hand me your phone,” I order. I look at his texts to Mama and Auntie Lee.
Jesse: Y’all, Zach’s just gone and told us that he and Emmie are a thing. They kissed right in front of us!
Mama: I knew it! I knew that boy was interested ever since that brunch at the Steamboat. He couldn’t keep his eyes to himself.
Auntie Lee: He has been asking about Emmie an awful lot.
Jesse: Whoops, she just caught me texting … more later.
Trills of excitement ripple through me as soon as I read that Zach has been asking about me. I feel so light that if I jumped up, I figure I’d float right through the air.
Jesse asks, “You going to tell him about Armand?”
Talk about a buzz kill. “Yes. But do me a favor and alert the family that I’ll do it when I’m ready. I don’t want anyone jumping the gun like they did when they invented Armand.”
“If you say so, but I think that all turned out pretty well. It’s sure kept Cootie and her club ladies off your back.”
“I guess,” I agree. “But now I have to figure out how to tell Zach that Armand never was. It adds a whole new layer of anxiety I’d just as soon not have to deal with.”
“W
hy anxiety?” he asks.
“What if he judges me harshly and doesn’t want to be involved with me?” I ask.
“Emmie girl, you think that boy hasn’t had a bedmate or two in his time?”
I grimace. “I’m sure he has, but he didn’t get anyone pregnant.”
“First of all, how do you know that? And secondly, a baby outside of marriage isn’t just the mama’s doing. It isn’t shameful, it’s just harder, that’s all.”
“Jesse, women take the brunt of folk’s judgment when there’s a baby and no ring. As unfair as that is, it’s the plain truth. Have you ever heard anyone talk about unwed fathers?”
He truly thinks before answering, “I guess not.”
“Yet they discuss unwed mothers like they’re discussing diarrhea or something.”
“Emmie, I don’t think anyone is looking down on you because of Faye.”
“Only because Auntie Lee concocted a fake fiancé. for me. A dead daddy makes my baby’s start in life acceptable. Why else would Auntie Lee have bothered to make him up?”
Jesse sighs. “Girl, you got me there. Just know the family has your back and we’re not going to let anyone talk bad about you.”
“How are you going to stop them?” I demand.
“You want me to tell Zach about Armand?” he asks.
“Dear god, no! In fact, I want you to text Mama and Auntie Lee and tell them to keep their yaps shut about it. I’ll tell Zach when I’m good and ready.”
He nods his head. “Okay, but you let us know if you need our help.”
The best part of coming home is being back in the bosom of folks who love you so much they’d do anything for you. It’s also the worst part. Sometimes they do too much, like creating a phantom fiancé. named after a famous movie star.
After Jed and Jesse get back to work, I open up my laptop and start looking for fixtures to decorate our model. It’s the perfect distraction. I finalize the order I’ll send to Lexi, then I choose furniture and artwork. I even order bath towels and dishes. I want the place so finished looking that when we open it to the public, prospective buyers feel like they’re arriving at a dinner party.
As soon as I finish up, I shut down my laptop and grab my purse. I take the service elevator down to the first floor and go out the backdoor. I head over to Davis’s workshop to look over his inventory, to see what we can use. Davis is the elusive one in the family. Even after getting caught in a compromising position with one of the club ladies, he managed to stay unaffected by the gossip. I wonder if he has any suggestions for me about how to tell Zach the truth about Armand, and whether or not I should go public with the information.
Outside, the majesty of the mighty Mississippi keeps me company and fuels my confidence that everything is going to work out. Strolling next to such a mighty thoroughfare makes me feel positive and bold. Surely my little drama isn’t even a blip compared to all the living that’s taken place on her banks. I let this rush of optimism wash over me and hope against hope that I’ll come out on top once the truth is known.
Chapter Forty-Two
Davis’s workshop is in the old Creeky Button Factory. The uncles plan to renovate it after they’re done with the sewing machine factory. I walk through the sliding barn door out back and immediately hear old Southern rock and roll blaring. Davis is here. It’s his signature sound.
The building looks like it hasn’t been touched in decades. It’s one big wide-open space filled with partially built furniture. There are sawhorses and workbenches throughout. I see my cousin sanding down an armoire wearing safety goggles and a bandanna across his face. I wave as he looks up.
He stops his electric sander and greets, “Hey, Emmie. You here for the grand tour?”
I smile back. “I am. I’m also looking for a little bit of advice.”
“Good, cause everything you see here is the whole tour. What’s on your mind?”
“First of all,” I say, “I need a great piece for our model condominium at the sewing machine factory. What do you have?”
He leads me across the expanse of the first floor, which is a similar size to the building we’re currently renovating. Behind several partitions, he says, “Pick whatever you want that doesn’t have a red tag on in. Those are all sold.”
There must be forty pieces and most of them are marked. “I love the light stain you use. It looks so natural.”
“It looks so natural because I don’t use stain, I use linseed oil. It’s a more rustic and organic finish which fits my aesthetic better.”
I walk over to a light-grained craftsman-style armoire. “Tell me about this one.”
“That one’s built out of maple. It’s a standard design that works well in either bedrooms or living rooms. I can install a wardrobe bar or shelving, depending on what you want it for.”
“I’ll take it,” I say. “I also need to choose some pieces for Emmeline’s. What do you have?”
“Same armoires, I just won’t put doors on them. Then you can design the shelving however you see fit.”
After picking out four more pieces for the store, I say, “Now, about that advice.”
He arches an eyebrow. “I’m all ears.”
“You know the truth about Faye’s start in life,” I say. He nods once, so I continue. “And you know how your mama saw fit to invent a fiancé for me?”
“I do.”
“Well, say I start dating someone. How do you figure I tell them that Armand isn’t real and that Faye’s daddy is a stranger to me?”
“You talking about Zach?” he asks.
“How do you know about that already?” I demand.
He lifts his phone in the air. “Uncle Jesse. It cuts down time on having to tell everyone what’s going on.”
“My god, y’all are like a bunch of gossipy hens. What did he tell you?”
“Just that you and Zach had reached the kissing portion of your courtship. He added me and Amelia to the text after he told our mamas.”
Lord, these people are going to be the end of me. I say, “I’m trying to figure out when to tell Zach about Armand.”
“You’re better off doing it sooner than later, I suspect. Trouble has a way of multiplying if you wait too long.”
“But how do I tell him? I mean, just coming out and saying it would make me look bad.”
“Emmie, I don’t have a script for you, but I know you best hurry up and come clean. No one likes to hear a truth different than the one they’ve been led to believe, especially when there are feelings involved.”
“You speaking from experience?” I ask.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“What happened to you, Davis?”
“If I want folks to know, I’ll send out a group text, okay?”
“You don’t have to be snotty about it,” I say. “Besides, I didn’t get to decide for myself.”
He runs his hand through his wavy hair. “I’m not bein’ snotty, I’m just endeavoring to keep some things to myself. As you’ve recently been reminded, that’s kind of hard to do in this family.”
“Do you know Zach well?” I change the subject.
“Not really, but from what I understand he’s a pretty upright guy. Just sit him down and tell him it was my mama’s fault.”
“Thanks, Davis.” I give him a hug. “If you ever feel like talking, I promise to listen and not send out a family message telling everyone what’s going on with you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he says. “In the meantime, when do you want me to have your furniture delivered?”
“It’ll probably be a couple weeks; I’ll keep you posted.”
I say goodbye and decide to head home to continue ordering stock for Emmeline’s. Mama’s taken Faye over to visit with Zach’s mom. I expect the two of them will have plenty to discuss after Jesse gets done with his little text-a-thon this morning. I’m suddenly looking forward to some peace and quiet while I try to figure out how to tell Zach about everything. In a perfect world, I’d want t
o wait a few weeks before I say anything, but I’m not sure it’s wise to wait that long.
Chapter Forty-Three
By the time Mama brings Faye home, I’ve already spent twenty thousand dollars on merchandise for the store. I’m purchasing from companies I already have a relationship with from my years at Silver Spoons. I’ll eventually have to make a trip to New York and go to the Merchandise Mart to choose a few focal pieces, but that can probably wait a couple of weeks. Once the walls go up and the space gets laid out, I’ll know how I’m going to display the merchandise. The thought of leaving Faye makes my heart hurt. And I know I can’t take her with me and accomplish everything I need to.
Mama walks through the front door looking like she’s about to burst from happiness. She hands me my baby girl and says, “Zachary Grant, huh? I had a feeling about that boy.”
“You did? Why didn’t you say anything to me about it?”
“I didn’t want to jinx it,” Mama says.
I roll my eyes. “If you say so. Meanwhile, thanks to Auntie Lee, I need to figure out how to tell Zach about Armand.”
“Why?” Mama asks.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe so we don’t start a relationship built on a lie.”
“Seems to me it doesn’t matter who Faye’s daddy is. The only thing that matters is that he’s not in the picture to cause any trouble.”
I’m about to tell her that a lie of omission is still a lie when the doorbell rings. Mama claps her hand together. “I wonder if it’s Zach.”
I suppose it could be, although I think he’s tied up in meetings all day. Mama turns around and nearly sprints to the door in excitement, but when she opens it, her whole posture slumps almost as if it’s the grim reaper himself. “Shelby, what are you doing here?”
Shelby Wilcox is the last person I expected to show up on our doorstop. She looks positively deranged. Her blonde hair has escaped its confines and her clothes look like she slept in them last night. She doesn’t wait for Mama to ask her in, she just charges forth like she’s occupying enemy territory. She stalks right over to me and declares, “You!”
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