Libbie beamed. “Thank you all. I appreciate your kind words.”
Kate gaped at her. “Look at that. You’re not even blushing.”
Libbie touched her cheeks. “They feel warm.”
“That’s the alcohol,” Julie said.
“Or a hot flash,” Rebecca added.
They continued around the circle, each woman getting her turn as the recipient of compliments. By the end, Libbie felt more uplifted than she had in ages.
“I’m so glad Inga forced us to partake in that little ritual,” Kate said. “Now it’s ingrained as a habit.”
“I started doing it with my kids without thinking about it,” Libbie said. “It sort of spilled over into my other interactions.”
Kate nodded. “She was such an inspiration. I wish I could’ve persuaded her to appear on my channel. It would be nice to have preserved her online.”
“She wasn’t interested in the spotlight,” Libbie said. Like me.
“I’ll make the next round,” Kate said. She scooted back her chair and walked over to the butler’s tray that doubled as a bar.
Libbie watched as her friend held up the jigger to the light to make sure her measurement was accurate.
“Just dump it in,” Rebecca called. “No one cares.”
“I care,” Kate sniffed.
Kate’s perfectionist tendencies had started young. Her parents divorced when she was eight, and her mother later committed suicide when Kate was fifteen. Her mother asked her to go to the store for milk and, by the time Kate returned with the purchase, her mother was gone.
Libbie leaned over to Rebecca and whispered, “Just let her do it.”
“The lady from Titanic was faster throwing her necklace in the ocean,” Julie complained.
Kate glared at her as she returned with the first two drinks and then went back for the other two. “No one’s dying of thirst here.”
“No, but I might die from lack of alcohol,” Julie shot back.
“I can’t drink too much because of Serena’s party tomorrow,” Libbie said.
“Good luck with that,” Rebecca said. “We’re rooting for you.”
“Thanks.” They toasted to Inga, and Libbie finished half her cocktail before declaring the night over. She was relieved that the other women didn’t give her a hard time. She would’ve liked to stay, but duty called.
She left the house feeling buoyant and tilted back her head to admire the night sky. She couldn’t remember the names of the constellations. She’d have to ask Josh tomorrow. He’d always been interested in astronomy from the time he’d started to read.
She slipped behind the wheel and drove home.
Libbie stood at the island in the kitchen, feeling completely in control. It was an amazing sensation, and she relished every second of it. On the drive over, she was convinced she’d suffer from a nervous stomach or have a strong desire to hide in the pantry, but, once she got settled in the Kitts’ kitchen, she realized that the opposite had occurred. She was in her element.
“Everything looks and smells amazing,” Serena said. She looked beautiful with her hair pulled back in a twist. Gold earrings studded with diamonds dangled from her lobes.
“Thank you,” Libbie said. “You look stunning.”
Serena brightened. “Aren’t you sweet?” She glanced around, as though afraid of being overheard, though the guests weren’t due to arrive for another forty-five minutes. “I have to know. What was in that cocktail you made me? It was a life-altering experience.”
Libbie met Serena’s earnest gaze. “You saw the recipe. Just a few basic ingredients.”
“I have to tell you.” Serena’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I felt so empowered after I drank the cocktail that when Caeden came home, I sat him down, and we had the best talk we’ve ever had.”
Libbie’s spirits lifted. “That’s great news. I’m so happy for you.”
“It started out in the usual way. You know, me asking a basic question and him grunting a reply, but then something amazing happened. It was like my brain knew the right thing to say to encourage him to open up and, before I knew it, we were having a genuine conversation. Actual words strung together that formed coherent statements.”
Libbie didn’t have to pretend to be amazed. “That’s fantastic.”
Serena wagged a playful finger at her. “I think that cocktail of yours gave me the liquid courage I needed.”
As far as Libbie was concerned, it seemed to offer a lot more than that. “And what did you find out? Nothing horrible, I take it?”
“Not at all. In fact, he was telling me about the work he’s been doing. All this time I thought he was doing drugs and watching porn, but he’s actually been drawing illustrations using an app on his phone and, let me tell you, they are amazing.” She clasped her hands and emitted a dreamy sigh. “He wants to apply to art schools. Of course, his father will throw a tantrum at the prospect of paying for an education in the arts, but I wholly support it.”
Libbie was thrilled for the Kitts. She hoped that Serena continued to keep the lines of communication open with her son.
“My daughter uses a similar app,” Libbie said. “She’s drawn some incredible pictures with it.”
Serena broke into a wide smile. “Really? So you have a budding artist, too? That’s wonderful.”
“She’s very talented.”
“Is she in any special classes? I was thinking I might do a little research and see whether Caeden is interested. It would be nice to get him to be a part of something. He seems to spend so much time alone.” She laughed lightly. “As you’ve probably guessed, I’m more of an extrovert.”
“Courtney doesn’t like the formal structure of an art class. She said she prefers to follow her own muse.”
Serena slapped a hand against her chest in dramatic fashion. “Oh, to be young and have a muse. I’m so jealous. My only muse these days is the Vogue beauty editor. I don’t know her at all, but she really seems to get me.”
The timer beeped, and Libbie turned to remove the trays of crab puffs from the oven. Her special ingredient was a dash of cayenne pepper. When she’d made the puffs for Chris’s birthday last year, he’d seen the ingredients on the counter and asked why she didn’t just throw hot sauce in there, as well. Of course, he didn’t complain once he tasted them. No one could. They were small heavenly clouds in your mouth.
“And here’s my young Matisse now.” Serena smiled as a surly young man entered the kitchen. His shaggy brown hair seemed at odds with his shirt and tie and neatly pressed trousers. “Caeden, this is Libbie Stark, Josh’s mother. He’s a year ahead of you at school.”
Caeden gave an awkward nod. “Yeah, I know who he is.”
“I was telling Libbie about your artwork. Why don’t you show her some of your drawings?”
“Mom, I asked you not to tell anyone.” Caeden’s face was a reddened mixture of embarrassment and pride.
“Oh, stop. My son’s talents aren’t meant to be hidden away. They’re to be celebrated.”
He rolled his eyes. “Please don’t tell everyone at the party. I don’t want to spend half the day holding up my phone.”
“Why not? You do that anyway.” Serena winked at him.
Caeden scrolled on his screen and turned it so Libbie could see a picture of a dragon with sparkling green scales and a soulful expression.
“Wow. That’s amazing, Caeden. I bet you’ve got dozens of layers there.”
He perked up at the mention of layers. “I do. Probably about fifty.”
“How long did it take you to draw that?”
“About five days. I mean, I’m not drawing all day every day, but I definitely spent hours each day.”
“That takes a lot of patience and commitment,” Libbie said.
“That’s what I told my husband,” Serena said. “Caeden has plenty of discipline when it’s something he actually wants to do.”
Another timer dinged, and Serena patted her son’s shoulder. “
We should get out of Libbie’s hair now. I’m sure she has plenty left to do before the guests arrive.”
“Thank you for sharing your picture with me,” Libbie said. “You should be very proud of it.”
Caeden offered a shy smile. “Thanks.”
“The next time you’re at the club, you should say hi to Josh. He’s working there as a lifeguard most days.” Most of the teenagers in town spent at least a couple days a week at the club, those without jobs anyway.
“I will.” Caeden turned and left the kitchen, still wearing the same smile.
The moment they left, Libbie switched into business mode. Her energy level was high, and she was relieved to notice she felt positive rather than anxious. Even when the doorbell rang announcing the first guest, Libbie didn’t flinch. She simply carried on with the preparations, humming to herself as she worked.
Pretty soon the house was teeming with guests, and Libbie only paused to rest once the party was in full swing. She sank into the shadows to observe the merriment. Everything seemed to be going well. The food and drinks were flowing, and people were chatting and eating happily. The back doors were wide open so the outdoor patio felt like it was integrated with the rest of the house.
Libbie didn’t want to get her hopes up, but she knew if she could impress the guests, maybe that would lead to another job. She still needed a third under her belt, sooner rather than later, to satisfy Mrs. Quincy and, ultimately, the mortgage company.
A familiar figure cut through the cluster of guests in front of the doorway, and Libbie drew a sharp intake of breath. Ethan’s hair was slightly ruffled from the breeze, and she realized he must’ve been one of the guests on the patio. He smiled when he spotted her and strode to greet her.
“I didn’t know you’d be here.” Libbie suddenly wished she’d taken more pains with her appearance. She probably had flour smudges on her face.
“You mentioned a catering job, but it didn’t occur to me it might be this one.” He shook his head. “I should’ve asked. Compliments to the chef, by the way. The food has been nothing short of amazing.”
The old Libbie would’ve minimized her involvement, as though the ingredients had miraculously organized and cooked themselves. The new Libbie, however, simply said, “Thank you.”
“I only realized it was you because someone outside asked about the chef, and I heard your name.” He glanced over his shoulder to the patio. “Honestly, I never would’ve stepped foot inside otherwise. It’s gorgeous out there today.”
“I’m glad. Good weather puts everyone in the right frame of mind for a party.”
“I wish you could join us. It would make a good party even better.”
Libbie didn’t have a chance to respond. Serena swept past them and plucked a clean martini glass from the counter. “Have you two met?”
“Actually, we have,” Ethan said. “Through work.”
Serena placed a manicured hand on his shoulder. “Ethan is a marvelous attorney. If you’re in the market, I highly recommend him. More importantly, my husband recommends his services, and he’s a real pain in the ass to please. Aren’t you, darling?”
Matthew Kitts moved into Libbie’s view and wrapped both arms around his wife’s waist. “Are you disparaging me in front of the guests?”
She tapped his forehead with the base of her glass. “It’s more entertaining than doing it privately.”
“It’s true,” he said, looking at Libbie. “I am a pain in the ass. Very hard to please. Thankfully I have a wife who puts up with me.” He gave her a firm kiss on the cheek.
Serena patted her husband’s cheek and smiled. “We deserve each other. We have to. No one else would tolerate us.”
Libbie softened as she watched their interaction. As much as Serena complained about him, she seemed to genuinely love her husband.
“Congratulations on your promotion,” Libbie said.
“Thank you. I put in a lot of hours, so it’s nice to be rewarded.” Matt snaked his arm around his wife and clasped her hand. “I believe you owe me a dance, fair lady.”
They sauntered out of the kitchen, arm-in-arm.
“I guess you’re too busy for dancing on the patio,” Ethan said.
“Afraid so.”
“I have an idea. Why don’t you come over for dinner one night? I’ll cook, so you don’t have to. We’ll do it after my party, so there’s no professional conflict.”
“What about the witch registration?”
He waved a hand. “I refuse to represent you, but I’m more than happy to find you someone who can.”
Libbie’s spirits soared. A kind, handsome man wanted to cook dinner for her. Ethan Townsend was exactly the type of man she didn’t know she wanted until now. “I’d love to...but I can’t.”
“Oh, okay.” Ethan seemed to take it in stride.
“It isn’t that I don’t want to. I do.” She really, really did. “But I jumped into a marriage, and then I jumped into my last relationship without really thinking about whether it was the right relationship for me. Without working on myself first. I don’t want to repeat the pattern.”
“Well, from where I’m seated, you don’t need much work, but I know that’s a personal decision.” He smiled. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
Libbie’s gaze lingered on him for another long moment. She didn’t realize she could feel this attracted to a man at her age. She hadn’t felt this drawn to someone, even when she was in her prime.
Wait. What if she were in her prime now?
“Libbie?”
She snapped to attention. “Sorry.”
“Are you running through all the reasons why you should change your mind?” He flashed a hopeful grin.
She reached over and squeezed his arm. “You’ll be the first to know. I promise. You should go mingle before they miss you.”
Ethan reluctantly left the kitchen, and Libbie tried to focus on the job. Part of her couldn’t believe she’d just turned him down. She’d waited her whole life to meet someone like Ethan and, even better, he seemed as interested in her as she was in him.
She didn’t have long to dwell on it because Serena hurried toward her, followed by an older woman in a deep purple kaftan. Her silver hair was styled in a French twist, and emerald studs adorned her earlobes.
“Here she is,” Serena said with a bright smile. “Libbie Stark, I’d like you to meet Mrs. Frankie Smith. She’s been raving about the food, so I thought an introduction was in order.”
Frankie shook her hand. “I don’t know what you put in your puffs, but it tastes like a miracle in my mouth.”
Serena nudged her. “I bet you’ve never said that to your husband.”
Frankie laughed. “Oh, Serena. Such wicked thoughts in that beautiful head of yours.” She shifted her attention to Libbie. “I understand this is a new business venture for you.”
“That’s right.”
“It just so happens I have an event coming up, and my usual caterer broke his leg in a water-skiing accident. I’ve been asking around, but all the good ones are booked this far into summer.” Her lips curved into a smile. “Well, all the good ones save one, I hope.”
“When’s the event?” Libbie asked.
“Two weeks,” Frankie said. “Why don’t you come by the house this week, and we can discuss the menu? I can tell you right now that those puffs are definitely going to be on it.”
Libbie felt a sense of pride. She’d devised that recipe on her own after many subpar experiments, so its success was satisfying.
“I’m happy to share her now that our event is almost over,” Serena said.
“I understand you worked at Basecamp before this.” Frankie scrunched her nose. “I never would’ve had the pleasure of tasting your food there. The menu didn’t appeal to me.”
“Their loss is Lake Cloverleaf’s gain,” Serena said. “Be warned. She also makes a cocktail that will change your life.”
Frankie shot Libbie a curious lo
ok. “Is that so? Well, I am always in the market for a mind-blowing cocktail.”
“They’re customized for the individual,” Libbie said. “We can talk about it more when we meet to discuss your event.”
“Sounds good to me.”
They exchanged numbers, and Libbie tried to remain composed, despite the excitement building inside her. Three respectable jobs with members of the community. She’d have enough money to make it through the summer.
Even better, she was one step closer to catering Mrs. Quincy’s party of the season.
Chapter Fifteen
Incredibly enough, Libbie received a text from her mom letting her know they were moving their barbecue to Sunday to accommodate Libbie’s schedule. It was Nick’s weekend, but he agreed to drop the kids off early. They worked most of the weekend anyway, and Nick and Courtney spent most of that time at Cone Hut together.
Libbie barely made it past the front door before her mother started. “I knew that guy was no good,” her mother said. “It’s those long eyelashes. I’ve always said you can’t trust a man with feminine eyelashes.”
“Mom,” Libbie said in her warning tone. Thankfully, Josh and Courtney had already made their way through the house to find their cousins.
“What? You’re trying to tell me he doesn’t have long eyelashes?”
Libbie didn’t want to debate ‘feminine’ eyelashes and their impact on someone’s integrity. “I don’t think we need to rip him apart. That’s all.” As angry and upset as Libbie was, having her family weigh in on the subject served no purpose other than to fan the flames.
Her mother walked beside her to join the others. “It’s not as though your children put him up on a pedestal. They recognized trash better than their mother did.”
“Still, he was a member of our family for the past three years, and he’s the gym teacher at Josh’s school. They’re bound to have mixed feelings.” Chris hadn’t been all bad. If he had been, he wouldn’t have lasted three years. He’d helped with ferrying the kids to and from swim lessons and other activities. He was there when they thought Josh had broken his arm and Nick wasn’t home. It turned out to be a sprain, but Chris had taken control of the situation and kept his cool when talking to the hospital staff. Libbie had been too anxious to speak, let alone ask the necessary questions. He’d taken care of the bills, although Libbie knew she couldn’t give him much credit for that under the circumstances.
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