Page 10 of Cupcake of the Month
“Do I need to take your phone away?” Brandi teased.
“What?” Jordan glanced up and found four pairs of eyes staring at her.
“Meet a guy last night?” Wendy asked.
“No.” She tucked her phone into her back pocket. It wasn’t a lie. Technically, she and Josh had known each other for years.
“Our first discussion of the morning,” Brandi said. “Who believes her?”
Rob raised his hand.
Jordan lifted her chin to stare down her nose at her so-called friends. “Thank you, Rob. And now I know who I can count on.”
Rob retrieved Wendy’s tablet from the counter and settled in next to her, his hand making lazy circles on her back. The simple intimacy gave Jordan’s heart a small, wistful pang.
“The morning meeting of Fountenoy Hall has begun. Aunt Eulalee?” Wendy asked.
“I decided on pork chops with a peach chutney for dinner. Anthon is getting better at using our recipes before putting his personal spin on it.”
“So no cranberries in the meatloaf next time he makes it?” Wendy asked.
“I think he learned his lesson when no one ate it,” Eulaleesaid. “He’ll have great stories to tell about the backwater Georgia Inn he worked at when he becomes the chef at some five-star establishment.”
Wendy gave a huff of laughter. “The man does have an ego.”
“Still,” Brandi said. “Who puts cranberries in a southern meatloaf?”
“Northerners,” Jordan said. It sounded delicious. Anthon was a pompous bastard, but he did know his way around the kitchen.
“He tames right down when he needs to. I think he’s embarrassed to admit he’s learned a few things in my kitchen that they didn’t teach him at his fancy cooking school.”
“Anything else, Aunt Eulalee?” Wendy asked.
“One thing.” The older woman fiddled with edge of her apron. “I’m going on vacation in two weeks. I’ve already talked to Anthon and he agreed to take over dinner most nights. Since none of you can cook worth a darn, we’ll close the restaurant on the nights he can’t make it. We need someone to take on breakfast, but if we can get one person to do that and cover Anthon’s absences, that would work out better.”
Silence filled the large kitchen before Brandi and Wendy spoke at the same time. “You’re doing what?” asked Wendy.
“Way to go, Aunt Eulalee! You deserve a vacation,” said Brandi.
Wendy threw her cousin a murderous glare.
Jordan kept her mouth shut, letting the two cousins voice their opinions about their aunt’s activities.
“You girls have been doing so well, taking ownership with the Hall since Maybelle passed and working with the brewery. I can leave and not worry about things falling apart while I’m gone.” Eulalee’s eyes misted. “I’m so proud of what y’all have accomplished. I know your Grandma would be, too.”
“Geez, Aunt Eulalee. How can I argue with you after you saythings like that?” Wendy complained. Rob gave her a kiss on her cheek.
“You can’t. Mac and I already have our tickets.” She beamed, her face flushing as she revealed more of her secrets. “And we’re going to Paris.”
This time the silence ticked by. Jordan watched her friends’ faces reflect their thoughts as they came to terms with what their aunt had said.
“Mac?” Brandi finally asked.
“Our produce guy?” Wendy chimed in.
“His assistant Duarte is ready to take on the job alone, so this is good timing all around.” She tucked a loose lock of her white hair behind an ear. “We may never get this chance again.”
“I think it’s great,” Jordan said. “You go to Paris and have a wonderful time.”
