Page 63 of Moonshine and Magnolias
“Maybe you’re just rusty.” Brandi grinned at her, then threw a fastpeach.
Wendy’s favorite. She swung and lobbed that sucker well over Brandi’s head and into the orchard. “And the crowd goes wild!”
Brandi threw her arms in the air and did a passable imitation of a cheering crowd. Just like they were back playing on their high school team.
Except it wasn’t high school anymore. Wendy met her cousin at the makeshift mound.
“How do you do it?” Brandi asked, leaning against the tree.
Wendy furrowed her brow. “You’ve been playing just as long as I have.”
“No, I mean.” Brandi waved her arms to encompass the Hall, the orchard. “This. It’s so effortless for you. You always know everything and you’re so put together. People respect you. I have nothing to show in my life that I didn’t have given to me.”
That’s what happened when going out with guys became more important that studying, when moving in with someone and letting him take care of her held more appeal than learning to take care of herself. Their senior year, Brandi had barely maintained the grade point average needed to stay on the team. “Would it make you feel better if I told you I abandoned Jordan in the messy kitchen to take a quick break?”
“You? Left incomplete work?” She shrugged, but a smile tugged at her lips. “A little.”
“I’ll have to go back soon to make sure she didn’t run away screaming.”
“Jordan can handle it. She’s like you. I don’t know how either of you puts up with me.” Brandi kicked the pile of peaches that lay at her feet and they scatteredaround her. “Thank you for not telling me I told you so or that it was all my fault. I know it was. I’m hoping my work here will change that. Even though I earned it only by birth.”
“Brandi, your work ethic isn’t going to magically change. You missed your dinner shift without telling me.”
“I know, I’m sorry. There was a problem that I had to deal with. I wasn’t expecting it.”
That could mean a million things. “Contingency plans, Brandi. With Eulalee exhausting herself trying to train Anthon, if Jordan hadn’t been here, I don’t know how I could have done everything. Communication is important.”
“I didn’t want that patented I’m-so-disappointed-in-you Wendy stare. I felt bad enough as it was.”
Wendy swallowed. “I do not have a stare.”
“Yes, you do.” Brandi dipped her chin and tilted her head, looking at Wendy through squinted eyes. “Like this.” She pointed. “You’re doing it now!”
“No, this is my get-real stare.” Wendy lifted her hand. “I can adapt to most situations, Brandi, but only if I know there’s going to be a situation.”
“I’ll get better at this. I promise. I want to do my part. Make Fountenoy Hall mine. Ours.”
“I want to believe you. I do.” Wendy put her back to the tree, next to her cousin. Talking was easier if she could avoid the intense eye contact. “But this isn’t the first time we’ve had a conversation like this. The trust isn’t going to come in one night.”
“Yeah, Sebastien said you’d say that.” Brandi wiped her sleeve across her eyes. “He’s right, as usual.”
“Yeah, Sebastien’s one of the good ones.” Wendy tried to keep her tone light, but she wanted to lock her cousin in a room with the prince until she realized how good he would be for her.
Brandi tilted to knock her shoulder into Wendy’s. “What about this Doctor Rob guy? He one of the good ones, too?”
Warmth spread in Wendy’s belly instead of the defensive shield that normally sprang up whenever talk with her cousin turned to a member of the opposite gender. So many times, Brandi had ended up with the man, regardless of Wendy’s feelings. “Yeah. He is.”
“Wow, I can tell with that dopey grin on your face. I’ve never seen it before. You’ve fallen, and hard.”
No, that wasn’t true. She liked him, sure. But fallen? Wendy shook her head. “It’s not like that.”
“Yeah, you go and keep saying that to yourself.” She tossed a peach in the air and caught it. “Did you get your bedroom issues straightened out?”
“Brandi!”
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If it doesn’t go right the first time, you try again.”
Wendy felt the flush cover her face. Hopefully Brandi wouldn’t be able to tell in the dim light of the setting sun.
