Page 70 of Moonshine and Magnolias
Sebastien frowned at Jordan. “I don’t see you finding some cuddle bunny for the weekend, so don’t harass me about mine.”
“Maybe I’m down here because I’m running away from my cuddle bunny.Ever think of that?”
“Right.” Wendy grinned and downed the remainder of her whiskey. “You’re fearless, Jordan. You’d run anyone over if they wronged you.”
Brandi reappeared, holding a tray of pie with plates and silverware. “I got a hankering for some dessert. Wendy, is this okay?”
“Yes,” said Sebastien.
How quickly Brandi fell back into habit. “Why are you asking me?” Wendy said.
“I don’t know. You know these things.”
“I know if you can serve pie?”
“You can definitely serve pie.” Sebastien tucked his sketch pad beside his chair.
“No, I mean, you’re in charge,” Brandi said.
Wendy took a fork off the tray and gently tapped each of her cousin’s shoulders. “I dub thee Woman in Charge.”
“What do you mean?”
“Brandi, I’m not in charge. We’re equals. I took the lead only because you didn’t seem interested in learning, and because of my experience. This here,” she gestured to the food. “It’s not a life or death decision. The wrong answer here isn’t going to cave in the walls or cause an earthquake. Can we have pie?”
“What if Eulalee wanted it for something?”
Wendy repeated the question back to her.
“We make another?”
“Works for me. Only not we. You. I can’t cook.” Wendy hefted the tray from her cousin and set it on the coffee table.
“Eulalee can teach us,” her cousin said. “She’s already taught me so much.”
“You’ve been taking cooking lessons?”
“Yes. Cooking lessons.” Brandi ducked her head and cut the first piece.
Activity stopped when Rob crossed the threshold to the parlor, then resumed at a heightened pace. Wendy’s skin prickled with the awareness and a low flamefilled her belly at his hot, heated stare. And in the presence of her cousin, her friends, and leftover peach pie, she rose from her seat to kiss him at the parlor’s entrance.
“Hi,” she said.
“My, look at the time. I’m off to bed.” Jordan stood up and stretched. “So is Sebastien.”
“But pie.” He pointed to the dish.
Brandi picked up the tray. “I forgot a knife. Come with me to the dining room.”
Within seconds, Wendy and Rob were alone in the parlor.
“I promise that was completely spontaneous,” she said.
“I’m beginning to like your friends more and more.” Rob wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her close to his body.
***
Wendy scanned the ornateketubahbefore placing it on the Queen Anne desk in the library. Though she couldn’t read any of the Hebrew, the traditional marriage contract was a work of art, bordered with jewel-colored patterns and swirling letters. Pearl had chuckled over the language when she handed Wendy the parchment last night, saying the legal and moral commitment of marriage in the Jewish religion had been modernized and changed for two women. Wendy lined up the three pens that were on the desk, making sure their tips were even, ready for the witnesses and Rabbi to sign.
