by Debby Mayne
Justin stops and turns his head. “C’mon, poky.”
“I’m coming.” She and I look at each other, and in that instant, I realize she’s scared silly to face the rest of the family with her new husband.
I lean over and whisper, “Don’t worry. I’ll be right here if you need me.”
A slight smile forms on her lips, and she nods. “I know.”
The instant Aunt Lady spots us, she puts down the towel she’s holding and practically runs toward us. “There you girls are. I’ve been wonderin’ if y’all would be here.” She makes one of her many faces—this one feigning a blend of joy and exasperation—and looks directly at me. “It’s getting mighty late.”
Tom starts to apologize, but I stop him with a smile and headshake. There’s no point in anyone putting the blame on someone they haven’t even met yet.
“We wouldn’t miss this for anything.” I pause and nod toward my sister. “Would we, Sara?”
Aunt Lady walks over to Sara, places her hand on her shoulder, and glances down at her belly. “Do we have a little one on the way?”
Sara glances down at her shirt. “No, I don’t think so. Why?”
Aunt Lady rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Then why would you run off and get married like you did? Do you realize you’ve taken away the opportunity for your whole family to see you say, ‘I do’?”
“I—”
“But that’s okay. Some of us have decided to throw you a combination shower-reception. Then you can throw the bouquet. You can at least do that much for us, can’t you?”
“I guess.” Sara gives me a helpless look. “But you really don’t have to go to all that trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all. We’re havin’ it at my house on account of it being the only place big enough for all the people we plan to invite.”
My heart goes out to Sara. I’m not happy about her elopement, but she and I both abhor being the guest of honor at this type of thing. The last time Aunt Lady planned something for us was our surprise “coming out” party after we’d already told Daddy we didn’t want to have a formal debut. We’d barely graduated from high school and were still trying to figure out what to do with our lives. Throughout the party, people asked us what we were doing, if we were going to college, whether or not we planned to stay in Pinewood, and if either of us had marriage prospects. It traumatized both of us so much we never even mentioned it after that night.
Aunt Lady continues to jabber on and on about flowers for the occasion and whether or not it should be a formal sit-down dinner or more casual buffet. Justin’s eyes keep getting bigger by the moment. I have to stifle a giggle. I’ve never seen him this scared. Most of the time he wears a blank expression, and this other side of him endears him to me more than I’m happy to admit.
“What kind of flowers do you want in your bouquet?” Aunt Lady asks.
Sara tilts her head. “Do I really need a bouquet?”
“Of course you do. What else would you toss?” Aunt Lady takes hold of Sara’s hand in both of hers. “You don’t think you’ll get away without the bouquet toss, do you? Why, you simply can’t leave that out. It’s the best part.”
“I don’t—”
“Yes, you do. We can’t disappoint all the young single women in the family, now can we?” She turns to me and winks. “I’m sure Sally will be right up there with all the other girls who are eager to catch the bouquet so they can hook their own prince.”
If I didn’t know my aunt, I’d never believe anyone would say such a thing. But Aunt Lady has been embarrassing Sara and me—and I’m sure everyone else in the family—since I can remember. I sure hope Tom doesn’t hold her against me.
Elliot is more attentive than I ever imagined he’d be. On the one hand, I love having him with me, but on the other hand, I’m starting to question his motives. I’m concerned about a couple of things now. First of all, I don’t want him to think that I’m a ticket to wealth, but he’ll eventually figure that out on his own. I’m also feeling kind of squirmy about the rather off-putting stares we’re getting from some of my cousins, aunts, and uncles.
We pass one of my great-uncles with a crowd of little boys around him. “Looky here, young’uns. I’m gonna put these goobers in this Co-cola, and watch what happens.” The instant he drops the peanuts into the liquid, it starts foaming. All the boys make appreciative sounds. My great-uncle leans back in his chair, a self-satisfied look on his face. “Now what do y’all think of that? Pretty nifty, huh?”
Elliot chuckles as he leans down and whispers, “My daddy used to do that.”
I look over at him and see that he’s still smiling, and now I know what my grandfather meant when he used to say something made his heart smile, because that’s exactly what I’m feeling right now.
A strange expression comes over Elliot as he stares off to my right. “Don’t look now.”
Of course I look. How can I not?
Uh-oh. Aunt Lady has just left Sally and Sara, and is now heading toward us. “Shay, darlin’, it’s so good to see you here.” She turns toward Elliot and flashes her biggest smile. “And you finally brought a man. Isn’t he good lookin’?”
“Aunt Lady, you know Elliot Stevens, don’t you?”
She makes an exaggerated surprised face, letting me know it’s all an act. She knows exactly who he is. “Why, Elliot Stevens, I do declare. I thought you moved away and got married.”
He rubs his chin and gives her an awkward look. “I did, but it didn’t work out, so I’m back in Pinewood.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. Look at me, stickin’ my foot in my mouth and not mindin’ my own business.” She grins at me. “I’m glad you have Shay here to help you get over your failed marriage.” She lowers her voice. “She’s gettin’ up there in age, and some folks seem to think she might wind up bein’ an old maid.” She nudges him. “But maybe she’s just waitin’ for the right man who has his own problems.”
She couldn’t have said anything worse if she’d planned it. And she probably did. I start to say something, but Elliot squeezes my hand.
“I’m just happy to be here with Shay. I never thought I’d have a chance with her because she’s always been one of the prettiest girls in Pinewood, and she’s smart, too.” He lets go of my hand, places his arm around my shoulders, and grins down at me. “That’s a bonus.”
For the first time I can remember, Aunt Lady is momentarily speechless, but she recovers quickly. “Well . . . that’s nice, Elliot. Why don’t you two chat with some of the young people? Did y’all see the twins?”
As soon as she floats off to spread her Lady-like cheer, Elliot chuckles, but he doesn’t let go of me. I have to stifle the urge to snuggle closer to him.
I wait until she’s far enough away not to hear. I chew on my lip for a couple of seconds. “I guess I am an old maid.”
“Don’t talk like that. Family members have no idea what they’re doing when they give us labels.” He gives me another of his appreciative looks. “You are not an old maid.”
“Has your family put a label on you?”
He grimaces and nods at the same time. “They used to call me Beast.”
“Beast?”
“Apparently I didn’t have the best manners when I was little, and I would chase and knock down all my cousins.”
I laugh. “I guess you can say you were destined to become a football player.”
He laughs, too. “I reckon so. Besides, I get a kick out of people like her. She reminds me of one of my great-aunts.”
“She does?”
“Yeah. In fact, all the way down to the fact that she’s also a redneck who made it big.”
Then it dawns on me. “Are you talking about your great-aunt who invented the pillow that hugs you back?”
“That’s the one. Not a single person in the family took her seriously until she bought a cheap, middle-of-the-night TV ad, and that thing started selling like hotcakes. When she started wearing those two-hund
red-
dollar dresses, all the ladies in the family took notice, but it wasn’t until she bought the Ford truck that the men realized she was on to something big.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. “Funny how a truck can do that to a man.”
“She got my attention, that’s for sure.” He waves to someone off in the distance. “Your brother and his wife are heading this way.”
I glance up and see Puddin’ walking toward me like she’s on a mission. As soon as she stops, she plants her hands on her hips, gives me a head-bob, and grins. “Hey girl. I hope you don’t think you can get away with not giving me a hug.” There’s something different about her that I can’t put my finger on. She extends her arms.
I lean over to give her a hug, and she whispers, “You and I need to talk, but don’t say anything to anyone.”
When we pull away, she lifts her chin. “So who do you have here? Don’t tell me it’s Elliot Stevens.”
“Okay, I won’t.” I giggle, something I don’t think I’ve ever done before.
Elliot steps closer to her and extends his hand. “So good to see you, Mrs. Henke.”
She lets go of his hand. “Call me Puddin’. Everyone else does.”
“Then Puddin’ it is.” The warmth in his voice soothes me from the inside out, but I’m still not sure about him. “This is some get-together, isn’t it?”
Puddin’ laughs. “That’s a good way of putting it. If you want to know the truth, most of us would rather be somewhere else, but we come here so we don’t wind up being the topic of conversation.”
I hate to admit this, but she’s right. At least, most of the time. I’m not sure how I feel at the moment.
“What did y’all bring?” Puddin’ asks. “I want to make sure I try whatever it is. You’ve always been a good cook, Shay, and your food is much healthier than most.” She runs her hands down her sides. “I’m going to have to lose a little of this so my customers will take me more seriously.”
Oh, so that’s what it is. She’s gone from being a bookkeeper to working face-to-face with customers and it obviously agrees with her. I glance over at my brother, who appears rather surly.
“What’s going on with you, Digger?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Not much.”
Elliot clears his throat. “Are you still with UPS?”
Digger squares his shoulders and nods. “Sure am. Been there for a while now.”
“I hear it’s a good company,” Elliot says.
“The best for delivery service. Our slogan used to be, ‘What can brown do for you?’ and we still mean it. His puffs his chest so it appears at least half again its normal size.
I pull my lips between my teeth to keep from laughing. My brother has always been proud of his job, and as tempting as it is to crack a sarcastic comment, I would never want to take that away from him.
“Hey, Shay!”
I spin around in time to see Sally strutting toward me with a very attractive man following close behind her. And behind them are Sara and Justin.
“I want you to meet Tom.” Sally steps aside as the man I assume is Tom comes forward. “He’s in the fashion business.”
Before anyone else has a chance to say a word, Puddin’ jumps into the conversation. “I’m on the retail side of the business. What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing this season?”
Tom grins. “Mostly the latest cartoon characters. I’m in children’s apparel.”
“Oh.” Puddin’ slinks back, clearly disappointed. Then she takes me by the arm. “Shay, can I talk to you now? I’m about to pop with some news, and I want to get some advice from you.” Her pleading look touches my heart. “Now if the rest of y’all will excuse us.” She pauses momentarily. “Oh, Digger, don’t forget my photos of the house when you go back to get Jeremy’s party hats.”
“I thought you had ’em in your phone.”
“I do, but it’s easier to see them all blown up on paper.”
His scowl deepens. At least now I understand his surly expression.
“Okay, so here’s the deal.” I glance over my shoulder to make sure no one else is within listening distance. “Amanda is moving, and I have to buy the store.”
“What?” Shay’s face scrunches up. “I missed something here. Why do you have to buy the store just because Amanda’s moving?”
“Because she doesn’t want to run it long distance, she’s already put it up for sale, and someone has made an offer.” I know I’m talking too fast, but I’m also aware that this family won’t give us much time alone. As soon as someone discovers we’re away, just the two of us, they’ll send a search party.
Shay gives me one of her expressions that let me know she thinks I’m crazy. “Then why can’t you work for the new owner?”
“Because the guy is known for cleaning house and starting over with his own people.”
“Oh.” Shay contorts her mouth. “And you don’t want to find another job?”
I groan. “You know that La Chic is much more than just a job to me. It’s a calling. It’s what I’m meant to do.”
Shay smiles. “It’s also something my brother has gotten used to.” She pauses. “I understand. What can I do?”
“You can help me figure out how to buy the shop. You’re good with numbers, and you’re the best businessperson I know.” She’s also the only person I know I can trust.
“Have you asked Amanda how much she wants?”
I shake my head. “No, not yet, because it doesn’t matter how much she wants. I simply don’t have the money.”
“And I gather you haven’t discussed this with Digger.” She makes it sound more like a question than a statement.
“Are you kidding? There’s no telling what Digger might say.”
She nods as she places a hand on my shoulder. “Exactly. Puddin’, you’ve been surprised by Digger’s reactions in the past. He might just do that again.”
“I don’t know about this, Shay. It’s one thing to have a job there, but a whole other thing to own the place.”
“True.” Shay chews on her bottom lip for a few seconds before smiling again. There’s a twinkle in her eye I’ve never seen before. “Tell you what. I’ll think about it and try to come up with a plan. In the meantime, go have a good time with the family. I know everyone will rave about whatever you brought. They always do.”
“Okay.” Shay always knows the right thing to say, which is why I’m glad she’s my sister-in-law. I have a feeling she’ll come up with a solution that I wouldn’t ever think of on my own. “Oh, how’s everything with Elliot?”
“I wish I knew.” Shay scrunches her face before offering one of her forced smiles that I’ve come to realize is how she keeps from falling apart. She once told me it’s all an act when she’s in over her head in a social or business situation.
“Tell you what. After we get this thing with the shop settled, I’ll see what I can do to help you in the romance department.”
Her expression softens, and she laughs. “I’m sure I could use a little help.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see some really cute man coming toward us, his gaze focused on Shay. “Do you know that guy? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him before.”
Shay turns her head, then looks back at me, her eyes wide. “He’s one of my neighbors.”
Okay, now this is getting weird. “Did you invite him?”
“No. He’s the youth pastor at Aunt Faye and Uncle Dennis’s church. They asked him to come.”
“Whew. I was worried you were playing two guys at the same time.”
Shay leans back and practically howls with laughter. “Me? I wouldn’t have a clue how to play that game.”
“I know that. So tell me, what do you think about him?”
Shay’s face turns bright red, doing a better job of answering my question than words ever could. “He’s nice.”
Now I get why she’s acting so strange. It’s my turn to put my hand on her shoulder. “Oh, I kn
ow, sweetie. I know.”
“Hi there, Shay.”
“Hey, Joe. I’d like to introduce you to my sister-in-law.”
After she makes the introduction, he rubs his hands together. “You weren’t kidding when you said your family puts out a big spread. I don’t think anyone will go home hungry after this.”
Before I have a chance to say another word, Elliot and Digger approach, both of them holding big red plastic Solo cups in both hands. Digger gives me mine. “I added extra sugar, just like you like it.”
“Did you go to the house for the pictures and hats?”
“I called Trey. He’s bringing them.”
I don’t want to admit that I don’t trust Trey to follow through, so I just smile. “Thanks, hon.” I turn my attention to Shay and Elliot.
“Wasn’t sure if you wanted anything to drink, but I thought I’d take a chance.” Elliot hands Shay one of the cups filled with tea. “Digger said you like lemon in yours. I hope I fixed it like you like it.” He glances over at Joe, then back at Shay. “One of your cousins?”
Before Shay has a chance to make the introduction, I speak up. Her attraction to Joe is so obvious, I’m sure it’ll come out the second she opens her mouth, and I don’t think she’d want Elliot to notice.
She gives me an appreciative smile, and I grin right back at her. I love the way she and I can say a lot without words. It’s sort of like how I used to imagine husbands and wives communicating, but I’ve found that’s not always the case. In fact, most of the time it isn’t. At least not for Digger and me.
Digger lifts his hand and waves. “There’s Trey.”
I glance up and see him coming toward me with one of my totes, holding it like it might bite him. “Daddy said you wanted this stuff.”
As soon as I take the tote, I look inside and see that he brought exactly what I wanted, and I’m surprised. “Thanks, Trey. You did good.”
He makes a grunting sound before turning around and walking toward a group of cousins closer to his age. Digger, Elliot, and Joe are talking, and every now and then, Shay speaks up.