Or maybe it was because not one of the Potluckers had shown up to help me. Here it was, 10:00 a.m., the day before the shower, and I was the only one preparing for our big day.
I understood that Goldie and Donna had to work, and of course, I couldn’t expect Lizzie to help, being the mother of the bride and all. But where were Vonnie and Evie? They’d promised to come and lend a hand first thing this morning.
When the phone rang, I felt a pang of hope. I put on my headset and picked up. “Potluck Catering.”
“Well, if it isn’t Lisa Leann.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Clark, I asked you not to call me.” “This is a business call,” Clark said, as if he was teasing me. “I’m calling to confirm our meeting tonight.”
I picked up my knife and continued to chop onions. “What meeting?”
“Didn’t Beverly tell you? The three of us are going to do a walkthrough of your event about 7:00 tonight. We’ll go over everything, just to make sure we can pull off this bridal shower without a hitch.”
I sighed loudly. “Beverly did not inform me of these plans. Can the two of you make do without me?”
“Oh, I’m afraid not. Since you’re the outside caterer, I will definitely have to go over some codes and regulations concerning both the city of Breckenridge as well as the hotel, you know, to make sure everything’s in order.”
“Okay. I’ll be there.”
I hung up before he could say more. What’s next?
“Hello?” a voice called from the front of my wedding shop. I called back, “Evie, is that you? I’m back here in the kitchen.”
Evie came in, tugging off her beige coat before hanging it on the coatrack. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a fuchsia sweatshirt. She pushed up her sleeves, ready to get to work. “Goodness, where is everyone?” she asked, walking to the sink to wash up.
“It’s only you and me, and hopefully Vonnie. Tomorrow, we’ll have the whole gang, minus Lizzie.”
Evie laughed. “We’ll excuse Lizzie, just this once.”
Vonnie stuck her head in the back door. “Sorry I’m late, I had a heck of a time getting Mother squared away for the day.”
“Oh, Vonnie, I’m just glad you made it,” I said, watching as she too slipped out of her coat then popped one of my pink aprons over her head before tying the sash in the small of her back. I went to the refrigerator and pulled out my ball of cheese dough I’d placed in a large ceramic bowl and topped with plastic wrap. I placed the bowl on the workstation next to my king-sized roll of wax paper and a stack of baking sheets. I nodded toward Vonnie. “Why don’t you wash up?”
But instead of turning toward the sink, she blocked my path. “Why Lisa Leann, have you been crying?”
I pointed to my large bowl of chopped onions I’d been preparing for the salmon mousse. “No, no, it’s only the onions.”
Vonnie looked at me carefully, as if trying to read the thoughts behind my eyes. “There’s something more, something you’re not telling me. What’s wrong, Lisa Leann?”
Evie walked toward me, looking concerned as she tied on her apron, looping the extra sash around her middle. I shook my head and forced a laugh. “Oh, I’m fine.” I took a deep breath. “I’ll admit I’m feeling the stress, especially without Henry here to help me.”
Vonnie turned to wash her hands in the sink while Evie continued to stare. “Where is Henry?”
I tried to be stoic. “Mission trip to Mexico. It’s with the youth of our former church in the Woodlands.”
I could tell my performance hadn’t convinced the girls. “Are you sure nothing else is wrong?” Evie asked.
I began to busy myself by rolling out two long lengths of wax paper and dividing the dough in half.
“Honestly? I’m missing Mandy and the baby. I found out she had a baby shower, and no one even told me about it till after the fact.”
Vonnie, who had just finished drying her hands on a paper towel, turned and hugged me. “It must be tough to be so far from your grandbaby.”
I simply nodded and sniffed my nose as I tried to gain a new level of calm. Evie said, “Okay, Lisa Leann, we’re yours for the day. Show us what you want us to do.”
Within minutes I began demonstrating the cheese stick making procedure by rolling a small piece of dough between my hands and into a long, thin strip. I twisted the strip for a decorative flair and placed it on one of the cookie sheets. After my demonstration, the girls got to work, and I returned to my chopping job, now slicing bok choy into tiny strips for the spring rolls.
I was glad to have help, as long as we could avoid the topic of my personal life. Soon, though, I had changed the subject, directing Evie to tell us more about life as a newlywed.
“It is so different from life as a single,” she’d said with a shy smile. “Now I have to always consider Vernon in my every decision. I mean, I used to be the center of my world, and now my focus has shifted to Vernon.”
“That’s really the secret to marital happiness,” Vonnie agreed as she twisted a small cylinder of dough. “To focus on the one whom God has given you to be your soul mate.”
“I always thought the so-called ‘soul mate’ thing was a myth.”
Vonnie laughed. “Not every couple is as happy as Fred and me. Of course, we’ve had our rough times, like recently, when my longlost son showed up on our doorstep. But I’ve always believed it’s possible to change a normal marriage into an exceptional marriage, just by being a loving spouse. Of course, that philosophy won’t work in every situation, but it will help most.”
“Is that your secret?” Evie asked Vonnie. “Is that how you and Fred have lasted all these years?”
“Pretty much,” Vonnie said. She turned to me and asked, “How about you, Lisa Leann? How have you managed to stay so close to Henry?”
I was now chopping sugar peas into skinny strips as I admitted, “Actually, my marriage hasn’t always been healthy. You know, Henry was so engrossed in his work at Exxon, and I was always so busy with church and my club activities. That’s why we decided to leave Texas and take early retirement. We agreed we needed to concentrate on each other.”
Evie raised an eyebrow. “How’s that working?”
I felt heat tingle my cheeks. “Well, great. That is, except for this week with Henry out of the country and all.”
“When does he come back?” Vonnie asked.
“I pick him up at DIA Monday.”
The afternoon flew by as I continued to feel emotionally stronger. It helped to be busy and it helped to have my friends around me. We spent the day stirring, chopping, laughing, and baking as we told funny stories on each other as well as ourselves. I also treated the girls to a lovely lunch of grilled chicken sandwiches and frozen grapes, plus we got to sample the first of our cheese sticks, all toasty from the oven. As the five o’clock hour approached, I was surprised at how much we’d accomplished: the cheese sticks were baked and bagged as were the pumpernickel crisps, the salmon mousse had been poured into large fish molds and refrigerated, the spring rolls had been stuffed and wrapped and now lined my baking pans, ready to be baked fresh tomorrow afternoon, so we could keep them warm in our portable warming ovens for the party. Plus we’d wrapped our scallops in prosciutto. Earlier, I’d pulled the tiny petit fours out of the freezer to thaw. They looked like adorable ivory and chocolate gift boxes, all tied in ribbons of silver icing.
“What time should we get here tomorrow?” Vonnie asked.
I began to brew a fresh pot of coffee in my coffeemaker, and I set a few of our petit fours on a serving plate for the girls to sample. “Things are really coming together,” I said. “All we have left is the chocolate fountain and the crimini mushrooms, plus moving and set up. Which, believe me, will be a chore.”
“I’ve got David signed up to help with the moving back and forth,” Vonnie said.
“Yes, and my Vernon too,” Evie added.
“Great! Then, let’s plan to meet back here about nine,” I said. “
I’ll have the work schedules made out by then, so everyone will know their jobs.”
“This is so exciting, girls!” Vonnie said. “The way we’re organized, what could go wrong?”
What could go wrong, indeed, I wondered as I drove toward Breckenridge later that evening, chagrined that I had to see Clark with my husband nowhere to be found. Well, at least Beverly would be there to act as my guardian (whether she knew it or not).
Soon, I walked into the marbled lobby of the Mountain Bell Tower Resort and turned down the hall leading to Clark’s office. I knew Michelle, Adam, and Tim worked in some of these back offices, but they’d probably all left for home by now. I knocked then poked my nose inside Clark’s office to see him busy working at his desk. “Is Bev here yet?”
He stood. “Lisa Leann, Bev will be here momentarily.” He walked around the desk and took my hand. “She just called and said she’s running a little late. But while we wait, let me show you the setup for your catering team.”
I shrugged. “Okay.” I followed him down the hall. He smiled at me then. “Oh, and I appreciate you sending me the Harris-Vesey wedding. I met with your deputy friend the other night and I think she’s going to sign on the dotted line any minute.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “David and Donna are getting married? Here?”
Clark studied me. “Didn’t you know? I know she’s trying to keep it all hush-hush, especially after pretending Hollywood Harris’s name was Smith, but I saw through their little ruse. I know they’re just trying to protect their privacy from the media crush the news of their wedding will surely spawn.”
I nodded, shell-shocked. How could I have missed seeing Donna and David’s romance develop? And why hadn’t she yet come to me to help plan her wedding?
When we bypassed the conference room where the shower was to be held, I stopped. “Clark, just where are you taking me?”
“To the room where you’re going to set up your catering operation,” Clark said, as if he were puzzled by my hesitation. He stopped in front of a nearby door and inserted his master key. “This way,” he said as I entered ahead of him.
The door shut behind us, and I reached for the wall to see if I could find the light switch. But before I was able to flip it on, Clark pulled me into his strong embrace. I tried to push away. “Clark, what do you think you’re doing?”
“I told you, Lisa Leann, you belong to me,” he said, kissing me gently on the forehead.
“Stop it, Clark.”
He whispered in my ear, “I know you love me, Lisa Leann. I know you want me. Why else would you have come tonight, with Henry out of town?”
“No! I . . . I came to meet Bev.”
“Really? I don’t believe she’ll be here till tomorrow afternoon. That means we’ve got the whole night to ourselves.” Clark continued to back me through the room until I bumped into the edge of the bed with my legs.
“Clark, stop it. No!” I shrieked as he lowered me onto the plush mattress. He began to tug at my clothes, his kisses heavy on my mouth. I squirmed my face away from his. “Stop! Help!” I cried, hoping I was loud enough to be heard by someone passing by.
The room door rattled open as a backlit figure stepped into the darkness.
“Who’s there?” Clark asked, kneeling on the bed above me. He switched on the nightstand lamp.
I gasped out loud when I saw a face materialize in the lamplight. There stood Donna Vesey dressed in her deputy’s uniform with one hand resting on her holster.
“I got a tip from one of the staff that something was about to go down in here. I was just outside the door when I heard a cry for help. Is everything all right?”
I jumped off the bed and ran to her, tugging my red sweater back into place. “No! Donna, thank God you’re here.”
Clark ran a hand through his disheveled hair. “What is this? How did you get in here?”
Donna pulled a passkey out of her pocket with her free hand. “I’ve got connections,” she said. She held up a photograph of a document and continued, “And, I’ve got evidence. In fact, Clark, I was just on my way to hand-deliver it to you.”
Clark climbed off of the bed and took a step toward her as he tucked in his shirt. “What do you mean?”
Donna opened the file folder, which contained enlarged photographs of Clark kissing a young redhead.
“What is this?” Clark demanded.
Donna handed him the file. “Some photos we snapped yesterday, plus some sworn statements that you’ve been sexually harassing some of the staff. This file is for you, Clark. I have another copy of it down at the station.”
Clark thumbed through the pictures and photocopies and looked back at Donna. His voice rose. “What are you planning to do with this?”
Donna frowned. “Actually, it’s up to Lisa Leann to decide.”
Clark’s eyes bore into mine. “What’s your part in this?”
“I’m just as surprised as you are, Clark. I’m surprised by this ‘evidence’ as well as your behavior tonight. But I like where Donna is going.”
Clark wore his little-boy pout that I’d once found so adorable. “But I was only doing what you know you wanted.”
I took a couple of cautious steps toward him. “No, Clark. You were doing what you wanted. I’ve long come to realize that getting involved with you was the worst mistake of my life. Tonight proved it.”
Clark looked shocked. “But we were in love.”
“No, we were in lust. What we did was wrong in the eyes of God.”
Donna handed me the glossy photo of Clark in a major lip-lock with a young redhead. “Don’t feel too sorry for Clark; from the looks of things, you were only one of many.”
I nodded as I stared down at the picture. “I can see that.” I looked back up at Clark and narrowed my eyes. “I can’t believe I betrayed my husband for you.”
Donna put her hand on my shoulder. “Lisa Leann, what do you want to do?”
I folded my arms and gave Clark the once-over. “It looks to me that there are other victims you need to talk to besides me. But if it were up to me, well, I’d expose Clark for what he is.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Clark said. “Because if you tell on me, I’ll certainly tell Henry about us.”
I felt a strange sense of calm. “I’ve already made up my mind to tell Henry. When you showed up at my church, I realized that telling the truth was the only way I could finally be rid of you. I don’t know how Henry will take it, but I’m willing to bet my marriage just to prove to you we’re over.”
Donna looked at Clark. “You heard the lady. I’ll be expanding my investigation to see if there are more sexual harassment complaints from your employees.”
“That’s outrageous.”
“Outrageous is a word I’d use to describe your behavior,” Donna said.
Clark blinked, and Donna grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the door. “Time to go home, Lisa Leann. I think we’ve concluded our business with Clark.”
With my heart still pounding, I followed her into the hallway without looking back. I leaned against my friend. “Oh Donna, I had no idea Clark was capable of something like this.”
“I know.”
We walked down the corridor and into the parking lot, where the evening’s chill cooled the hot flush that had engulfed me.
“Come sit in my Bronco for a minute, we need to talk.”
I climbed inside as Donna slid into the driver’s seat. She turned to face me. I folded my arms across my stomach. “Since when did you get engaged to David Harris?”
“Oh.” Donna laughed. “We’re not engaged, we were just undercover.”
My eyebrows leaped. “You were what? Girlfriend, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”
Evangeline
27
Savory Prayers
Saturday Evening, March 25
My husband of approximately two months stood at the door of our bedroom. He leaned against the doorframe, dressed in an impressive dark bl
ue suit, and gave a slow whistle. He crossed one ankle over the other. “Look at you, Evie-girl.” He whistled again.
“I could say the same,” I said, “if I knew how to whistle.” I turned away from his boyish good looks and back to my reflection in the mirror. “Are you sure I don’t look too . . . I don’t know . . . fancy or manly?”
Vernon pushed himself from the door and came up behind me, then placed his hands on my shoulders. “Lisa Leann’s idea?”
I nodded. Lisa Leann had insisted we wear a woman’s tux with crisp pink tux blouses, which would, of course, blend beautifully with our pink chef’s aprons. Though I’d never thought I’d live to see the day that I would wear a tux of all things, I had to admit I looked pretty sharp. I’d curled and styled my hair to perfection, applied just the right amount of makeup for a woman my age (Lisa Leann would, no doubt, do flips over it), and, in my new duds, held my shoulders back and kept my chin up.
“You look hot,” Vernon said. “And I don’t mean in terms of temperature.” I caught his face in the mirror. He winked. I blushed. Even after two months of intimacy, the man still made me feel a little unnerved. Vonnie insisted this was a good thing.
To break the tension, I glanced down at my feet and pointed a toe. “What about the shoes? How do you feel about these puppies?”
Vernon’s gaze went south, and he chuckled as he took in the sight of the other item Lisa Leann had insisted upon: black leather classic Walker Hush Puppies. “Well, I suppose they’re practical. After all, you’ll be on your feet most of the evening.”
I frowned. “How’d I get myself into this?” It was a question that didn’t require an answer. “Let’s go. If I’m more than a minute late, Miss Texas will have a fit.”
We arrived in Breckenridge and at the resort only a short while later. We’d spent all afternoon the day before doing the setup— Vonnie’s ficus trees adding the perfect touch—but still I wasn’t sure which door we should use. “Let’s just go through the lobby,” Vernon suggested. It sounded good to me.
The Secret's in the Sauce Page 27