Read Online A Better Reason to Fall in Love by Marcia Lynn McClure - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marcia Lynn McClure
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bayou in the Deep South! The titillating aromas of fish fry, spices, and Tabasco sauce caused her stomach to growl on the spot, and she couldn’t wait to be seated—to look at a menu and hear the noontime entertainment that was supposed to be part of the Sweet Genevieve’s experience.
A hostess podium stood just inside the door. As Tabby glanced around the interior of the restaurant, she saw that the hostess podium seemed to serve as the median between the side of the restaurant to the left—obviously housing the kitchen and patron dining tables—and the lesser area to the right—which was still very spacious but filled with chairs and a few smaller tables facing a small, raised platform stage.
At the sight of the stage, Tabby smiled. Her dad had assured her Sweet Genevieve’s featured live music during lunch and dinner on the weekends—blues and jazz. Tabby knew at once that, though the Acapulco would probably always be Jocelyn and Emmy’s favorite restaurant, she had just found hers.
“Welcome to Sweet Genevieve’s!” an older woman happily greeted as she approached the podium. “Y’all here for somethin’ to eat? Or have ya come to feel the blues?”
“Both!” Tabby exclaimed as her excitement rose to an almost tangible level.
The woman smiled, chuckled, and nodded. “That’s what we like to hear, darlin’!”
“And I did call ahead,” Tabby added, noting that the restaurant side of the establishment looked packed.
“Good thing, honey…because we are stuffed to our gills today!”
Tabby glanced to Emmy and Jocelyn, happy to see they looked as excited as she felt. Naomi, not unexpectedly, wore her usual expression of reservation.
“I’m Addie, and if you girls will just follow me, we’ll get y’all fed so you can enjoy the music when it starts.”
Addie seated Tabby and her friends at a table and left them to look over the menus.
“Mmmm!” Emmy sighed. “This all looks so good!”
“With very reasonable prices,” Naomi added.
“Seafood gumbo, crawfish scampi, rosemary cornbread. I’m in heaven!” Jocelyn exclaimed.
Tabby sighed, relieved that the relaxing atmosphere of Sweet Genevieve’s was serving to calm her nerves. She felt as if she hadn’t taken a good breath in days, and the delicious aromas of the restaurant were just what she needed to relax.
After a minute or two of silent menu perusing, Emmy asked, “Should I get the blackened catfish or the jambalaya?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the pan-seared shrimp,” Jocelyn suggested. “It comes with the rosemary cornbread, see?” she added, pointing to an item on the menu.
Naomi closed her menu and opened her cell phone. “I’m going to try the seafood gumbo and rosemary cornbread,” she said as she smiled, her thumbs flying on her phone keyboard as she answered another text.
Tabby, Emmy, and Jocelyn exchanged amused glances.
“I never thought I’d see the day when Naomi’s menu decision was cut short in favor of text messaging,” Emmy said.
“He’s picking me up at six,” Naomi giggled to herself.
“I never thought I’d see the day when a man caused Naomi to smile like that,” Jocelyn giggled.
“Well, Anthony’s different,” Naomi said, nodding her thanks to the handsome young waiter who was busily placing glasses of water on their table.
“Apparently,” Emmy said.
“And how are you ladies doin’ this afternoon?” the waiter asked.
Tabby smiled, thinking the waiter’s accent sounded very like that of the hostess.
“We’re great,” Jocelyn answered. “And it’s wonderful in here!”
“Thank you, ma’am,” the waiter said, smiling and nodding. “I know y’all will enjoy your meal…and be sure to stick around for the music.” The young man glanced up to a clock on the wall—a clock set inside an enormous alligator head. “I think the show begins in about thirty minutes.”
“Is that real?” Naomi asked, frowning as she stared at the alligator head mounted on the
A hostess podium stood just inside the door. As Tabby glanced around the interior of the restaurant, she saw that the hostess podium seemed to serve as the median between the side of the restaurant to the left—obviously housing the kitchen and patron dining tables—and the lesser area to the right—which was still very spacious but filled with chairs and a few smaller tables facing a small, raised platform stage.
At the sight of the stage, Tabby smiled. Her dad had assured her Sweet Genevieve’s featured live music during lunch and dinner on the weekends—blues and jazz. Tabby knew at once that, though the Acapulco would probably always be Jocelyn and Emmy’s favorite restaurant, she had just found hers.
“Welcome to Sweet Genevieve’s!” an older woman happily greeted as she approached the podium. “Y’all here for somethin’ to eat? Or have ya come to feel the blues?”
“Both!” Tabby exclaimed as her excitement rose to an almost tangible level.
The woman smiled, chuckled, and nodded. “That’s what we like to hear, darlin’!”
“And I did call ahead,” Tabby added, noting that the restaurant side of the establishment looked packed.
“Good thing, honey…because we are stuffed to our gills today!”
Tabby glanced to Emmy and Jocelyn, happy to see they looked as excited as she felt. Naomi, not unexpectedly, wore her usual expression of reservation.
“I’m Addie, and if you girls will just follow me, we’ll get y’all fed so you can enjoy the music when it starts.”
Addie seated Tabby and her friends at a table and left them to look over the menus.
“Mmmm!” Emmy sighed. “This all looks so good!”
“With very reasonable prices,” Naomi added.
“Seafood gumbo, crawfish scampi, rosemary cornbread. I’m in heaven!” Jocelyn exclaimed.
Tabby sighed, relieved that the relaxing atmosphere of Sweet Genevieve’s was serving to calm her nerves. She felt as if she hadn’t taken a good breath in days, and the delicious aromas of the restaurant were just what she needed to relax.
After a minute or two of silent menu perusing, Emmy asked, “Should I get the blackened catfish or the jambalaya?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the pan-seared shrimp,” Jocelyn suggested. “It comes with the rosemary cornbread, see?” she added, pointing to an item on the menu.
Naomi closed her menu and opened her cell phone. “I’m going to try the seafood gumbo and rosemary cornbread,” she said as she smiled, her thumbs flying on her phone keyboard as she answered another text.
Tabby, Emmy, and Jocelyn exchanged amused glances.
“I never thought I’d see the day when Naomi’s menu decision was cut short in favor of text messaging,” Emmy said.
“He’s picking me up at six,” Naomi giggled to herself.
“I never thought I’d see the day when a man caused Naomi to smile like that,” Jocelyn giggled.
“Well, Anthony’s different,” Naomi said, nodding her thanks to the handsome young waiter who was busily placing glasses of water on their table.
“Apparently,” Emmy said.
“And how are you ladies doin’ this afternoon?” the waiter asked.
Tabby smiled, thinking the waiter’s accent sounded very like that of the hostess.
“We’re great,” Jocelyn answered. “And it’s wonderful in here!”
“Thank you, ma’am,” the waiter said, smiling and nodding. “I know y’all will enjoy your meal…and be sure to stick around for the music.” The young man glanced up to a clock on the wall—a clock set inside an enormous alligator head. “I think the show begins in about thirty minutes.”
“Is that real?” Naomi asked, frowning as she stared at the alligator head mounted on the
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