fresh-squeezed lemon juice, grated mozzarella cheese, and the remainder of the basil.
As her spatula created figure eights and curlicues in the creamy mixture, Ella Mae willed the seller of the property on Swallowtail Avenue to believe that Havenwood would benefit from having a pie shop. Closing her eyes, she poured this faith in the success of her venture into the pie and topped the tomatoes with the mayonnaise blend, calling forth the vision of milling, eager crowds lining up to purchase one of her creations.
Aunt Dee stopped by at five thirty, looking pale and limp.
“You put too much into those sculptures,” Reba nagged after catching a glimpse of Dee’s face. “You gotta hold a bit of yourself back.”
Ella Mae’s aunt didn’t answer, accepting the tomato and basil pie with a sigh. Finally, she murmured, “This doesn’t feel right. To sway this man with gifts.”
Reba waved the notion off. “You’re just catchin’ flies with honey. The practice is as commonplace as a cold in these parts.” Reba glanced at the clock and, with a satisfied grin, pulled the cork from a bottle of red wine on the counter. “Besides, Loralyn Gaynor doesn’t care a fig about the folks of this town. You all do. Now buy the damned place so I can have my kitchen back. Ella Mae’s done nothin’ but stuff my freezer with dough and fruit since she showed up.”
“That can’t be all bad. It smells just like summer in here,” Dee said, inhaling the aroma of cooked bread, tomato, and basil.
With a shake of her head, Reba said, “That ain’t summer. It’s what destiny smells like when you bend it to your will.Now get your hide to the seller’s place or destiny is gonna get bored and leave.”
Dee complied. Ella Mae watched her aunt climb into her truck, which was covered with bumper stickers supporting a variety of animal shelters.
The rest of the evening passed with the slowness of dripping sap, but Dee’s mission was clearly a success, for the next morning Aunt Verena’s triumphant shouts were reverberating down the telephone line.
“We’re under
contract
!” she bellowed the moment Ella Mae answered the phone. “And the seller’s even agreed to a rushed closing. The property will belong to the LeFaye women by noon this Friday!”
Ella Mae, who had just returned from a strenuous bike ride, threw down the towel she’d used to mop off her wet face, picked up Chewy, kissed his black nose, and then held him in her arms as she twirled round and round her mother’s kitchen. Infected by the excitement, Chewy yipped and licked Ella Mae’s chin while Reba laughed in mirth.
“Put on something decent!” Verena ordered good-naturedly. “No cutoffs and T-shirts. Meet me at the bank at ten. We have a number of financial issues to sort out.”
Quickly ironing a new pair of off-white slacks and an amber blouse, Ella Mae slipped on a pair of bronze-hued sandals and examined herself in the mirror.
The ruddy brown of the blouse brought the filaments of auburn and copper in her hair to life. Her skin had turned from northern pale to a salubrious pink, and her eyes, filled with the promise of her new future, sparkled with threads of gold.
“You’re as pretty as a Georgia peach!” Reba declared as Ella Mae came downstairs carrying a pair of grocery bags. “Are you movin’ into the guest house today?”
Ella Mae nodded. “It’s time. But don’t worry, I’ll come over every morning for a visit.”
Reba puckered her lips, sending a burst of strawberryscent into the air. “I won’t be here when you get up, sugarplum. I’ll still be fast asleep wearin’ my rollers and my aromatherapy blindfold.”
“I won’t be baking anything for weeks, Reba. We have to remodel first.”
Shrugging, Reba walked Ella Mae to the back door. “All I’m sayin’ is that you’d best start gettin’ yourself on a schedule. The roosters won’t even be stirrin’ when your alarm goes off, but you gotta get your body used to wakin’
As her spatula created figure eights and curlicues in the creamy mixture, Ella Mae willed the seller of the property on Swallowtail Avenue to believe that Havenwood would benefit from having a pie shop. Closing her eyes, she poured this faith in the success of her venture into the pie and topped the tomatoes with the mayonnaise blend, calling forth the vision of milling, eager crowds lining up to purchase one of her creations.
Aunt Dee stopped by at five thirty, looking pale and limp.
“You put too much into those sculptures,” Reba nagged after catching a glimpse of Dee’s face. “You gotta hold a bit of yourself back.”
Ella Mae’s aunt didn’t answer, accepting the tomato and basil pie with a sigh. Finally, she murmured, “This doesn’t feel right. To sway this man with gifts.”
Reba waved the notion off. “You’re just catchin’ flies with honey. The practice is as commonplace as a cold in these parts.” Reba glanced at the clock and, with a satisfied grin, pulled the cork from a bottle of red wine on the counter. “Besides, Loralyn Gaynor doesn’t care a fig about the folks of this town. You all do. Now buy the damned place so I can have my kitchen back. Ella Mae’s done nothin’ but stuff my freezer with dough and fruit since she showed up.”
“That can’t be all bad. It smells just like summer in here,” Dee said, inhaling the aroma of cooked bread, tomato, and basil.
With a shake of her head, Reba said, “That ain’t summer. It’s what destiny smells like when you bend it to your will.Now get your hide to the seller’s place or destiny is gonna get bored and leave.”
Dee complied. Ella Mae watched her aunt climb into her truck, which was covered with bumper stickers supporting a variety of animal shelters.
The rest of the evening passed with the slowness of dripping sap, but Dee’s mission was clearly a success, for the next morning Aunt Verena’s triumphant shouts were reverberating down the telephone line.
“We’re under
contract
!” she bellowed the moment Ella Mae answered the phone. “And the seller’s even agreed to a rushed closing. The property will belong to the LeFaye women by noon this Friday!”
Ella Mae, who had just returned from a strenuous bike ride, threw down the towel she’d used to mop off her wet face, picked up Chewy, kissed his black nose, and then held him in her arms as she twirled round and round her mother’s kitchen. Infected by the excitement, Chewy yipped and licked Ella Mae’s chin while Reba laughed in mirth.
“Put on something decent!” Verena ordered good-naturedly. “No cutoffs and T-shirts. Meet me at the bank at ten. We have a number of financial issues to sort out.”
Quickly ironing a new pair of off-white slacks and an amber blouse, Ella Mae slipped on a pair of bronze-hued sandals and examined herself in the mirror.
The ruddy brown of the blouse brought the filaments of auburn and copper in her hair to life. Her skin had turned from northern pale to a salubrious pink, and her eyes, filled with the promise of her new future, sparkled with threads of gold.
“You’re as pretty as a Georgia peach!” Reba declared as Ella Mae came downstairs carrying a pair of grocery bags. “Are you movin’ into the guest house today?”
Ella Mae nodded. “It’s time. But don’t worry, I’ll come over every morning for a visit.”
Reba puckered her lips, sending a burst of strawberryscent into the air. “I won’t be here when you get up, sugarplum. I’ll still be fast asleep wearin’ my rollers and my aromatherapy blindfold.”
“I won’t be baking anything for weeks, Reba. We have to remodel first.”
Shrugging, Reba walked Ella Mae to the back door. “All I’m sayin’ is that you’d best start gettin’ yourself on a schedule. The roosters won’t even be stirrin’ when your alarm goes off, but you gotta get your body used to wakin’
Similar Books
