Those Sweet Words

Chapter 1-2

“What’s the status update on the wedding?”

“For God’s sake, Maggie, we’ve been here all of five minutes. Can’t you wait to try to run things until we’ve had some time to breathe?” Athena complained.

Maggie shot her a cool look. “The wedding is in five days. There’s no time to relax.”

And my sisters are officially home, Pru thought.

“We hired a wedding planner. And Pru’s here. s**t’s being handled. Right?” Athena looked to Pru for confirmation.

Her lips twitched. “s**t is, indeed, being handled.” That her sisters trusted her to do exactly that was both flattering and maddening.

“See there? Now relax, woman.” Athena flopped down on the overstuffed sofa.

“Might I remind you that there are little ears present, so perhaps tone things down from the language you use in your restaurant kitchen?” Pru suggested.

Ari and Athena both rolled their eyes.

“Gordon Ramsey is worse,” Ari said. When Pru arched a brow, she just shrugged. “What? I really like Kitchen Nightmares.”

There was no need to ask who got her hooked on that.

“Oh, did you see that episode with that poser in Ohio?” Athena asked.

“‘I can cook, Joe,’” Ari said, in a passable parody of the celebrity chef.

“That was brutal,” Athena agreed.

“Well deserved,” Ari pronounced.

Deciding she was just grateful the two were bonding, Pru turned her attention to Maggie. “To answer your question, everything is going fine. Our bridesmaid dresses are ready and waiting. You and Athena have your final fitting tomorrow. The photographer is lined up, and Mrs. Lowrey, from church, is making the cake.”

“You’re not doing the cake?” Ari asked Athena.

“I’m a chef, not a baker. I can bake. I choose not to.”

“Plus, Mrs. Lowrey makes the best red velvet cake in the state,” Kennedy announced, sailing into the room with a tray of drinks from the kitchen. “She has a blue ribbon from the state fair that says so.”

“What about music?” Maggie asked.

“My friend, Flynn, will be playing.”

“Oh, did you finally talk to him about it?” Pru had heard plenty about the Irish musician Kennedy had toured with for a while, during her time abroad. He’d been one of the first to book a room after they opened the inn.

“No. He’s playing his way down the East coast. Not quite sure where he is just now, and his cell phone doesn’t work in the States. But he’ll be here in a couple of days. It’s not like he’s going to say no. It’s my wedding.”

Maggie pinched the bridge of her nose and moved her mouth in something that might have been a silent prayer or a curse. “Okay, so what’s left?”

“Just decorating the barn for the ceremony and getting tables set up for the reception. And we’ll have help with that. Everybody who’s got a room booked from tomorrow through the weekend is one of Mom’s former fosters. And there are more coming in day of,” Pru told her.

Maggie’s shoulders relaxed a little. Kennedy swung an arm around them. “Did you think you were going to have to wade in and sort out chaos?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. But I should have known better. I can always rely on Pru to have my back.” She flashed a grateful smile.

Pru just shrugged. “It’s what I do.”

“Is there anything else I need to know about?”

From the sofa, Ari began to bounce.

“You got ants in your pants, kid?” Athena asked.

Ari looked at Pru, and it was impossible to hold back the smile.

“She’s excited because she’s finally going to be a Reynolds. I’m adopting her.”

“Whoa.” Athena hooked Ari around the neck and pulled her into a headlock. “Welcome to the family, kid.”

Maggie smiled at the giggling teen, who was digging her fingers into Athena’s sides in a vain effort to tickle her. “That’s wonderful.”

“There are still some steps to go through, but that’s the plan,” Pru said.

The doorbell rang.

“Are we expecting more guests?” Kennedy asked. “I didn’t think we had anybody else booked for tonight.”

“Not guests. Your surprise,” Pru said. “Ari, you want to go get the door?”

“’Kay!” Red-faced and gasping, she rolled off the sofa and raced out of the room. Moments later, she came back, a smiling blonde in tow.

“Hail, hail, the gang’s all here,” the blonde called. “Welcome home, y’all.”

“Abbey Whittaker! I had no idea you were back in the Ridge.” Maggie crossed the room to give her a hug.

“Only been back a couple of weeks. Granddaddy Whittaker isn’t doing so great. His dementia is getting worse, so I came back to help out, while the family figures out what to do about it.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that. But I’m definitely glad to see you. Weren’t you off in Atlanta?”

“That’s where I headed when Pru and I finished school, but I wound up moving to Mississippi last year. I’ve got kin in Wishful—Granddaddy’s brother and his branch of the family are there. I’ve been working at a swank spa in Wishful.”

“Which is why she’s here tonight,” Pru said. “She’s giving all of us spa treatments.”

“All natural and guaranteed to rejuvenate and relax.”

Athena jerked a thumb at Maggie. “This one definitely needs to relax.”

Abbey laughed. “And what about the bride to be?”

“Pretty sure she’s the most laid back one here,” Pru said.

“She’s in luuuuuurve,” Ari sang.

“It shows. Hard to duplicate that kind of glow with even the best products. You look great.”

Kennedy beamed. “Thanks. Being happy agrees with me.”

“The regular nookie doesn’t hurt,” Athena added.

Pru clapped her hands over Ari’s ears. “Athena!”

“What? It’s true.”

Ari tugged the hands away. “Joan already had the talk with me. Great s*x between mature, committed individuals is good for your mental health.”

Pru’s mouth fell open, but nothing came out. Her face felt frozen somewhere between horror and laughter.

“Well, she’s not wrong,” Kennedy admitted.

Maybe that’s what’s wrong with me. No great s*x in…. Have I ever had truly great s*x? When was the last time I had even mediocre s*x? Oh, dear God, why am I thinking about this now?

Cheeks burning, Pru looked at Abbey, who was valiantly trying not to snicker. “Our mom was really big on female empowerment. But for you, young lady, that can wait until you’re twenty-five.” She grabbed Ari by the shoulders and marched her toward the kitchen, laughter in their wake as everyone trailed behind.

Abbey unloaded the bags she’d brought and began mixing ingredients, while Kennedy rounded up a bunch of towels. As she created multiple bowls of fragrant glop, Abbey scanned them all. “So, other than the bride, who else is tripping down the relationship highway? Or dating? Or anything involving the prospect of a significant other? Because I most definitely am not, and I need to live vicariously through somebody.”

“Those Mississippi boys not doing it for you?” Athena asked.

“There’s one very serious problem with them—it seems all the good ones are taken.”

“It’s a definite problem in small towns,” Pru agreed. “I can’t remember the last time I had a date.”

“Didn’t you go out with Gavin Harkness around Christmas?” Maggie asked.

“I went to dinner with him. For what I thought was just a meal between joint committee members for that Angel Tree fundraiser. I didn’t realize he thought it was a date until he tried to kiss me when he brought me home. I turned my face at the last second and he hit my cheek. Then he just kind of froze there for several seconds, until I managed to twist the doorknob and escape. It was…awkward.”

“Well, it’s not like the city is any better for prospects,” Maggie said. “In L.A., everybody meets people with an eye for how they can be used to further their career. There’s no such thing as a simple girl meets guy on an elevator and gets asked to dinner, for a night of conversation about mutual interests. Instead, he’s asking enough questions during the salad course, you feel like you’re in the middle of a job interview.”

Abbey grimaced. “That sounds awful. Please tell me you skipped dessert.”

“I gave serious thought to disappearing to the bathroom and never coming back. But he knew my boss, as it turns out, so I stuck it out.”

“What about you, Athena?” Abbey asked.

“I intimidate men.”

“Shocker,” Kennedy murmured.

The impact of the middle finger Athena shot up was somewhat mitigated by the bright green avocado mask smeared all over her face.

“So, other than the bride, we’re all failing in the dating department. Y’all, this is a sad state of affairs. We are smart, sexy, available women. What is wrong with all these men?” Abbey came back to the table, passing out warm, wet wash cloths. “Everybody wipe off your mask with firm, downward strokes from the center line of your face.”

Kennedy rubbed at the bentonite clay mask already flaking off her face. “Maybe I should hook y’all up with some of Xander’s single friends. All of his groomsmen are available.”

“Please,” Athena snorted. “Porter was one of our brothers.”

“That still leaves Logan and Jonah,” Kennedy pointed out.

“Athena and I don’t live here, so that seems a pointless effort. But maybe one of them would suit Pru.” Maggie angled her head, studying Pru from across the table.

“Hello, I’m sitting right here and not looking for a setup, thanks very much. I do not need a pity date. I haven’t even thought about dating—” She cut herself off before since Mom died could spill out. No reason to drag the group down. “Besides, I’ve got enough on my plate with the inn and the fact that I’m acquiring a teenager.”

“Yeah, but at least I came housebroken,” Ari said.

“Girl’s got a point. Men are so much harder to train than dogs,” Athena agreed. She patted her face dry. “Dude, my skin feels amazing.”

“Mine’s all tingly,” Maggie said.

Abbey set a small bowl on the table. “Here, each of you slather some of this on. It’s specially made moisturizer. No chemicals.”

“It feels wonderful. All of it does,” Pru said. “You know, a lot of my massage clients would love this. What would you think about doing some freelance spa treatments, while you’re here? We could set up some space for you to work out of.”

“That would be wonderful. The Babylon is holding my job, but it would be great to keep my hand in things. Plus, I’ll need a break from Granddaddy.”

“Great. We’ll set a time after the wedding to discuss terms.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Abbey removed the double boiler she’d had simmering at the stove. “Now, who wants a paraffin bath for your hands?”