Page 45 of Moonshine and Magnolias (Just Add Peaches #1)

She had missed so much in the three weeks she’d been gone.

Missed the camaraderie of her family, missed having a home instead of a house.

Missed the woman she had become while she was at the Hall.

Brandi and Aunt Eulalee seemed to be doing just fine without her.

What if she asked to come back, and they said they didn’t need her?

Brandi passed by, chatting with a woman wearing a mob cap and wide skirts to join the merchants setting up their tables and goods on the sprawling lawn. Sebastien and his men were on the grounds, helping set up tents, lending a hand or muscle when needed.

“Whew.” Eulalee joined her on the landing and fanned herself. “I came out here fixin’ to get some fresh air, but it’s so hot you could fry an egg on the asphalt. I don’t think we’ve had a break since we opened the doors.”

Wendy checked her phone, ignoring the hollow ache in her chest. She stood among a crowd of people, but she was still alone. Once she had preferred it this way. “Only one more hour to go.”

“Yeah, but an hour after that to process everyone who makes today’s deadline.” Eulalee put a hand to her hip and leaned back, letting out a groan as she did. “At least it’s going faster with the registration system you put in.”

The last seller left the lobby as the sun kissed the tops of the trees. Wendy bolted inside and locked the door before anyone could drive up and stop her. After she hung up the sign with tomorrow’s hours, she followed the chatter echoing out of the parlor.

“I don’t understand how you always seem to get all these folded-over potato chips,” Brandi was saying to Sebastien. He handed her a bowl of the salted snack. “They’re my favorite, and you manage to uncover them every time.”

“Just lucky, I guess.” Sebastien poured a mason jar of whiskey and handed it to Wendy.

She took the glass and shook her head. He narrowed his eyes at her but said nothing. How could Brandi not know that Sebastien probably had his people prepare custom bowls of chips so she could have what she wanted?

Wendy sprawled on the floor next to Jordan, settling into the hum of automobiles and the pounding of nails from the merchants still setting up. “I could sleep for a week.”

“You can’t start until Sunday night,” Eulalee said from the oversized chair she shared with Mac.

Wendy didn’t have enough brain power to even wonder what he was doing there, schmoozing that close to her aunt.

Brandi nibbled on chips and balanced a three-ring binder in her lap, studying the highlighted lines of her part in the reenactment.

Wendy kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes as she stole a covert glance around the room.

Sebastien and Jordan had hung around to finally experience The Winning of Pansy Hamilton.

Wendy was glad they hadn’t left while she’d been gone.

The people who loved her, gathered in one place.

But even that couldn’t stop how empty she was inside.

Maybe she was crazy to come back. She’d get used to Steward’s again.

“Just wait until tomorrow,” Eulalee said. “Another day like today and a ballroom dance on top of that? ”

“As long as you save a space for me on your dance card,” Mac told her.

Wendy studied her aunt out of the corner of her eye. When had she and the produce guy gotten so chummy?

The chime over the lobby door sounded and everyone groaned. Wendy started to rise but Brandi flipped the binder closed. “I’ll get rid of whoever it is.” She flounced her hair and put on her flirty face, then sashayed out of the room.

“What if it’s a woman?” Jordan called after her.

The squeals coming from the lobby made it clear it was someone familiar. A moment later, Leslie Marsh stood in the doorway of the parlor, taking in everyone in the room. Wendy scrambled to her feet and her mom drew her into an embrace that reminded her of sunshine and lemons.

“I wish I’d known you were coming in,” Wendy said. “I would have come to get you.”

“Like I would have taken you away from Pansy Hamilton. I know how busy it can be.” Leslie gave her another hug and a peck on the cheek. “That’s from Dad. He sends his love.”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“You’re just in time to visit with me while I finish up in the kitchen,” Eulalee said.

Before her sentence was finished, Mac had bounded out of his seat with all the grace of a drunken cat. He extended a hand and helped her up. The three of them headed off, with Leslie telling their aunt about her flight.

Brandi dumped a stack of envelopes on the coffee table and knelt beside it. “Aunt Les checked the mail box.”

Wendy took Eulalee’s place on the oversized chair and curled her feet up under her. The sofa might have been more comfortable, but then someone might sit next to her. Constant, physical contact would be more than she could handle.

Her cousin sorted the stack and lay a few envelops next to her legs. “Invoices. Ooooh, and a fancy shmancy invitation for the lady in blue.” She handed that one to Sebastien, who held it out to Jordan .

“Oh, good.”

She reached for it, but Sebastien yanked it away at the last moment and blatantly read the return address. “Who’s Lana Vargas?”

Jordan flashed her hand out to snag the envelope. “No one.”

Sebastien snatched it out of reach before she could grab it. Twice.

Jordan stood up. “She was a guest at Pearl and Jennifer’s wedding and we started chatting during the reception.

She invited me to a benefit in two weeks, and I need that to get in.

” Even in bare feet, she was almost as tall as Sebastien.

She held out her hand. “Now give it here before the Ginger Ninja meets the pissed-off brunette.”

Sebastien handed it over.

“In two weeks?” The words registered in Wendy’s tired brain. “Jordan, are you staying? You’re not going back to Connecticut?”

Her friend exchanged a look with Brandi. “Maybe.”

“What about your job?”

“My job hasn’t been all it’s cracked up to be lately.” She waved her hand. “I don’t want to get into that now. Too complicated.”

“But there is something about her job we wanted to talk to you about.” Brandi abandoned her post and sat on the ottoman next to Wendy’s feet. “She can help us.”

Why did this sound like a setup? Wendy snuck a glance at Sebastien, who was pretending not to listen by sorting through the rest of the mail. “Help us...?”

“Since I got here in June, I’ve been watching the two of you work. It’s an occupational hazard,” Jordan said. “Like every employee in every business, you each have your strengths and weaknesses.”

“After you left, doing the things you did so seamlessly just about made me three gallons of crazy,” Brandi said. “If it weren’t for our friends, I would have folded in two days.”

“I’m sorry.” Wendy cleared her throat. She had taken Brandi to task for her selfishness, and then did the same thing. “I didn’t mean to abandon you like that. ”

“I know, honey. It wasn’t about me. But this job here.” She gestured around the room. “It’s no fun without you. With Jordan’s help, we can make it work.”

“We divided the tasks between your strengths, figured out how to deal with weaknesses. Hire someone to take the jobs neither one of you want, if necessary. Like how he-who-will-not-be-named helped with the tour and other small errands. This talent management is what I do, Wendy. Let me help you guys.”

“I know you have your life in Atlanta and with Steward Hotels. Just say you’ll think about it,” Brandi said.

She could do that. “I’ll think about it.”

“Good.” Brandi nodded. “Okay. Good.”

Sebastien held up a plain manila envelope. The smooth but efficient lettering of Wendy’s name sent a thrill of both pleasure and fear through her body. She looked down at her papers, hoping no one noticed.

“No return address,” Sebastien said. “Do you want me to have Massimo take a look at it?” He raised his eyebrows at Wendy.

“Because I’m a target for so many people. No thanks.”

Sebastien tossed it over. Did she really want to cut her aorta open again and read what Rob had to say?

Better she concentrate on Pansy Hamilton and what had to be done before tomorrow.

She tucked the letter next to her and went back to sorting bills.

And noticed Sebastien, Brandi, and Jordan all staring. Waiting. “What?”

“Aren’t you going to open that?” Brandi asked.

“Maybe. None of your business, anyway.”

“If you don’t, I will.” Sebastien’s lips were set in a scowl.

No way was anyone taking the envelope from her. “Hey, you’re a prince, not a knight in shining armor,” she said. “I don’t need to be rescued.”

“Prove it,” Jordan said.

Well, if they were going to gang up on her... “Fine. I’ll open it. But not with an audience. I’ll do it after I finish my work.”

She ignored her friends and opened the other envelopes.

Eventually Sebastien and Jordan went back to whatever they were doing, but Brandi sat on the ottoman with her script on her lap, watching Wendy’s every move with disquiet concern.

Wendy studiously ignored her, but it was difficult with that stare.

Jordan cracked a yawn and hauled herself up from the floor. “I’m done.”

“Yeah, me, too,” Sebastien said. “I was going to get up early to see what I could sketch about Pansy Hamilton, but now I’m thinking I’ll sleep in. See you all in the morning.”

As soon as they were gone, Brandi tossed her script on the coffee table and slid to the end of the sofa closest to Wendy. “Spill.”

“No.”

Brandi snatched the mail off the chair.

“I need those!” Wendy protested.

Brandi gently placed the envelopes on the sofa cushion next to her, but well out of Wendy’s reach. “How about now?”

“Still no.” There were other things Wendy could do than open letters. Like, check her email or check in at Steward’s. Instead she sat there with her hand out, mimicking Jordan’s earlier stance, waiting for her cousin to fork over the damn mail.