brought a soft smile to Lexi’s face.
As they were leaving the house a few minutes later, an attractive older black man walked past with a grizzled German Shepherd. Lexi recognized him as Georgina’s friendly neighbor from down the street.
When he saw them, he stopped to smile and wave. “Hello, there.”
Georgina waved back. “Hello, Henry.”
“Heading out for church?”
“We are.” Georgina put an arm around Lexi’s shoulders. “You remember my daughter-in-law, Alexis, don’t you?”
“Of course. Nice to see you again, Alexis.”
Lexi smiled at him. “Same to you, Mr. Duncan.”
“And this is her mother, Carlene Austin.”
The man nodded to Carlene. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Carlene murmured before busying herself with strapping Junior into his car seat.
Henry’s warm gaze returned to Georgina. “I baked an extra loaf of zucchini bread for you. Thought I’d bring it by when you get home.”
Lexi watched in fascination as a pretty blush stole over Georgina’s cheeks.
“That’s awfully sweet of you, Henry,” she said, fingering the strand of pearls around her neck. “I’m going to a friend’s house after church, so I won’t be home until this evening.”
Henry smiled. “Then I’ll see you then.”
Georgina’s blush deepened. “All right.”
Henry winked at her, then tipped his head to Lexi and Carlene. “Enjoy your Sunday, ladies.”
As he moved on with his dog, Lexi leaned close to her mother-in-law and whispered conspiratorially, “I think he likes you.”
Georgina smiled demurely. “I know.”
6
A fter church they headed to Collier Heights to gather at the home of Prissy Wolf for Sunday brunch. The monthly brunches were hosted by Prissy and attended by Lexi, Georgina, Reese, Asha Dubois, Samara, Taylor and Prissy’s sister-in-law, Winnie Kirkland. Sometimes they were joined by Ava when she wasn’t working, or Mama Wolf when she was visiting from Savannah. But the core group of eight was always the same.
Joining them today for the first time were Celeste Rutherford and Carlene. Lexi had dragged her mother to brunch because she desperately wanted to bring her into the fold, and she thought spending time with strong, positive women would be good for her. Carlene had resisted coming for one reason and one reason only: Asha. Carlene had never made any secret of her intense dislike for Samara’s mother, whom she sullenly referred to as a “bourgeois bitch.” She resented everything about Asha—her wealth, her panache, her beauty and her fame as a legendary fashion mogul. On top of all that, she felt threatened by Asha’s close relationship with Lexi—though she’d never admit it, not even in therapy.
Lexi hadn’t allowed any of that to deter her from inviting her mother to brunch, and she hadn’t taken no for an answer. She only hoped Carlene could put aside her grievances for one day and enjoy herself.
It was hard not to have a good time at the Sunday brunches. Prissy was the ultimate hostess. She loved to entertain and always pulled out all the stops, from the menu to the table décor.
That afternoon, the women gathered in the large family room to mingle and enjoy light refreshments before lunch got under way. Lights twinkled on the tall, lavishly decorated Christmas tree standing in front of the picture window. Apple logs crackled invitingly in the fireplace, scenting the air as they burned. A violin concerto from Taylor’s latest album played softly in the background.
Across the room, the refreshment table was draped in white linen and festively adorned with poinsettias, sprigs of holly and fragrant holiday candles. There were silver platters filled with a variety of hors d’oeuvres—gourmet cheese balls, blinis topped with smoked salmon, pancetta-wrapped mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes stuffed with crab. A separate tray held finger foods for the older children, who made frequent trips to the table to grab a handful of the
As they were leaving the house a few minutes later, an attractive older black man walked past with a grizzled German Shepherd. Lexi recognized him as Georgina’s friendly neighbor from down the street.
When he saw them, he stopped to smile and wave. “Hello, there.”
Georgina waved back. “Hello, Henry.”
“Heading out for church?”
“We are.” Georgina put an arm around Lexi’s shoulders. “You remember my daughter-in-law, Alexis, don’t you?”
“Of course. Nice to see you again, Alexis.”
Lexi smiled at him. “Same to you, Mr. Duncan.”
“And this is her mother, Carlene Austin.”
The man nodded to Carlene. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Carlene murmured before busying herself with strapping Junior into his car seat.
Henry’s warm gaze returned to Georgina. “I baked an extra loaf of zucchini bread for you. Thought I’d bring it by when you get home.”
Lexi watched in fascination as a pretty blush stole over Georgina’s cheeks.
“That’s awfully sweet of you, Henry,” she said, fingering the strand of pearls around her neck. “I’m going to a friend’s house after church, so I won’t be home until this evening.”
Henry smiled. “Then I’ll see you then.”
Georgina’s blush deepened. “All right.”
Henry winked at her, then tipped his head to Lexi and Carlene. “Enjoy your Sunday, ladies.”
As he moved on with his dog, Lexi leaned close to her mother-in-law and whispered conspiratorially, “I think he likes you.”
Georgina smiled demurely. “I know.”
6
A fter church they headed to Collier Heights to gather at the home of Prissy Wolf for Sunday brunch. The monthly brunches were hosted by Prissy and attended by Lexi, Georgina, Reese, Asha Dubois, Samara, Taylor and Prissy’s sister-in-law, Winnie Kirkland. Sometimes they were joined by Ava when she wasn’t working, or Mama Wolf when she was visiting from Savannah. But the core group of eight was always the same.
Joining them today for the first time were Celeste Rutherford and Carlene. Lexi had dragged her mother to brunch because she desperately wanted to bring her into the fold, and she thought spending time with strong, positive women would be good for her. Carlene had resisted coming for one reason and one reason only: Asha. Carlene had never made any secret of her intense dislike for Samara’s mother, whom she sullenly referred to as a “bourgeois bitch.” She resented everything about Asha—her wealth, her panache, her beauty and her fame as a legendary fashion mogul. On top of all that, she felt threatened by Asha’s close relationship with Lexi—though she’d never admit it, not even in therapy.
Lexi hadn’t allowed any of that to deter her from inviting her mother to brunch, and she hadn’t taken no for an answer. She only hoped Carlene could put aside her grievances for one day and enjoy herself.
It was hard not to have a good time at the Sunday brunches. Prissy was the ultimate hostess. She loved to entertain and always pulled out all the stops, from the menu to the table décor.
That afternoon, the women gathered in the large family room to mingle and enjoy light refreshments before lunch got under way. Lights twinkled on the tall, lavishly decorated Christmas tree standing in front of the picture window. Apple logs crackled invitingly in the fireplace, scenting the air as they burned. A violin concerto from Taylor’s latest album played softly in the background.
Across the room, the refreshment table was draped in white linen and festively adorned with poinsettias, sprigs of holly and fragrant holiday candles. There were silver platters filled with a variety of hors d’oeuvres—gourmet cheese balls, blinis topped with smoked salmon, pancetta-wrapped mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes stuffed with crab. A separate tray held finger foods for the older children, who made frequent trips to the table to grab a handful of the
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