Chapter 35
During a spate of balmy weather two weeks later, Jolene and I sat in the rocking chairs on the front porch of my Creole cottage sipping hot chocolate with red and white peppermint sticks protruding from the tops of our mugs.
On the floor between us lay Mardi, wearing yet another monogrammed sweater; this one had Santa hats with white pom-poms. Across the street, the Christmas trees in our neighbor’s coffin planters were festooned with fleur-de-lis ornaments and coated with sparkling tinsel that danced like a Las Vegas showgirl in the breeze.
We were waiting for a delivery of bedroom furniture for the two rooms upstairs.
It was coming from the Past Is Never Past as a housewarming gift.
Seeing as how bedroom furniture was the last thing I needed to move in, I gratefully accepted despite the fact that the items were antiques and Melanie and Sarah might have something to say about it.
I stretched out my leg, miraculously not too much worse for wear from my escapades in the house on Esplanade.
My new boot was wrapped in a festive green-and-red-striped cover monogrammed with a silver letter N on top—an early Christmas gift from Jolene.
I was getting so used to not having full use of my right leg that I realized I might miss the boot when it was gone.
Especially because then it would be time for me to learn how to use a stick shift and begin driving the Mustang convertible.
The thought made my stomach churn. I couldn’t think about it now.
Christmas was approaching, and I was finally going to spend my first night in my own house.
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this,” I said, “but I already miss Sarah. I’m actually looking forward to going home for the holidays. Cooper’s still planning to drive me, which could be interesting.”
“Hmm,” Jolene said noncommittally. She took a sip from her mug. “Sarah and I think a lot alike. If we were the same age, I’d say we were separated at birth. And then you and I would be sisters! Wouldn’t that be amazing?”
“That’s one word for it,” I said. “But I think one sister is enough for me. Besides, I like you as my roommate. And judging by the state of our love lives, we’ll stay roommates until they move us to a nursing home.”
She didn’t say anything, which surprised me. Usually she was ready with a strongly (for her) worded lecture about not thinking negatively. Instead, she gave me a smile that seemed perilously close to her bless your heart smile.
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
“Actually, I think there is.” She looked inside her mug. “This tastes funny to me. Does yours taste funny?”
“No. I think it’s delicious. I can tell it’s homemade and you didn’t use a mix.”
Jolene wrinkled her nose. “I wonder if the milk was bad.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Maybe you’re coming down with a cold. Colds always affect my sense of taste.”
She didn’t say anything but remained focused on the contents of her mug.
“Speaking of our love lives—or lack thereof—you’re not still planning on throwing Jaxson and Carly an engagement party, right? Or going dress shopping? Just say no and she’ll take the hint.”
Jolene turned to me, and for the first time since I’d met her, her mouth opened but, despite several attempts, she seemed to be unable to speak.
I looked up when I heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. Beau pulled up to the curb, and he and Felicity exited the cab.
“Hey, y’all,” Jolene said with a wave, appearing to be overly eager for a chance to speak with someone besides me. “Come on up and join us. It’s supposed to get cold again tomorrow, so this might be the last chance we have to sit outside for a spell without getting chilblains.”
Beau leaned against the porch railing while Felicity sat on the recently delivered joggling board—a housewarming gift from Melanie and Jack, and as much a nod to my hometown as the front door painted Charleston green and sporting a palmetto-tree knocker.
Felicity bounced up and down on the wooden board. “It’s nice to see you in one piece, Nola. I’m not going to lie. There were several moments there when I doubted that we’d make it out with all our limbs attached.”
“Same,” I said. “Thanks for being there. I don’t know what I would have done without you and Beau. That was the perfect time to discover your dormant psychic abilities, and I for one am very grateful.”
She didn’t smile, and when I looked at Beau I saw him slicing his finger across his neck.
“I’m sorry…” I stammered.
“It’s all right,” Felicity said. “I’m still coming to terms with it. I find it very weird and I’m not at all excited about it. I’m just going to ignore it for now.”
“That sounds like a page right out of Nola’s playbook,” Beau said.
I shot him a look. “You’ll figure it out.
And if you need some guidance from someone other than Beau, I know that my stepmother, Melanie, would be happy to help.
She used to be closeted about her abilities, but now she’s very open.
That change happened when she realized how many people she could help. ”
“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”
I drained my mug and noticed that Jolene’s was still nearly full and that she was eating the peppermint candy cane. Turning to Felicity, I asked, “When are you going back to New York?”
Felicity exchanged a glance with Beau. “I haven’t decided.
I’m working remotely for now and staying with Mimi while I figure things out.
My mom—I mean, my other mom, Angelina—has offered me a job with Sabatier Properties.
She and Michael have taken over as CEO and CFO and are restructuring everything.
She thinks it’s time to add more women to leadership roles in the company, and I agree.
Nothing is final yet, but I’m excited. I would be working with Michael. ”
“That’s terrific,” I said. “The part about staying in New Orleans.” I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t say anything I’d regret.
Jolene stood. “Excuse me for a minute, please. I’m going to go inside and make a new batch of hot chocolate and bring out two new mugs. And I just made a mess of reindeer poop, so I’ll bring a big bowl of that, too.”
Despite its name, my mouth salivated at the thought of Jolene’s concoction of Corn Pops covered with melted chocolate, peanut butter, and other yummy stuff.
“I’ll help,” Felicity said, sliding off the joggling board and following Jolene inside—with Mardi in their wake, hoping for a treat.
An awkward silence fell after the door shut. I hadn’t spoken to Beau since the incident at the Esplanade house, or for a while before that, because of his digging up dirt on Cooper. But he’d saved my life. Again.
He spoke first. “I heard you, you know. Asking me to hurry. I knew it was you because it sounded like an ABBA song.” He sent me a sidelong glance.
“I don’t know what this thing is between us, Nola.
If it’s a good thing or not. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s not to question the out-of-the-ordinary.
Which is why I listened and came running when I heard you. ”
“I’m glad. It might not have ended well if you had ignored me.”
“I was just afraid that you’d yell at me. I know how much you hate it when someone steps in on your behalf. At least this time I didn’t let a guitar burn.”
I rolled my eyes as I tried not to laugh at how absurd that sounded. But also how true. I glanced at him, and he seemed to be waiting for me to say something. “What?”
He tilted his head in the same way Mardi did when I fake-threw a ball. Like I owed him something.
“Oh. Right. Thank you. I owe you one.”
“No, you don’t. I’m not keeping a tally. I’m just glad I was there to help a friend.”
I met his gaze. “Is that what you call this thing between us?”
He continued to regard me for a moment before looking away. “Yeah. It’s why I did the background check on Cooper. There was something…not right with the woman’s spirit I saw hanging around him at the restaurant. I didn’t want you hurt.”
“The jury’s still out on whether I should hit you or thank you, so let’s just call it even, okay?”
“I did it because I care about you, Nola. You’re important to me.” He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a ring box. I stared at it, confused and surprised at the same time.
He snapped open the lid to reveal the familiar platinum band of his mother’s engagement ring, but it now displayed a large round diamond held in place with new prongs.
“The stone is from Mimi’s maternal grandmother’s ring, so it’s still a special heirloom, even without the original diamond. What do you think?”
“Oh…it’s beautiful. It’s just…I don’t…”
I felt his eyes on me and I found myself hoping that he couldn’t see the inside of my mind and the tightly coiled ball of conflicting emotions. Or maybe I wished he would, so that he could explain them to me.
Beau snapped the lid shut. “I hope Sam likes it. She loves old things that have a past.” He slipped the box back into his pocket. “I know you do, too, which is why I wanted to show you. I’m going to ask Jolene to help me plan a surprise proposal party.”
“Well, then,” I said, feeling motion sickness from riding the roller-coaster of relief and disappointment. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”
I sat back in my rocker, glad to return to somewhat familiar ground.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you—was there really DNA evidence on the rings?
The police wouldn’t tell me anything about that when they interviewed me.
I have a call in to Bernie, since he’s got his ear to the ground and seems to know what’s going on before the police do. ”
Beau grinned. “No, there wasn’t. Hair DNA has kind of lost favor in the court of law anyway, but I wagered on Camille not knowing that. Which was a solid bet, because she ended up with a broken shoulder and collarbone, along with a shattered knee and more charges against her than just murder.”