Page 71 of The Secret to a Southern Wedding

She hung up and got in the shower. By the time she was out her mom was sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee and scrolling through her cell phone. Imani walked over and kissed the top of her mom’s head. “Sorry for making you worry.” She hugged her from behind.

Linda patted her arm. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Imani gave her one last squeeze before getting coffee. She was adding cream and sugar when her mom asked, “Does having Preston here bother you that much?”

Imani turned to her mom. “Huh?”

“Don’t ‘huh’ me. You know what I asked and why I asked it. Now answer the question.”

Imani came back to the table and sat. “No, he doesn’t bother me. Not like he did at first. I’ll admit getting used to him being here was hard. I’m still wrapping my mind around you wanting to get married, but I also understand. Preston is a nice guy and he obviously cares about you.”

“But you’re spending the night away from the house. You’d rather be somewhere else than here.”

“Well, Mom, it’s kind of awkward being the third wheel. Nothing against you being in love again, but that doesn’t mean I want to be in the middle of your romantic interludes.”

Her mom blinked and frowned. “Romantic what?”

Imani smirked. “Now you’re ‘huhing’ me? You heard what I said. You know you two lovebirds are syrupy sweet. It might take me a little bit to get used to that, but it doesn’t mean I’m not happy to see you in love.”

Linda stared back for several seconds before letting out a light laugh. “I guess it would be something to see. Me...in love again.”

“I didn’t believe in love for so long,” Imani admitted. “After what happened with Dad, I didn’t trust it. But seeing you.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe one day I’ll feel that way.”

“I hope you do fall in love one day. I never wanted you to not find someone you can care about. I want you to be happy, too.” Her mom stood up and went to refill her coffee mug. “Anyone on the horizon?” she asked over her shoulder.

Imani looked away and sipped her coffee. “I’ve got enough to figure out right now without worrying about my sluggish love life.”

“Well, when you find someone decent let me know. I’ll have to check him out of course, but don’t think that I don’t want you to find someone one day. Companionship is nice.”

Imani shook her head. “Where is my mom and what have you done to her?” She softened the words with a laugh. “Love has done a complete one-eighty with you.”

“I don’t know if love did that or if I’m just getting older,” Linda said with a half shrug. Her cell phone chimed before Imani could reply. Linda came to the table and picked up her phone. She looked at the screen. Her eyes bulged. “Oh, my goodness!”

Imani immediately went into panic mode. Had her dad reached back out to her somehow? “What’s wrong?”

Linda’s eyes scanned over the screen again before she started grinning as if she’d just discovered gold. “Sandra Brown says that Tommy Williams said that he saw Cyril kissing some woman in the middle of Main Street last night.”

Imani choked on her coffee. She covered her mouth then sputtered, “He saw what?”

Her mom was busy texting back. “Sure did. They don’t know who, but they said it can’t be too many different people.”

“How do they know he was kissing someone last night?” Had someone seen her? She didn’t know Tommy Williams, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know her.

Her mom read the message then grinned. “Tommy almost hit them. Had to blow the horn.” She shook her head and laughed. “Cyril sure likes to act like he’s not interested in anyone, but we know plenty of women in town are interested. I can’t wait to find out who it is.”

“Shouldn’t we stay out of his business? I mean, maybe he doesn’t want everyone to know right now.”

Linda waved away her words and scrolled through her phone. “Well then he shouldn’t have been kissing her in the middle of Main Street if he didn’t want anyone to know. The Business Guild is gonna flip.”

“Like be upset?”

Linda shook her head. “Oh no, everyone has been trying to set Cyril up. They’re going to flip not knowing who finally caught his attention. Ooh, I can’t wait to tell Preston. Though by now if I know, he knows.”

“How would he know?”

“Tommy and Preston are good friends. No doubt he told Preston already. Lord, let me call him and see if he knows who this woman is. Finally, Cyril found someone. I wonder who it could be.” Her cell rang and Linda grinned. “Hey, did you hear the news?...Mmm-hmm, Sandra just texted me. Did he say who it was?...Well, where is he?...Something at the bar? Goodness, tell him he’s got to bring her around...We’ve gotta meet her.” She grinned at Imani. “Isn’t that right, Imani?”

Imani’s stomach clenched. “Umm... I think we should stay out of Cyril’s love life.”

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