Page 42 of Pucking Sweet

“What’s her special news?”

“I think we’ll just see if we can get her on the phone.” She dials my sister and turns the phone on speaker, holding it up between us.

Violet finally answers on the fourth ring. “Hey, Momma! Y’all at lunch?”

“Yes, honey, we’re all here!” Mom is speaking much louder than she needs to.

“Is Poppy there?”

“She’s right here.” Mom pats my arm. “She’s waiting to hear your big, exciting news!”

“Hi, Poppy,” my sister gushes. “I’msosorry I’m missing lunch. Hey, maybe we can grab drinks later tonight. Will you still be in town or—”

“Your news, Vi,” I say over her, not sure I can take much more of this suspense.

“Oh!” She laughs. “Yeah, well I really wanted to do this in person but…I’m engaged!”

I sink back in my chair.

“Isn’t that wonderful?” says Mom. “A babyandan engagement all in one day! My heart is fit to burst.”

“Wait—who’s having a baby?” my sister saysthrough the phone.

“Rowan and Deidre,” Mom replies. “They just told us.”

“Number three,” Deidre chimes.

“No way! Oh, that’s so amazing,” Violet cries. “Give them a hug for me.”

“We will, honey,” Mom assures her. Then she looks sharply at me. “Poppy, don’t you have anything to say to your sister?”

I sit forward, mind racing. “I…well, I guess I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone, Vi.”

The mood on the other side of the table gets, if possible, even more arctic. No one will look at me. Oh goodness, is she pregnant too? Out of wedlock? That would kill our mother.

“We’ve actually been dating for a while,” says Violet. “We were just keeping it hush-hush because we didn’t want to ruffle any feathers.”

“You’ve both been very respectful, Vi,” says Mom with a solemn nod. “And we’re all so thrilled for you. Aren’t we, Hank?”

“We’re very pleased,” Dad echoes, more concerned with finishing his salad.

“I’m sure you’ll be pleased too,” says Rowan, breaking the silence on that side of the table.

At this point, I feel like I’m about to pop an ulcer. “Violet,whoare you marrying?”

“Now, don’t get mad at me,” she says through the phone. “You promise? You’re the last one I’m telling because I don’t want you to be mad at me. But just keep in mind that you had your chance once, and you blew it. This ismychance, and I’m not gonna blow it. Right, Mom?”

“You’re a match made in heaven, Vi. Everybody says so,” Mom says, positively beaming with pride.

Oh no, this is not happening…

“Ahh—here he is,” Mom sings, turning in her chair to wave down someone at the door. “Vi, your beau has arrived!”

Heart in my throat, I slowly turn, already knowing exactly who I’ll see behind me.

And there he is, striding into The Lafayette dining room like he owns it, waving at my mother and flashing her his million-dollarsmile. Anderson Montgomery, heir to one of the largest architectural firms in the southern United States.

Anderson Montgomery, the man my mother handpicked formeto marry. Together, we were meant to forge a new political dynasty: an empire-building king and his dutiful, loving queen.

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