Page 59 of No Place Like Home
“Fine? You think he’d like to be considered ‘just fine’?” Darlene asked. “His brother’s amazing.” Darlene glanced over her shoulder. “What do you have to say aboutyourMcKendry brother, Lilly? Summer says Rowan’s sexual knowledge is ‘just fine’.” She made air quotes with her fingers.
“Oh, Jamison is a god,” Lilly said with laughter in her voice. “Trust me.”
“Enough.” I had to stop this. “I don’t give a shit how good your men are. But if you must know, Rowan knows exactly what he’s doing in the bedroom, in the shower, on the kitchen counter . . .”
“Woah.” Kora had her hands up. “My kitchen?”
“Your countertop is a perfect height.”
“God, I’ll never be able to cook in there again.”
“Like you were ever planning on it?” Lilly asked.
“Nope, guess not,” Kora agreed. “So have at it, Summer. As long as Rowan makes you happy and can satisfy your stubborn ass, I guess it’s okay.”
“Thanks for your vote of confidence.” I turned to leave. “Y’all interrupted my quiet morning. I’m taking a shower.”
Once I was showered and dressed in yoga pants and a button up shirt, I settled at the kitchen table with the others and ate breakfast. There was an entire spread made and delivered by the Warfield’s cooking staff. I was finishing my coffee when there was a knock on the door. “Hey, it’s me.” Leila walked in the house with Skylar not far behind.
“Good morning, Leila. Morning, Skylar.” Kora greeted them with hugs.
“Can I have a bagel?” Skylar asked as she sat at the table.
“Of course,” Darlene said. “Which one?”
“Cinnamon raisin with cream cheese, please.”
Are y’all doing okay?” Leila asked. “Kaye and Diane will be here soon to start your hair. They just called.”
“Yep,” said Skylar. “And the girls will be here also. Summer, my fingernail messed up.” She showed me her middle finger.
“Skylar!” Leila chided her.
I grabbed Skylar’s hand. “It’s just a finger. Not a big deal.” I looked at her nail. “Sweety, that’s an easy fix. Once you’re finished eating, we’ll go in my room and fix it up, good as new.”
“Thanks, Summer. You’re the best.”
I smiled at her. I don’t know about being the best, but I was pretty damn good.
It didn’t take long before the book club ladies joined us, along with Madeline, Darcie, and Susie. Ruth said hi, then took Skylar and Lena to Leila’s house.
Makeup, nails, and the girls’ hair were all my jobs. I got lost in the precision and technicality of it all. That, and talking with Darcie and Madelyn kept me occupied and helped to tick away the morning until it was afternoon. We ate a quick lunch, then Darlene, Lilly, and I got dressed while Kaye, Tonya, and Diane fussed over Kora.
My hair was up in a French braid with wisps around my face. I had natural makeup, yet my eyes were lined in dramatic fashion. I finished my look with red lipstick—my favorite color when it came to dressing up. With my porcelain skin, hazel eyes, and dark hair, bright red lips always made me feel beautiful. I hoped Rowan liked what he saw.
We all wore formal black gowns, as black and white were Kora’s wedding colors. She loved dark purple, but none of us wanted to wear that, so we all agreed on black, with lilac bouquets wrapped in white ribbons.
I smoothed my dress down my body and along my hips, as I admired myself in the mirror. I glanced at Darlene. She struggled to get her growing stomach into her dress.
“Look at me. I can barely breathe.” Darlene came up next to me, arms contorted behind her back, fighting with her zipper. “Summer, I can’t get the zipper up all the way. Can you help?”
She stood tall and sucked in her belly.
“Dar, is that safe? You know that belly is holding another being.”
“It’s fine. But between my belly and my boobs, which have filled out even more since trying this dress on, I don’t know if I’ll be able to get it closed.”
“Hold still.” I wiggled her dress around and pulled it up a little higher, and then it zipped just fine. “There.” I brushed out the wrinkles. “Perfect.”
