Beautifying Bernadette: A BBW Romantic Comedy (The Jackson Tribe Book 1) by Delia Grace Page B
Authors: Delia Grace
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sweetheart, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Sometimes I just put my foot in it. Hey, Maggie! Sweetie, come over and meet this lovely young lady Levi brought today.”
Bernie peeked up and saw the cutest older lady—not even that old, but obviously not young—walking towards them. She had messy curly pure blonde hair, glasses, and was, well, Bernie wasn’t sure how else to describe her… round. She reminded her of Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast .
Maggie immediately pulled Bernie into a tight hug, her head coming up to about Bernie’s nose, and then stepped back with her hands on Bernie’s shoulders. “Well, aren’t you just the most adorable little chickadee? Oh, Levi, she is just precious!”
Bernie was starting to feel a little bit like a piece of meat the way both of his parents commented on her, but it made her feel warm and happy as well.
Judah walked up then. “Hey, little bro, is this the sweetie you’ve been gushing over the last few months? You were right, she is beautiful.” He held out his hand to the bright red Bernie “I’m this devilish kid’s loud obnoxious brother, Jude. Thanks for sitting through my sermon. I always wonder how many people are going to snore or throw tomatoes. It was a good Sunday.”
Bernie giggled as she shook his hand. “It wasn’t too boring, and there was a cute baby in front of me, so I had something to distract me from the blather.” She wondered if she had gone too far, but all of the Jacksons laughed and Levi nodded with a grin. “There’s my girl. You’ll fit right in.” So she knew it had been the right response.
Maggie looked at her watch. “Oh dear! We need to go home and get lunch set out. We will meet you all back at the house?”
Everyone nodded, and Levi led Bernie around introducing her to even more of his church family.
***
As they walked hand in hand into the house, Levi led her to the dining room. There was a massive table covered in food and enough chairs and plates for at least twenty people. Bernie was shocked to see so many place settings at the table; she wondered if they were having other company as well.
Maggie came out wiping her flour covered hands on a cute patchwork apron and pulled Bernie into a dusty hug. “Welcome, child! We are so glad that you could come and share a meal with us. Ginny and I were just finishing up some pies, please come in, you’re welcome to join us.”
Bernie was thrilled and a little nervous that Maggie was so interested in her but she followed her into the kitchen with a slight hesitation. She didn’t want to intrude. She smiled noticing that Ginny was also coated head-to-toe in flour. There appeared to be six pies sitting on the counter. Perfectly spaced crisscrossed dough strips covered the top of each one. Ginny was basting them with egg and then sprinkling sugar across the beautiful lattice work. There was apple, blueberry, and some type of mixed berry pie as well.
Bernie was amazed. “Wow. You guys are impressive! I can make a mean cup of coffee, and decent cookies, but pies that look perfect like that? I could never get that done!” She had a sudden thought and wondered if Levi expected his wife to be domestic. Wife? Where did that come from?
Maggie gestured to a stool. “Sit down, sit down! Tell us all about yourself! Did you grow up in the area? Your family? What do you do for a job?”
At the same time her mother was talking, Ginny gave a sly smile. “How did you and Levi meet? Has he kissed you yet?”
Bernie thought she should feel overwhelmed at their questions, but instead it made her more relaxed. They made her feel accepted. She leaned into the counter and told them everything they wanted to know. Well, almost everything.
***
Once the pies were in the oven and the timer was set, Maggie handed each of the girls pitchers of iced tea and lemonade and they all walked into the other room to start lunch.
Bernie set her pitchers on the table in an empty spot, and Levi pulled
Bernie peeked up and saw the cutest older lady—not even that old, but obviously not young—walking towards them. She had messy curly pure blonde hair, glasses, and was, well, Bernie wasn’t sure how else to describe her… round. She reminded her of Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast .
Maggie immediately pulled Bernie into a tight hug, her head coming up to about Bernie’s nose, and then stepped back with her hands on Bernie’s shoulders. “Well, aren’t you just the most adorable little chickadee? Oh, Levi, she is just precious!”
Bernie was starting to feel a little bit like a piece of meat the way both of his parents commented on her, but it made her feel warm and happy as well.
Judah walked up then. “Hey, little bro, is this the sweetie you’ve been gushing over the last few months? You were right, she is beautiful.” He held out his hand to the bright red Bernie “I’m this devilish kid’s loud obnoxious brother, Jude. Thanks for sitting through my sermon. I always wonder how many people are going to snore or throw tomatoes. It was a good Sunday.”
Bernie giggled as she shook his hand. “It wasn’t too boring, and there was a cute baby in front of me, so I had something to distract me from the blather.” She wondered if she had gone too far, but all of the Jacksons laughed and Levi nodded with a grin. “There’s my girl. You’ll fit right in.” So she knew it had been the right response.
Maggie looked at her watch. “Oh dear! We need to go home and get lunch set out. We will meet you all back at the house?”
Everyone nodded, and Levi led Bernie around introducing her to even more of his church family.
***
As they walked hand in hand into the house, Levi led her to the dining room. There was a massive table covered in food and enough chairs and plates for at least twenty people. Bernie was shocked to see so many place settings at the table; she wondered if they were having other company as well.
Maggie came out wiping her flour covered hands on a cute patchwork apron and pulled Bernie into a dusty hug. “Welcome, child! We are so glad that you could come and share a meal with us. Ginny and I were just finishing up some pies, please come in, you’re welcome to join us.”
Bernie was thrilled and a little nervous that Maggie was so interested in her but she followed her into the kitchen with a slight hesitation. She didn’t want to intrude. She smiled noticing that Ginny was also coated head-to-toe in flour. There appeared to be six pies sitting on the counter. Perfectly spaced crisscrossed dough strips covered the top of each one. Ginny was basting them with egg and then sprinkling sugar across the beautiful lattice work. There was apple, blueberry, and some type of mixed berry pie as well.
Bernie was amazed. “Wow. You guys are impressive! I can make a mean cup of coffee, and decent cookies, but pies that look perfect like that? I could never get that done!” She had a sudden thought and wondered if Levi expected his wife to be domestic. Wife? Where did that come from?
Maggie gestured to a stool. “Sit down, sit down! Tell us all about yourself! Did you grow up in the area? Your family? What do you do for a job?”
At the same time her mother was talking, Ginny gave a sly smile. “How did you and Levi meet? Has he kissed you yet?”
Bernie thought she should feel overwhelmed at their questions, but instead it made her more relaxed. They made her feel accepted. She leaned into the counter and told them everything they wanted to know. Well, almost everything.
***
Once the pies were in the oven and the timer was set, Maggie handed each of the girls pitchers of iced tea and lemonade and they all walked into the other room to start lunch.
Bernie set her pitchers on the table in an empty spot, and Levi pulled
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