Can't Get Enough by Connie Briscoe Page B

“Wonderful. When can you get to it?”
    “You’re in luck. I had a cancellation today. As soon as I’m done with Mary here I can get to yours. Do you mind waiting about fifteen minutes? There’s a nice coffee shop next door and . . .”
    “That’s fine. And I’ll wait right here. It will give us a chance to talk.” She settled herself into one of Pearl’s waiting chairs, crossed her legs, and picked up a copy of
Essence
magazine as Pearl went back to Mary.
    Pearl smiled as she picked up the hair dryer. The baroness might be royalty now, but Pearl had heard that she was from Atlanta, Georgia, and she was starting to think that despite all the elegance and flair, deep down inside the baroness was still just a good old southern sister at heart.
    “By the way,” Pearl said. “This is Mary Rivers. And Mary this is, um . . .” Pearl hesitated. “I’m not exactly sure what I should call you, Baroness.”
    “Oh, just call me Veronique.”
    “Pearl’s the best,” said Mary. “And I’m so pleased to meet you.”
    Veronique nodded. “Were you at my party last week, Mary? Forgive me if you were, but I invited most of Silver Lake and I didn’t get around to meeting everyone there.”
    Mary shook her head. “I don’t live in Silver Lake,” she said. “But I heard about it.”
    “Mary lives in Montgomery County,” Pearl explained. “That’s right next door to Prince George’s.”
    “So your services are popular far and wide, Pearl. Next time I’ll have to extend an invitation to those in Montgomery County. It feels so good to be back in the States after several years living abroad.”
    “Do you like living in Europe?” Mary asked.
    Veronique nodded. “I love it. But I do miss some things about living here. Like southern cooking. I love to cook but rarely get a chance to these days. Not that I need to with all the help I have.”
    “I was just about to say,” Mary said, “why on earth would you be cooking with all the servants you probably have?”
    “Pierre and I have a very busy social life, and you’re right. It’s hard to find the time when I don’t have to do it.”
    Pearl smiled. “I love to cook, too.”
    “I miss it so much at times,” Veronique said. “I make a mean sweet potato pie. My husband loves my pies, but I haven’t made one for him in years.”
    Pearl laughed. “Cakes are my specialty. I used to have a catering service before I opened this salon.”
    “Pearl makes the best-tasting rum cake this side of the Mississippi River,” Mary said.
    “You seem to be very enterprising, Pearl,” Veronique said. “I admire that. I’m glad the Silver Lake Neighborhood Association called and suggested that I add you to my invitation list for the party.”
    “That was some party,” Pearl said, as she picked up a bottle of her homemade hair oil and applied a generous portion to Mary’s newly curled and styled locks.
    “I met so many wonderful people there,” Veronique said.
    “Did you get a chance to talk to the Bentleys?” Pearl asked. “Barbara is very well known in Silver Lake. She’s the one who called the association for me.”
    Veronique nodded. “Bradford and I go way back to my days in Atlanta. He also knew my ex-husband.”
    “Oh?” Mary said. “They were in business together or friends?”
    “Business.”
    Pearl was surprised at this news. Barbara had never mentioned anything about this to her. Maybe it was news to Barbara, too. Barbara was a very private person and didn’t talk much about personal matters. But everyone in Silver Lake knew that Bradford had a roving eye and that Barbara had an off-and-on-again drinking problem because of it. She hoped that the relationship between Bradford and Veronique had been all business. The last thing Barbara needed in her life was more bimbo drama.
    “What kind of business was that?” Mary asked.
    “Software,” Veronique said.
    “Bradford Bentley is still in software as far as I know,” Mary said. “Does he have