he’s going through.” A touch of sorro w flavor ed her w ords.
“Mom’s ill ness lasted for a long time. T he situations are very different, but they do respect and enjoy each other ’s company. I f Doc has questions, my dad might be the best one to ask . I ’ll bring him over, so d on’t w orry about transportation, ” Jeff promised then snickered . “No doubt, Dad ’ll tell me that he’ll drive himself.”
“Proba bly.” A smile sho w ed in her tone of voice.
“Ho w are the arrangements for the funeral coming?”
“ Al W hite ’s handling everything. He told Ma rtin that ’s w hy one has friends . After the service at St. Helena’s, the guests w ill come back to the house for lunch. Fancy Catering’s handling that part.”
He nodded then asked, “I realize this is a strange question, but w hat happened to all the food from the w edding?”
“ Not so strange. I froze the cake. After they called off the search, w e donated most of the dinner to Free Meals for Beaufort. At least, the food w ent to a w orthy cause.”
“ G ood idea . Mom al w ays gave her leftovers from big parties to that organization.” He paused before adding, “Sounds as if everything is under control. ”
“Normally, t hat ’s one of the things I do best.”
S he stopped drying off the peaches and took a deep breath. “Julia Ann and I shared a room in college . We were inseparable for a while. If I had w aited. . . ”
“M iss M ary, you’re not responsible. According to my dad and my own observations , Mrs. Harris lived her life w ithout regarding others. If you had w aited for her to go inside, she’d no doubt head off as soon as the beams of your tail lights faded from her w indo w .” Jeff gave her a hug. “Hang in there.”
She sniffed and stepped a w ay. “ I’m be tter w hen I’m w orking . W hat w ould y’all like for lunch?”
“Sand w iches, s w eet tea and a blanket w ould be great.”
“I believe I can add a fe w mor e items . ”
“If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I’ll call Dad and see if he up to coming over. W hat time w ould be best?” Jeff pull ed his cell off his belt.
“Four, probably. I’ll be happy to pick him u p. ” She repeat ed her earlier offer.
Jeff stepped out of the kitchen and onto the small porch on the side of the house . “Dad, it’s me.” He explain ed w hy he’d called. After clicking off , he strolled back into the kitchen. “Miss Mary. . .”
“Just Mary, please.”
He nodded. “ I’ll try. Mary, it sounds strange to my ears. ” H e sent her a smile. “My dad said four is fine. He w anted to drive himself, but I told him I’d bring him over. He hopes he can help.”
“I’m sure he can. Having good friends, especially old friends around during times of trouble is a plus, ” Mary replied . “Your picnic’s ready. The blanket’s on the top of the food.”
Jeff gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
“Hey!” Taylor interrupted. “Stop flirting w ith that beautiful w oman! I’ll report you.”
“To w hom?” His amusement sho w ed in his face and voice.
“I’m w orking on it.” She scre w ed up her face, w hile in w ardly she laughed.
He w inked at Mary. “Don’t w orry about her. H er threats mean nothing.”
“Then she w on’t fire me for fooling w ith a guest?” Mary asked going along w ith the teasing.
“As if she’d dare dismiss you, her father w ould force her to give up mucking out the stables and forbid her from leaving the house. She w ould have to cook, do the w ash, iron the clothes, clean, take out the garbage, and everything else,” he said, w ith mock sincerity.
Taylor chuckled. “Stop. I’m not sure w ho w ould suffer the most , Dad, me, or Mary.”
Jeff eyed her carefully. Strolled to her side and ran his fingers through her hair.
“ W hat are you doing?” she asked in a small voice , as her cheeks turned pink .
“C
“Mom’s ill ness lasted for a long time. T he situations are very different, but they do respect and enjoy each other ’s company. I f Doc has questions, my dad might be the best one to ask . I ’ll bring him over, so d on’t w orry about transportation, ” Jeff promised then snickered . “No doubt, Dad ’ll tell me that he’ll drive himself.”
“Proba bly.” A smile sho w ed in her tone of voice.
“Ho w are the arrangements for the funeral coming?”
“ Al W hite ’s handling everything. He told Ma rtin that ’s w hy one has friends . After the service at St. Helena’s, the guests w ill come back to the house for lunch. Fancy Catering’s handling that part.”
He nodded then asked, “I realize this is a strange question, but w hat happened to all the food from the w edding?”
“ Not so strange. I froze the cake. After they called off the search, w e donated most of the dinner to Free Meals for Beaufort. At least, the food w ent to a w orthy cause.”
“ G ood idea . Mom al w ays gave her leftovers from big parties to that organization.” He paused before adding, “Sounds as if everything is under control. ”
“Normally, t hat ’s one of the things I do best.”
S he stopped drying off the peaches and took a deep breath. “Julia Ann and I shared a room in college . We were inseparable for a while. If I had w aited. . . ”
“M iss M ary, you’re not responsible. According to my dad and my own observations , Mrs. Harris lived her life w ithout regarding others. If you had w aited for her to go inside, she’d no doubt head off as soon as the beams of your tail lights faded from her w indo w .” Jeff gave her a hug. “Hang in there.”
She sniffed and stepped a w ay. “ I’m be tter w hen I’m w orking . W hat w ould y’all like for lunch?”
“Sand w iches, s w eet tea and a blanket w ould be great.”
“I believe I can add a fe w mor e items . ”
“If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I’ll call Dad and see if he up to coming over. W hat time w ould be best?” Jeff pull ed his cell off his belt.
“Four, probably. I’ll be happy to pick him u p. ” She repeat ed her earlier offer.
Jeff stepped out of the kitchen and onto the small porch on the side of the house . “Dad, it’s me.” He explain ed w hy he’d called. After clicking off , he strolled back into the kitchen. “Miss Mary. . .”
“Just Mary, please.”
He nodded. “ I’ll try. Mary, it sounds strange to my ears. ” H e sent her a smile. “My dad said four is fine. He w anted to drive himself, but I told him I’d bring him over. He hopes he can help.”
“I’m sure he can. Having good friends, especially old friends around during times of trouble is a plus, ” Mary replied . “Your picnic’s ready. The blanket’s on the top of the food.”
Jeff gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
“Hey!” Taylor interrupted. “Stop flirting w ith that beautiful w oman! I’ll report you.”
“To w hom?” His amusement sho w ed in his face and voice.
“I’m w orking on it.” She scre w ed up her face, w hile in w ardly she laughed.
He w inked at Mary. “Don’t w orry about her. H er threats mean nothing.”
“Then she w on’t fire me for fooling w ith a guest?” Mary asked going along w ith the teasing.
“As if she’d dare dismiss you, her father w ould force her to give up mucking out the stables and forbid her from leaving the house. She w ould have to cook, do the w ash, iron the clothes, clean, take out the garbage, and everything else,” he said, w ith mock sincerity.
Taylor chuckled. “Stop. I’m not sure w ho w ould suffer the most , Dad, me, or Mary.”
Jeff eyed her carefully. Strolled to her side and ran his fingers through her hair.
“ W hat are you doing?” she asked in a small voice , as her cheeks turned pink .
“C
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