porch with his hands on his hips. “So the lord of the manor went shopping, did he?”
“It’s just a little corn,” Teddy said, sheepishly. “It just looked so good, I couldn’t pass it up.”
Marc walked down the front steps and approached the car warily. He reached into one of the bags and took out an ear of the fresh corn. After giving it a thorough inspection, he said, reluctantly, “Well, lucky for you, I was planning crab cakes for an appetizer tomorrow night. I suppose I can incorporate the corn in some fashion.”
Teddy bowed extravagantly. “I’ll forever be in your debt, Chef Denby.”
Vicki, having broken into one of the brownie boxes was halfway through one of the treats and offering the box to Ethan, while Clementine danced at her feet. “It’s always good to be reminded of who is really in charge around here,” she said with a laugh, sitting on the porch step. “None for you, Clem. They’re not good for puppies. Which is good, because that leaves more for us big dogs.”
Teddy sat on the step above his beautiful, brown-haired wife and encircled her in his arms, licking the chocolate covered finger she offered.
“Leave it for the bedroom,” ordered Marc. “I know you haven’t seen each other for a couple of days, but spare the rest of us your reunification love-making.” He picked up Clementine and scratched her head. “And don’t forget there’s a young, impressionable mind present.”
“I hate to break it to you, Marc, but you’re not that young anymore,” Teddy said with mock seriousness, causing Vicki and Ethan to laugh.
“I was referring to Clem,” Mark said, casting a withering look toward Teddy. “And what do you mean, I’m not that young? I’m still in my thirties, which is more than I can say for some of us.” He cast a slightly victorious look toward Vicki and Ethan.
Teddy nodded and made a show of considering Marc’s comment. “You’re correct, of course. Although thirty nine is very close to not being in your thirties anymore. It’s really much closer to being in your forties, and in reality, much closer to the end of your life. I have to admire the way you’re grasping at your almost lost youth and completely ignoring the dark abyss that stretches before you. Bravo.”
“I’ll bet he’s sorry he started this,” Ethan said to Vicki in a stage whisper. “He hates it when the ‘forty’ number is mentioned.”
“ I hate all of you except for Clem and I’m not cooking that corn,” Marc announced, getting up from the porch steps and heading back inside the house. As the screen door slammed behind him, the rest of them burst into laughter. “Oh, and by the way,” he said coming right back out on the porch, “Phoebe called and invited all of us to dinner up at Dark Shadows tonight. That means dress nice and be on your best behavior. She’s a proper lady and runs a proper household up there. Not like this slipshod operation we’ve got here.” And with that, he disappeared into the house leaving the others still laughing.
Ethan gathered his planting supplies, along with his kneeling pad, and put them in a wicker basket. “Vicki, how about we walk the gardens later and pick out what we need for arrangements?” Clementine’s ears perked up as she gave Ethan a quizzical look. Ethan grinned and squatted down to her level, scratching her head. “Yeah, Clem, you’re welcome to come along, if you like.”
“ As if we could get away without her,” Vicki said. “That sounds good, Ethan. I noticed those green “Envy” zinnias in the cutting bed. Are they ready?”
“Some of them. Certainly enough for the dining room.”
“Ethan,” Teddy said, “I don’t mean to bring up a delicate subject but … ”
“But how’s the play coming?” Ethan interrupted, smiling wryly. “Well, let’s just say I’ve had a lot of time to tend to the gardens lately. Maybe I’m in a thinking phase.” He rose and gathered his basket of tools. “I’ve
“It’s just a little corn,” Teddy said, sheepishly. “It just looked so good, I couldn’t pass it up.”
Marc walked down the front steps and approached the car warily. He reached into one of the bags and took out an ear of the fresh corn. After giving it a thorough inspection, he said, reluctantly, “Well, lucky for you, I was planning crab cakes for an appetizer tomorrow night. I suppose I can incorporate the corn in some fashion.”
Teddy bowed extravagantly. “I’ll forever be in your debt, Chef Denby.”
Vicki, having broken into one of the brownie boxes was halfway through one of the treats and offering the box to Ethan, while Clementine danced at her feet. “It’s always good to be reminded of who is really in charge around here,” she said with a laugh, sitting on the porch step. “None for you, Clem. They’re not good for puppies. Which is good, because that leaves more for us big dogs.”
Teddy sat on the step above his beautiful, brown-haired wife and encircled her in his arms, licking the chocolate covered finger she offered.
“Leave it for the bedroom,” ordered Marc. “I know you haven’t seen each other for a couple of days, but spare the rest of us your reunification love-making.” He picked up Clementine and scratched her head. “And don’t forget there’s a young, impressionable mind present.”
“I hate to break it to you, Marc, but you’re not that young anymore,” Teddy said with mock seriousness, causing Vicki and Ethan to laugh.
“I was referring to Clem,” Mark said, casting a withering look toward Teddy. “And what do you mean, I’m not that young? I’m still in my thirties, which is more than I can say for some of us.” He cast a slightly victorious look toward Vicki and Ethan.
Teddy nodded and made a show of considering Marc’s comment. “You’re correct, of course. Although thirty nine is very close to not being in your thirties anymore. It’s really much closer to being in your forties, and in reality, much closer to the end of your life. I have to admire the way you’re grasping at your almost lost youth and completely ignoring the dark abyss that stretches before you. Bravo.”
“I’ll bet he’s sorry he started this,” Ethan said to Vicki in a stage whisper. “He hates it when the ‘forty’ number is mentioned.”
“ I hate all of you except for Clem and I’m not cooking that corn,” Marc announced, getting up from the porch steps and heading back inside the house. As the screen door slammed behind him, the rest of them burst into laughter. “Oh, and by the way,” he said coming right back out on the porch, “Phoebe called and invited all of us to dinner up at Dark Shadows tonight. That means dress nice and be on your best behavior. She’s a proper lady and runs a proper household up there. Not like this slipshod operation we’ve got here.” And with that, he disappeared into the house leaving the others still laughing.
Ethan gathered his planting supplies, along with his kneeling pad, and put them in a wicker basket. “Vicki, how about we walk the gardens later and pick out what we need for arrangements?” Clementine’s ears perked up as she gave Ethan a quizzical look. Ethan grinned and squatted down to her level, scratching her head. “Yeah, Clem, you’re welcome to come along, if you like.”
“ As if we could get away without her,” Vicki said. “That sounds good, Ethan. I noticed those green “Envy” zinnias in the cutting bed. Are they ready?”
“Some of them. Certainly enough for the dining room.”
“Ethan,” Teddy said, “I don’t mean to bring up a delicate subject but … ”
“But how’s the play coming?” Ethan interrupted, smiling wryly. “Well, let’s just say I’ve had a lot of time to tend to the gardens lately. Maybe I’m in a thinking phase.” He rose and gathered his basket of tools. “I’ve
Similar Books
