CHAPTER EIGHT
AT SIX, EMMA WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN FROM THE MUDROOM as Parker walked in from the hall.
"Good timing. Hi, Mrs. G."
"Grilled chicken Caesars," Mrs. Grady announced. "Use the breakfast nook. I'm not setting up the dining room when you girls are going to be coming in and out and picking."
"Yes, ma'am. I worked through lunch. I'm starved."
"Have a glass of wine with it." Mrs. Grady jerked her head toward Parker. "This one's in a mood."
"I'm not in any particular mood." But Parker took one of the glasses of wine Mrs. Grady poured. "Your bill."
Emma glanced at the bottom line, winced. "Ouch. I guess I deserve it."
"Maybe so. But I didn't deserve the angry lecture from the proprietor who assumed I was you."
"Uh-oh. What hospital is he in? I should send flowers."
"He survived, unscathed. Partially because I was on a schedule and didn't have time to hurt him. Your car was also detailed, expertly, inside and out-gratis to first-time customers. Which counted in his favor. Marginally."
Pausing, Parker took another sip of wine. "Mrs. G, you know everyone."
"Whether I want to or not. Sit. Eat." When they had, Mrs. Grady plopped down on one of the counter stools with her own glass of wine. "You want to know about young Malcolm Kavanaugh. Bit of a wild one. Army brat. His father died overseas when he was a boy. Ten or twelve, I think, which may account for the bit of wild. His ma had a hard time keeping him in line. She used to waitress at Artie's, the place on the avenue. He'd be her brother, Artie would, and why she moved here when she lost her husband."
Mrs. Grady took a sip of wine, and settled back a bit to tell the rest. "As you may know, Artie Frank is a complete asshole, and his wife is a prissy snob of a woman. What I heard was Artie decided to take the boy in hand, and the boy did his level best to snap that hand off at the wrist. And good for him," she added with some relish. "He went off, the boy did, to race cars or motorcycles or something like. Did some stunt work in the movies, I believe. Did well enough for himself, from what I'm told. And made sure his ma got a piece of the pie he was making."
"Well. That speaks well of him, I suppose," Parker allowed.
"Got busted up on a stunt, and got some kind of settlement out of it. He used it to buy the garage out on Route One, about three years ago. Bought his ma a little house as well. He's built up a nice business, from what I'm told, and still has a bit of the wild in him."
"I'll assume he's built up his business through his skill with engines and not through his skill with customer relations."
"Put your back up," Emma commented.
"I'll get over it, as long as he does the job well." Parker glanced over as Laurel came in. "Cutting it close."
"Coffee and cookies are set up. Some of us don't have time to sit around eating and gossiping before a consult." Laurel frowned as she combed her fingers through her hair. "Plus you're having wine."
"Parker was in a mood because-"
"I heard all about that already." Laurel poured herself a scant half glass. "I want new juice. What's the current situation with Jack?"
"I think we're having virtual sex. We're still in the early stages of foreplay, so I'm not sure where it's going."
"I've never had cyber sex. I've never liked anyone enough to have cyber sex." Laurel cocked her head as she considered. "And that sounds odd. I like a guy well enough to have actual sex, but not virtual?"
"Because it's a game." Emma got up to give Laurel the remaining half of her salad. "You might like a man enough to go to bed with him, but you might not want to play with him."
"That makes weird sense." With a nod, Laurel stabbed at the salad. "You always make weird sense when it comes to men."
"And obviously she likes Jack enough to play with him," Parker added.
"Jack's got a sense of fun, which is one of the things I've always liked about him. And found attractive." Emma's lips curved in a slow, easy smile. "We'll see how much we like playing games."
IN THE PARLOR, OVER COFFEE AND LAUREL'S MACAROONS, PARKER led the consult with the engaged couple and their mothers. "As I explained to Mandy and Seth, Vows will tailor our services to suit your needs. As much or as little as you want. Our goal, together and individually, is to give you the perfect wedding. Your perfect wedding. Now, when we spoke last, you hadn't chosen a date, but had decided you wanted evening and outdoors."