The Keeneston Roses (16 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Violet smiled as Anton held the piece of éclair up to her lips. When had cooking become so sensual? Every day after the kitchen staff left, they spent hours cooking for each other. And when they fought, it was a passionate war of words, peppered with intellectual wit and sexual subtlety.

“What do your sisters think of us?” Anton asked as he filled another éclair.

“Umm,” Violet stammered.

“You haven’t told them about us, have you?”

“Have you told anyone about us?” Violet asked defensively.

“No, but I intend to tell the whole world tomorrow at the ball. Now that you, or should I say a bunch of
enfants,
found Nabi a girlfriend, I plan to be your next project.” Anton slid his arm around her waist and fed her another bite of éclair.

“It was a group effort, not just the kids,” Violet protested. “And what do you mean, project?”

Anton lowered his lips to hers and kissed off the cream that was on her upper lip. “Your next boyfriend project. I think I make a pretty good candidate. What do you think?”

“Oh, I think you have potential.” Violet grinned, tilting her head and offering him her lips for another kiss.

* * *

“
Non!
” Anton crossed his arms over his chest and stared into narrowed eyes. “I will not make chicken fingers, Miss Cassidy. This meal is excellent. I made it for the King of Spain.”

Cassidy, the youngest of Pierce and Tammy’s children, stared at Anton as if he were growing horns. “It’s slimy.”

“It’s a delicacy . . . do you know what that word means?”

“Of course I do. I’m nine, not three.” Cassidy crossed her arms and stuck out her bottom lip.

“
Enfants!
” Anton cried and tossed his arms up in the air.

“
Têtu vieil homme
,” Cassidy said, sticking out her tongue. The patrons of the Blossom Café all looked at each other and then to their special guest chef.

“I am not a stubborn old man,” Anton said and smiled. “But, for speaking my language of love, I will make you something special.”

“Do you think if I told him I also speak Italian, he’d make me macaroni and cheese?” Cassidy asked Violet, who sat at the table next to them with her sisters.

Violet laughed and shook her head, and Lily placed another picture in front of her. “What do you think about this dress?”

Violet turned her attention back to Lily’s wedding planning. They had two months to plan a wedding that had somehow turned into the event of the decade. Everyone in town had sent in an RSVP stating they would attend. Gone was the idea of a catered reception. It was now a potluck affair with four tents that were going to be set up at Dani and Mo’s farm.

Violet’s enthusiasm for the wedding had grown since she and Anton had become a couple. Now the idea of falling in love again and planning a wedding didn’t bring on a panic attack. She loved Anton and had known it with the first bite of his cream puff. He was beyond passionate and wanted nothing more than to love her, care for her, and cook with her. Passion wasn’t just in the kitchen either. No, it was in everything they did together. Since she fell in love, the trees were greener, the sky bluer, and her heart younger. Love had no age. Love had no number. Love was just magic, and everyone needed a little magic in their life.

Daisy flipped the page in the bridal magazine and couldn’t help but imagine she was planning this huge event for herself. Looking up, she saw Charlie talking to John as they encouraged—rather, teased—Anton as he prepared food for the patrons of the Blossom Café. The three of them got along wonderfully, which only made Daisy’s desire to marry Charlie deeper.

Daisy went back to the task of looking through bridal magazines for Lily’s wedding, and her sisters talked about the plans the women of Keeneston were working on. Daisy was so caught up in the laughter and love filling the café she didn’t notice Charlie standing next to her until he put a gentle hand on her arm.

“Ready, dear?”

Daisy folded down the corner of the magazine and smiled up at him. “Sure am.”

“And where are you two lovebirds going this evening?” Lily asked as she sent a quick look to Violet whose smile widened. What did they think they were doing?

“Charlie is taking me on a picnic.” When her sisters snickered, Daisy bent down. “Get your mind out of the gutters.” Unfortunately that only caused them to giggle louder. Maybe they shouldn’t have been sipping their special iced tea while going through the magazines.

Charlie placed his hand at the small of Daisy’s back and escorted her from the café. His car was parked out front, and he opened the door for her. “Where are we having the picnic?” Daisy asked before he shut the door.

“It’s a surprise.”

Daisy sat back and watched Charlie walk around the car. They had talked of his family wanting to come see her this summer and of the gossip going around town about Nabi and Grace Duvall’s wedding. The sweet kindergarten teacher had found her own second chance at love. Plus, Daisy and her sisters were trying to figure out what happened between Ryan Parker and Sienna Ashton.

“We had them pegged from the time they were babies together,” Daisy sighed. “When he kissed her while they were playing hide and seek at age six, it was clear as day they belonged together.”

“It doesn’t appear that you and your sisters will get a match with that one. They didn’t want to have anything to do with each other at the ball. Of course, they’re young yet. Give them time, Daisy Mae. Kids don’t have to get married at eighteen anymore,” Charlie told her and reached over to pat her knee.

“I know they’re just twenty and twenty-one, but I like to see everyone around me happily in love.”

“Are you happily in love?” Charlie asked, pulling in front of Keeneston High School.

“You know I am. I’ve never been happier.” And she hadn’t. Daisy looked at the large brick building in front of them and felt at peace. It had all started here so many years ago.

Charlie turned off the car, and Daisy brought herself back to the present. “Is this where we are having our picnic?”

“Yes. I thought it would be nice to eat under the willow trees out back, just like we used to in high school.” Charlie opened her door and gave her his arm. He then reached into the back seat and pulled out a picnic basket.

“Sounds lovely. I haven’t been back there since high school. Oh! Look at the trees.” Daisy rested a hand against her heart. The willow trees had grown and spread their weeping branches to form four leafy green fountains that swayed with the breeze.

Charlie reached into the leaves of the tree and pulled nature’s curtain back. Daisy walked in and felt the temperature drop to a comfortable level. She looked up and marveled at the height of the tree and the swaying branches. When Charlie let the leaves fall back into place, it felt as if they were in their own world.

He spread the black-and-red checkered blanket on the ground and offered his hand to help Daisy sit. She watched as Charlie pulled out a black velvet box instead of food. His hand shook as he reached to open it. Daisy gasped at the small diamond band.

“Daisy Mae, my heart knew the first time I saw you sitting under this tree that we were meant to be. We both experienced life, and now life has brought us back together. Will you marry me?”

Daisy stared at the ring in his hand and then looked at his face. Fear, excitement, and, most importantly, love shone in his eyes. “Yes! Oh, Charlie.” Charlie slipped the ring onto her finger and pulled her close. Daisy tried not to cry. She was too old for that nonsense. But her darn tears just wouldn’t listen.

“You’ve made me the happiest man today. I hope you don’t mind, but I thought I would come prepared.”

Daisy pulled back from where her happy tears streaked the front of his shirt in time to see Charlie pull out a bottle of champagne. “I figured we could celebrate if you said yes, and if you said no, then I would drink it myself.” Charlie chuckled.

“How could you think I would say no? I love you, Charles Lastinger.”

Charlie poured the champagne and handed her a glass. “And I love you, too, Daisy Mae Rose.”

Daisy clinked her glass with Charlie’s and took a sip. The bubbles tickled, but her girlish giggles fled as soon as Charlie’s lips met hers. Daisy wound her hand into his hair as his lips danced with hers.

“Okay, knock it off in . . . what the fu—!”

Daisy broke the kiss and looked up at their intruder. “Marshall Davies, watch your language!”

“Can we help you, young man?” Charlie asked as he removed his hand from Daisy’s bosom.

Daisy almost felt bad for him. But he
was
interrupting a special moment. She watched as his face turned red and his eyes shot back and forth between the two of them before he cleared his throat. “Sorry, I got a call about some teenagers making out back here and . . .” Marshall just shook his head.

“A sheriff’s duty is never done,” Charlie said, taking pity on him. “But no worries, we’re not some young teenagers engaged in some hanky-panky. We’re a newly engaged couple making hanky-panky.” Charlie sent her a wink and leaned forward to kiss her again. This time she didn’t care if the whole town stormed through. Nothing was going to interrupt them.

“Is he gone yet?” she asked against his lips some time later.

“You didn’t hear the tires squealing?” Charlie poured another glass of champagne and handed it to her.

“I guess it will be all over the town by the time we get home tonight. Too bad they won’t have anyone to take their bets on when our wedding will be.” Daisy laughed out loud. Her life was full with a town, her family, and now a fiancé. She’d never been happier.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Violet sat on the stool in the Blossom Café’s kitchen and watched Anton make a
tarte au chocolat
. His lost bet had been fulfilled, and his time as the guest chef at the Blossom Café had come to an end. He had flipped the Closed sign, turned out the lights in the dining area, and brought her back to the kitchen.

“I must admit,
ma chérie
, it has been fun cooking for the people of Keeneston. I feel ashamed that I have been here for over twenty years but never took the time to really get to know the town and her people.”

“And now that you have, what do you think? Are you still going to go back to France after you retire?”

“Bah! Who wants to retire? What would I do with all that time? I’m a cook—I cook for people. If I go back to France, I will have no one to cook for.”

Violet gave him a wobbly smile. She hated thinking of Anton leaving. “I understand all too well. I hate to admit I am getting too old to run this kitchen everyday, but the days I am here cooking are the best days of my week. To create a meal and see the moment they taste it is perfection to me. Their eyes close softly as they savor the food I make. I don’t know who I am without cooking.”

“You are a beautiful, caring woman,
ma chérie
. Now, here, taste this. It will solve all the problems in the world. It will make you give that seductive moan of yours, and it will spread love,” Anton told her in a low voice, setting the
tarte au chocolat
in front of her.

“If only it could,” Violet said a little melancholy. Once the reminder of being alone again hit her; it was hard to shake its lonely grasp.

Anton put his hand to his chest in mock exasperation. “You doubt my cooking?
Non!
Close your eyes,
ma chérie
.” Anton picked up a fork, and Violet shut her eyes to the pain of knowing he was leaving in six months.

She opened her lips as Anton fed her his dessert. She moaned when she felt the chocolate melting over her tongue. The richness burst in her mouth, and she felt it all the way to her toes. Violet blinked her eyes open. Anton shot her a cocky smile.

“I take it you like it?”

“Love it,” Violet practically purred. A man who made chocolate like this was such a turn-on.

“Ah,
ma chérie
, but who do you love more? The chocolate or Anton?”

Violet looked up at the ceiling in contemplation. “Maybe I should have another bite of the dessert before I answer,” Violet quipped and picked up the fork, pausing midair. “What’s that?” Violet asked as she stared at the plate in front of her. A square-cut chocolate diamond ring was placed in the center of the dessert.

Anton took the fork from her hand and placed it on the table before taking both of her hands into his. Violet turned wide-eyed and looked at him as he kissed her hands.

“Cooking has always been my passion. I thought my life would end when I could no longer create meals fit for royalty. But then I met a stubborn, vivacious woman who showed me that there could be passion both inside
and
outside the kitchen. You are not only my muse for cooking but my muse for life. I have fallen in love with you,
ma chérie
. Please say you will marry me so we can spend the rest of our lives sharing all our passions together.”

Violet blinked and stared at Anton. What was happening? Lily was the one getting married. Anton was just another lost love. Wasn't he moving back to France?

“But, you’re leaving at the end of the year,” Violet stuttered, looking back and forth between Anton and the ring.

“I could never ask you to leave your family. I have none, and Keeneston has become more of a home to me than France. But that doesn’t mean we cannot honeymoon there. Oh, the wineries and the restaurants we can tour together,
ma chérie
. It only holds appeal to me now with you by my side. So, what do you say, will you marry me?”

Violet squeezed his hands and smiled. “Of course I will. Oh, Anton, you have brought such joy to my life. I have found myself waking in the middle of the night with new recipes dancing in my mind—recipes for you. Your love has given me a new look at life. A spark that had been there once long ago is flaring back to life with your tender care. I love you, Anton, and I would be proud to be your wife.”

Tears of happiness started to flow down her cheeks as Anton placed his lips on hers in a celebratory kiss. He pulled back and smiled, reaching for the ring and slipping it on her finger. Violet stared at it in amazement. She never would have believed she would have her own happily ever after.

* * *

Lily Rae sat on the porch swing with John’s arm wrapped around her shoulder, looking at the night sky. She rested her head on his chest. He gently pushed the swing in a slow rocking motion. The sound of crickets chirping and leaves rustling in the gentle breeze was broken by the sound of two cars speeding up the street.

“What in tarnation?” Lily asked. She and John leaned forward to see Charlie’s car coming from the left and Anton’s car coming down the street from the right.

“I think we’re about to be told some news.” John grinned.

“What do you know, John Wolfe? I’m going to be your wife. You tell me right now how you know these things,” Lily demanded.

To her frustration, John just grinned wider and gave her a wink. “Just smile, Lily Rae. It’s good news, and before you ask, I think it’s a wonderful idea.” John stood up and ignored her peppering questions.

The two cars slid to a stop nose to nose as the drivers' doors were flung open. Charlie and Anton got out to open the doors for Lily’s sisters and shot each other a questioning look as they rounded the hoods. Lily watched her sisters step out of the cars and place their hands on their boyfriends’ arms. From the porch, she could see it was good news. Her sisters were glowing.

Daisy and Violet looked at each other and, in an unspoken language the sisters shared, they understood exactly what was happening. Lily clutched her hands together in excitement. “Oh, this is wonderful news, John!”

“Let them tell you, Lily Rae,” he said kindly and placed his hand at the small of her back.

Her sisters stepped onto the porch. They were practically bouncing in their orthopedic shoes. Wanting to jump in and demand they tell her their news, Lily gave way to her southern graces and instead sent John inside for some special iced tea while Charlie and Anton brought chairs over. It was one of the hardest things Lily had done when she offered tea to everyone as Daisy and Violet took their normal seats on the patios with their men flanking them.

Lily sat on the swing, and John sat next to her, waiting for them to make their announcement. She ground her teeth as they talked about the beautiful night, the fun time at the café with Anton cooking, and how good this batch of tea was.

John placed his hand on hers in silent communication to calm her. But when Violet waxed on about Anton’s éclairs, Lily lost it.

“For the love of Pete, are you going to tell me why you’re here so late at night?”

Daisy and Violet looked at each other in surprise and then at Lily. “We assumed John told you,” Daisy said with a sly grin.

“Just say it, Daisy Mae! So help me, I’ll wipe that smirk off your face. And don’t you start, Violet Fae, or I'll tell everyone the secret ingredient to your fried chicken.”

Her sisters rolled their eyes and held out their left hands. “We’re getting married!”

Lily felt the tightness around her heart loosen as her smile grew. She held out her arms, and in seconds her sisters were in them. All the pain from the past fell away with the laughter and excited babble of the sisters. Gone were the years of broken hearts. Gone were the years of aging alone. Gone were the years of loneliness. Lily saw her sisters once again as young vibrant women in love—a love that would find them happier each day than the day before. Her sisters stepped back and each slipped their hands into their fiancé’s hand. If only they could share that special day.

“John, what do you—?”

“I already told you I think it’s a wonderful idea,” John whispered in her ear.

Lily looked up at him and gave a thankful smile. “Daisy and Charlie, Violet and Anton, what do you think of a triple wedding? We have all the plans and the whole town is going to be there. Plus, it would just mean so much to me to have my sisters standing up with me. But, I leave it to you all to discuss. I’ll understand if you want your own day.”

Lily watched her sisters turn to their fiancés and then back to her. “We’ve already talked about it,” Violet told her as she leaned forward and took Lily’s hand in hers.

“And we would love it above all else. We’re sisters and Mom did say we had to love each other,” Daisy joked as she took Lily’s other hand in hers.

The men each shook hands and greeted their soon-to-be brothers-in-law while the sisters wiped tears from their eyes. Anton cleared his throat. “We would like to make the cakes for the wedding. It is our gift and our pleasure to do so for you and the town.”

“Oh, that’s a lovely idea,” Daisy said as she hugged her sister and future brother-in-law. “The town has been such a blessing and support for us. We should do something for them. After all, they are organizing all of this.”

“But what else could we do?” Violet asked.

Lily pursed her lips. “I know what we can do. We can throw the best party this town has ever seen.”