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“No tablecloths. We’re making sheer, gauzy runners for the middle of the tables. With the jungle theme, Hannah thinks the sage green and apricot orange would work best, but Willa mentioned light blue and yellow, so Hannah sent swatches of each for her to look at,” Norah explains.
“I have no idea what a gauzy runner is. Do you?” Keller asks, turning to me.
“Not a clue,” I concur.
Keller and I both grab hold of a box and follow the girls inside the inn. Sela explains that Hannah is her brother’s girlfriend who moved to Lake Mistletoe from Las Vegas and opened her own event planning company last year.
“She just upped and moved from Vegas? That must have been a culture shock. I can’t imagine she is as busy.”
Sela grins. “I think Bran might have been a factor in the decision, but we have our share of events here in Lake Mistletoe. She stays busy, trust me.”
“And what about you? Are you happy to be back, or do you miss Boise?” I ask.
“I won’t lie. I enjoyed my time in the city, but there’s no place like home. I’m sure you know what I mean, seeing as you travel so much. Don’t you love it when you get to go home?”
I shrug.
The truth is, the only thing that excites me about going back to San Antonio after a trip is Cobie.
We settle in to enjoy a meal of roast with red potatoes and baby carrots.
“This is the best roast I’ve ever had. What is in this gravy?” I ask Alice.
“It’s a secret. She won’t tell any of us,” Willa gripes.
“I know there’s red wine in it. I’ve walked in and seen her add it to the pan drippings,” Norah says.
“But the rub she does before browning the meat is the key, and she won’t tell me what it is,” Willa states.
“She mixes the rub herself. I don’t even know what’s in it,” Hal informs.
I help Cobie squirt a pile of ketchup on her meat, smash a couple of potatoes, and pour gravy over the top.
Everyone chats animatedly as we eat.
It’s a funny thing; we’ve only been here for a couple of days, and yet it feels like we’re breaking bread with old friends.
Cobie and Lexie are excited about the planned evening activities while the boys are discussing their plans to camp in the atrium tonight.
“You guys had better pull out all the stops this year because I have it on good authority that Bran and our dad are working on an entry for the boat parade,” Sela tells Keller.
“I had my suspicion when he made up an excuse not to help us tonight,” Keller muses.
“They’ve even recruited Sammy to help,” Norah informs.
“Sammy? He’s one of us,” Bob points out.
“Yep. He says that Bran is an artist, so he figures they have an advantage,” Norah explains.
“Traitor,” Bob mumbles.
Willa shakes her head. “No name-calling. It’s supposed to be a friendly competition,” she reminds them.
“More like cutthroat,” Norah mutters.
Once our plates are clean, Alice and Trixie bring out today’s themed dessert of gingerbread pear loaf.
It’s divine.
