“You’ll get used to it. Especially when it’s raining and you don’t have to lean out the window to punch in the code.”
“That’s true.”
Natalie parked next to Jesse’s truck at the front of the chapel house.
“Do you smell that?”
“Nelle’s got to be in there cooking. It smells like sausage.”
“It smells like heaven if you ask me, but I guess any remnants of those chocolate chip cookies we so carefully timed at the end of the night was a waste of time.” She pulled the right door open and stepped inside. Christmas music filled the space. She poked her head into the kitchen, where Nelle swayed and hummed along with the music as she stirred.
“Pray tell, Nelle, what are you fixing, and please tell me there’s enough for a few extra mouths.”
Nelle spun around with a smile. “I never met a bunch I couldn’t feed. There’s plenty. Hope you like homemade sausage gravy and biscuits.”
“I’m sure I do.”
“Who doesn’t?”
Jesse walked in and pecked Nelle on the cheek. “My gal is the best cook in the county.”
“County is all? You better back up on that.” She swatted him with the spoon, leaving a mess of gravy on his sleeve.
“She don’t fight fair.” He swept his finger into the blob on his sleeve and licked it. “I don’t care. It tastes like seconds, babe.”
“I’ll second you, you rascal.” Nelle half chased him from the kitchen.
Sheila walked through the chapel. The transformation by the light of day was nothing short of amazing. Like an episode of one of those extreme home redecorating shows.
And although they’d started with a good plan, as differentpeople added their thoughtful touches, that’s when the place really came together.
Sheila had serious doubts Paul Grandstaff would want to subdivide and sell, especially with the family cemetery so close to it, but if he wanted to Airbnb this cute place he could make a bundle.
Clicking off pictures, she hoped she’d recall the feeling of this moment forever.
When she walked back into the kitchen, Nelle was alone and gently lifting hot golden biscuits from a well-worn cookie sheet. She carefully placed two on a piece of wax paper and folded it up.
“Are you making a little snack for Jesse? Y’all are really sweet together.”
“He’s a good man,” Nelle said. “These are for Grandstaff, though. He’s a sucker for my biscuits.”
“How long have you known Paul, Nelle?”
“Years and years.”
“Did you grow up here?”
“No. You know I’m from New Orleans. I grew up in Louisiana. Never thought I’d leave neither, but when Hurricane Katrina came rumbling through back in 2005, I lost everything. My house. My cat. Even my dear husband. We never did find his body. It was tough times.”
“Oh my gosh! I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, well, it was bad for lots of folks, not just me. I’d already been through one hurricane and we rebuilt. I couldn’t do it again. Not without my sweet husband, so I packed up and headed to North Carolina to live with my cousins.”
“You have family in North Carolina?”
“I did at the time. Most of them have passed on now. I never made it there.”
“What happened?”
