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Chapter 1
Cypress Cove is a low-country fishing village that has one stoplight, one grocery store, and one gas station, owned by the same family for generations, a marina at the end of Main Street with a dockmaster that grew up in those parts, and a bakery that sold the same baked goods that many of the residents’ grandmothers had grown up eating.
On a Saturday morning in early January, standing in the window of the Café Delphine, Annie Markley, formerly Casson, looked at the display case and debated going inside for chicory coffee and beignets. Looking at her watch, she was late as it was for the girlfriends’ weekly get-together at the park.
“They’ll want beignets,” she said out loud and pushed the stroller through the door.
“Miss Markley and Sir Steven,” the cashier, Emily, said, looking over the counter at the toddler with a smile. “What can I do you for today?”
“A dozen beignets and a half-gallon jug of coffee. The women are waiting at the park, by the way.”
“I’ll make it snappy. And just an FYI, Maggie already bought a king cake.”
“Yum! Forget the diet today.”
Using tongs, Emily dropped a dozen still hot powdered-sugar-covered fried beignets into a white paper bag, the grease immediately seeping through the paper, and then took a cardboard container to the coffee station and poured a glass pot of coffee into it before screwing on the top.
“I’ll pack cups and sugars and creams into a bag for you.”
“Thank you so much,” Annie said. “I’ll take packets of cinnamon, too.”
This was her offering to keep Maggie from running to the grocery store for vino, which was their new habit. But Annie didn’t want to drink so early in the day. She had her hands full with her boyfriend moving into their new house. And she was taking midterm finals and working on her master’s thesis, all the while trying to keep her head above water financially. To make matters worse, she’d had a sinus infection that required antibiotics and had gotten ringworm from a kitten at the rescue.
“Here you go,” Emily said. “Have fun with the women!”
“I will, Emily, and thank you so much.”
She left the café and crossed the street, jaywalking to the corner. Her friends were already at the park, Katrina Blanchard with toddler Davie, and Maggie Angel with baby Tina.
“King cake!” Maggie yelled.
“Same calories as a glass of wine,” Katrina said, frowning.
“We’re all trying to get pregnant so I guess it’s smart to lay off the hooch,” Maggie said, grimacing. “I had the DTs last night.”
“What’d you do to combat it?” Annie asked, leaning in for a hug.
“I took a shower and went to bed,” Maggie said.
“Also, I’m not trying to get pregnant,” Annie said. “Bite your tongue. It might not even be possible because I have the yeast infection from hell due to these stinkin’ antibiotics I’m taking.”
“Ugh, poor Annie. Get yogurt. I’m not getting pregnant until Lent, but whatever,” Maggie said. “You know I do what I can to please Justin.”
“I thought we were going to have babies at the same time,” Katrina said. “Don’t ruin it now, woman.”
“Ha! I need to get married first,” Annie said.
They looked at her and frowned. “Why? I’m not married,” Katrina said.
“And I got married when my kid was over a year old,” Maggie said. “It’s just a piece of paper.”
“It’s for Chris,” Annie said, getting out the coffee supplies she’d brought. “Because of his history and all, he wants that for his kid. But not only that, I have to finish this master’s. I have six months to go.”
“You’ll finish,” Maggie said. “You could probably finish now.”
“I don’t have the energy to challenge them. Anyway, here’s beignets, still hot. I have to get serious about eating healthy, too.”
“A treat on a Saturday morning isn’t going to hurt you,” Katrina said. “Anyway, look at Davie.”
