AllFreeNovel
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“This house is beautiful,” she said. “I love how these older homes are more segmented. It gives each room purpose, I think.” She smiled as she accepted the bowl of soup his father had ladled for her.
It looked like Savannah had prepared a five-course dinner, and Sage’s stomach growled. Maybe she wouldn’t make a fool of herself in front of these people.
“This is chicken gumbo soup,” Savannah drawled. “It’s an old family recipe.”
“My grandmother’s,” Ty said.
“Did you teach Ty to cook?” Sage asked, finding such a thing very charming.
“Only a little,” Savannah said with a laugh. “That boy didn’t have the patience for much.”
“That’s why I’m good at meals that take thirty minutes or less.” He grinned at his momma and poured her a glass of wine.
Dinner progressed, and his mother could have definitely won a multitude of cooking awards. By the time Sage put the last bite of chocolate mousse cake in her mouth, she felt like her dress would burst off of her.
“This wassodelicious,” she said, still licking the chocolate from the spoon. “I’m never going to eat this well again.” She smiled around at everyone. The conversation had been easy, and she thought his parents had minded their manners just fine.
They didn’t press either of them about their relationship. No questions were asked. No stray or sly glances. At least Sage now knew why Ty approached things the way he did.
“Ty, I want to show you something,” his daddy said, and the two of them got up together.
“I’ll help you clean up.” Sage got to her feet too, and she and Savannah started to clear the table. The old kitchen had endured some modern updates, one of which was a big, deep farmhouse sink.
“I love this,” Sage said, running her hand along the countertop that went over it. “It holds so much.” In fact, it looked like every bowl, pot, or pan Savannah had used to make their meal of pork roast and mashed potatoes still sat in the sink.
“It’s wonderful,” Savannah agreed. “I do a lot of cooking, and I didn’t realize how much the sink couldn’t hold until we got that one.” She started loading the dishwasher, and Sage attacked the bigger items in the sink.
“You’re a stylist,” Savannah said, straightening. “What do you think of my hair?”
Sage was not going to go down this road. “I think it’s lovely,” she said with a smile.
“I want to color it, but Kenneth thinks it might make me look like I’m trying too hard.”
Sage looked over to her. Her hair had definitely turned gray, but it could be shined up into a healthy silver and she’d be happier. At least Sage thought she would be. She had soft bangs that hid her tall forehead—always a good move—and her hair fell to her shoulders in even, very age-appropriate layers.
“Trying too hard to do what?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “Look younger, I suppose.”
“What don’t you like about your hair?” Sage finished scrubbing the pot that had boiled the potatoes and laid it to dry in a dish rack.
“I think it’s…well, it’s really dry and brittle,” she said. “So I don’t think it looks very healthy. It has no…oomph.”
Sage smiled to the pan as she rinsed the gravy remains out of it. “If you came to me, Miss Parker, I’d simply highlight your grays. They’re so pretty on women your age—on women any age—and it would give it shine. Sparkle.”
“That’s what I need,” she said. “Do you dye your hair, Sage? It’s so beautiful.”
Sage gave her a look out of the corner of her eye. “I’m going to tell you something I haven’t told anyone. Not Ty. Not my Supper Club friends, who are my best friends in the whole world.” She stopped scrubbing and Savannah stopped rinsing and loading.
Their eyes met, and Sage felt a little dangerous. A little naughty. Like she might just be about to take off on a long flight and wouldn’t be able to make it back.
“Yes,” she said. “I color my hair, but—” She laughed. “I’ve told all my friends for years that I don’t.”
Savannah’s smile grew into something wild and beautiful. “That’s so interesting,” she said. “Why not just tell them?”
“I don’t know.” Sage shrugged as she went back to work on the pots and pans. “One of them madesucha big deal out of it once, and I denied it so strongly…I can’t go back now.” She giggled and finished up with another pan. “I don’t do it all the time. Mostly when I want to look my best—like for my son’s wedding. I’ll give it a littleoompha few weeks before I go to that.”
“Would you do mine, Sage?” she asked, and she looked eager and apprehensive at the same time.
