Rest in Peach Read Online Free
Author: Susan Furlong
gloatingly parade back to the dressing room, carefully holding the pinned hem away from her ankles. “We already found Emily’s perfect dress,” Ginny bit out. “And that little snip is wearing it.”
Unfortunately, that comment was heard loud and clear. Once again, everyone’s attention focused on Ginny, including Emily’s. She quickly abandoned the dress catalog and sidled up to her mother. “I’m ready to go, if you are, Mama.”
“Sure you don’t need to look at the catalog some more?” Ginny asked tightly.
Emily shook her head. “We can do that anytime.” She tugged on her mother’s arm, but to no avail. Ginny and Vivien seemed to be locked in a menacing stare down. Secondspassed without a single blink from either of them. Emily tugged some more and shot a pleading look my way.
I leaned in and whispered into Ginny’s ear, “We really should be going. I need to get back to the shop, and I’m sure you’ve—”
I was interrupted by Tara’s reemergence from the dressing room. Vivien ended the stare down with a smug little smirk, taking the dress from her daughter and handing it back over to Mrs. Busby. “It’s all settled, then. I’ll see you this evening,” she said, heading for the door, Tara following on her heels.
The second the door shut behind them, Ginny’s hands shot to her hips. Her chest heaved as she drew in a deep breath and let go with, “Well, I never . . . !” and continued on describing Vivien Crenshaw with a list of colorful adjectives that would threaten anyone’s good standing with the local Baptists, finally finishing the tirade with something like, “. . . I sure hope that nasty, dress-stealing, backstabbing snob gets hers one day!”
A collective gasp sounded around the room, followed by a moment of stunned silence. Emily looked like she wanted to crawl under a rock. This was definitely not social grace. “It’s okay, everyone!” I assured the ladies, while trying to pull Ginny aside for a little chill time. “She’s just been under a lot of pressure, that’s all.”
But Ginny shook me off and stomped toward the door, turning back at the last minute. “I meant what I said,” she spat. Then she lifted her chin at the entire room of staring eyes. “That witch stole my girl’s cotillion dress. And don’t y’all think for one second that I’m going to stand for it, neither. You mark my words. I’ll make sure that woman gets herdue!”
Chapter 2
Debutante Rule #016:
Debutantes cling together through thick and thin; we’d rather perish than forsake a friend . . . unless she’s after our boyfriend.
I swear, Reverend Jones was citing enough Bible passages to please a dozen Sunday school teachers and then some. It was all I could do to sit still through the last minutes of his sermon. When we finally wrapped up the final hymn, featuring a solo part by big-haired Laney Burns, local manicure professional and wannabe gospel diva, I made a beeline for the back door.
“I’ve invited Cade and Hattie over for some chicken,” Mama said, catching up to me in the parking lot. She’d been doing that a lot: inviting Cade over for supper. Either she thought he was too skinny, or she was conspiring, as much as I, to kick our relationship up a notch on the romance scale. “I thought it’d be nice to do a little something extra for Cade since he’s been working so hard getting your new store ready and all. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Mind? No, not at all.” A grin twitched at the corner of my lips. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Sundayafternoon. Cade McKenna, Hattie’s brother, and I had been friends since childhood. We’d grown apart over the years, but since my return to Cays Mill, he’d obviously been interested in making up for lost time. At first, I wasn’t sure about getting involved in any sort of relationship. After quitting my longtime job at Helping Hands International and throwing all my efforts into trying to save my
Unfortunately, that comment was heard loud and clear. Once again, everyone’s attention focused on Ginny, including Emily’s. She quickly abandoned the dress catalog and sidled up to her mother. “I’m ready to go, if you are, Mama.”
“Sure you don’t need to look at the catalog some more?” Ginny asked tightly.
Emily shook her head. “We can do that anytime.” She tugged on her mother’s arm, but to no avail. Ginny and Vivien seemed to be locked in a menacing stare down. Secondspassed without a single blink from either of them. Emily tugged some more and shot a pleading look my way.
I leaned in and whispered into Ginny’s ear, “We really should be going. I need to get back to the shop, and I’m sure you’ve—”
I was interrupted by Tara’s reemergence from the dressing room. Vivien ended the stare down with a smug little smirk, taking the dress from her daughter and handing it back over to Mrs. Busby. “It’s all settled, then. I’ll see you this evening,” she said, heading for the door, Tara following on her heels.
The second the door shut behind them, Ginny’s hands shot to her hips. Her chest heaved as she drew in a deep breath and let go with, “Well, I never . . . !” and continued on describing Vivien Crenshaw with a list of colorful adjectives that would threaten anyone’s good standing with the local Baptists, finally finishing the tirade with something like, “. . . I sure hope that nasty, dress-stealing, backstabbing snob gets hers one day!”
A collective gasp sounded around the room, followed by a moment of stunned silence. Emily looked like she wanted to crawl under a rock. This was definitely not social grace. “It’s okay, everyone!” I assured the ladies, while trying to pull Ginny aside for a little chill time. “She’s just been under a lot of pressure, that’s all.”
But Ginny shook me off and stomped toward the door, turning back at the last minute. “I meant what I said,” she spat. Then she lifted her chin at the entire room of staring eyes. “That witch stole my girl’s cotillion dress. And don’t y’all think for one second that I’m going to stand for it, neither. You mark my words. I’ll make sure that woman gets herdue!”
Chapter 2
Debutante Rule #016:
Debutantes cling together through thick and thin; we’d rather perish than forsake a friend . . . unless she’s after our boyfriend.
I swear, Reverend Jones was citing enough Bible passages to please a dozen Sunday school teachers and then some. It was all I could do to sit still through the last minutes of his sermon. When we finally wrapped up the final hymn, featuring a solo part by big-haired Laney Burns, local manicure professional and wannabe gospel diva, I made a beeline for the back door.
“I’ve invited Cade and Hattie over for some chicken,” Mama said, catching up to me in the parking lot. She’d been doing that a lot: inviting Cade over for supper. Either she thought he was too skinny, or she was conspiring, as much as I, to kick our relationship up a notch on the romance scale. “I thought it’d be nice to do a little something extra for Cade since he’s been working so hard getting your new store ready and all. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Mind? No, not at all.” A grin twitched at the corner of my lips. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Sundayafternoon. Cade McKenna, Hattie’s brother, and I had been friends since childhood. We’d grown apart over the years, but since my return to Cays Mill, he’d obviously been interested in making up for lost time. At first, I wasn’t sure about getting involved in any sort of relationship. After quitting my longtime job at Helping Hands International and throwing all my efforts into trying to save my
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