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"Recipes for what?" Jacqueline blurted out the question before she could stop herself

"Mainly folks want to know about hush puppies Four or five ladies have already asked me about those"

"Hush puppies?"

"It’s like cornbread, Mother," Paul supplied

"I knohat they are," she said between clenched teeth

"Paul loves erness to continue "My ot their name from hunters who threw leftover ends of the cornbread to their dogs to keep ’e to the Seattle Country Club Cookbook?" Jacqueline was convinced she’d never be able to show her face in public again

"Oh, and I asked Mama for Grandma’s recipe for Brunswick stehich is ia before she hteen before we irl"

"Brunswick stew," Jacqueline said That at least sounded presentable

"It’s a southern version of chili Mama always served it e had a barbecue Mae it a bit Everyone uses pork or chicken nowadays, instead of possum or squirrel"

One more word from this woman and Jacqueline was afraid she’d keel over in a dead faint

"I hope you give them your recipe for deep-fried okra," Paul said as if he’d never tasted anything so good in his life "You wouldn’t believe what Taone to heaven"

Once and only once had Jacqueline saetable It’d been in so seen it before, she’d lifted it from the bowl and been repulsed by the thick slied just looking at it and now her son was telling her he enjoyed this disgusting vegetable

"I have a recipe for pecan pie that’s a family favorite and I’d be happy to share that, too"

"Actually, I think it’s because of Taot accepted by the country club"

Jacqueline had to bite her lip to keep fro there for years Her charity projects had been so events Reese’s naht, too, but apparently their son hadn’t taken his parents’ longstanding contribution into account Oh, no, he assu road kill--squirrel, for heaven’s sake!--that had opened the doors

"You do see in a way that conveyed his delight

"Yes," Jacqueline agreed, , trying hard, but it was difficult

"I declare I don’t know any couple happier than Paul and me," Tammie Lee drawled "I can’t believe any man has as much love for a woman as Paul does for me, especially since we found out about the baby"

"We’re thrilled to have you as part of our family," Reese said

"I can feel your love," Tah for welco me the way you have"

Paul’s eyes connected with Jacqueline’s He knew her feelings She ht be able to fool Tammie Lee, but her son knew her all too well Until now, Paul had protected his young wife from her disapproval At one time, mother and son had shared a special closeness, but since the advent of Tammie Lee, that had virtually disappeared

In that aze She knew that if she said one word to hurt Taive her

CHAPTER 11

CAROL GIRARD

C arol placed the bouquet of fresh flowers in the center of the dinner table and stepped back to examine her handiwork She’d walked down to Pike Place Market early in the afternoon and purchased the white lilies and red astrous spears She’d arranged the flowers herself, using a porcelain vase that had co had sent on their last anniversary

For so one into her career When she’d first quit her job she’d faltered, unsure of how to fill her days She would’ve been coroup These woled with the probleement She was heartened to discover that several of the other wo for relaxation and a sense of acco was also a symbol of the life she wanted to live, would live--as a ed for the better the day she’d found the knitting shop on Blosso Lydia and the others last week, it was as if a whole world had opened up to her For the first time she looked upon her condo as more than a place to sleep and occasionally entertain It was her home and she decided to make it a real one, with small feminine touches that conveyed her love for her husband and soon-to-be child