FIVE

Once Jayla, Mimi, and Fara vacated the property, Moll asked if I’d had any feedback on the website I’d created for Summer Place. I hoped to turn the dilapidated Southern mansion into a B&B and had built the website to create a little early buzz.

I shook my head. “Not on the website. But I did receive two ominous ‘beware of Harriett’ warnings.”

“Warnings?” Paint jumped in. “Beware of who?”

“Someone thinks I should rescind the invitation Harriett Quinn’s already accepted to attend my luncheon tasting. If only I could. I almost lost it when Fara ID’d one of our religious protestors as the mother of some food blogger. Had to be Harriett’s mother.”

Aunt Eva looked puzzled. “Harriett’s that farm-to-table blogger with the big following, right? Weren’t you hoping she’d spread the word about Summer Place catering?”

I shrugged. “That’s why I invited her. I should have read more of the woman’s blogs. She knows how to pen some scathing personal attacks.”

Mollye nodded. “Harriett can be a real snake-in-the-grass to anyone who rubs her the wrong way.”

I sighed. “I saw her glowing review of a new Greenville restaurant and fired off an invite.” I winked at Mollye. “Should have consulted with my local know-it-alls first.”

“I’d have warned you off,” my friend agreed. “But you can’t rescind your invitation. Harriett would really have fun with that.”

“So what did these online warnings say about Harriett?” Paint asked. “Were they signed? It might help to know who sent them.”

“My new online friend set up a fake digital ID in order to call her out as a scum-sucking blackmailer,” I replied. “Went to a lot of trouble to warn me that Harriett’s extorted several businesses and savaged the reputation of ones that failed to pony up. I imagine my online buddy didn’t pay tribute, and Harriett ruined him.”

Paint nodded. “Bad publicity can doom a start-up. Might be easy to figure out the sender’s identity. Just backtrack through Harriett’s blogs and see which businesses went down the tubes after bad reviews.”

“If I had the time, I’d do some sleuthing,” I answered. “But I don’t. Anyway, not sure it matters who tried to warn me. The good news is Harriett won’t be alone at my tasting. I’m hoping any bad review she might dish up will be countered by at least two good ones.”

My stomach churned. Despite my brave words, I was scared to death. I was about to turn thirty-three. I had an MBA and several years of banking experience. But I’d chucked a promising financial career to become a chef—and, to make my decision riskier, my dream was to be a chef who catered to a minority clientele, vegans and vegetarians.

My career gyrations baffled my parents. Mom and Dad knew exactly what they wanted to do from the day they set foot on a college campus.

What if I couldn’t make it as a chef? Please, please this tasting had to be a success. I was really afraid my time was running out.

Paint lingered after Mollye left.

“I’m headed to Charleston,” he said. “Things are looking good to expand Magic Moonshine in the Lowcountry. I’m meeting potential investors tonight. Why not postpone your tasting? Make some excuse and come with me? I mean it is my boyfriend week, and Charleston is one romantic city.”

He trailed a finger down my cheek and brushed his lips against mine. “I’m sure Eva could spare you for a couple of days. Claim a nationwide shortage of fruits and nuts has forced a cancellation. Later you could quietly set up a new tasting and leave Harriett off the guest list.”

Looking into his mischievous mocha eyes, I was sorely tempted. “Wish I could, but I can’t. Ursula Billings, Mom’s best friend from law school, arrives tomorrow. She’s coming to Tuesday’s tasting. I’m convinced she’s the only reason some of my luncheon guests accepted. Everyone’s seen Judge Ursula presiding over her television courtroom. Folks want to meet her in the flesh. I need to shop tonight, cook up a storm tomorrow.”

Paint’s hot breath tickled my ears as he whispered. “We’d have much more fun cooking something up together in Charleston.”

“Could be.” I eased back to put a smidgeon more space between our lips and give my overwrought hormones a breather.

“I can’t blow this chance to prove I have more than a snowball’s chance in Hades of operating a profitable vegan-vegetarian B&B. While my family’s been super, I sense they’re just on stand-by to pick up the pieces when I fail.”

“I believe in you.” Paint’s eyes locked on mine. “I get how you feel. My folks weren’t amused when I told ’em I was going to follow in Grandad’s moonshiner footsteps. Even promising the business would be legal didn’t improve their attitude. I stuck to my guns, and it worked for me. It’ll work for you.”

I snuggled into Paint’s arms and gave him a well-deserved goodbye kiss. “I needed that vote of confidence. Thanks. I’ll have some influential gourmands at my tasting. Maybe they’re only coming to dine with TV’s Judge Ursula. Doesn’t mean I can’t dazzle them with vegan fare.”

“You do have a magic touch,” Paint whispered.

“What I need is magic cash. Fingers crossed I get some catering gigs and private dinner parties to boost my cash flow. It’ll be another year before I can open Summer Place as a B&B.”

Paint cocked his head. “Fried green tomatoes still top my list of gussied-up vegetables, and you’re not likely to meet a more dedicated meat-eater. But your cooking’s begun to win me over. You’ll do great. Impress Judge Ursula and you’ll have it made. Her fans say she’s never blown a verdict. But she can sound pretty mean when she thinks the defendant’s an idiot.”

I nodded. “Mom says Ursula’s much nicer than the judge she portrays on TV. Mom and Ursula were the only women in their law school class, and they became really close friends. But I sense Mom was a bit disappointed that Ursula left ‘real’ law for TV land.”

Paint arched an eyebrow. “Plenty of men tune in just to lay eyes on Ursula. She could make a young fella seriously consider pursuing an older babe. When that tabloid published photos of her in a bikini, I was among the happy gawkers.”

I punched Paint’s arm. “Maybe I shouldn’t introduce you. After the paparazzi snapped those bikini shots, a men’s magazine offered the judge a pile of dough to shed her black robes and pose nude. I’m no prude, but I’m glad she didn’t cash in.”

Paint grinned. “Glad to know you’re not philosophically opposed to nudity.”

I gave his arm another gentle punch. “Go on. Get out of here. You have moonshine to sell, and I need to put on my chef’s hat.”

He glanced at his watch. “Wow. I do have to run. Have orders to fill, and weekend traffic’s always heavy coming or going from the coast.”

His arms tightened around me, pulling me close for a lingering kiss. My lips tingled as did all other parts of my anatomy that came in touch with his bod.

“Be back Thursday. Since I’m not on your boyfriend schedule for Valentine’s Day, maybe we should plan an early celebration.”

Paint wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. I couldn’t help but laugh.