“I haven’t had much time to think about anything. You know what the real irony of all this is? I didn’t expect anything from Miss Edi after her death. Maybe a keepsake, but nothing else. She had a lot of charities, so I assumed everything would go to them. Why did she do this to me?”
“That’s the most interesting question you’ve asked. She knew she had no money of her own, but she left you an old house that will—trust me on this—fall into decay if money isn’t pumped into it about every six months.”
“I’m not sure I can think about all this right now. Any minute Ramsey’s sister is going to call and tell me she needs cupcakes and I have to figure out how to make them. Do you think the oven in that thing works?” She nodded toward the ugly white stove against the wall.
Luke blinked for a few moments as he realized that she wasn’t going to talk about this subject anymore. But that was all right with him, as he had some questions of his own and he needed to work on them by himself. “I have no idea,” he said as he turned the big knob to switch the oven on. “So what do you plan to make?”
“Chocolate with puréed spinach in it, and before you say a word, Ramsey has already told me what a bad idea he thinks this is. But I’ll make them taste good, don’t worry.”
“Miss Edi leave you a magic wand?”
“I wish she had. I told Rams that I’d charge three twenty-five for each cupcake, so I have to live up to that, but I need equipment that I don’t have. Is there a cookware store near here?”
Luke pulled the oven door open and stuck his hand in. “So far, it’s cold. Why don’t you borrow what you need?”
“Who’s going to lend me a heavy-duty mixer and pastry tubes?” she asked.
“Did you forget that the church you went to was Baptist? Baptists love to eat. Whatever you need is in the kitchens of the women in this town. Make a list and I’ll get Mom to find everything for you. Your kitchen can be fully stocked in about an hour and a half.”
Jocelyn sat at the table, looking at him in wonder. “But I haven’t had the call yet.”
Luke pulled his cell phone out of the leather pou
ch on his belt and punched a button. “Mom?” he asked. “You think Dad would be willing to help Joce with a bunch of cupcakes?” He paused. “Yeah, I guess so. Sure, I could talk to her. Why don’t you ask Viv?” As he listened, he smiled. “I think she’d like to do that, but she may charge you.” His smile broadened. “Because a scheme like that could get Dad out of your hair for a whole week, that’s why. Okay, but I’ll tell her you said that. Do you want to tell him or do I? Coward! I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” He listened some more, then his smile left him. “Yes, I’m behaving myself. You can ask her if you don’t believe me.”
Luke held the phone at arm’s length toward Jocelyn. “My mom wants to know if I’ve made a pass at you.”
“Not one man in this town has made a pass at me,” she said loudly. “Not one suggestive word has been said to me. I’ve been fed until I’m bursting, but no passes have been made.”
Luke looked at Jocelyn for a second, then he put the phone back to his ear. “Beats me,” he said. “Ask Rams. Okay, I’ll be there in a few minutes, but don’t say a word to Dad. I’ll tell him everything.” He closed the phone and looked at Jocelyn. “So what was that all about?”
“Just girl stuff. So what did your mother say?”
“She already knew about the three twenty-five. I guess Rams told someone at the office because it’s already all over town. Mom said that it was absurd to give a kids’ party in the middle of the week and serve cupcakes like that. She wants to get my father involved and set up a major event and invite half of Williamsburg to it.”
“Half of—” she said, wide-eyed. “What am I supposed to do? Set up a cupcake store?”
“If you want to find out about Miss Edi’s life and answer some questions that seem to be tearing you apart, you need to get to know some people around here. I’ll make sure Mom invites some of the old-timers who knew her. Sound like a good idea?”
“The best,” she said, looking at him in gratitude.
“I’ll ask you if you still think it’s a good idea after you’ve dealt with my father for a week.”
“Is he bad?” she asked softly, ready to play therapist to Luke.
“Horrible! He’s retired.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll see,” Luke said. “Give him a project and he’ll think he’s the ruler of the world. He’ll boss you and the ladies around until you mutiny.”
“Ladies? Who else will be baking cupcakes?”
“Welcome to Edilean,” Luke said, grinning at her. “I have to go.” He checked the oven again. “It’s cold as a cave.”
“I can’t afford a new—”
Luke put his hand up. “Let my dad worry about this. He’s going to love this whole project.” He started for the door but stopped and looked back at her. “Just so you know,” he said softly, “Ramsey is heading toward a proposal. He only takes women he wants to marry out to the land where he wants to build a house.” Luke glanced around the hallway of Joce’s house. “Or a weekend retreat.”