Feels Like Home (Southern Bride 5)

Ah, so Pearl had noticed how perfect Annie was too. Why did that make me feel like an absolute loser?

I gave her an awkward shrug as I tried to seem casual about it. “Why would I care?”

Pearl narrowed her eyes at me. “You always were terrible at hiding your emotions, Bristol Overmann. I don’t have a good feeling about this woman. She looks like she would sink her claws into someone and eat them alive. Are you sure you want to do business with her?”

“The advertising I’d get from my tea being in her boxes would be a big deal for me. Especially since now I have the online shop. This could be a game changer, Pearl. If I could double up on my loan payments, I’d have this place paid off sooner rather than later.”

She lifted her hand to her mouth and started to chew on her fingernail.

I cleared my throat and said, “Pearl, you don’t have to worry about me. If Anson wants to meet with her and they hit it off, I honestly couldn’t blame either of them. I mean, you’ve seen her…she’s beautiful. How could he refuse that?”

Her hand dropped to her side, and she looked confused for a moment. “You think I’m worried he’ll be attracted to her?”

I let out a humorless chuckle. “I mean, look at her.”

Pearl stood up taller. Then she shot me a look that made me take a step back. “He won’t look at her, because he’s in love with you, Bristol. And if you two would get your heads out of your asses and talk, you might be able to work things out.”

“Wow. Okay, I didn’t see that coming,” Terry said as I glanced her way. Neither had I.

Pearl rolled her eyes. “Bristol, she’s going to meet Anson. She’s going to want to go out with Anson. He’s going to turn her down. We both know it won’t take her long to figure out why he turned her down. She doesn’t seem like the type of woman who wants to be turned down. Are you getting the picture now?”

I leaned in a bit closer to her and said, “No, no, honestly, I’m not getting where you’re going.”

“Hell, even I see where you’re going, Pearl,” Terry said.

“I’m glad you both are on the same page, but I’m a few chapters behind, so could someone explain it to me, please?” I asked.

Pearl sighed. “If Anson turns down Annie, and she thinks you’re the reason behind it, she won’t do business with you.”

It felt like a bolt of lightning had hit me in the chest. “Surely, she wouldn’t be so vindictive. That’s crazy.”

“Trust me, Bristol. I’ve been listening to her talk, and I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

I shook my head and thought about it for a few moments. “Just tell her Anson’s busy. She’s leaving tomorrow, so all we have to do is keep her away from him until then.”

Pearl nodded. Then the door to the kitchen opened and Mindy walked in.

“We really need some cool code names for when we have situations,” Mindy said. “We could even have them modeled after tea like ‘we have a code chamomile’ or ‘code oolong is headed our way,’ you know, something like that.”

“Get to it, Mindy. What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Ida called Anson.”

“What!” Pearl and I nearly screamed at once.

“Yeah, let me tell you. I really hope having your tea in her box is worth it, because I don’t like her.”

“See, it’s not just me!” Pearl added.

“What happened? I’ve only been in the kitchen a few minutes!” I exclaimed.

“Pearl got up and came in here, stating she needed to find baking soda for her shirt. Well, Annie turned her attention on Ida. Started talking about Anson. Then the conversation got lower, and with all the chatter around the room, I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Damn Renee started talking to me about some Mother’s Day out program and how if I was interested I needed to sign up that second. Anyway, the next thing I knew, Ida was calling Anson on the spot because Annie said she was leaving town tomorrow and would be really honored to meet him.”

“So Ida actually called him?” Pearl asked.

Mindy nodded. “Ida made arrangements for the two of them to meet over dinner tonight.”

My hand went to my stomach, and Pearl groaned. “Oh, no. This is not good.”

“I know! One look at Annie, and Anson will probably take her in the bathroom,” Mindy said with a laugh. Pearl and I both stared at her.

“Not saying you’re not beautiful, Bri. You are. But have you seen her boobs? Even I have a girl crush on her.”

“Ugh. You’re just horny because you can’t have Drake,” I mumbled.

“Um, what?” Pearl asked as her eyes bounced back and forth between me and Mindy.