Naomi shrugged, pulling out her binder and flipping to the pages of notes she’d written on cakes.“Sorta?She did a tasting at the wedding expo last summer, and I have her preferences.”
Batya nodded, reaching over and taking the notes, paging through them as Naomi watched.“This is fascinating,” Batya said when she looked up.“Very detailed.But in a boundaries way, if that makes sense?”
Naomi nodded.“That’s my cousin.Judith knows what she wants and what she doesn’t.She’s also aware that not everything—whether it’s fabrics or dishes, or the specific kind of sauce ingredients or flowers, is available at the price she’s willing to pay, so she has backup plans and backup plans for backup plans.”
“Backups for days,” Batya said with a laugh.“Speaking of, do you have a backup plan if Charlotte says no?”
“I have a few,” Naomi said.“I’ve always had at least one backup plan for an event.”
“Good.Woman after my own heart.”Batya grinned and folded her arms.“As we speak, Abe’s asking Jason to help him with the wedding, in exchange for something only he knows.”
Naomi grinned.“I knew that was coming.”
“Silent as a rhinoceros, that one,” Batya said with a grin.“But because I adore you, and you’re in a tough spot, I’ll pass you some information.”
“Please,” she said.“Thank you.For anything you can offer me.”
“Charlotte Liu spends most of her weekdays at the bakery in Rockliffe Manor, on Long Island.She likes it better out there, for whatever reason especially as we head into summer.She also likes me.I’ll text her and tell her to expect you.Can you get there tomorrow?”
Naomi nodded.With or without Jason, in a car or by public transport or by rideshare, she’d get there.“Yes,” she said.“Absolutely.What time?”
“The earlier the better,” she said.“Obviously don’t break any land speed records, but if you can get there before noon, we’ll say, that would be best.”
Naomi nodded.“I can do that,” she said.“Absolutely.Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Batya said.“You deserve people who do you solids on a professional level in this stage of your career.You deserve to be reminded that you’re a good person and a good event planner, making your own name.”
“Thank you,” Naomi replied.“I really appreciate it.”
“And now,” Batya said, “I think I hear footsteps.”
Which meant dinner was on the way, and the night was heading toward its end.Of course, that still meant there was food and more conversation on its way.Definitely barbecue of some sort, some yummy smoked meat and then the sides.
And by the time she was done, she practically needed to be rolled out of the house.She was happy and sated and so very lucky.
“I’m excited to cook in a kitchen with him,” Jason said, echoing the sentiments she was feeling as they were leaving, making Naomi sure that Abe had approached him about helping with the catering for the wedding.
“Me too,” she said as she got into the car.“I’m kinda glad Artur and my sister ghosted us all.”
“Oh,” Jason said with a laugh.“Batya told me she and Abe told them they shouldn’t come after they said they were going to be late.”
“I’d speculate about whether my sister actually planned to show up another time,” she said with a laugh as she buckled her seatbelt.“What I do think is that we had a really great night.Aside from the contract.”
“Really?”
Naomi nodded.“I can see why, and how, really, Abe and Batya are people that Artur is close to.They’re such good people.”
“It was interesting chatting with them for sure,” Jason returned.“And I don’t mean in a bad way.”
“Really?How so?”
“Well,” he returned, as he pulled out of the driveway, “Batya’s just really easy to talk to, you know?”
“The conversation was deep, I take it?”
“It was,” Jason replied.“Surprisingly so.I kinda just went along with it, because I’m going to have to be public about my brother, about my family and about my own journey, at some point, right?”
“Yep,” she said.“At some point you’re going to be asked about it.”
