“All right, then. I’m out.”
“Yes, please stay as long as you want.”
“Thanks again.”
“You have a business meeting in the afternoon?”
That caught me off guard.
“No, I just have to do something in the Quarter.”
“Bailey and Xander will be there too. Are you meeting them?”
I cleared my throat. I was treading on dangerous water, but what the hell?
“Yes, but only for a minute. Don’t want to crash their date.”
“She’s dropping by our store, too, with some pralines.”
I was a goner. Even if I didn’t tell her now, she’d somehow find out that I was getting some too. I knew my grandmothers too well. Isabeau could question a person very efficiently even without Celine around. In fact, I’d argue that her skills were better when she was on her own.
“Yes. That’s why I’m meeting with them too,” I confessed. “I asked her to prepare a package of pralines for me.”
“Special delivery. You’re trying to impress someone,” Isabeau concluded. “The same someone you impressed with my jambalaya?”
I groaned. “That’s enough information for one day.”
“As I said, I don’t need details, but I am very proud of you. And just so you know, something about you changedyet again.”
I narrowed my eyes but didn’t say anything. Telling my grandmother that I was probably high on life because I got laid was definitely too much information.
“As usual, please call if anything happens, okay?”
“Yes! Just let us have our girl time. You’ve hogged her enough for today.”
I laughed. “You do know that I’m her father, right?”
“Yes, but you know what they say—it takes a village to raise a kid. You have a village, so share her with us.”
I kissed Isabeau’s forehead before leaving. Heading to my car, I pulled out my phone to double-check with Piper if she was still at home. It was Friday, after all, but it was only four o’clock. She probably wasn’t going to finish her workday that fast.
As I predicted, Bailey asked me to meet them at Fragrant Delights. It was a good thing I saw Isabeau first; otherwise, Celine would’ve bombarded me with questions the second she saw me. As it was, Isabeau had probably already told her everything.
Xander and Bailey were inside the shop when I arrived. There were about five dozen praline boxes on the counter.
“That’s a lot of pralines,” I exclaimed.
Celine looked at me with a huge smile. “Isabeau and I have had a brilliant idea. We’re going to give these away to our most loyal customers. It’ll make sure they come back.”
“Pralines and perfumes. That’s a great combo,” I stated.
These two amazed me. At their age, they were still trying to maintain a clientele. They were inspirational.
“One of those boxes mine?” I asked Bailey.
“Nope, this is yours.” She took one out of her purse, handing it to me. “I kept it separate.”
I raised a brow. “How come?”
