Nate massaged the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. “Where’s McKenna?”
“Agave nectar.”
“Why do you keep saying that like it means something?”
“I sent her to the store for more ingredients,” she said, tossing an entire radish into a bowl on the kitchen table. “But she better hurry. I’ve got a ton more things I need her to do. I’ve got a ton more things I needyouto do.”
“What sort of things?” Other than declare the kitchen a national emergency.
“Harry things.”
That was all the explanation Nate got before the back kitchen door banged opened. Nate spun, hoping for McKenna. A breathless Barb entered instead, carrying the biggest container of mayonnaise Nate had ever seen. She pushed it into his arms. “Here, honey. Sorry I can’t stay. I need to help Frank with a bunch of paperwork for the barn before the insurance office closes. But I promise I’ll be back later this afternoon for the first meeting.”
Thefirstmeeting?
“Wait, wait, wait. Before you go...” Georgie rushed around the table with a spoon and shoved it into Barb’s mouth. “Does that taste like Mary Goodbar’s pickle salad?”
Barb was already shaking her head. “What recipe did you use?”
“Not sure. This might’ve been the one I clipped out of a magazine a few years ago.”
“You need to talk to Geraldine.”
“Why Geraldine?”
“If you’ll recall, Geraldine couldn’t attend Louis’s funeral. I think she asked Mary to take the salad for her.”
“So why didn’t Geraldine say something when everybody started praising Mary?”
“Because you know Geraldine never could say a bad word about anybody. But you’ll notice how Mary never brought that pickle salad to anything ever again. I think it’s because she didn’t have the recipe, and Geraldine wasn’t giving it to her.”
“You think Geraldine will give it to me?”
“Call up Sunny Acres. That’s where she’s living these days. You need the number?”
“Nope. Still remember it from when my brother Richard lived there.”
“See y’all later this afternoon.” Barb scurried out the back door and Nate made sure to keep it open so Georgie could scurry along right after her.
Unfortunately she was already scurrying the opposite direction to the landline hanging on the wall next to the fridge. “Hi,” she said after punching in several numbers. “Georgie here. I need to speak to Geraldine Collins. It’s an emergency.”
Nate grabbed a wet paper towel to clean off whatever spice she’d dumped all over the oven. “Maybe you should make this emergency call from your cell phone. At home.”
“Shh.” Georgie’s bony elbow dug into his side as he tossed the paper towel in the trash and tried getting around her to the coffeemaker. “She’s where? Well, that’s fine. Just go ahead and patch me through to physical therapy then. Huh? No phone? Well, then pull her out of the session and bring her to your phone if that’s what you need to do.” Georgie rolled her eyes and pointed at the phone, mouthingthese peoplebefore she covered the mouthpiece and said, “Why are you just standing there?”
“Because you’re in my way,” Nate said.
“Did it ever occur to you that maybe you’re in my way?”
“Never.”
Georgie turned her attention back to the phone. “Oh, that was fast. Good morning, my dear. How are you? It’s Georgie. You sound winded. Must be a good physical therapy session. Now listen, honey, important question. Do you still remember your secret pickle salad recipe? The one Mary Goodbar’s always taken credit for? Because I need it right now for Harry Connick Junior.” Georgie waited a beat, then frowned at the phone. “She hung up. Can you believe that?”
“That might be the only believable thing I’ve witnessed so far this morning.”
“I suppose I could try adding more vinegar. But what if it’s something unexpected like Worcestershire sauce?” Georgie pulled her cell phone out of her muumuu and began tapping the screen.
“So you really could’ve used your own phone for that call.”
