Free Assault and Batter by Jessica Beck Page A

hopefully.
    “No, it’s just Grace,” I said as I glanced over at my best friend.
    Grace looked more amused by the comment than anything else, and I mouthed, “Sorry” to her. She just shrugged, but she was smiling all the same.
    “Grace would be lovely,” Momma said. “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got plenty of food.”
    “See you soon, then.”
    “I’ll be here,” Momma said.
    After I hung up, Grace asked, “Just Grace?”
    “She thought that Jake might be coming,” I explained.
    My friend’s smile softened. “I wonder why you haven’t heard from him yet?”
    “No doubt he’s extremely busy,” I answered quickly. This was definitely not a subject I wanted to discuss, with Grace or anyone else. “By the way, you’re welcome to join us for dinner,” I said.
    “I appreciate that. Should we start planning the wedding donuts now, or should we wait until we’ve got full stomachs?”
    “I don’t think that there’s a second to lose,” I said as I headed back home. “I’ll get Momma’s advice, too, but we need to start brainstorming about this right now on the drive home.”
    Unfortunately, we weren’t able to come up with anything that didn’t sound ridiculous by the time we pulled into the drive at the cottage. I parked my Jeep, and Grace and I walked up the steps together. Jake was constantly on my mind, but I knew that it would be foolish to try to get in touch with him now. Most likely he was too busy to talk to me.
    At least that’s what I hoped was the reason that he hadn’t gotten back in touch with me yet.
    The second I walked through the door, the aromas of barbequed chicken hit me full on. “Momma, you’ve outdone yourself.”
    “I hope you like it,” she said. “The chicken was on sale at the supermarket, so I added some veggies, too. I know how much you love sizzling yams, tiny potatoes, and baby carrots.”
    “Thanks for including me,” Grace said as she hugged my mother and kissed her cheek.
    “Goodness, you should know that you are always welcome here. Wash up, ladies, and I’ll get a few last-minute things settled here.”
    Grace went to wash her hands, and I called out to her, “I’ll be right there.”
    I hugged my mother, and as I did, I whispered in her ear, “Thank you.”
    “Of course,” she said as she hugged me tightly. “Why exactly are you thanking me, Suzanne? Not that I’m not appreciative.”
    “For being here, and always taking my side, no matter what,” I said with a grin as I pulled away.
    “Goodness, I can’t imagine being any other way,” she said as she returned my grin.
    We’d had our share of issues over the years, but I loved where we were right now in our relationship. “Now, I’d better wash up, too.”
    “Don’t worry; we’ll wait for you. Perhaps,” she added with a twinkle in her eye. Momma was definitely happier these days, and I knew that Chief Martin being in her life had a great deal to do with it. That factor alone had made me more willing to accept the man for what he was, and in turn, he’d begun to trust my unofficial capabilities more. I knew that something might derail our new spirit of cooperation, though, so I planned to enjoy it all while I could.
    I took a chicken leg, basted in sauce and simmering in the oven for an hour, and helped myself to some of the veggies my mother was so good at making. After cutting them into chunks, she drizzled them in olive oil and added a little sea salt, then roasted them in the oven. They were incredible, each bite perfectly done, crisp on the outside and perfect inside. The chicken was moist and juicy, and I added a little of Momma’s sauce from the pan to top mine off.
    After we’d eaten, Momma said, “It always amazes me how good something can be that doesn’t cost all that much to prepare and serve.”
    “You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Grace said. “I could take the exact same ingredients and render them into something entirely