Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [18]
The glimmer of amusement in Rainey’s eyes indicated she’d caught on to Netherland’s ploy and decided to go along with it…for now. “Jada’s working out fine, and pretty much keeps to herself. She seems to be a real nice person who looks more like she’s eighteen than twenty-three. She’s too young to have had so much sadness in her life, and she continues to look sad.”
Netherland nodded, agreeing. Jada Roberts was going out of her way to be a good employee but on several occasions Netherland had noted the sadness in the young woman’s eyes.
At that moment the phone rang, and Netherland picked it up. “Sisters.” She smiled at the voice on the other end. “Yes, Syneda, I do cater occasionally.”
Netherland nodded. “Yes, this is short notice but I think I can handle it. What time did you have in mind?”
Netherland gave another nod. “All right. I can drop the food off on my way home.” She smiled. “That’s fine, don’t mention it. I’ll see you in a little while.”
“Oh, Nettie, you’re a lifesaver,” Syneda exclaimed as she opened the door and took a couple of the boxes from Netherland’s hands. “There’s no way I could have prepared this much food after a late day in court. I don’t know what possessed me to volunteer to be the hostess for tonight’s poker game.”
“Don’t mention it,” Netherland replied, smiling as she followed Syneda, carrying the food Sisters had prepared. “I hope I didn’t bring too much.”
Syneda grinned. “Too much food for a bunch of hungry, gambling men? Is there such a thing?”
Netherland chuckled. “No, I guess not.” When they reached the kitchen she was surprised to find a group of women assembled around the table.
“You know everyone, don’t you, Nettie?” Syneda asked as she took the rest of the boxes out of Netherland’s hands.
“Yes.” Netherland had met all of them at a bridal shower given for Syneda at Sisters last year. There was Trevor’s very pregnant wife, Corinthians; Dex’s wife, Caitlin; Justin’s wife, Lorren; the Madaris brothers’ two sisters, Kattie and Traci; and the Madaris’s cousin, Felicia. “Hi, everyone.”
“Hi, Nettie,” they said returning the greeting in unison.
“We’re glad you were able to deliver. For a minute we thought Syneda was going to have to cook for us,” Felicia Madaris Maxwell said, grinning. “I have too much to do tomorrow to be out sick.”
“Okay, knock it off,” Syneda said, trying to hide her smile behind a frown. “A good attorney I am, but a good cook I’m not. Clayton didn’t marry me for my cooking skills.”
Felicia chuckled. “Not for one minute did any of us think that’s what he married you for.”
Syneda tried glaring but was unable to keep a straight face when she said, “And stop insinuating that your cousin only married me for my body.”
Netherland smiled. Not for the first time, she envied the six women and their close friendship. They felt comfortable enough to say just about anything to one another. “I’ll be going now,” she said, turning to leave.
Syneda grabbed her arm. “Why don’t you stay and join us, Nettie? You were on your way home, right?”
“Yes, but I don’t want to intrude.”
“You won’t be intruding,” Caitlin Madaris said, grinning. “We were discussing the best way to make sure Corinthians gets to the hospital when she goes into labor without Trevor falling apart.”
“Trevor won’t fall apart,” Traci Madaris Green was saying. “For Pete’s sake, give him credit for something. He used to be a captain in the marines.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Kattie Madaris Barnes chimed in. “When it comes to their wives having babies, all men fall apart and act downright silly.” She laughed. “Remember when the ever cool, calm and collected Raymond jumped into the car and took off and forgot I was still sitting in the living room? He’d driven an entire block before he noticed.”
Netherland laughed when the story was retold. Then Caitlin shared how Dex had gone off on the doctor when he thought the man wasn’t moving fast enough when her labor pains had begun hitting her fast and furious. The women then