Hummingbird Lane by Brown, Carolyn (good books to read for beginners TXT) 📕

“And ruin all the surprises?” Emma winked.

“As in more than one?” Sophie asked.

“Wait and see,” Filly told her.

A lovely white cloth covered the table. Sophie had never seen the real china plates on the table, but there they were today—white with a shiny gold edge—and sparkling silverware also. Gorgeous cactus flowers floating in a crystal bowl served as a centerpiece. The place looked like something Sophie would have expected to see at an outdoor party in Paris.

Teddy waited for her to be seated on one side of the rectangular picnic table, and then he sat down on the bench beside her. He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “This is awesome,” he whispered just for her ears.

Arty’s prayer was a little longer than usual because he said a blessing for the newly engaged couple. Tears welled up in Sophie’s eyes. These folks were more than just friends—they were family.

Arty said, “Amen,” and immediately picked up the platter of thick steaks and passed them to Sophie. “I hope everyone likes their T-bones medium rare.”

“Arthur Crawford!” Filly’s tone scolded.

“Oh, don’t get your granny panties in a twist. The one on the right”—he pointed—“is burned black just for you.”

“Well done, not burned,” she corrected him with an evil look.

“Same difference,” he chuckled.

Sophie forked a steak onto her plate and passed the platter on over to Teddy. “Thank all of you for this magnificent party, and, Arty, everything looks delicious.” She glanced toward the end of the table, expecting to see a pie or one of Filly’s famous chocolate sheet cakes.

“Dessert is staying in the cool house until we are ready for it.” Filly held up a bottle of red wine and a pitcher of sweet tea. “Tea or wine? I know it’s not five o’clock, but this is a celebration.”

“Wine, definitely wine.” Sophie picked up a stemless wineglass and handed it over to Filly. “I’ve never seen these fancy glasses or china before.”

“We only get them out at Christmas. Since y’all are going to live in Del Rio, maybe you can join us for all the holidays,” Filly said.

“I’d love to spend Christmas here.” Sophie could already imagine buying presents for everyone and opening gifts with them.

“I’ll have tea,” Josh said.

“Me too.” Emma nodded.

“I’ll take both.” Arty winked at Emma.

Sophie ate slowly, sipped at her wine, and tried to make the moment last forever. When it had passed, Teddy would leave, and telling him goodbye put a lump the size of an orange in her throat.

When they had finished the meal, Filly and Emma left their places across the table from Sophie and Teddy and made short work of crossing the yard. Taking short steps and balancing it carefully in both hands, Filly brought out a triple-layer cake decorated with blue piping the color of a summer sky. Emma carried a platter of cookies with the same color frosting. When they set both on the table, Sophie realized there were entwined hearts on the top of the cake with an S in one and a T in the other. The cookies had the same decoration on each one.

“Hawaiian wedding cake with cream cheese frosting,” Filly said. “This is the cake we always served at the engagement parties when I was in the carnival. It’s supposed to bring the best of luck to the future couple. Sophie, in keeping with tradition, you should cut and serve it. First to Teddy and yourself, and then I’ll take over the duties.”

“This is too much.” Sophie blinked away the tears. Everything was absolutely perfect, so why should she cry?

“Ah, shucks.” Arty smiled. “We do what we can for our kids.”

“Yes, we do.” Filly smiled back at him.

“We want to hear more about your new gallery before we all get emotional and can’t enjoy that cake and those cookies,” Arty said. “Filly ain’t made iced sugar cookies since Christmas, and she’s never made one of those cakes.”

“This cake is special for weddings and engagements. You don’t get it at Christmas, and if I made iced sugar cookies every week, they wouldn’t be special for the holidays, now would they?” Filly smarted off as she served the rest of the group slices of cake.

The thought of leaving this special group of people made Sophie even sadder than she’d been before. How could she ever move to Del Rio and not see Emma and the others for a whole month at a time?

You went for months without seeing Arty, Filly, and Josh, and years without seeing Emma.

That was different, she argued with the voice in her head.

Josh took a bite and groaned. “Do I get one of these when I get engaged?”

“Of course you do”—Filly flashed a bright smile—“and so does Em.”

“What about the leftovers?” Emma asked. “Is it bad luck to eat every single crumb?”

“No,” Filly answered, “and according to tradition, it must all be eaten before midnight to bring good luck, so everyone will take a portion home and have it for a bedtime snack.”

Good God Almighty! Sophie thought. I don’t need the idea of bad luck hanging over my head right now when I feel like something isn’t right.

“The cookies? Is it bad luck or good luck to leave a few of those until tomorrow?” Teddy asked.

“No time limit on those,” Filly told him.

When dessert was finished, Teddy stood up and held up his wineglass, which only had a sip left in the bottom. “A toast,” he said, “to good friends who make us feel special.”

All six of them touched glasses, and Emma got to her feet. “Another one. To Sophie and Teddy. May your life be filled with sunshine to warm your faces, laughter to feed your soul, and happiness every single day.”

“Hear, hear!” Josh raised his glass with the rest of them.

“Thank you.” Sophie suddenly wanted this party to be over so she could think. Sure, she’d be sad when Teddy left, but she felt like she was on an emotional roller coaster that was about to spin