Pamela was pretty certain the principle applied to cooking, as well. She had thought that she’d start out making some of her stand-by meals. Now she thought that she’d consult her mother-in-law. Pamela had purchased a cook book when she’d moved back to the farm from her apartment in Baltimore, and she had her mother’s favorite one, as well. These, she’d brought with her. But it had occurred to her that there would be different sorts of things on the menu in Texas, compared to Maryland. The discovery of the chili pepper in the cupboard confirmed it. Pamela would like to learn how to make regional dishes and guessed Maria could help her with that.
They’d been home from shopping just long enough for her to put the groceries away when Adam came into the kitchen and slipped his arms around her from behind.
“Caleb and Jonathan are on their way, and they’re bringing Bernice with them.”
“Well, I hope they’d bring her with them as she is their wife.” Pamela grinned.
Adam shook his head, but she saw the slight embarrassment he wore. “Sweetheart, I am so glad you don’t get angry with my awkwardness.”
I couldn’t be angry with you. I love you. They hadn’t been married long, but oh, how she longed to tell them both just that. Despite what Maria and Grandmother Chelsea had said, she really didn’t think either Adam or James had slighted her by not asking how she felt about things. In her experience, as a daughter and a sister to two brothers, “feelings” weren’t something the males of this world thought about very much.
Men and women were just so different from each other.
Whether or not they loved her—or would even welcome her declaration of love—now that was another matter altogether. So she tucked those words away to be used when she was certain they’d be welcomed.
“It’s a good thing that your mother made us that huge pitcher of sweet tea yesterday, isn’t it? And that you picked up those six packs in Gatesville. At least we have something to serve our guests.”
“Well, if you recall, Caleb did threaten to visit us today and bring his wife.” Adam smiled. “So we thought we should provide for that eventuality.”
Pamela laughed then nudged Adam. “Yes, I recall that he did mention it. Let’s go await the arrival of our guests.”
“James can keep an eye out for them for another minute.”
Adam turned her gently so they were standing face to face. Pamela didn’t waste a moment. She slid her arms around Adam’s neck and stretched up. His kiss was soft and delicious and over way too soon.
“They’re here!” James’s announcement made Pamela sigh. She wouldn’t be surprised if the slight disappointment she felt showed on her face.
Adam’s smile warmed her heart. “C’mon, wife. Come meet your new cousins.”
Pam’s first surprise was that Caleb and his brother, while twins, weren’t identical. Caleb was blond and a bit glib—but charmingly so. Jonathan had dark hair and eyes and seemed a bit more reserved.
Her second surprise was meeting Bernice. Pam had never before experienced the kind of instant connection with another woman that she made with Bernice Benedict. The pretty brunette was a woman comfortable in herself and with her husbands and cousins. Pam recalled that Caleb had mentioned Bernice was from New York City, and that explained her lack of a Texas accent.
“I imagined that you wouldn’t have had time to settle in and do any baking, so I brought these.”
Pamela took the proffered plate covered in plastic wrap. “Oh, these tarts look delicious! And you’re absolutely right. We’ve actually just come back from buying groceries.”
“And with this having been the home of two bachelors, I imagine there weren’t even any baking supplies on hand.”
Bernice’s smile made her feel as if she was in on a secret. It was that sense of sisterhood she’d read about but had never felt, before now.
“You’re absolutely right. They were the first items on my list. Did you have the same experience?”
“Well, my mother-in-law knew I was coming, and we’d chatted a bit on the phone in the weeks before I flew down, so she was kind enough to stock the shelves for me.”
“There’s a little thing that happens in Lusty,” James said, “Called cousin-speak. We’re family, of course, and a lot closer than most of the families we observed while we lived elsewhere.”
“However, being family and close doesn’t prevent us from one-upping each other or otherwise hurling little jabs of wit at one another. Or,” Caleb said, “in the case of the women, at each other’s husbands.”
“Behave or I won’t bake for you for a month,” Bernice said.
Pamela had just looked back and forth at each of these people as they’d spoken. It only took her a moment to catch the thread of what Bernice had actually just told her.
She turned to look at Adam. “Your mother didn’t know I was coming?”
“Now, sweetheart, she certainly knew your name and how important you were to us. Contacting her in the days leading up to the wedding did slip our minds. Then, we tried to call her yesterday morning, but for some reason or other the call wouldn’t go through,” Adam said.
“But how…” The house had had an aired-out, fresh feel to it. Plus, those had been newly laundered linens on the bed and in the bathroom.
“Apparently, Adam called Maria from the airport in Dallas, and then Maria marshaled the troops.” Bernice grinned. “One of the things I love best about living here is that no one is left to flounder on their own, not ever.”
One of the things Pamela had been most impressed about was that Maria and Grandma Chelsea had been so welcoming. Knowing that they’d had to scramble to make the house presentable for her—heck, that they’d wanted to do that—just made her appreciate her new in-laws
