The Complete Emily Bernal Trilogy by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Author:Pamela Fagan Hutchins [Hutchins, Pamela Fagan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-939889-37-9
Publisher: SkipJack Publishing

Chapter 21

“Pecan pancakes, please.” I handed my menu to the waiter the next morning at the Pancake House, where Wallace, Nadine, and I were celebrating Christmas Eve. We weren’t the only ones with the idea, apparently. The restaurant was normally lean on décor, but candy canes hung from rope draped nail to nail in swoops around the walls of the restaurant. It echoed with booming wishes of Merry Christmas, and the whole place smelled like cinnamon rolls and coffee. The only negative was the crowded space felt like a sauna, with too much heater and too many bodies compensating for the weather outside.

The waitress didn’t look up from the pad on which she was scribbling my order. “Bacon or sausage?”

“Neither.”

Now she looked at me, and her eyebrows descended and pinched together. “What?”

“I’m a—”

Wallace leaned between us, hand out as if to block me. “She’ll have fruit on the side, please.”

The woman nodded, jiggling her chins, and recited our entire order back to us. Slowly. She had it right, so Nadine, Wallace, and I all made affirmative noises. She walked toward the kitchen, studying the notepad again, and crossing something out.

“Merry Christmas, you guys.” I set two small gifts in the center of the table. I had wrapped them myself the night before in shiny gold paper with silver bows and a tiny ornament tied to each. Wallace got bicycle Santa and Nadine motorcycle Santa.

Wallace put two envelopes with them. “Happy Hanukkah.”

“You’re not Jewish.” Nadine frowned. “And breakfast is on me, because nothing says Happy Kwanzaa like the Pancake House.”

Wallace’s voice sounded droll. “How do you know what they eat for Kwanzaa in Africa?”

“Kiss my ass, Wallace.”

“Sorry, honey, but you’re not my type.”

“So early in the morning . . .” I picked up my envelope. “Can I open it?”

“Sure.”

“Me, too?” Nadine asked.

“Of course.”

Nadine and I tore into the flaps.

Wallace said, “I got us a pedicure party at Top Ten. All three of us! I have to get my dogs in shape.” He winked. “New man in my life.”

“Awesome!” I hadn’t had a pedicure in months. “When do we get to meet him?”

“Soon, I think.”

Nadine stuck her envelope in her purse. “I’ve never had a pedicure before. I’m kinda picky about who touches my feet, and for what purpose.”

Wallace waggled his eyebrows. “Do tell.”

“Don’t!” I cut in. They laughed. “But I do want to hear all about you and Phil.”

“Who’s Phil?” Wallace asked.

She held up a hand. “There is no me and Phil. Phil’s a regular at the Polo Club. He’s been hitting on me for months. I never give the douchebags my name.” She pointed at me with her raised hand. “Yesterday he got it from her.”

“He’s a client. You were in the office. How was I to know introductions weren’t in order?”

“I didn’t say they weren’t in order. Now that we’ve been properly introduced, I wouldn’t mind letting him have a go at my feet.”

“Stop!”

Wallace laughed. “Emily, you’re such a prude.”

“I’m not a prude. I just don’t want to hear the details.

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