Teacup Novellas 01 - Tea With Emma (14 page)

“Okay, okay, you’ve had your laugh, big guy. Where do I sign?”

“No need to sign for this one. You've just got me trained to make it personal, with or with a signature request. Besides, you’re always the highlight of my day.”

“Yeah, well, you must be starved for entertainment.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I know how to have a good time now and then.”

He smiled that crooked smile again. Like the cheek on the right forgot to pull up as much as the one on the left. He had no idea how cute that is.

My face heated, so I avoided eye contact. “Well, then, there you go. Have a good one, Mark. See you next time.”

“Sure thing. And give my best to Michael.” A wink and off he went, doing his best Michael in a silly falsetto

I rolled my eyes, shut the door, and tossed the package on the side table. Just another case of tea
.
After doing my research on Maddie's behalf, I'd grown partial to her preferred brand, Taylors of Harrogate. I liked ordering it by the case because . . . well, if you must know, it’s one more excuse for the guy in brown to stop by. But let's just keep that between you and me, okay? I smiled and shook my head, continuing down the hall.

We walked back into the kitchen, my funny black Scottie tapping her nails on the hardwood as she tried to keep up, her long tongue hanging out the side of her mouth. I snatched the carton of Blue Bell and scooped out another bite of that heavenly blend of flavors when my cell chirped. I wouldn’t have heard it, but it was the part in
Thriller
where it’s mostly rhythm and percussion playing over and over. I dug in the front pocket of my jeans for my cell, debating whether or not I’d answer it.
Samantha Graham.
My editor. Crap. I had to take this.

I made my way back to my office and turned Michael down a few decibels. “Sam! It’s finished. You’re gonna love it. And we made deadline with time to spare!”

I was greeted with her usual cough, a raspy tribute to her two-pack-a-day habit. I pulled the cell away from my ear. A natural reflex, somehow sure if I don’t, my ear will be grossly baptized. Ew?

“You know those things are gonna kill you one of these days,” I reminded her. Again.

One final hack followed by a deep breath. “I know, I know. I don’t want to hear it. So you’re finally done. Why don’t I see it in my inbox?”

“Because you caught me in my Celebratory Ritual. Some things can’t be rushed. You know that.”

“Ah, that explains Michael in the background. Was that
Thriller
?”

“I love that about you, Sam. You don’t have a clue who’s in the White House or which team won the Super Bowl, but you know your Michael Jackson. You’re a regular Motown groupie.”

Another cough. Another deep breath. Then three clicks and an expletive.

“Your lighter still not working? Could be a sign to stop, you know.”

She ignored me. “When the song ends and you finish your ice cream, will you please send me your manuscript? I don’t need to remind you we have less than twenty-four hours until the official deadline.”

“It’s worth the wait, I promise you. This one—I don’t even know how to explain it. It wrote itself. I just tapped the keys. Never had that happen before.” I thought back to the day my aunt’s teacups arrived and the flood of memories and ideas that seemed to float out of that box.  “This one was truly a gift. I’m dedicating it to Lucille’s memory.”

“Ironic, since it was her funeral that put you so far behind schedule.”

I remembered Samantha’s stern lecture (that’s putting it nicely) when I insisted on flying to Chicago for Lucille’s memorial service. As if a silly deadline would keep me from being with my family at a time like that? “Be nice. I adored her.”

“Yeah, fine, whatever. Look, Lucy, just hurry up and send me what you’ve got. The design team is giving me grief here. Since you threw out the original story line, they’ve got to start from scratch, which puts them behind before they begin.”

“Giving you grief, are they? What’s that saying—
what goes around, comes around
? No problem. I’ll have it to you in ten.”

“Ciao mein.” Click.

“Ciao mein yourself,” I grumbled, dropping my cell back in my pocket. I took another lick of ice cream and reached for my keyboard. A couple of quick strokes and my sweet baby was up, up, and away in cyberspace, mere seconds from landing in Samantha’s Manhattan inbox. Mission accomplished.

I curled up in Gertie’s chair, much to her delight. She hopped up to join me, settling in with a final sigh of pleasure. I scratched the back of her neck as my mind wandered. Sam had short-circuited my celebration, but that was okay. I was already drifting into Phase Two of my post-manuscript ritual—the major let-down as I say goodbye to my characters. You live with these people, crawl around inside their heads for months on end, put every word in their mouths, only to close the book on them. So to speak. It’s just hard.

That said, I felt a glimmer of excitement at the prospect of starting the next novella in the series. I usually take a couple of weeks off between projects, but I couldn’t wait to get started. I gnawed at my lower lip, then gave in. I jumped up and reached over to pick up the red and gold teacup and saucer resting on the decorative shelf above my desk. It had served as my inspiration through the entire book I just completed. But it was time to move on.

I padded down the hall to the dining room and opened the door to my china cabinet. The sunlight streamed through the windows striping broad, bright lines across the room. Still, I turned the switch inside the cabinet door, illuminating the shelves and their precious contents. A slow smile crept across my face as I returned the cup and saucer to the empty spot on the second shelf. Alongside it, Aunt Lucille’s teacups were displayed in all their elegance, like so many members of the royal family all vying for my attention. I’d felt so honored to receive them after she passed away, especially knowing she’d included instructions in her will for them to go directly to me. Even the cabinet that now housed them was a gift from her, another surprise inheritance that arrived a couple months ago. As I touched each and every cup, I felt Lucille’s presence so near, I could swear I caught a whiff of her beloved Chanel No. 5.

“Well, that makes it official. You’re here with me. That means you have to help me pick the next one.”

I studied them all, trying to remember which design had sparked the story line buzzing around in my head. The plots all came to me so quickly that first day, but I neglected to jot myself a note as to which teacup set beckoned which story. But I knew she’d tell me.

“It’s an unusual plot. Not something you’d ever see coming. Which means it must be unique and—ah! Now I remember. This is the one.”

Tiny hand-painted bows in cobalt blue, very simple, each tied with an even smaller gold ribbon, all linked together in a unique net pattern, airy on a white background. The cup and saucer were both rimmed in gold as well, with an eyelet-like edging inside the cup. The cup handle was painted in a matching cobalt blue with just a touch of gold. I remember Aunt Lucille telling me about this famous Russian design, the
Lomonosov Cobalt Net.
I lifted it from the shelf even as the characters of my new story came to mind. “This is it. The one that mends a broken heart. It’s perfect.”

And just as I did the first time, I made a pot of tea and poured the steaming brew into my new cup of inspiration. I headed back to my office and set the cup beside my keyboard. Browsing through my music files, I found the collection I wanted—
Sounds of the Sea.
I loved these songs, all accompanied by the lapping of waves against the beach and the call of sea gulls in the distance. Soothing. Comforting somehow. I closed my eyes and could almost feel the ocean breeze against my skin. Smell the salt air. A couple more minutes of this, and I would surely drift off to sleep.

But the story couldn’t wait. Far away on the coast of Oregon, drama hovered restlessly in that salty night air. Lots and lots of drama, along with all that smoke and the wail of sirens in the distance . . .

Time to work. I sat up, took a sip of tea, and began typing my first page . . .

Keri! The Blankenship cabin is on fire! Get over here. Now!”

Oh, this is gonna be good . . .

To download
Strike
the Match
,
Book Two of
The Teacup Novellas
click
HERE
.

Acknowledgments

To my husband Ken, who’s the best idea man on the planet. I love our brainstorming lunches! Thanks for making my job so much fun along the way. There’s a golf cart in Hawaii with your name on it!

To Sally, my forever friend writing buddy who always keeps it real. Thanks for leading the way and inspiring me by your gazillion book sales!

To Teresa, my prayer “sistah” and dear friend. Thanks for being such a faithful cheerleader. And thanks for the special tea party that early morning we watched the Royal Wedding together. Your tea and scones surely rivaled those of the palace!

A Sampling of Recipes

from

THE CHAWTON TEA ROOM

Spencer's Chess Squares

Makes 24

Box of yellow cake mix (non-pudding)

4 eggs

16 ounces powdered sugar

1 stick butter, melted

8 ounces cream cheese

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray 9x13 cake pan or Pyrex with no-stick spray.

Mix dry cake mix, butter, and one egg. Spread in cake pan.

Mix cream cheese, three eggs, powdered sugar, and lemon juice.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until crust is just golden brown.

Cool completely before cutting into one inch squares. Store in air-tight container.

Old World Raspberry Bars

A recipe from Teresa Nardozzi

2¼  cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

1 egg

10 ounce jar raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except preserves. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed, about 2-3 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture and set aside.

Press remaining mixture into greased 8-inch square pan. Spread preserves to within 1/2-inch from edge. Crumble reserved mixture over preserves.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Blueberry Scones

What’s a tea party without yummy scones?

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup butter, chilled

1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

¾ cup half-and-half cream

1 egg

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cut butter into mixture of flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add blueberries and toss to mix thoroughly. In another bowl, beat together cream and egg, then slowly pour this into the dry ingredients, stirring with rubber scraper until dough forms. Knead gently until it comes together, no more than three or four times. Do not over-work! Divide dough in half. On lightly floured board, shape each half into a 6-inch round. Cut into 6 wedges. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet about 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

Poppyseed Bread

A show-stopper every time!

3 cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups milk

2½ cups sugar

3 eggs

1½ teaspoons vanilla

1½ tablespoons poppyseeds

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1½ teaspoons almond extract

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Beat 2 minutes. Pour into 2 large or 4 mini-loaf pans (greased and floured). Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees (50 minutes for mini-loaf pans). Spoon glaze over loaves immediately in pans and let cool completely.

GLAZE:

¼ cup orange juice

2 teaspoons melted butter

¾ cup powdered sugar

Nana’s Crescent Chicken Squares

Always a favorite!

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon minced onion

1 teaspoon Nature's Seasons (or spice of your preference)

1 tablespoon chopped pimento, optional

1 8-ounce can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

3/4 cup seasoned croutons, crushed

Preheat oven to 350°.

Makes 4 servings (I always double this recipe!)

In medium bowl, blend cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter until smooth. Add chicken, salt, pepper, milk, onion, seasoning spice and pimento (optional). Mix well.

Separate crescent dough into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal.

Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle of dough. Pull 4 corners of dough to top center of chicken mixture, twist slightly and seal edges. Brush tops with remaining butter, melted; sprinkle crouton crumbs on top of each square.

Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cranberry Chicken Salad Paninis

The chicken salad can also be prepared and served on a bed of salad greens.

3 cups cooked and cooled chicken, chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup finely chopped scallions

1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice