Rebel Without a Cake Page 15

  Of course it was. Uncle Nestor has always been frugal. In the past he’d had to be. There had never been enough money to go around. He made a more comfortable living now, but old habits die hard.

  I looked around for a wall I could bang my head against. “We’re going to have to talk about this later,” I said. “I’ve got to go.”

  “Rita?”

  “Yes?”

  “Remember, not a word about Manuel.”

  I disconnected and stuffed the phone into my pocket and I channeled my inner Scarlett O’Hara. I’d think about Christmas in Albuquerque tomorrow. After all, tomorrow was another day.

  Seventeen

  I stayed busy the rest of the day preparing for my meeting with Simone O’Neil. I printed off our flavor choices for cake, fillings, and buttercream and made notes about combinations that worked well together. I updated our portfolio, adding photos of the most impressive cakes we’d made in recent months. Even though Simone wouldn’t be the one to make a final decision about hiring Zydeco, I hoped that if she saw the options we offered, she could help steer Evangeline Delahunt toward a mutually beneficial decision.

  It was well after ten that night when I left the building and nearly midnight when I finally fell into bed. The next morning I took extra care with my appearance, choosing a pair of classic black pants and a white silk top with silver earrings and a matching bangle bracelet. I thought about adding heels but decided I might make a better impression if I could actually walk across the room without falling over. I slipped on a pair of ankle strap ballet flats and called it good.

  I worked all morning on paperwork and left for my appointment in plenty of time to allow for traffic and getting lost in unfamiliar parts of the city. I found the Crescent City Vintage Clothing Society in a beautiful old building on Royal Street. After driving around the block several times—not an easy feat on those narrow French Quarter streets—I snagged a parking space within easy walking distance and gave myself a mental high-five for having incredible luck.

  Suddenly nervous, I gave myself a quick check in the rearview mirror. My hair was behaving itself, and my makeup hadn’t run. No stray black marks from mascara or eyeliner and nothing in my teeth. Even my lip gloss still appeared fresh. I was good to go.

  I presented myself to the receptionist a full five minutes early. She directed me to a seating area filled with cane-back chairs and lush tropical greenery. While I waited, I gave myself a pep talk along the lines of Stuart Smalley from the old Saturday Night Live sketches. I told myself that I was smart enough and talented enough to hold my own, and that the insecure little Hispanic girl I once was had grown into a confident, competent woman.

  After roughly a hundred repetitions, I saw an elegant woman about my age walking across the lobby. She had short dark hair and a friendly smile, and I liked her immediately. “Rita? Thank you for coming. I’m Simone.”

  We shook hands and I thanked her for making time for me in what I knew was a busy schedule. You know, the usual. After the pleasantries were behind us, she led me down a long hallway and out into a magnificent courtyard garden. I was learning that these hidden surprises were some of the best things about New Orleans. Incredible beauty was often hidden in the most unexpected places.

  We sat at a table near a small fountain, and while I got settled, Simone gave me a brief rundown on the building’s history. The property itself had originally been occupied by barracks for French troops, though they were eventually torn down and the present-day building erected in 1845 by a French merchant, who lived there until tragedy and bankruptcy left him broke and broken.

  It was a fascinating story, but it left me feeling guilty that I didn’t know much about the history of Zydeco’s building. Just one more thing to put on my to-do list—the one I’d eventually get to in my spare time. Maybe if I’d had a few interesting facts at my disposal when Evangeline Delahunt came to Zydeco, she’d have been more impressed by our first meeting.

  Simone motioned to someone I couldn’t see, and a young woman in white appeared out of nowhere with a tray holding a pitcher of lemonade and two glasses. She put the tray on the table and Simone poured for both of us. “I understand you’re new to New Orleans.”

  I nodded. “That’s right. I only moved here last summer.”

  “How do you like it so far?”

  “I like it very much,” I said. “It’s a fascinating city full of history and diversity, and there’s always something to do.” I thought I sounded like a poorly made travel video, but Simone didn’t seem to notice.

  “We do like to party,” she said with a laugh. “Are you sure you’re up for the challenge the Belle Lune Ball represents? It’s a grueling schedule for everyone involved and expectations are high.”

  Was that an innocent question or was she trying to deter me? “We’re up for it,” I assured her. “I have the best staff in town, and the most talented.”

  “I hear good things,” she said. “Tell me, did you keep the staff after Philippe died?”

  “Most of them.”

  “Is Ox still with you?”

  I nodded slowly. “He is. You know Ox?”

  Simone smiled and crossed her legs. “Very well. We’re old friends. He didn’t tell you?”

  I felt as if I’d been slapped but I think I kept a smile on my face. “He didn’t mention it, but we’ve been busy.”

  “Of course you have,” she said. “Silly of me to think otherwise. I’m looking forward to seeing him again. Please tell him hello for me.”

  “I’ll be sure to,” I said and tried to steer the conversation in a direction I thought would be more comfortable for me. “When I met with Evangeline, she was vague about the colors, the theme, and the decorations for the Belle Lune Ball. I’m hoping to get more details today so we can start working on a design for the cake. Do you have a color scheme in mind?”

  Simone looked disappointed by the change of subject, but she shifted gears quickly. “Glass and candlelight. The ball takes place in January, so we want ice and warmth together. On the tables, tall glass vases filled with water and cymbidium orchids. Frosted white candleholders.” She pulled pictures from a file folder as she talked and spread them on the table in front of me. “White tablecloths, of course. Or maybe a pale gray. I haven’t made the final decision on that, but we still have some time.”

  “It’s beautiful,” I told her. And it was. Understated. Elegant. Classy. Ideas began to flow and I felt a buzz of excitement. “Do you have any idea what kind of cake Evangeline wants for the event? She really didn’t give me much to go on.”

  “No, she wouldn’t. She likes to challenge people.”

  “Consider me challenged. I don’t know if she’s looking for a sculpted cake or something more traditional. After seeing what you have planned here, I’m leaning toward the traditional. Maybe a stacked cake with four or five tiers and a fall of orchids.” I began to sketch out my idea. “If the cake itself is pale silver-gray, we could put fondant ribbons here and here, or maybe a light stencil pattern in white. And we could surround the cake with candles to match the centerpieces.”

  “I love it,” Simone said when I’d finished roughing out my idea. “I’d tell you to go ahead with that idea right now, but you know it’s not up to me.”

  “Yes, I know.” But I wished it was her decision to make. She would be so much easier to work with than Evangeline. In fact, Simone seemed to be Evangeline Delahunt’s complete opposite: warm, friendly, accepting, and enthusiastic. I decided to be honest with her. “Do you think Evangeline would like it, or should I focus on something else entirely? I don’t want her to fire us before we even have a chance to please her.”

  A tiny crease appeared in Simone’s forehead. “I don’t want that either. Would it be possible for you to work up a couple of different sketches for your next meeting with her? You know, hedge your bets?”

  I laug
hed. “And I’m right back where I started. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I’ll see what I can do, but I’m a little nervous since I’m aware Gâteaux couldn’t produce a design Evangeline liked and they had months to come up with an idea. It would mean a lot to me if I could hit a home run my first time at bat.”

  Simone put a hand over mine. “I’m sure you will. I’ve heard great things about you. And I do hope the two of us can work closely together. We’ll have so many things to coordinate, we should meet often, don’t you think?”

  The suggestion both surprised and pleased me. “I’d like that.”

  “Good.” Simone uncrossed her legs and began to gather her pictures. “I’ll tell Mama.”

  Everything inside me turned to ice. “Mama?”

  “Why, yes. You didn’t know? Evangeline Delahunt is my mother. We’ve been working together for the society since I got married. It’s been more years than I like to admit to.”

  I’m sure she meant for me to smile, but I was feeling a little sick. I tried to remember everything I’d said about Evangeline that might have been construed as insulting, but my memory was sketchy. I remembered every thought I’d had, but I wasn’t sure how many of those thoughts had made it out of my mouth.

  “No. I—I didn’t realize.”

  “Ox didn’t tell you that either?” Simone’s laugh tinkled like water splashing in the fountain. “I can’t believe he did that. When you speak with him, tell him he’s just as bad as he can be. He shouldn’t keep you in the dark like that. Not if we’re going to be spending time together.”

  I couldn’t agree more. Moving on autopilot, I pulled myself together, stuffed my notebook and pencil back into my bag, and stood. I followed Simone back through the building, vaguely aware that she was talking but too angry with Ox to pick up much of what she said.

  I really hate being blindsided. Simone had just hit me hard and my mind was reeling.

  After saying good-bye to Simone and promising to call in a few days to make another appointment with Evangeline, I walked out onto Royal Street and hurried away from the building as quickly as I could. It had been cool in the shade of the courtyard, but in the sun the temperature was uncomfortably warm. Or maybe it was the anger boiling inside me.

  Blinking back tears of frustration, I strode to the Mercedes and tossed my bag into the backseat. I was about to get into the car myself when I heard a voice right behind.

  “Rita?”

  It was so unexpected my heart jumped into my throat. I spun around, assuming that Simone had followed me for some reason, but I was even more surprised to see it was Mambo Odessa, who stood only a few feet away.

  How had she gotten there?

  Okay, sure, I’d been upset after my meeting with Simone but I would have sworn the street was empty. Maybe I hadn’t been paying attention to my surroundings, but why hadn’t I heard her footsteps on the pavement? Or the jingle of her jewelry—and bones?

  If I hadn’t known better, I’d have sworn that Mambo Odessa had appeared out of nowhere.

  Just like the other day at Bernice’s, Mambo Odessa looked elegant, not creepy. Today she wore a black-and-white turban with a geometric pattern and a flowing white dress. Again, her sunglasses made it difficult to see her eyes.

  “You look alarmed, child. Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” I said. “I didn’t see you so you startled me. That’s all.”

  She dipped her head slightly. “Well, then, I apologize. I was on my way to see someone and noticed you walking down the street. I thought I should say hello.”

  That sounded like a perfectly logical explanation—at least one that didn’t involve magic spells or voodoo chants. I knew I should say something, but I just didn’t have the skills to make small talk at the moment.

  Mambo Odessa didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe she could read my mind and knew that I was struggling. “If you have time, you should stop by my shop. You may find what you’re looking for.”

  A solution to my multiple-family Christmas problem? A way to make Evangeline Delahunt fall in love with my menu and cake designs? Proof that Eskil hadn’t conked his archenemy over the head? If Mambo Odessa had any of those things for sale, she really was remarkable.

  I had to say something, so I said the first thing that came to mind. “I didn’t realize you had a shop.”

  “Oh, yes. It’s on Dauphine Street. Not far from here.”

  I nodded as if I knew my way around the French Quarter.

  And she smiled as if she saw right through me. “One can walk through the entire Quarter in a fairly short time. The next time you’re here, come by and see me.”

  “I’ll do that,” I said, but it was an empty promise. Aunt Yolanda had always been vehement about avoiding anything that smacked of magic or witchcraft. I wasn’t quite as adamant as she was, but if something gave me a hinky feeling, I steered clear. Voodoo definitely fell into the “hinky” category.

  “Until then,” she said and held out a hand to reveal a small bracelet consisting of five or six purple beads on braided hemp string. “I have something for you.”

  For me? Okay, now that was weird. I stared at her hand without moving. “You just happen to be here as I leave an appointment and you have something for me? Did Isabeau tell you where I’d be?”

  “I haven’t spoken with Isabeau since the day you and I first met.” She urged the bracelet toward me. “It is to help you overcome obstacles.”

  “Thanks but . . .” I wasn’t ready to just take those beads and go on my way. “If Isabeau didn’t tell you where I’d be this afternoon, how did you know where to find me? Did Ox tell you?”

  “I haven’t spoken with Ox either. Please. Take it. It will help you.”

  I didn’t want to insult Mambo Odessa, but I didn’t want to take the beads either. “It’s kind of you, but I don’t think the bracelet will help unless I believe it will. I’m sorry, but I don’t.”

  Mambo Odessa looked cool and unruffled in her white dress. “It won’t hurt you, child. It’s simply a Brazilian wish bracelet.”

  I was growing warmer by the minute standing out there in the sun. “It’s not that—” I began.

  “You don’t trust me. I know that. I understand. But I sense many obstacles in your path. I know they will present a challenge so I made this for you. You must wear it until it falls off.”

  I still didn’t believe the beads held any special power, but maybe her intentions were good. I hoped that counted for something. I took the bracelet and smiled. Besides, I didn’t want her putting some kind of spell on me for being rude. “Then thank you.”

  “I know that you are important to many people.”

  I laughed before I could stop myself. I knew people cared about me, but I’d never considered myself important to anyone except, at first, Philippe. I didn’t think anyone’s world would spin out of orbit if I disappeared tomorrow.

  “Isabeau speaks very highly of you,” Mambo Odessa said earnestly.

  “That’s nice to know. She speaks well of you, too.” I noticed that she didn’t say Ox was a fan of mine, but in light of the way he’d been acting, I wasn’t surprised. I was raised to keep my nose out of other people’s business, but I also struggle with a healthy, active curiosity. Curiosity won over manners. “Isabeau mentioned that Ox isn’t a believer in what you do. She said she has to sneak around to see you.”

  Mambo Odessa smiled. “Ox is a stubborn boy, but he has a good heart.”

  “And a little trouble with the truth,” I mumbled. She looked at me oddly and I realized that I’d spoken aloud. I should never let my frustrations get the best of me. “Maybe it’s none of my business, but they both work for me so I’m concerned that you’re encouraging Isabeau to go behind Ox’s back.”

  “You worry that he’ll be angry with her.”

  “Yes. And if he’s angry
with her, she’ll get all wigged out. If he’s angry and she’s wigged out, that will affect their work. And then the rest of the staff will think they have to take sides and everybody will get involved, and before you know it, nobody will be getting anything done. It would be better for everyone if you encouraged Isabeau to tell Ox the truth.”

  Mambo Odessa smiled softly. “They are going to be just fine. Their relationship won’t make the others stop working.”

  Her certainty annoyed me. “I hope you’re right. Maybe I’m the only one who has a problem with trusting someone who keeps secrets.” I didn’t have anything else to say so I dangled the bracelet from a finger and said, “Thanks for this. I really should get going.”

  “You’ll wear it?”

  “Um . . . sure.” I slipped it on my wrist and fumbled to secure it with one hand.

  Mambo Odessa leaned in to help. The strong scent of incense rose up from her hair and clothes, and my eyes watered. “Don’t remove the bracelet,” she said softly. “Let it fall off when its work is done. And don’t be too hasty to judge. We don’t always know what another person is thinking.” She squeezed my hand tightly and looked me in the eye. I think. It was hard to tell with those sunglasses. “Look for the blue shutters.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “When you come to the shop. Look for the blue shutters. That’s how you’ll find me.”

  “Oh. Yeah. Sure. I’ll remember that.”

  She walked away, as if we’d just had a perfectly normal encounter. At least I wasn’t worried about how she’d known where I’d be. All that stuff about Ox and Isabeau could mean only one thing: Ox had known what I’d learn during my meeting with Simone O’Neil and he’d sent his aunt to do damage control.

  After Mambo Odessa disappeared (through a doorway, not in a puff of smoke or anything), I got into my car and pulled out onto the street. I had no idea why Ox had kept his friendship with Simone a secret, or why he thought it was so important to keep it from me, but I was getting tired of all the secrets. I thought it was time for a little honesty.