“Samantha makes a lovely toast about true love and the power of forgiveness, and Charlotte’s sparkly laughter makes us all smile while Cook brings in the next course: Brown Sugar and Mustard Chicken. She’s served the lightly breaded and sautéed chicken tenders over fresh greens with a mustard vinaigrette. The combination of brown sugar and mustard is both tangy and sweet. It’s perfect for a summer lunch.
Ivers pours a cold Pinot Grigio from Venice which I’m sure Calum has chosen to remind me of my honeymoon with Rafe. We’d been staying in Charleston when we received a wedding gift from Calum: a month’s trip to Italy. It had been an amazing trip where we ate bigoli in salsa and the largest meringues I’ve ever seen. We probably would’ve seen more except . . . well, we were on our honeymoon.
Maddie raises her glass and makes another toast, and Miss Nell reaches over to hold Maddie’s hand. I smile and meet sad Samantha’s gaze. It’s incredibly gracious of Maddie to offer her love and happiness when she’s in the middle of a messy divorce herself. I just wish I could make all of my friends as happy as I am. After having lived in a self-imposed emotional exile for eight years, I don’t want any of my girlfriends to ever feel that lonely.
I lift my glass and offer my own toast to the women who’ve joined me today: Samantha, Maddie, Charlotte, and Miss Nell. Two old friends and two new friends, all lovely, caring women who only want the best for each other, make me the luckiest woman in the world.” ~ Juliet Capel, EVERY DEEP DESIRE
[mpprecipe-recipe:51]
“As we eat, this beautiful song from A Great Big World plays softly in the background. Ivers always sets the mood perfectly.”
