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She hands my mom a slick business card. Mom looks at it carefully. "Do you guys have a website?" she asks. "To share with the girls, before I book."
Malik clears his throat. "We have an Instagram. We're The Vintages Coastal."
Delta pats Malik's hand. "My nephew is very good with the internet."
Pearl looks over to our half of the table with a timid smile. "Is everyone playing nice over here?"
"Nice enough," Flo says. "We were just about to ask your fiancé a lot of personal questions. See if he's good enough for you, Pearl."
Delta coughs into her hand. I swear that I hear a low, ‘not a chance in hell'.
"River, what do you do for a living? How are you going to support my daughter? And your kids, I assume."
"Mom," Pearl squeaks. "Please. This is the man I love."
She puts her hand on my neck, caressing it. I lean into her touch just a little more than is necessary.
"I am the CEO of our family's real estate company. And if it helps at all, I have a law degree from Emory University."
Her mom purses her lips. "That's a good school."
"It is," Malik adds. "My boyfriend wants to go there."
"Definitely let me know if I can give a reference. Emory is nuts about students that know alumni."
"Sounds pretty nepotistic," Delta says, frowning.
"Aunt Delta!" Malik scolds. "Come on. Be polite. We're guests here."
"Oh look!" my mom calls, desperately waving the waiter over. "I think we could all use a nice glass of wine. Anyone else?"
"I'll take a glass," Flo says. She's staring daggers at Delta.
"So what does a CEO of a real estate company do?" Delta asks, complete unperturbed.
"River is basically a project manager. Our family has a lot of construction projects going on at any one time. So River manages those and does anything that an architect doesn't do. Isn't that right, baby?" Mom answers.
I try not to sound sulky as I answer. "That's right."
"Uh huh." Delta looks unimpressed as a nervous waiter fills her wine glass with some expensive white wine. "Just to be clear, though. You're not looking for property to develop, right?"
"No," I say, cutting off any other answers. "The family just took on a large project north of Cape Simon. That's what the family is focused on right now."
I can feel Cole’s eyes on my and I see his brows knit together.
"Y'all are doing a big renovation in downtown South Shore too. Right? My sister Glory said she worked with one of you Bennetts on that," Flo says.
I point to Cole. "That would be Cole. He told me that Glory made him jump through hoops to get that construction permitted."
Delta sniffs. "She's just doing her job as an elected representative of her community."
Pearl smiles at Delta. "Everyone agrees with you, Auntie."
"Oh, they're bringing the food," Malik announces. "Thank god. I'm starving."
The next ten minutes are taken up by waiters arriving with steaming platters of coq au vin, sausage cassoulet, duck confit, salad, and various bowls of tarte tatin, bouillabaisse, baked Brie, and giant piles of crusty sliced French bread.
After we have all filled our plates, but before I manage to tuck into the first mouthwatering bite, Delta stands up.
