Page 19 of Lemon Pound Cake Club

“You’ll regret missing the pound cake,” Nia chimed in.

“The pound cake is really that good?”

The women looked at each other and then smiled together.

“It really is.”

I paused, then smiled back at them.

“Well… I guess I’ll have to pull out my best recipe then.”

“Oh?” Tasha leaned in.

“I make a pretty mean lemon pound cake.”

Nia’s eyes widened.

“Wait.”

“You’re serious?” Jade asked.

“I’ve heard it’s the best,” I said, giving a small shrug.

The women shared another look.

“Well,” Camille said, her smile turning knowing, “you’re going to fit in just fine.”

I laughed at their reaction.

As I stood under the biggest tree in the neighborhood and listened to everyone laugh, I started to believe I’d really found the fresh start Zaire promised.

Nia snapped her fingers.

"Before everybody disappears, we need your number."

"My number?" I laughed.

"Obviously."

Jade was already reaching into her crossbody bag for her phone.

"We have a group chat."

"We actually have three," Tasha corrected.

"Four," Camille said.

Nia groaned.

"The HOA chat doesn't count."

"It absolutely counts."

"Nobody talks in there except to complain."

"And that one time somebody's Amazon package got delivered to the wrong porch," Tasha said.

I laughed.