Page 86 of Lemon Pound Cake Club

She looked at me, and a grateful smile appeared on her face.

“I knew you would.”

We shared a moment. She knew I was by her side, helping her keep the neighborhood together.

Chapter Thirteen

Maci

The late-morning sun lit up the backyard, and the lemon tree leaves looked as shiny as green glass. I stepped onto the porch with my favorite coffee mug, enjoying its warmth before I took a slow sip.

Zaire was in the driveway wiping the last drops of water from his SUV. He always took his truck seriously.

I leaned on the porch column and smiled to myself.

"You planning to enter it in a car show?" I called out.

He looked back and gave me the grin that had gotten him out of more arguments than I wanted to admit.

"Can't help it if I like my things clean."

"I can't compete with that."

He laughed softly and turned back to the driver's side mirror. A warm breeze moved through the yard. Two ripe lemons dropped from the branches above. I watched them fall, then looked up and smiled.

"I'll be right back," I said softly.

I went inside and came back a moment later with a woven basket. Zaire glanced over again.

"About to make something to die for?"

"Something like that."

Grass brushed my ankles as I walked under the branches. I picked the lemons one by one, checking each before putting it in the basket. The air smelled like citrus, and soon the basket was nearly full of bright yellow lemons.

"Those look good," Zaire said.

"They do."

I turned toward the house, and he threw a damp towel over his shoulder.

"Oh, before I forget," he said. "I threw that receipt away. Pretty sure you meant to get rid of it."

I paused.

"The one from earlier this week?"

"Yeah."

I smiled.

"Thank you."

He shrugged.

We went back inside together. Cool air greeted us as the door closed. I carried the basket into the kitchen and set it on the island. Bernice looked up from seasoning vegetables.

"My goodness," she said, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Those are beautiful."