THE HOLITOPA TRESTLES

CHAPTER 10: MISTLETOE MARGARITAS

Gravel crunches underneath the tires of Britt's black SUV, but it's eclipsed by a chorus sung by her, Mac in the backseat, and the ladies of Chapel Hart. It looks and sounds cathartic, but it's less cathartic for me as the passenger.

I roll the window down even though the temperature dropped nearly thirty degrees overnight and declare it the first proper day of Fall here. Not the day the calendar says is the first of Fall, but the first day it truly feels like Fall. When that day comes to Mississippi, it carries a little bit of magic along with it. I'm quick to remind myself that it's gonna be just as nice–even better–in Nashville.

Britt tilts the rearview mirror towards her face. She adjusts the Kendra Scott necklace she bought within an hour of charging pearl danglers to her credit card, which is paid off each month by her father. Her therapist called it revenge spending. Her father doesn't mention the high credit card bills, and she doesn't mention his affair.

Lawrence's On The Water, a swanky but rustic restaurant on Tohbi Lake, welcomes diners with a colorful array of lanterns hanging off wooden ledges. One more award-winning restaurant from the Lawrence Family-the biggest restaurant family in the state. Mac says they gained notoriety for their midnight brisket and lemon ice box pie served at a modest roadside restaurant. Then some food and travel channel show called "Hidden Gems of The Culinary Universe" caught wind of their popularity and featured them on their streaming channel. Before long, folks were coming in from all over the country to gobble up their Drunk Chicken and potato salad.

I'm glad we're just getting drinks here because it's expensive. Not that Britt won't try to pick up the tab for everybody. Mac and I rarely allow her to pay our way, but some people don't seem to mind being treated.

Behind the bar, one of the owners, Holden Lawrence, puts the finishing touches on an Espresso Martini. The ladies he serves trade salacious whispers and giggle when his back is turned. It's not a rare sight. His tattooed forearms and stint in the Marines along with his family's business acumen make him a hit with the ladies around here, and Britt has been flirting with him for years. Lawrence Catering Co. has been tapped to replace last year's caterers for Miracle Off Main Street.

"Admiral Thibodeaux stays cranky, but if you keep a rum-heavy Dark N Stormy in his hand at all times, he'll be less problematic." Holden hands Britt a French 75 and nods in thanks. "Oh, and be careful not to make the Mistletoe Margaritas too sweet like the caterers last year. My mom had a conniption. They almost ruined the whole night."

My body tenses as the memory of what actually ruined the whole night seizes my brain.

"They really were so sweet," I add unnecessarily.

"Georgie?" A female voice calls, but by the time I spin around, my head is thrust over the shoulder of someone whose hair smells like the Dior perfume Miss Adair wears.

"Oh, wow. Ok, you two know each other then," Priya stands a few feet behind the citrus and floral scented hugger, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," I pull my head back off the shoulder of Livvy Hollingsworth. I serve her coffee on the regular, but I didn't think we were in hugging territory.

"Sorry, I'm a hugger." Her voice is less spirited. "I'm sorry if I invaded your space. I'm bad at that."

"She's definitely a hugger," Priya confirms with affection.

"I'll say," Mac snorts.

"Well, how 'bout the rest of us get introductions?" Britt interrupts signaling that it's my turn to make the intros. Turns out, Britt and Livvy have already met because their sororities teamed up each May for a luau-themed party. Perhaps more notably, their fathers' companies, Hollingsworth Lumber and Davenport Ventures, LLC, are both advertised as sponsors of Magnolia State Athletics at Tucker-Leflore Stadium, John Walter Coliseum, and Rudy Beall Field.