My shoulders relax, and I’m pretty sure my blood pressure goes down even before Annell throws her arms around me. “Happy New Year!” Her hug is followed by a kiss on both cheeks—an official invitation into what has always been a no-stress, no-judgment zone. “Did you and Maya have a good holiday?”
“We did. You?” Her voice as she fills me in is warm and soothing. I love this store and its full-to-bursting bookshelves, which are broken up by reading nooks and conversation areas defined by brightly patterned rugs and well-placed sofas and chairs. Book posters signed by their authors cover the walls. A hand-lettered sign warns, don’t judge a book by its movie! Charm, who’s worked for Annell as long as I’ve been a customer, smiles her hello from behind the register.
A children’s section stretches across one side of the room with child-size tables and chairs. The story corner where Annell reads to a gang of children every Saturday used to be Maya’s favorite spot. A spiral staircase winds up to Annell’s home, which takes up the entire second floor.
Annell leads me back to the refreshments, where most of the regulars and several newcomers are already mingling and munching. “We have veggies and dip and fruit kabobs for the people who are still keeping their New Year’s resolutions.” She motions to the first table. “Judith brought brownies and her world-famous cloud cookies for those who’ve fallen off the wagon. Or never got on.”
“I had to get them out of the house,” Judith says as I lean in for a hug from her and from Carlotta, formerly known as Carl. “Otherwise I’d eat every one of them myself.”
“I put the dangerously tempting stuff in the freezer,” Carlotta says as she plucks a grape from the bunch on her plate.
“People always say that, but I have yet to meet a frozen chocolate thing I couldn’t eat,” Judith replies. “And if it needs a little softening, isn’t that what microwaves are for?”
“Yes, I believe that’s why they were invented,” I agree as she piles brownies and meringues on my plate. “Thanks, Judith.”
“You’re welcome.” She watches me pop the first meringue into my mouth. “I’m trying my hardest not to be jealous of your age and your metabolism, but I am so tired of trying to make ‘good choices.’” Her voice goes up oddly on the last words.
“Sex is a great calorie burner,” Carlotta points out. Carl was a very attractive man when he first started coming to book club, but Carlotta is truly stunning. I assume she’s burning lots of calories whenever she feels like it.
“And it’s a lot more fun than the gym or even my Peloton,” Judith’s longtime friend, Meena, adds as she joins us. When I first met Judith and Meena, they were stay-at-home moms, raising children, volunteering, and playing on their neighborhood tennis team. When they found out I’d played at Georgia Tech, they began asking for tips and pointers. Every now and then they show up at one of Maya’s local matches. They make a significant two-person cheering section.
“Of course, calories burned may vary,” Meena says with a wicked smile. “Based on energy expended.” Judith smiles, too, but there’s an edge to her laughter, as if she’s trying just a little too hard to appear lighthearted and happy.
I sigh with pleasure at my first bite into the fudge center of my brownie. “These are sooo good.” I moan my way through the brownie as Judith fills someone else’s plate. “I know I’ve said this before, but you could totally give Mrs. Fields a run for her money.”
I’m still savoring the brownie when Angela McBride, tall, blond, and leggy, appears at my side and wraps me in a hug. “Hey, girl. Are you done traveling yet?”
“Mostly.”
“You look like you could use some wine.”
“That’s funny, I was about to say the same thing about you.”
“Ha!”
We step up to the drinks table and fill our glasses.
Angela is the person who first invited me to this book club, for which I’ll always be grateful. Her husband, Perley, and Xavier were friends in college before Xavier went pro. I met them both when I first started dating Xavier, and even though they were a bit older and already married, we’ve been friends ever since. Perley and Angela were rocks that I leaned on when Xavier died. Every year on the anniversary of Xavier’s death we visit his grave together then go chow down at Xavier’s favorite pizza place where we consume an XX Large “Everything But the Kitchen Sink” Pizza in his honor.
We’re in the middle of catching up when Annell claps her hands together like the middle school teacher she once was. “It’s time to get started. Please bring your food and drink with you and take a seat.” Annell ushers us through the breezeway and into the carriage house.
The walls of the carriage house are a soft seafoam green. The trim, including the partially vaulted ceiling, is white. There’s a small kitchen in one corner and a bathroom in another, but the rest of the space is bright and open. A second wrought iron staircase winds up to a loft that serves as Annell’s office.
The original double barn doors have been replaced with sliding glass that opens onto her garden. Opposite is a row of windows with a white wooden window seat covered by paisley velvet cushions. Folding chairs are arranged in a semicircle across from the window seat. Small tables hold our drinks and food.
Angela and I claim spots on the window seat. Judith is on my other side, with Meena beside her.
For the first time, I notice that Sara isn’t here. This is highly unusual because Sara Whalen is a bookworm of the first order and rarely misses book club. When Annell can’t make it, Sara leads the discussion. I lean over and ask Judith where she is.
“I’m not sure,” Judith replies. “Annell said Sara hasn’t been able to work the last few weekends. I think something happened with her mother-in-law.”
Once everyone’s situated, Annell raises her hand and the crowd falls silent.
“As most of you know, I’m Annell Barrett. I own Between the Covers, and I’m very glad you could join us tonight to discuss Tara Westover’s Educated.
“Now.” She flashes a smile. “How many of you have read the book?”
“Wonderful,” she says when all hands go up. “One of our main rules is that you’re always welcome even if you haven’t. But we will not tiptoe around the details of any book. There will be spoilers.”
She looks around the circle. “Since we have some new faces here tonight, let’s run around the circle so that we can all introduce ourselves.”
Twins Wesley and Phoebe pop up in unison. On the verge of forty, they share the same wiry build, even features, and dark wavy hair. They also share an apartment and, on occasion, clothes. “This is my brother, Wesley,” Phoebe says. “He was a computer geek before there was such a thing. And he’s a really awesome graphic designer.”