Page 36 of Lulu’s Recipe for Cajun Sass

The bayou grapevine, aka gossip network, must be working overtime with news of Justin and Louise “seeing” each other, even as discreet as they’d been. Surely, customers of Louise’s had seen Justin here during the day. Adèle had probably mentioned Justin’s name when visiting her friends. Justin’s parents and brother had to wonder where he was spending so much time on his days off work. But so far, no one had said anything to either of them.

As nervous as she was about tonight, she was also excited. There would be music and dancing, and Louise loved to dance, although she hadn’t done much since the days of the USO in New Orleans. Justin promised that he could do a wicked Cajun two-step, which she didn’t doubt. If he danced as well as he did other things, well, ooh la la!

She took one last look at herself in the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door. The new dress she’d bought fit her perfectly; it was a multi-colored greenish-blue chiffon dress with spaghetti straps, fitted on top but full and swirly from the waist to mid-calf hem. Can anyone say dancing? A wide, sparkly silver belt cinched in her waist and was matched with silver peep-toe high heels. Her hair was loose and hung in shiny dark curls down to her shoulders, but was pulled off her face with silver combs, making her look girlish and younger than her twenty-five years. Her only jewelry was a small silver cross on a chain around her neck.

It was a fun outfit.

The icing on the cake, which was her, came with the special care she’d taken with her make-up. Nothing outwardly sluttish. But a little bit wicked…long mascaraed eye lashes, crimson lipstick, a hint of rouge.

Raising her chin, she checked herself out in various poses. Hand on left hip, extended right foot, a Hollywood pin-up pose. A full circle pivot which raised her dress above her knees, like a dance move. Both hands behind her neck with a sultry expression on her face. With her back to the mirror, glancing back over her shoulder.

Cajun Sass, guar-an-teed, she decided.

When Justin arrived ten minutes later, he said “Wow!” on first seeing her all dolled up. He took her hand and raised it, making her do a little swirl so he get the full effect of her dress.

“You approve?” she asked, saucily.

“And then some.” He kissed his fingertips and blew on them to show just how hot she was.

She smiled, returning his full body study, thinking that he was the epitome of Cajun Brass in his white tuxedo with a black bow tie and cummerbund, a pink carnation pinned to the lapel. All that white was a nice contrast to his darkly tanned skin. He’d obviously gotten a haircut that morning and a barber shave; he still smelled of aftershave.

“What are you smilin’ about, chère?” he asked after giving her a hello kiss.

“I was jist thinkin’ before you came that I was going for a Cajun Sass look t’night. And then, here you come, all Cajun Brass.” She repeated his gesture of kissing her fingertips and blowing on them to demonstrate his own steam heat.

He laughed. “Cajun Sass and Cajun Brass. I like that combination.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

She locked up the house then. Adèle was staying overnight with her friend Anna Belle, with a promise that Anna Belle could stay here some night. And they were off to the reception in Houma with Justin driving his mother’s cleaned and polished DeSoto, which had been decorated with crepe paper as part of the wedding party.

Once they were on their way, with Louise sitting real close to Justin, she asked, “How was the wedding so far?”

“Good, I suppose. A little hoity-toity for my taste, but then, nobody asked me.”

“What do you mean by hoity-toity?”

“First of all, there were eight ushers and eight bridesmaids, in addition to the best man, maid of honor, and flower girl and boy. Then, there are these tuxedos which makes us look like a bunch of ice cream men. No priest for the ceremony would do. Had to call in a bishop friend of the family. There were enough flowers that the church smelled like a florist shop. And did I mention the limos? And then—”

“Enough!” She laughed. “I get the message. How many people are going to be at this extravaganza?”

“Two hundred.”

“You’re kidding! I didn’t think there were that many people here on the bayou.”

“Oh, they’re from all over, believe me. Some big shots among them.”

“I’m beginning to think I’m underdressed for this party, which is sure to be swanky. At the least, I should have put on my diamonds.”

“You have diamonds?”

“Of course,” she said. “Rhinestones, but they look real. Only a jeweler would know.”

“You look perfect the way you are. Beautiful, as always. But different somehow.”

“It’s the make-up. I usually don’t wear much. Or I wear enough to look like I’m not wearing any.”

He looked her way and shook his head. “Nope. It’s the dress. Or those killer high heels, which I have plans for later.” He winked at her.

“I wonder if they’re the same plans I have.” She winked back at him.