“Sylvie makes those look good, if you know what I mean.” Zep didn’t seem to mind that he had a bunch of tables to work. “You know, if you want someone on your side, you should go to her momma’s hair salon. It’s where everyone goes to get their hair did.”

“And to get love potions,” Lisa added with a grin.

“What?”

Her sister shrugged. “Marcelle is also the local hoodoo priestess. It’s not as bad as it sounds. Some of the blessings are beautiful. Oh, there’s an idea. Miss Marcelle could come bless your house.”

“Or you could pretend to date a highly respected member of the community,” Zep suggested. “If you were seen out with a man everyone loves, they might calm down and see that you’re not snobby. You’re one of them.”

“Actually, that’s not a terrible idea,” Lisa mused.

Zep dropped to one knee. “I have some of those every now and then. Where do you want to go first, sweetheart? I think we should let everyone see us at the bar and then we can go back to my place.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean you. All that would prove is that she has terrible taste in men.”

Zep put his hand over his heart. “I am wounded by that.”

Lisa pointed toward the kitchen. “Go and get my sister the jambalaya. Tourist version. And I’ll have the crawfish étouffée. And I swear if we run out of bread pudding, I will murder someone.”

Zep got to his feet but he was diligently writing down the order. “You know you get meaner every day, sister. It makes me happy Seraphina never plans on marrying since my siblings bring home partners who can’t appreciate my unique talents.” He winked Lila’s way. “But you still could.”

“I could also put you through a lot of invasive medical tests.” She knew how to take care of Zep.

Zep frowned and managed to look the tiniest bit prissy. “Meanness must run in the family.”

He turned on his heels and walked away.

Lisa’s new family was odd.

“I don’t know that I want to date a guy so people will like me.” Though Zep had a point. She’d been bullied before, known everyone looked down on her. “Maybe I could smile more. Isn’t that what they always tell women? Smile more.”

She’d heard it a thousand times and it always made her want to smack whoever was saying it, but she was getting desperate.

“Yeah, sometimes you look scary when you smile,” Lisa pointed out. “Not when you mean it, but when you’re trying to look happier than you feel, you end up looking like you’re about to murder someone.”

So she’d been told. “I already got accused of that once today.”