Page 69 of Reluctant Surrender

“Her flight should have landed twenty minutes ago.” Christian looked at his phone. “Anthony will let me know when they’re in the car.”

“You didn’t have to make all twelve dishes, Amelia.” Maggie screwed the cap back on the nail polish she’d been using.

“I didn’t. Christian wouldn’t let me near the kitchen.” Amelia frowned.

“We haven’t celebratedWigiliain a few years. It will be nice,” I said to her. It was Christmas Eve and once our little sister arrived, we would begin the traditional twelve-dish course. By the time the night was over I’d be stuffed. But still able to discuss my wife’s inability to follow one direction—don’t take the nine-months-pregnant woman into Central Park without one of the men with them.

“Maybe if I had a cup of coffee, this baby would jump out of me.” Amelia laughed.

“No.” Christian cut her off before she could even bat an eye in his direction.

“Maggie. When are you due to take that test you were telling me about?” Amelia changed the subject before Christian could launch into a lecture.

“I’m scheduled to take it at the end of January.” Maggie glanced my way with a small smile. “And once I have the certification, I have a job lined up.”

“Really? Where?” Amelia’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“Schuster and Holliday.”

Amelia clapped. “You got it? That’s great!”

“Yeah. I’m really excited. But I have to pass the test before they’ll let me have my own clients.”

“You’re gonna kill that test.” I raised my brandy to her, which earned me an eye roll.

“Why don’t you play something for us on the piano?” Maggie pointed to the room across the hall from where we sat.

Amelia looked over at the piano with longing. “I’m too uncomfortable there now. The baby presses against the keys, it’s awful.”

Maggie leaned forward and touched Amelia’s belly. “You better be good to your mama.”

Christian’s phone went off and he picked up the call.

The girls continued talking about the baby and making plans for Maggie to come back to New York to visit as soon as she had vacation time.

“Maggie. We have a family plane. You can come visit every weekend if you want,” I reminded her. “Well, every other probably.” I wouldn’t give up my free time with her. Maggie having a job gave her pleasure, but I would be damned if I was going to let her leave every weekend.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I heard Christian talking from the hallway.

I got up from the couch and went to listen in. His brow was furrowed and his teeth bit into his lip as he listened to the other end of the call.

“Double check she wasn’t on the plane. I’m sending some guys over to the train station.” Christian hung up the phone with a curse.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Your sister.” He jabbed a finger at me. Hanna was only my sister when she was doing something stupid and getting herself into trouble.

“What exactly did she do this time?” I asked, waiting to hear that she refused to leave the airport or she wanted Anthony to take her somewhere other than straight home.

“She decided she wanted to take the train home instead of flying,” Christian said, kicking his foot at the tiled floor.

“What?”

The girls appeared in the doorway. “What’s going on?” Maggie asked me.

“Hanna ditched her flight for a train ride. The school shuttled the girls going home for the holiday to the airport, but Hanna told them she was taking the train. They didn’t bother calling, they just looked at her fucking ticket and took her to the train station.”

“I’m sure she’s fine.” Maggie slid her arm through mine. “She’s probably just mad at you two for not letting her come home sooner. She’s just trying to make you sweat.”

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