Page 46 of Just Add Mistletoe

Now her words were getting under his skin. “Have you talked to Bronson too?”

That made her pause. “Well, no, but your dad told me all about it. I don’t need to talk to Bronson to know how much you’ve hurt him.”

Malcom swallowed down a scoff. “Like I said, sorry I didn’t talk to you before you heard from Dad. But things are already in motion, and believe me, I’ll be better off in the long run.”

“What about Bronson? What about your father?”

Malcom pinched the top of his nose and closed his eyes. His father had invested in their company in the beginning, giving them some seed money so they’d qualify for the bank loan in the first place. “Dad has earned back his investment already. He’ll be fine—if that’s what you’re asking.”

“It’s not money I’m talking about,” his mom said. “This is family—the most important thing we have on Earth.”

What was this? A spiritual talk? If anything, his mom had created—and divorced—too much family.

He exhaled. “Look, Mom, I should really go. I need to call Dad too.”

“Oh, he’s right here.”

Nothing could have surprised Malcom more. “What do you mean? Are you not back in California?”

“No, your father is with me in Montana.”

That didn’t sound right . . . what was going on?

“What do you mean,withyou?”

She laughed. “Well, it turns out, there’s still something between us.”

“What about Phil?” Malcom asked. “You know, your husband?”

“Oh, we’re separated, honey. I didn’t want to bother you with the drama since you’ve been so swamped with the new condo project.”

Malcom’s mind reeled. Hisparentswere back together? After how many years? “Mom, I’m never too busy to talk to you. This is news I should have known . . . What about Dad’s wife?”

Another laugh. “They’re getting a divorce.”

“Sincewhen?”

“Oh, a few weeks, maybe.”

“I don’t understand . . .” he said, a headache now appearing with full force. “You and Dad divorced and totally upended our lives, and now you’re back together and laughing about each other’s divorces?”

“Life’s strange, isn’t it,” his mom said.

Malcom had no words anymore.

“But really, Malcom, what were you thinking? You need to call Bronson right now and apologize.”

He blew out a breath. This was what he was getting out of his mom—another upside-down revelation of how she and his dad were back together? But her real concern was that he needed to play nice with a stepbrother who was likely a criminal?

“Look, I need to go,” he said. “I have to wade through a lot of things.”

“Oh, I know, you’re always busy,” his mom said in a flippant tone. “Call your brother before you do anything else.”

Then she hung up.

Malcom couldn’t quite believe it. Was he in a living dream—or more accurately, a nightmare?

He crossed to the door of the trailer and opened it. Standing in the doorway for several minutes, he breathed in the crisp autumn air. Everything seemed to be going smoothly on the construction site right now. His gaze strayed toward Lori’s shop. He couldn’t make out the exact details of her window decorations, but it looked like she’d made a lot of progress already.

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