Page 2 of Any Luck at All

“I still don’t understand the need for all the pomp and circumstance,” Prescott grumbled. “Just hand us a copy of the will and be done with it.”

The attorney gave Prescott a tight smile. “These were the wishes of your father, Prescott. I am merely his instrument.”

The way he held Georgie’s father’s gaze suggested the two men had already made an acquaintance and it hadn’t gone well.

The assistant Georgie had spoken to earlier walked in, carrying a legal box with a lid. She set it down on the console table behind Mr. Manning.

“Before we begin,” the attorney said, “can I get anyone anything to drink? Water? Coffee?”

“Will you just read the damn will already?” Prescott demanded.

To his credit, Mr. Manning ignored him and turned to the people at the opposite end of the table.

“Water sounds like a good idea,” Dottie said, getting to her feet. “Everyone needs water.”

“We don’t need water,” Prescott said, tugging at his tie. “We need to find out what the old man said, and then get out of here so I can start making arrangements to sell off the brewery.”

Dottie’s smile momentarily froze, then got bigger. “Nonsense. You’ve all had averylong day, what with your mourning at the funeral and all. Water’sjustwhat you need.”

The mourning comment was a not-so-carefully concealed jab. Georgie had been the most upset, but to be fair, none of her siblings had really known the man. Their father had made sure of that.

For some reason, her gaze shot to the handsome man in the ill-fitting suit. His jaw had a firm set, and all vestiges of humor had fled from his face. Their eyes met for a moment, and Georgie shifted her gaze, unnerved by the judgment she saw there.

Dottie turned to face the attorney. “Henry, I’ll just go fetch some glasses.”

Henry, Georgie thought. Interesting. She clearly knew him as more than a passing acquaintance. Either that, or she was at an age where she didn’t stand on ceremony. Georgie suspected it was some combination of the two.

“We don’t need water!” Prescott shouted, his face turning red.

“Just let the woman get some water,” Lee groaned, pushing his chair back from the table.

Dottie headed for the door but stopped and pinched Prescott’s cheek. “Patience, my boy. You never really understood the concept, but you’re not too old to learn it now.”

She walked out of the room as every member of the Buchanan family stared at her in shock. She’d dared to touchthePrescott Buchanan.

Georgie couldn’t remember the last time she’d physically touched her father, and she struggled to hide a grin at the woman’s outrageousness.

“This is ridiculous,” Prescott sneered. “No one needs water!”

“I need water,” Adalia said, tilting her head and giving her father a mischievous look.

“I could use some water,” the Hispanic woman said in a small voice.

“Who are you again?” Georgie’s father demanded.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Mr. Manning said, a fine sheen of perspiration covering his forehead. He pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at the sweat, then stuffed it back into his pocket. Another second ticked by, and he lifted his arm to look at his watch even though there was a clock on the wall next to him.

Georgie’s father glared at everyone while Lee was visibly annoyed, and Adalia looked like a cat who’d not only eaten the canary but a couple of chickens too. Victoria appeared bored, but she arguably always looked that way. Georgie just wanted this over with. Her family was definitely showing the rest of the room how they put thefunin dysfunction.

Dottie returned a couple of minutes later carrying a pitcher of water, while a woman trailed behind her with a tray full of glasses.

“Now, give everyone a glass,” Dottie instructed. “Everyone, whether they say they want one or not.”

The woman began to set them in front of people, starting with Georgie, then Adalia, and moving around the table. Dottie followed her, pouring water into each glass. She’d gotten halfway around the table and was just about to run out when a man walked in with another pitcher.

“If you had toinsiston water,” Prescott sneered, “couldn’t you at least have gotten water bottles?”

“Waterbottles?” Dottie asked with a chortle. “Well, aren’t you the funny man?”

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