Page 266 of A Merry Mountain Christmas

Then Finn started collecting the dishes, with River helping, and Jack got to his feet and started looking around the room for Iris, like maybe she’d hidden under a pillow.

Maisie came up to him and put a hand on one of his arms.

“She’s upstairs,” she said. “I suggested it might be a reasonable time to leave if she felt so inclined.”

Jack swore under his breath, and it occurred to her that he was in a true predicament. He wanted to be with his family, but even though his sisters were all in the same house, Iris had isolated herself. It was either go upstairs and be with her or stay down here with Adalia and Georgie.

“I doubt she’d object if you brought her some pie,” she suggested. “My sister went through the whole teenage angst stage, but it didn’t do any harm to her sweet tooth. Bringing her brownies or whatever was always the best way to get her to talk.”

“You have sisters too?”

“Yes, and my sisters are literally the most different people possible, so sometimes I have to be the go-between. Middle Child Duty, I call it.”

His mouth twitched. “I wouldn’t have pegged you for a peacemaker.”

She smiled at him. “Now you’re the one trying to put me in boxes. But you’re not wrong. They didn’t have much of a choice, though. Desperate times called for desperate measures.”

“Desperate times, indeed,” he said with a sigh. “This day didn’t exactly go like I hoped it would.” He met her gaze again, held it, and she felt tingles shoot through her body, like she had become effervescent. She had a feeling she knew what he’d hoped.

“It certainly didn’t go as Diego had planned.”

Jack barked a laugh, his gaze shooting to theThanksgiving Dinnerportrait. The Post-it had gone back up, but there was a little smiley face on it, which had almost certainly been Adalia’s work.

“I’m surprised to hear you joke about it.”

She shrugged. “Gallows humor. I think being Stella’s muse is basically a death sentence. My hopes are not high for Lurch’s future.”

“No kidding,” Jack said, leaning a little closer, his heat engulfing her. “I was looking forward to seeing you today.”

“Were?” she asked. “Did that change somewhere between the fire and the most awkward video chat in history?”

“No,” he said, “it didn’t change at all. It’s just…with Iris. It’s not a good time for me to get involved with anyone.” He looked at her again, regret in his eyes. “Today proved that. I told myself she’d get adjusted, that it wasn’t selfish of me to bring her here, but I’m not so sure that’s true.”

The disappointment that washed through her was stronger than it should have been. After all, hadn’t she decided they shouldn’t pursue this attraction between them? Except she’d sought him out again, and here they were, standing much too close for two people who’d decided they didn’t think it wise to start anything. Or continue anything.

“I get it,” she said. “I don’t know why you brought her here, but I expect you had your reasons. I was my younger sister’s guardian for a little over a year after high school, and it’s not easy. It consumes everything.”

He gave her a look, like maybe he wanted to ask questions, but he didn’t. He just reached for her hand and squeezed it.

“Wait,” Dottie said, drawing their attention back to the dining room table. Maisie had a split second to notice Adalia was looking at her hand, which was clasped with Jack’s, before she pulled away.

Then Dottie continued, “We didn’t finish our discussion of what we’re grateful for. Let’s do it over dessert.”

She sounded genuinely excited over the idea, but Maisie didn’t feel like taking part. Suddenly, she itched to leave. To be with the dogs at the shelter. She’d already told a horrified Adalia that she would take the platter of Diego off her hands. She hated the thought of anyone eating him, but he’d already been cooked, and it would be more awful, to her mind, if he went uneaten. So the dogs would have goose this year instead of turkey.

“Iris is definitely not going to come down for that,” Jack muttered, which gave Maisie an idea. He had to find a way to get Iris engaged in Asheville so she’d want to stay; Maisie constantly needed help at the shelter. Win-win.

Except she knew what Molly would say. She’d roll her eyes and say something like,Having feelings isn’t going to be your hamartia, you know.You want to see him too. This’ll give you the chance…without everyone else around.Her sister had learned that word in high school English—hamartia, a fatal flaw leading to one’s downfall—and it had appealed to the drama queen in her. Of course, Molly wasn’t one to talk. Her longest boyfriend had lasted all of two weeks.

She looked at Jack, saw the worried way he was eyeing the stairs.

“Does she like dogs?” she asked.

CHAPTER TEN

“Why are you determined to ruin my life?” Iris asked in the petulant tone Jack had, unfortunately, grown used to hearing.

“I had no idea you’d taken drama classes the first quarter of the year,” Jack said nonchalantly as he drove toward the dog shelter, refusing to let his sister see she was getting under his skin. “You really should consider getting a talent agent.”

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