Page 275 of A Merry Mountain Christmas

The cough stopped as soon as Jack’s pats became harder.

Faker.

“Maybe we should talk about the engagement party,” Adalia said. “You know, since we’re all in the wedding.”

Huh. Maybe that was it. Maybe Jack had said he didn’t want to get involved with Maisie because he couldn’t commit to a relationship and they were going to have to keep seeing each other at wedding events. She couldn’t fault such logic. Hell, she was in total agreement, but she still wished they could have a little fun.

“I don’t know,” Jack said. “I told Dottie I’d keep her in the loop.” He eyed the door as if he feared she might come in and find them talking about it.

“You’re afraid of Dottie,” Maisie said with a grin.

“Of course I am,” he said, “and I’m not ashamed of it.” He took a sip of his drink, his expression contemplative. “She reminds me a little of my grandmother. I mean, my grandmother didn’t push crystals on everyone she met or throw wild parties that always went horribly wrong, but she caredabout people like Dottie does. She basically raised me.” He was saying it for Maisie’s sake, because Adalia was nodding in a way that spoke of foreknowledge.

“I’m sorry you lost her,” Maisie said. Because she could tell he had—she heard it in his tone, soft and reminiscent. Jack was also not the sort of man who would’ve left his tottering, much-loved grandmother hundreds of miles behind with his mother, who apparently wasn’t much of a nurturer.

He met her eyes, his gaze intent and serious, and simply said, “Thank you.”

It was on the edge of her tongue to tell him that she understood the pain of loss, but she could tell he knew. So she simply said, “Dottie’s like that for a lot of us. I’d never give her the satisfaction of hearing me say so, but it’s like she has a sixth sense for who needs some extra love.”

Adalia reached over and squeezed Jack’s hand, and the quick motion startled Maisie. She’d forgotten her friend was there—for a moment, it had felt like she and Jack were alone at the table.

“Don’t worry,” Adalia said, “we’ll only discuss it in general terms.” It took a second for Maisie to realize she was still talking about the party. “Now, what can we do to ensure that Victoria and my dad almost certainly won’t come?”

Adalia looked so serious, Maisie couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t know if I want to help you,” she said. “I look forward to meeting the infamous Victoria.”

Adalia had told her and Blue dozens of stories about her, from the fact that she had a timeline for her relationship with Lee to the fact that she’d monogrammed all of her bags with the initials VB, Victoria Buchanan, and pretended the store had made a mistake. She was so controlling Lee couldn’t call either of his sisters without first ensuring she wasn’t around.

Maisie couldn’t understand why anyone would put up with that kind of behavior. Her sister Molly would quote the movie10Things I Hate About Youand suggest Victoria had beer-flavored nipples, although in the case of the debonair Lee, she suspected he’d prefer something snooty like port. But Maisie didn’t think looks or prowess in the sheets were enough to compensate for someone being a blowhard. She’d sooner spend the rest of her life alone—like Josie predicted—than be with someone who tried to control her or keep her away from her family and friends.

“Trust me, you don’t want to meet her,” Adalia said. “Tell her, Jack.”

“I didn’t exchange a single word with her,” he said.

“Maybe not, but you pay attention to everything.”

He glanced at Maisie again, his gaze taking her in as if she were the bourbon in his glass. “You won’t enjoy meeting her,” he said at last. Then his lips twitched with a held-back smile. “But the rest of us would very much enjoy witnessing it.”

“You think I’d eviscerate her,” she said.

“I know it,” he said, his eyes gleaming.

“And I’m counting on it,” Adalia added, “unless, of course, we figure out a way to avoid her altogether, which would be preferable.”

Maybe it was because Maisie had been thinking of an excuse to get out of it herself, but the answer came to her quickly. “That’s easy,” she said. “Forget having the party in January. Have it on Christmas. Or maybe just before. Yeah, Christmas Eve. No way would she want to spend the holidays in Asheville.”

Adalia’s eyes lit up as if Maisie had just given her a gift.

“I don’t know,” Jack said, plucking at his napkin. “I don’t want to sabotage the party. Georgie will be really disappointed if Lee doesn’t show.”

“Oh, he’ll come,” Adalia said. “But this’ll give him an excuse to leave Victoria at home. He’d rather come without her anyway.”

What kind of relationship was this, exactly?

“And Georgie might fool herself into thinking otherwise, but she’ll bemuchhappier if Dad stays home. We all will.” This last was said in a small voice that indicated Adalia certainly felt that way.

Jack clearly saw it too, because he nodded encouragingly. “Let’s float the idea. See if Lee’s in, and if everyone else in the crew is going to be around. We can make it an open house type thing so family, friends, and people from the brewery can stop by.”

He plucked at the napkin a little more, depositing the little shreds into a neat pile.

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