Page 342 of A Merry Mountain Christmas

River was the second to the last person he wanted to see, Prescott being the first.

“Where’s Maisie?” Dottie asked, glancing around.

“Good question,” Jack said, walking over to the table that would hold the appetizers. He straightened the perfectly aligned chafing dishes.

“Isn’t she coming?”

The thought of seeing her unleashed butterflies of anticipation in his stomach, but their wings were quickly crushed. “I’m sure she is, considering she’s River’sbest woman.”

“Oh dear,” Dottie said, disappointment and then acceptance filling her eyes. “You know.”

He turned around to face her. “That Maisie’s been in love with River for half her life? Yeah, I got that bit of news this morning.”

Dottie grabbed his arm and pulled him over to one of the few tables with chairs. “Sit.”

“Dottie, I don’t really have—”

“Sit.”

Since Dottie rarely gave orders, let alone in a stern voice, Jack knew better than to refuse.

She lowered into the chair next to him and held his gaze.

“Our Maisie likes to put on a tough front, but she’s more vulnerable than most people realize.”

“I know all about the situation with her parents, Dottie.”

She gave him a look of reprimand, and he regretted interrupting.

“Maisie was there for River when his mother dropped him off in Asheville. She was his friend and defended him when some of the children made fun of him for being behind in school. She helped him catch up too. They were best friends all through school and then past graduation. River struggled to find his way, and she stood by him when others didn’t. In turn, he was there for her after her parents died.”

“I know most of this, Dottie.”

“Maybe so, but I’m not sure you understand it all. Maisie lost her way after her parents died, and it was River who helped keep her afloat.”

He closed his eyes. He really didn’t want to hear how much River meant to her.

“Jack.”

He gave her his attention.

“River and Maisie will always share a special bond. If you can’t accept that, then you’re not the man I thought you were. Georgie knew if she wanted her relationship with River to work, she’d have to accept it.”

“She knew how Maisie felt from the beginning?”

“Of course she did. Women know these things. But she also realized it wasn’t a threat to her relationship with River.”

“I’m sure it was much easier considering River wasn’t in love with Maisie.Shewas in love withhim.”

“Relationships are more complicated than that, my dear. At one time, there could have been more between them—on both sides—but that time has long since passed, and it’s for the best that it did. For both of them. When Maisie’s with River, she can live in her past. She can pretend her parents are on a trip instead of being buried at Riverside Cemetery. She can be the girl she was in high school. And River could do the same. While they both accepted each other for who they were, they didn’t challenge each other togrow. Or more specifically, River neverchallengedMaisieto grow. She’s been stuck in her tracks for nearly ten years.” She reached over and covered his hand with her own. “Until you.”

He thought about what Finn had said, how he’d claimed Maisie had only started changing things after she began spending time with him, but was that true, or did he just want to believe it?

“Because River moved on,” he offered, mostly to see how she’d respond.

“Maybe,” Dottie said, “or you could look at it another way: River set her free to realize he wasn’t really what she needed. What she needs is a man who would make her want more than what she has. Who encourages her to leave her past behind.”

He didn’t say anything.

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