Page 345 of A Merry Mountain Christmas

“It wasn’t that,” Blue said, looking up and meeting her eyes. “I wasn’t worried about you two judging me. This was about me judging myself.”

Maisie grinned at her. “Well, maybe you, me, and Addy can get drinks sometime soon, after this travesty of an engagement party, and we can be judgmental of your exes instead.”

Blue gave her a soft smile. “You just want gossip.”

“I’m dying for it.”

“We’ll see. In the meantime, stop stalling. We’re already twenty minutes late.”

Twenty minutes. A lot could happen in twenty minutes. Had Lee confronted Prescott already? What about Victoria? Would she show up in one of her wedding dresses and insist one of the Buchanan men make a solid commitment?

River had texted her again a little while back, after arriving at the party. He hadn’t pressed her for details or asked why she wasn’t there yet. He’d just asked if she was coming.

She’d replied in the affirmative, although she hadn’t made the decision for him—she’d made it for herself.

And then her phone had died on her. There’d been no word from Adalia before it winked out. Presumably she was busy with Georgie and Iris, but it was still a little surprising. Were they at the party? There was no way of knowing without showing up herself.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, she opened the door. “Let’s do this thing.”

“There you are,” Blue said, getting out too. “I’ve been waiting for your fiery redhead side to take over.”

She’d been waiting too.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

When Jack still hadn’t heard from his sisters at 5:55, he started to get worried, but Dottie waved off his concerns.

“They’ll be here soon.” She gave him one of her knowing looks. “I sense that all is as it should be with them.”

“They’re not answering any texts or calls,” he said. “Shouldn’t they have left the spa by now? Maybe I should go by and make sure everything’s okay.” It had bothered him a little that Iris had gone off for the day without checking in with him, but he’d told himself to calm down. She was almost eighteen, and next year she’d be in college. Besides, he was happy that she wanted to hang out with his other sisters, who were, after all, mature, responsible adults. Well, Addy wasmostof the time. But now the party was about to start, and he still hadn’t heard from any of them.

He sent a quick text to Finn, asking if he’d talked to them. He didn’t answer, but he walked through the door about a minute later with River in tow.

“Seemed easier to answer you in person,” Finn said.

Both of the men were dressed in gray suits, although Jack noticed that River’s looked more fitted than the one he’d worn to the will reading back in June. Georgie’s influence, no doubt.He couldn’t help smiling a little at that. In many ways, large and small, his relationship with Georgie had made him into a better man.

A lot like Maisie’s influence was making Jack a better man. More grounded and happier. The urge to carve out a place for himself had driven him to Asheville, but when he was with Maisie, he didn’t feel like he needed to carve or gouge or fight. He felt like he fit. He felt like he could finally just be.

Now that his anger and resentment had eased, all that was left was a sharp ache in his chest, along with the fear that he’d just ruined the best thing that had ever happened to him. A lump filled his throat. River gave him an apologetic look and was opening his mouth to speak when Georgie, Adalia, and Iris rushed into the room. All three had on dresses and heels, but it was their elaborate updos that caught his attention.

“Oh, my dears,” Dottie gasped with tears in her eyes as she clasped her hands together. “You look beautiful.”

Iris caught Jack’s eye and winked, a signal they had developed from enduring life with their mother—Have I got a story to tell you.

She looked beautiful in her dark blue dress. And so grown up. And her hair—along with his other sisters’—looked better suited for a wedding than an engagement party. The way Adalia kept lifting her hand to her hair and wincing suggested that she was less than thrilled with it. Then again, she had short hair, and it would take many, many pins to hold it up like that, so maybe she was wincing from pain.

“Sorry we’re late!” Georgie said as River walked over to intercept her.

“Everything okay?” he asked, wrapping his arm around her back in such a protective way, Jack felt like a Peeping Tom to their tenderness.

“It was crazy,” Georgie said with a nervous laugh. “I almost felt like we were being held hostage.” She shot an accusatory glance at Dottie. “Especially since Dottie suggested we bring our clothesjust in casethe appointment ran long.”

Dottie beamed. “You of all people know the importance of being prepared.” She gave a slight nod. “You’re welcome.”

Finn was staring at Adalia in amazement and reached out a tentative hand to touch her hair.

She slapped his hand away. “Don’t you dare. There’s so much hair spray holding all of this up, I’ll fall over if it gets unbalanced.”

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