Page 354 of A Merry Mountain Christmas

He gave her a tight hug. Then she moved on to Maisie, whispering loud enough for Jack to hear, “I’m happy he’s in good hands. Now I won’t have to worry about him so much when I go to college.”

Maisie laughed. “I’ll make sure he’s fed and watered.”

Iris pointed a finger at her. “I’m holding you to it.”

“Dottie says we can eat now that Jack and Maisie are here,” Georgie said as she emerged from the kitchen wearing an apron, River on her heels. She shot Jack a look. “And don’t let the apron fool you. Dottie cooked it all. We only got to arrange it on the counter.”

“At least you were allowed to go into the kitchen,” Addy complained. “She shooed me out.”

“Too many cooks in the kitchen makes the soufflé fall,” Dottie said, appearing behind River. “Besides, I had to pass all of my Christmas brunch traditions down to River’s future bride.”

Georgie’s face flushed with happiness, and Jack was relieved the mess with her father hadn’t stolen her joy.

They all headed into the kitchen, where Georgie and River had set up Dottie’s food on the counter—under her watchful supervision—buffet style, next to a stack of plates. Jack wasn’t surprised to see tented papers with labels next to every dish. A bowl of Jell-O salad said “Comfort,” and a casserole dish with an egg casserole said “A hearty new year.” A plate of banana muffins read “Prosperity,” and a pitcher of mimosas was labeled “Peace,” along with several other dishes and notes.

Jack wanted a jumbo-sized mimosa for all of them.

He was starving, but he made sure Iris and Maisie got plates first. He was about to make his own when he realized he hadn’t seen his brother.

“Where’s Lee?”

“Out back,” Addy said, wincing. “He said the smell of food was making him sick.”

He shot Maisie a pointed look, then said, “You all start without me. I’m going out to check on Lee.”

“That’s a good idea,” Dottie said. “First let me make him one of my special cures.”

Adalia pulled a face. “I can still taste it in my nightmares,” she said, backing out of the kitchen. “I recommend that you all clear out of here for a minute. The smell alone might make you lose your appetite.”

She was right. It looked disgusting and smelled even worse, but Jack had seen firsthand that it was a miracle drug. Once it was done, Dottie called him in, and he took it out back, holding the cup as far away from him as possible.

Lee was sitting in what was referred to as “Beau’s chair.” It was the one their grandfather had always sat in, and Jack found it amusing that the Buchanan siblings tended to automatically gravitate toward it. He was sure Dottie would have had something to say about that.

“Hey,” Jack said softly as he sat in the chair next to him, still holding the cup a good distance from his body.

Lee lifted his bloodshot eyes but didn’t respond.

“Do you feel as bad as you look?” Lee flipped him off, and Jack laughed. “I guess that answers that.”

They were silent for a moment before Lee cleared his throat. “I owe you a massive apology.”

Jack waved his hand. “Trust me, I’ve been flipped off plenty of times before.”

Lee laughed, then reached a hand up to his head with a grimace. “Not for that. For how I treated you yesterday and the day before and all the days before that.”

“You had some things to work through,” Jack said. “I get it.”

“It’s no excuse. You’re just as much a victim as the rest of us.”

“Maybe so,” Jack said, choosing his words carefully. “But going to the FBI had to give you some of your power back.”

“It did.”

“How much trouble areyouin?”

Lee sighed and leaned over, resting his forearms on his thighs. “I think I’m fairly safe. I didn’t know what was going on, and I gave them my full cooperation. My father and Victoria…let’s just say I think their luck has run out.”

“I heard you quit, but I guess that doesn’t mean much given your father won’t be the boss anymore. What does this mean for Buchanan Luxury?”

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