Page 132 of Square Deal

Hannah leaned in and kissed her mother on the cheek. The gesture was cold and unfamiliar. “I wouldn’t miss Jake and Marissa’s engagement party for the world. Where are they?”

Marlene stepped back and clasped her hands together. Her pursed smile was full of Botox and lip fillers. I was surprised she could show any expression at all. “Jacob is in the library with his father, discussing business with the other partners at the firm. Marissa is in the garden entertaining guests. You remember the way to the patio, don’t you?” Marlene set her vicious sights on me. “I’m sure your beau would rather sit with the men than discuss china patterns.”

She snapped her fingers and summoned a server. “Be a dear and show Mr. Lawson to the library.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I said, stepping closer to Hannah, resting my hand on the small of her back. I looked down and met her gaze. “I’d love to hear her thoughts on china patterns. I’m certain Hannah could hold her own in the library should she grace the good ol’ boys with her presence.”

Marlene’s eye twitched. “How... thoughtful of you. And how… Nice… that you joined us this afternoon. Especially after we got off on the wrong foot.” Her voice reached piercing by the time she made it to the last syllable. I was shocked when the crystal chandelier overhead didn’t shatter at the pitch. Her disdain was thinly veiled.

“I’m going to go find Jake,” Hannah declared, stifling a laugh. “We’ll say goodbye before we leave, mother.”

Hannah grabbed my hand and pulled me away. I had no idea how she was so strong or so fast in those spears she was tiptoeing around on.

I caught a glimpse of the near life-sized oil painting of the Hayes family and shivered.

Hannah looked beautiful.

Marlene looked, well, accurate. Dead behind the eyes and plastic everywhere else.

Hannah pulled me behind a wide pillar and gripped my lapels. “That was fucking amazing. I think you broke her eye lift.”

“Are you getting into trouble already?” a male voice boomed from behind me.

Hannah whipped around and immediately threw herself into another man’s arms. I would have been mad, but he looked like her twin. By my guess, it was her younger brother, Jake.

She squeezed him like a python. “God, I missed you.”

“Then you should come around more,” he groaned, swinging her around. “Did Mom already pounce?”

Hannah landed on her feet and smoothed down her hair. “Oh yeah. She was waiting at the door.”

He grimaced. “How bad was it?”

She wavered. “Eh. Not as bad as Easter two years ago, but definitely worse than your law school graduation.”

Jake set his sights on me. “Jake Hayes,” he said, extending his hand.

I shook it with a firm grip. “Isaac Lawson.”

He crossed his arms and sized me up. “So. You’re the boyfriend who told my mother to kiss an oncoming train.” There wasn’t an ounce of humor in his voice.

I nodded. “That’s me.”

His deadpan broke as a bark of laughter ripped out of his throat. “Fucking legendary, man. I wish I could’ve heard it. You should have seen her when she was on the phone. I thought she was going to have a heart attack and keel over head first into the turkey. Best Christmas ever.”

Hannah swatted at his chest. “Don’t go all caveman on him with theI need to protect my sisteract,” she chided. “I’m older than you, and you don’t see me interrogating Marissa.”

“Yeah. Because you love Marissa.”

“I do.” She giggled. “Where is she? Mom said something about the patio.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “You know the drill. Mother has her schmoozing the ladies who lunch, and I’m stuck listening toback in my daystories with Father Time, the Grim Reaper, and Rip Van Winkle.”

I could relate. There was nothing I hated more than wasting my time kissing old, wrinkly asses.

Hannah snickered. “You think Dad will mind if I pop in the library?”

“Please,” he begged. “I’m way too sober for this. Distract him so I can grab Marissa, and we can hightail it to the courthouse before Mother hijacks this wedding train even further.”

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