Page 14 of Secret Santas and Holiday Dances

“We’ve talked about this, Grace, it’s Charlotte.” She winked.

She breathed out her nose. Right, she knew better than to call her mom or mother or anything resembling or meaning ‘the woman who gave birth to you.’ “Charlotte.”

Charlotte plastered a hurt look on her face. “Aren’t you glad to see me?”

“Yes, of course, it’s just I didn’t know you were coming today.”

Charlotte clasped her hands together in front of her. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

David came up beside Charlotte. “Grace, you never told me you had such a beautiful sister.”

Charlotte laughed and rested her left hand on his arm—her five-carat engagement ring from husband number three noticeably absent. “Oh, stop, you flatter me.”

David stood a little taller. “I only speak the truth.”

Grace had the sudden urge to gag. But that would be rude!

“David’s been telling me about the new artist he signed on Friday,” Charlotte said. “It must be so exciting for you to work at such a successful company.”

Grace’s jaw dropped, but she quickly recovered. She needed to keep David happy. “Yep, yes. I love it here.”

David gave her an approving smile.

“Now, David,” Charlotte turned to him. “Promise me you’ll keep showing my girl all the ropes. I know there’s so much she can learn from you.”

He stuck his chest out. “I promise.”

Charlotte stared quietly at David until, finally, he got the unspoken request: get lost. “I’ll leave you two to chat.”

“Thank you,” Charlotte said. “You’re a darling.”

David wandered off.

Charlotte returned her gaze to Grace. “I still can’t believe you moved to this retched town.” She smoothed her top. “I told you time and time again not to move here, but you didn’t listen. I don’t know why you turned out to be such a stubborn child. That I would visit you here goes to show how much I care.”

“Thank you?” Or she wanted something. Grace hated herself for thinking that, it wasn’t very Christian of her, but the thought still nagged.

“Not that you deserve it,” Charlotte continued. “I haven’t heard from you in months.”

That was because she’d stopped taking Grace’s calls the moment she’d found out Grace was moving to Harvest Ranch after college and not back to New York. “I’ve been busy,” Grace offered. “Sorry.”

Charlotte nodded, pleased by the apology. “David tells me you have lunch at one every day at one. So, I’m taking you out.” She opened her purse and pulled out a compact, checking her hair in the tiny mirror. “I have so much to tell you. I’ve met someone. He’s young, devastatingly handsome, and filthy rich. Just my type.”

“Moth—”

Her mother snapped her compact closed and lifted one perfectly sculpted brow.

Grace cleared her throat. “Charlotte.”

Charlotte smiled.

Taking that as a sign to continue, Grace spoke. “What happened to Carter?”

“Carter? Oh, I left him months ago.” Charlotte dropped her compact in her bag and hoisted it over her shoulder. “I’ll be back to get you at one.”

Like the whirlwind she was, Charlotte blew out of Life on Canvas, leaving Grace off balance and addled-brained. Just like she wanted, Grace suspected.

Grace faced the front door and made a decision, a bad one that would probably make her hate herself later, but she didn’t care. “David, I’ll be right back.”

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