Page 109 of Finding Forever

His eyes constantly returned to her though, intent, almost predatory, and she tried her best to ignore his unsettling stares. Wondering if that possessive look was about what had happened between them earlier. She still couldn’t quite believe ithadhappened. After weeks of no intimacy,bam, sexy times on the sofa at the most inconvenient moment. And all because she’d told him that she wanted to understand him better.

“Where’s your father?” she asked Kenny, who looked a little strained. Fern still wasn’t entirely comfortable around the other woman. She wasn’t as friendly and easygoing as Beth, but shewasn’t unfriendly either. She was difficult to read and with her husband, Smith, present today she was even less communicative than she’d been the last time.

Smith was a tall, ruggedly handsome man with auburn hair and an easygoing smile. He seemed friendly and very different from his wife. Which could explain why the couple seemed so tense around each other. In fact, they made Cade and Fern look like the poster children for a happy, well-adjusted marriage.

The thought nearly made Fern snort.

“His flight was delayed, he only arrived about forty minutes ago. According to Beth he’s freshening up and will join us soon.”

“He must be exhausted,” Fern said sympathetically.

“He’s used to it,” Kenny said and Fern floundered, not sure how to respond to what was essentially a conversation ending statement. Until Kenny gave the smallest of smiles, showing off her version of the Hawthorne dimples, and added, “He loves making an entrance though. So don’t feeltoosorry for him. He’s just an attention hog, milking the moment.”

Fern laughed, pleasantly surprised by the warm, joking aside.

“Gideon and Beth really go overboard this time of year,” Kenny continued. After taking a sip of wine, she lifted her glass to indicate around the room. And Fern gasped in delight as she appreciated—for the first time—the Christmas decorations.

“Oh myGod, I love it,” she enthused a little too loudly in her excitement.

“Aah, you’re one ofthose,” Kenny said with a soft chuckle.

“One of what?” Fern asked.

“A holiday whore.”

Fern choked on a sip of the daiquiri mocktail Beth had considerately handed her shortly after their arrival and then laughed.

“What even is that?”

“Someone wholivesfor this shit. The decorations, the food, thetinsel…”

“Bah humbug and all that, right McKenna? Nothing as human as a little Christmas cheer for my frosty little snowwoman.” Smith came up to join them, his words and tone sounded joking but there was something else there. Something almost snide that made Fern decide that maybe she didn’t like him much.

Kenny’s smile froze, and the warmth faded from her eyes.

Not sure what was going on with them, Fern swallowed and desperately sought to alleviate the awkwardness.

“I get how some people might think it’s a lot, but Iloveit,” she said, a little too loudly. “I spent most Christmases at boarding school—as student and then staff—usually with only the unlucky members of the faculty who’d pulled holiday duty for company. Some of them tried to make it more festive, but the school principal—a religious curmudgeonly woman—often reminded us that Christmas was about the birth of Christ and not Santa Claus and presents and, well…tinsel. When my mother was alive, decorating the Christmas tree was always a big deal for us. But that tradition died with her.”

She cast a wistful glance up at Beth and Gideon’s beautiful Christmas tree. It was a mishmash of old and new decorations, gaudy, sparkly plastic ornaments, along with delicate glass blown works of art, ribbon, tinsel, angels, fairies…somany lights. It was glorious. And it had clearly been decorated with love and probably a great deal of laughter. The star at the top was lopsided, the tree itself was listing slightly… but Fern couldn’t stop staring at it.

Her hand went to her abdomen as she realized that next Christmas she’d have a six month old and she could start her own Christmas traditions for her baby to grow up with. She smiled wistfully at the thought.

She looked away from the tree, straight into Cade’sbrooding eyes. Kenny was still standing beside her, quiet and distant after her husband’s words. Smith had retreated to the liquor cabinet and had poured himself a drink. Something amber and strong looking, he tossed it back in one go before pouring another.

Not sure what to say, or how to breach the silence that had descended between her and Kenny, Fern stood in uncomfortable silence, keenly aware of Cade’s gaze on her. Beth and Gideon were in the kitchen, laughing, and playfully teasing each other… happy and in love. The complete opposite of the other couples present.

Kenny gave Fern a weak smile, the burgeoning friendliness of before completely gone. Hidden behind a frigid, emotionless mask.

“Uh, excuse me, I need to uhm p-powder my… go to the bathroom.” She turned and left abruptly leaving Fern to stare after her in dismay.

She wasn’t alone for long though, Cade joined her seconds later.

“Everything okay?”

“I think your sister is upset.” She paused and then added in a confiding whisper, “Also, I don’t think I like her husband very much.”

“Yeah,” he said with a long sigh. “Join the club. I’ll call her tomorrow to find out what’s going on. How areyoufeeling?”

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