Page 124 of Inferno
Even as Stan bantered and joked with the others, his dark eyes sought Prissy out. Her heart somersaulted when their gazes connected and he sent her one of those lazy, crooked smiles meant just for her. Even after all these years, she marveled that Stanton Wolf could still make her heart somersault.
As they stared across the room at each other, she thought of the way things had unfolded over the past few days. They’d weathered the storm together, had survived the perilous flames of the inferno that had threatened to engulf them. As a result, their marriage was even stronger now than it had been before. Although only God knew what the coming years would bring, they both knew in their hearts that their love could—and would—withstand the test of time.
Prissy smiled softly and blew Stan a kiss, which he pretended to catch before winking at her.
As she and her mother returned to the kitchen to finish helping with dinner, Quentin turned on the big-screen television, and the men gathered around to watch the Chicago Bears take on the Detroit Lions.
After removing a large pan of macaroni and cheese from the oven and setting it down on the counter, Prissy couldn’t resist sneaking another peek at one of Mama Wolf’s picture-perfect turkeys. After admiring the beautifully roasted bird, Prissy tucked the foil shield back into place just as Evangeline appeared beside her, affectionately drawing an arm around her waist.
“Happy Thanksgiving, baby.”
Prissy smiled warmly, kissing Evangeline’s soft cheek.“Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Mama Wolf.I’m so glad all of you could make it to Colorado this year.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t have missed being here for the world. Holidays just aren’t the same without the whole family being together.”
“I agree,” Prissy said, naturally thinking of Celeste, who was spending Thanksgiving with Grant’s family in Vermont. She’d called yesterday to speak to Michael and Marcus, and then she’d chatted briefly with Prissy. Although they hadn’t mentioned the miscarriage, Prissy could hear a trace of lingering sorrow and regret in Celeste’s voice. She hoped, in time, that Celeste would make peace with everything that had happened between her and Sterling. She hoped time would heal everyone’s wounds.
“It’s beautiful up here in the mountains,” Evangeline remarked, her voice breaking into Prissy’s melancholic musings.
She smiled. “It is, isn’t it?”
“Umm-hmm.”Evangeline swept an approving glance around the large, luxuriously furnished cabin. “Everyone is definitely going to enjoy their stay here.”
“I think so, too. And I hope you don’t mind rooming with Georgina. Since there are only five bedrooms, I had to pair everyone up in a way that made the most sense.” So Theo and Winnie were obviously sharing a room, her mother was bunking with Maya and Zora, Sterling was sleeping alone, and the eight boys were camping out on air mattresses spread across the enormous living room.
“Oh, no, baby,” Evangeline assured Prissy. “I don’t mind rooming with Georgina at all. You know I’ve always liked her. She’s a lovely young woman, and Quentin adores her the way your boys adore you. You’re both wonderful mothers.”
Prissy gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you, Mama Wolf.”
Although Evangeline had taken great pains not to criticize Celeste, Prissy knew that she’d been angered and devastated by Celeste’s betrayal. Evangeline was fiercely protective of her Wolf Pack, so she didn’t look too kindly upon anyone who dared to hurt them—especially someone she’d lovingly and unreservedly welcomed into the fold.
“In fact,” Evangeline added thoughtfully, “I think I’m going to enjoy getting to know Georgina better this weekend.”
Prissy followed the direction of Evangeline’s gaze to where Georgina had wandered into the living room to catch some of the football game. She stood directly behind Sterling, who sat flanked by Stan and Theo on the plush sectional. When the Bears scored a touchdown, Georgina cheered and excitedly grabbed Sterling’s shoulder, something she’d done before on numerous occasions. But now that Prissy knew what had recently transpired between the two old friends, Georgina’s innocent gesture took on greater significance.
As she and Evangeline watched, Sterling glanced over his shoulder at Georgina, smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
It was all Prissy could do to keep a poker face as Evangeline turned and looked at her, brows raised, a speculative gleam in those eyes that never missed anything.
Prissy was more than relieved when Theo wandered into the kitchen to get cold beers for him, Sterling and Stan. After kissing his wife’s cheek and retrieving the drinks from the refrigerator, he set them down on the counter and impulsively grabbed Prissy, hoisting her into the air and spinning her around as he’d done when she was a little girl.
Prissy squealed with laughter, making Maya and Zora giggle hysterically as they watched from nearby.
As Theo set Prissy down and affectionately tweaked her nose, she grinned up at him. “What wasthatfor?”
He grinned, shrugging a broad shoulder. “I don’t know. Just felt like doing that for old times’ sake.”
Prissy smiled warmly at her older brother. Five years apart, she and Theo shared a special bond forged by the tragedy that had forced them to grow up sooner than they’d wanted to. After their father died, Theo had become the man of the house, taking care of all the things their dad used to while Prissy cooked, cleaned and looked after their grief-stricken mother.
Before proposing to Prissy on prom night, Stan had gone to Theo to ask his blessing. Although Theo had always liked and respected Stan, he was concerned that they were too young to get married, and he didn’t like the idea of his brainy, ambitious baby sister postponing college to start a family. After he and Stan had a long man-to-man talk—the details of which remained confidential to this day—Theo had given Stan his blessing. Months later he gave Prissy away at her wedding, his broad chest puffed out with pride as he’d escorted her down the aisle, where Stan awaited her with tears shining in his eyes.
“Winnie says you booked our reservations at the spa tomorrow evening after dinner,” Theo said, interrupting Prissy’s reverie.
“Yup.”She smiled. “I figure after a day of falling on our butts on the ski slopes, we’ll need some pampering.”
“Then how come only the grownups get to go to the spa?” Maya and Zora wanted to know.
Prissy grinned at her petulant nieces. “Because we’re old, and falling on our butts takes more of a toll on our bodies than yours.” When Winnie snickered, Prissy added sweetly, “And because spa treatments are a luxury you can’t appreciate until you’re a grownup.”
