You Say It First
Page 31

“You gonna be okay?” he asked as he closed her door behind her and put his arm around her waist.
“Maybe I’d feel better if I threw up.”
“You want to do that out here or inside?”
She swallowed. “While the thought of throwing up on my mother’s favorite entry rug is really appealing, I’m going to try to breathe through this.” She glanced at him. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually so freaked out about seeing her. I think it’s the anticipation of it all. It would have been better if she’d simply sprung the invitation on me, but no. It’s not her style.”
“You’ll be fine.” He kissed her, then squeezed her waist. “So where are we on the vomiting? Now? Later?”
She managed a slight smile. “I think I’ll wait so it has more of a dramatic effect.”
“That’s my girl.” He looked at the imposing three-story house. “At least you had lots of space to run as a kid, without having to worry about going outside.”
“I know. It was magical.”
“Any ground rules? Topics to avoid? Things you want me to say?”
“Just don’t leave my side.”
“You’re on. Anything else?”
“No. Just be you. And thank you again. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you being here.” She squared her shoulders. “I’m braced.”
“Then let us beard the dragon.” He frowned. “Do you beard a dragon? That makes absolutely no sense. There’s something with a dragon, though. I’m sure of it. And a den. Or maybe a cave.”
She laughed and he felt her relax.
He had plenty of crap going on with his father, so he understood how family dynamics could get completely out of whack. Still, he hated seeing Pallas like this. He’d never met Libby Saunders, but he was more than willing to take her on if necessary.
They walked up the stairs to the wide, flagstone-covered porch. Everything about the house screamed old money. He supposed that came from growing up in a banking family. He didn’t know anything about that, but he’d had plenty of experience living with a legacy.
“Feel free to brag on me if you’d like,” he said as she knocked on the front door. “Make up stories about how great I am. Talk about me being famous and a god in bed. Moms like to know that especially.”
“Are you a god in bed?”
He winked. “You’re going to have to find that out for yourself.”
She was still laughing when her mother opened the front door.
Libby Saunders was in her midfifties. Well-dressed in expensive knits, with pearls at her ears and around her neck. She’d aged well and he would suspect she knew it. Funny how her cruel heart didn’t show on her face.
“Hi, Mom,” Pallas said quietly. “This is Nick Mitchell. Nick, my mother.”
“Mrs. Saunders.”
“Please, call me Libby.” She gave him a tight smile and neither shook his hand nor hugged her daughter. Instead she stepped back to let them in the house. “How nice of you to join us for our family dinner.”
There was just enough emphasis on the word family to make it clear he wasn’t welcome. Pallas stiffened. He grabbed her hand and squeezed.
“Pallas always talks about you, so I’ve been looking forward to us meeting,” he said easily. “Plus Cade’s home, and who isn’t excited about that?”
Libby looked momentarily confused, as if she weren’t sure if she’d been insulted or not, and then was distracted by the Cade remark.
“Yes, it’s wonderful to have him back.”
They walked through a foyer the size of the average house, then into a big open room with a stag-sized fireplace at one end. There were multiple conversation areas, a half dozen or so sofas and a bar set up along one long buffet.
Grandpa Frank, as the older man had insisted he be called at the Concord Awaken party, came over to greet Nick.
“I heard you were coming,” he said, shaking hands. “Good. The more the merrier, and if they’re not family, all the better.” He winked at Pallas. “How’s my best girl?”
“Good, Grandpa. How are you feeling?”
“Spry and sassy.”
Two men about Nick’s age joined them. He recognized Cade from seeing him with Pallas. Up close Nick could see the shared physical characteristics. Their cousin Drew was a little taller, with dark hair and eyes.
After introductions were made, Drew pointed to the bar. “What can I get you two to drink?”
“I’ll take a beer,” Nick said, trying not to chuckle as Libby flinched.
“Chardonnay,” Pallas murmured.
“I’d like a beer, too,” Cade told his cousin.
“Darling, no,” Libby protested. “Surely you’d like something more...” She paused when all four men stared at her. “Whatever you’d like is fine,” she managed before turning away.
Pallas leaned close. “Rebellion in the ranks,” she whispered. “You’re the best family dinner boyfriend ever.”
“I’m just getting started. Don’t you worry.”
The four men ended up with bottles of beer while Libby and Pallas each had a glass of white wine. Everyone sat on sofas in one of the seating areas, except for Cade, who chose a chair. Nick wondered about the staff required to run a house this big. Just keeping up with dusting would take days.
This so wasn’t his style. Despite Ceallach’s success, his family had lived pretty much like everyone else in Fool’s Gold. The house Nick had grown up in had been a sprawling ranch style on a large lot. Nothing like this estate.
He wondered what it had been like for Pallas to grow up here. She and Cade sure would have had plenty of room to play, but had that upside come with a darker corner? Had she been lonely? Felt cut off from her friends?
Libby glanced at him. “So, Nick, what do you do?”
He smiled. “Right now I’m between gigs. I’m working part-time as a carpenter for Pallas at her business.”
Libby’s mouth compressed into a moue of disapproval. “I see.” She turned to her son. “Cade, darling, now that you’re back, you’ll have to take over one of the wings here at the house. A young man needs his freedom.”
“That he does,” Cade told her. “I’m going to be staying at the ranch house.”
“That old place? It’s practically falling down.”
“I had a new roof put on it last fall,” Grandpa Frank told his daughter. “Libby, Cade isn’t going to live here with us. Like you said—the boy needs his freedom.”
“But I enjoy having you around.” Libby’s expression softened. “I never get to see you anymore. You’ve been gone for so long. I miss our talks.”
Cade shifted in his seat. “Ah, me, too, Mom. You’ll see me plenty, now that I’ve moved back.”
“It won’t be enough. Nothing is right when you’re not here.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Nick saw Pallas flinch. No, that wasn’t right—it was more as if she’d retreated into herself. Who could blame her—with Libby making it clear Cade was her favorite.
“At least your business will be successful,” Libby said, still pouting. “Your sister is barely able to keep hers afloat. I offered her a chance to come to the bank, but she turned me down. Can you believe it?”