You Say It First
Page 32

“Libby,” Grandpa Frank growled. “Leave the girl alone.”
“It’s true,” Libby protested. “Ask her.”
Nick put his beer on the coffee table and leaned forward. “I’m hungry. Is there anything to eat?”
Libby turned her him, her eyes wide. No doubt she was shocked at his rudeness. His mother would be, too, but hell, someone had to be a distraction.
“There are appetizers.” Libby rose. “Let me go check on them.”
As soon as she left, Grandpa Frank moved next to Pallas and started talking in a low tone. At the same time Cade shifted his chair closer to Nick’s.
“Who are you?” he asked, sounding more neutral than his mother.
“I work for Pallas.”
“Aside from that?”
Nick held in a smile. He liked knowing that Cade looked out for his sister. “We’re friends.”
“Are you really a part-time carpenter?”
Drew joined them. “He’s an artist. A famous one. Don’t let him play you.”
“What was your name again?” Cade asked.
“Nick Mitchell.” He looked at Drew. “I’m not famous.”
“Sure. When was the last time you needed to work a real job?”
Nick had worked as a bartender back in Fool’s Gold, but that had been by choice, not necessity.
“It’s been a while,” he admitted.
Cade turned to his cousin. “Can you look up his balance at the bank and let me know he’s legit?”
“Should we talk about the dozens of laws being broken as we speak?” Nick asked lightly.
Drew grinned. “It’s two against one. You might want to get along.”
“Not my style.”
Cade and Drew exchanged a glance. Drew raised a shoulder. “From what I hear, he’s a good guy.”
“Good enough for our girl?”
Nick thought about pointing out that he and Pallas weren’t actually an item. Not technically. He liked her. He liked being around her and spending time with her. She was special. He looked forward to seeing her and—
He swore silently. They were an item. When had that happened? He turned and saw her looking at him. He winked and she smiled.
Libby returned with a tray of prosciutto-wrapped melon, along with stuffed mushrooms.
“I hope these meet with your approval,” she told him. “It’s so hard to know what goes with beer.”
“Pretty much anything.” He reached for a mushroom. “They look delicious.”
Libby’s pinched look of disapproval stayed firmly in place. Cade stood and put his arm around her.
“Mom, you’ve got it all wrong. Nick’s a great guy. He’s famous.”
“I doubt that.”
Grandpa Frank nodded. “It’s true. You’ve heard of his father, if not him. Ceallach Mitchell. He’s that glass artist guy.”
Nick was torn between wondering how Grandpa Frank knew about his father and wondering what his old man would think about being called “that glass artist guy.”
“Ceallach Mitchell is your father?” Libby sank down next to him, her gaze much friendlier than it had been. “I had no idea. You’re an artist, too?” She turned to Pallas. “Did you know?”
“Yes. He has pieces in Atsuko’s gallery. Although technically he is my part-time carpenter, it’s just because he fell madly in love with the panels at Weddings in a Box.”
Her mother sighed. “As usual, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Nick squashed his flare of annoyance. “You haven’t been to your only daughter’s office?” he asked, deliberately making his voice thick with disbelief. “It’s a great place. She’s very creative and that must make you proud.”
He reached for his beer. “The wooden panels that I’m restoring are exquisite. The carving is all hand done. Don’t get me started on the style or details. I’ll never stop talking.” He took a sip. “Anyway, I’m working on them because something that special needs to be treasured. Pallas could sell them and make a small fortune, but you know her. She has too much character for that. She’d rather keep them for the business. It’s one of the reasons I’m happy we’re together. Because she’s strong and capable and I admire her.”
Libby stared at him with an uncomfortable combination of worship, confusion and annoyance. Pallas was trying not to giggle, while Drew and Cade silently toasted him behind Libby’s back.
“Yes, well, that’s very interesting,” Libby said, returning to her original seat. “Good for you. Drew, tell everyone about the new banking regulations. They’re going to change things for sure.”
Predinner drinks dragged on for over an hour. By the time they finally went in to dinner, Nick was genuinely starving. Based on the couple of appetizers he’d sampled, the meal was going to be worth the wait, but still, talk about a command performance.
Fortunately, Libby hadn’t turned on Pallas again, so Nick had been able to simply sit back and listen. Libby kept watching him, as if she wasn’t sure if he was someone she should respect or worry about stealing the good silver.
Pallas linked her arm through his as they walked into the huge dining room. The table could have easily seated twenty. The six of them were clustered at one end.
“It’s nice to know you admire me,” she teased.
“I actually do.”
“You’re being great. I will owe you forever. Seriously, thank you for all of this.”
“My pleasure.” He was about to say he hadn’t had to make up anything about her when he saw all the family portraits lining the dining room walls.
There were dozens of them in solid wood frames. He moved closer and saw there was indeed coordinated clothing differentiating the various parts of the family.
“Cool tradition,” he said. “This is what you were telling me about.”
Too late he realized his mistake as Libby walked toward him. “I’m sure Pallas hasn’t told you all about them,” she said, pointing to one of the pictures. “Like that one.”
Right. The picture Pallas had been banned from because she wouldn’t wear the correct shirt.
“The one where she’s missing?” he asked, walking to the picture. He studied it, noting that a much-younger Cade didn’t look very happy in the photograph and Pallas was nowhere to be found.
He turned back to Libby. “Looking at that must break your heart. I’m sure if you could go back in time, you’d do everything in your power to make sure your only daughter was a part of the family memory.”
Libby’s gleeful expression fell a little.
He crossed to Pallas and pulled out her chair. When she was seated, he sat next to her and lightly kissed her on the mouth.
“Thank you,” she mouthed.
“I got this,” he whispered back.
He didn’t understand the family dynamics, but that didn’t matter. What was important was that Pallas needed protecting and he was just the man to do it.
CHAPTER TEN
BY THE TIME they started the drive home, Pallas was feeling less smug about Nick standing up for her and more embarrassed by her family. No—not her family. Her mother.
It had always been like this between them, she thought grimly. Libby poked and prodded, looking for a weak spot, and then she pounced. Pallas didn’t think her mother was deliberately cruel or mean, but there sure was something going on. Something that ended with Pallas hurt and Libby disappointed.