“I am,” she said with the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen. “I’m sorry you’re so upset. I really did what I thought in the long run was the best.”
“For the company maybe. Not for my mom. AGC swooping in and stealing Porter’s has been nothing but bad news from the beginning.”
“Steal?”
“It was a family business. Generations of Porters and most of the other family names in this town have made a lifelong living there.”
Vanessa calmly lifted the napkin from her lap and pushed her chair back. “Lilene, thank you for the invitation. This has been absolutely lovely, but under the circumstances I’d better leave.”
“I can give you a ride,” Lilene’s niece said. “I’m getting ready to go over to my boyfriend’s house.”
“Thank you.” Vanessa stood.
Mike looked her way. “You’re just going to avoid me the whole time you’re in town?” It had come out low, and regrettably a little snarky.
“Probably for the best,” she said.
“Not easy in a small town. I guess that means you won’t be joining me for the parade.” He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
Lilene spoke, all heads turning in her direction. “He asked her to the parade? Oooh.”
Norman sputtered.
Mike ignored the comments, and focused on Vanessa.
She picked up her plate, and for a split second Mike wasn’t entirely sure she wasn’t going to lob the scoop of mashed potatoes still on her plate right at his forehead. But she didn’t. “I got caught up in the moment. I’m really too busy to go to a parade. I’m here to do a job.”
“Clearly that’s a priority over anything and anyone,but I said I’d take you. So, I’ll take you.” He eyed her as if he planned to keep his enemies… namely her… closer.
Lilene’s niece stepped next to Vanessa. “You ready?”
She lifted one finger, then glared at Mike. “We’ll see about that. As I mentioned yesterday, there’s always a choice. No one can make anyone do something they don’t want to do.”
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Vanessa slammed the door to her apartment behind her. She wished the echoing sound would erase the whole afternoon. She never let people get under her skin like that. Especially about work, but she had, and her stomach was tied in knots over this afternoon. She could picture Lilene and her extended family talking about the crazy lady that ruined Thanksgiving for years to come.
How can I apologize big enough for that mess?
She swept the basket of goodies Lilene had left from the kitchen counter and marched into the living room. Hugging it to her chest, she sat cross-legged on the couch scrounging for comfort food. When she’d snacked her way through half of the contents, she still didn’t feel any better.
She opened the bottle of North Carolina wine from the basket. It smelled like grape juice, definitely not the vintageMike had brought, but that was fine by her. She poured a glass, then opened the loaf of homemade bread, sliced some cheese, and made a little buffet for herself.
“You are so sweet, Lilene. You must have baked for two days to put this together.”
And to think I didn’t appreciate the Thanksgiving invite in the first place. I thought I was doing something nice for you. Instead I ruined everyone’s day.
She lifted her glass of wine in Lilene’s honor. “Sorry.”
The wine was even sweeter than it smelled. She dug through the basket some more.
Cheese straws. Fresh pears, individually wrapped in wax paper with a hang tag that saidFROM OUR TREE. If a partridge flew out, she wouldn’t be surprised. Another tin was filled with cookie bars drizzled in chocolate. She plucked one from the carefully arranged selection and popped it into her mouth.
She had no idea what it was. Rich, nutty, sweet, and a bit salty too.
She reached into the tin again and again while she turned from channel to channel trying to find something to watch on television, only the next time she reached into that tin, she hit the bottom.
I ate them all?
