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“Let’s do it. Let’s try that.”
I blinked. “What?”
“I’ll do it with you. We used to do this in pre-season training. Cold turkey. Cut everything out. Nothing processed. No sugar.”
“That sounds terrible.”
“Oh it’s fucking awful.”
“Then why would we ever want to do that?”
“To have our baby.”
“Not tonight,” I warned. “I want this wine and all the wine I can handle.”
He chuckled. “Not tonight. I think there’s an expensive Malbec calling our name. But tomorrow?” He waggled his eyebrows.
I whined. “No coffee? There’s no way. I love coffee. I write with coffee. How can I think? How will I function?”
“One cup. We’ll start there.”
This was going to suck. I gulped the wine. “Oh, there’s Kelsey and Megan.” I saw my friends coming toward us with their husbands.
“Jeremy Hartwell,” Kelsey gushed.
“It’s been a while,” he answered, shaking the husbands’ hands. “Thanks for coming.”
“It was so good to see Evie yesterday at the luncheon. And now the party.” Kelsey looked at us. “This is awesome. Your parents are such great hosts. I can’t wait to try all the food.”
“Thank you.” I waited for Megan to say something.
“I think we’ll stop by the bar.” It was the only thing that came out of her mouth.
I didn’t have time to wallow. My aunts attacked us before I could catch my breath. They pinched Jeremy’s cheeks and squeezed him like he was a marshmallow. They had decided to ignore the fact that he was the town’s only celebrity. Tonight, he was the cutest new member of the Rossi clan.
We moved through the guests, stopping to talk to neighbors and friends. Jeremy had an incredible memory. For someone who hadn’t lived in Newton Hills in years, he didn’t forget anyone’s names or faces. He was like a walking yearbook.
We paused, gearing up for another table when I saw his eyes move to the front door. The light in his expression was snuffed out. The smile was gone. The shimmer in his blue eyes. All of it was instantly dark.
“Jer?” I followed his gaze.
“What is she doing here?” he asked.
I didn’t set the guest list. I didn’t plan the party. It never occurred to me who my mother and Frannie would include. I had asked Jeremy if he wanted to invite anyone and he was adamant that he didn’t need any names on the list. I never felt the need to get involved, but that was a mistake.
I felt him stiffen next to me. I prayed under my breath that our beautiful reception wouldn’t become another victim of the Hartwell family feud. Because there was nothing I could do now. I wasn’t going to make a scene. I wasn’t going to threaten her.
I couldn’t humiliate my mother-in-law.
Sylvia Hartwell stood in the doorway as if she owned the place.
14
Jeremy
I clenched my jaw. What the fuck did my mother think she was doing? I started toward her, but Evie’s hand slid against my palm.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “Ignore her. Don’t play into whatever this is.”
