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“You’re not taking my sisters anywhere,” Spencer muttered.
“Spencer,” David’s tone wheedled, “You wouldn’t want your sisters to miss the opportunity of a lifetime, would you? I seldom see beauty like this without some kind of surgical enhancement.”
“Perhaps it’s because your eyes are usually closed in a drunken stupor,” Spencer retorted.
“Are you denying your sisters’ beauty?”
“No. I’m denying the significance of your opinion. I know how beautiful my sisters are.”
“Spencer!” Connie scolded. “Be nice—all he’s done is given your sisters a compliment.”
“If he gives them anything else, I’m giving him my fist,” Spencer mumbled.
“I can’t believe Claire is only nineteen.” Collin spoke in low tones to Charlie. “I would have put her at twenty-two or twenty-three. I was about to have her join us for our little New Year’s Eve bash, but it looks like it’ll just be you and me, Charlie.”
“Charlie won’t be joining you for your little New Year’s Eve bash. She has other plans.” The small amount of food Josh had managed to swallow churned in his stomach.
“I can answer for myself,” said Charlie. “You don’t own me.”
“Not yet, anyway,” said Collin.
“No one is going to own me, even after I’m married,” said Charlie.
“I don’t want to own you, but I do want to protect you from scum like this.”
“Here, now. That’s totally uncalled for,” said Collin. “All I did was invite the lady to a private party.”
“She’s my fiancée!” said Josh.
“It’s a free world, and all I did was ask. Like she said, you don’t own her. She’s free to make her own choice. She can say yes or no, herself.”
Charlie covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking. She stood up, turning teary eyes to Steven’s grandmother. “Gram,” she choked out. “May I be excused for a moment?”
Gram lifted her napkin to her lips and gently patted them, before she said, “Certainly, Charlie.”
She fled from the room.
Chairs scraped as Josh and Collin stood simultaneously, asking likewise to be excused.
“No, you may not.” Gram’s voice was firm. “Emily, you may be excused. Everyone else will continue eating. Steven, would you pass the potatoes, please?”
Josh sank back into his chair, his gaze following Emily as she ran after her sister.
“This turducken is delicious, Gram,” said Collin, as he threw a smirk in Josh’s direction.
Josh considered what he might do to Collin that wouldn’t show up in an autopsy.
“CHARLIE! IT’S ME! LET me in!” Emily knocked on the bathroom door. She heard noises from inside before the door cracked open and Charlie peered through.
“Are you alone?”
“Yes, it’s just me.”
Charlie snaked her arm outside and pulled Emily into the room, locking the door behind them and burying her face in her hands again.
“I’m sorry that happened. Are you okay?” Emily stroked her hair.
Charlie burst into giggles, wiping tears from her face. “Are you kidding? That was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t keep a straight face anymore.”
