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But from the way his lip curled into that mocking smile, I knew he was thinking the same about me.
He wouldn’t take this from me, and I raised my brow. With a subtle nod, he accepted my challenge.
CHAPTERTHREE
Taylor
After the congratulatory chatter settled and those with better things to do left, the party pretty much died down. That was when I found my grandmother, tucking her arms inside her coat.
“Quite an announcement to make,” I said, helping her with it.
Once she had all the buttons closed, a sad smile graced her face. A face I was often told looked like mine. “When Samuel passed away, your grandfather and I wanted to close the doors. We didn’t think we could do it anymore.”
A familiar tension in my jaw returned. It always did whenever my father was mentioned. I rubbed my index finger under my ear in an attempt to rid myself of the ache as my grandmother went on.
“The plan had always been for him to take over the office, so we felt like…” She lifted one shoulder. “What was the point?” Then she turned over her shoulder to where my uncle Kevin stood next to Kennedy and my cousins, all laughing about something. “Every time I thought it would be impossible to go on, I got up the next morning and brushed my teeth and got dressed and went to work.”
She met my eyes again, reaching for my hand, and I traced my thumb over her knuckles as she smiled. “I always found comfort in work. It gave me purpose, and I think you feel the same.”
I nodded.
“So, I’m hoping you’ll continue to work hard, continue to be a driving force not only for the firm but for the family.” She lifted my chin. “You are a rock. You know that?”
The sharp sting of pain moved from my jaw to my throat, and I swallowed past it. That had always been my role, the one who didn’t break down. The one everyone could count on to make the right decisions. I had been steady when my father had gotten sick. I’d looked out for my sister, who was only eight at the time, and I’d taken care of my mother when she was too distraught to take care of herself. I had always done what I had to. I wasn’t about to stop now.
“But every rock needs a soft spot to land,” Nan said and patted my cheek. “I had my William. Who do you have?”
I blew out a breath. “I don’t need anyone. I’m fine.”
“That’s what I thought too,” my grandmother said kindly, looping her arm around mine, “until I realized I was wrong.”
I ignored the tiny hairs standing on end on my arms and the pressure I felt on my back, like someone was watching me, as I deposited her to my uncle, who would drive her back to her apartment in the independent living facility on his way home. We all said goodbye. Kennedy and I offered hugs and kisses and promises to call on Christmas.
Our family had always spent the holiday together while my father was alive, but after he died, my mother had moved Kennedy and me to be closer to her family. Once we were old enough, Mom flew the coop, so my sister and I always did…whatever.
Holidays kind of lost their shine a while ago.
I loved my family, loved spending time with my grandmother, but sometimes it was easier to stay home in my pajamas and drink mimosas. Which was exactly what I’d planned on doing.
“Love you guys,” my uncle called over his shoulder as he hustled Nan and Aunt Bea out the door.
“Love you too,” Kennedy said, and after they were out of sight, I towed my sister to the bar.
“So, you going to tell me what actually happened?”
“With what?” she asked, playing coy, her red-painted nails tearing a cocktail napkin into strips.
“Jordan.”
She leaned an elbow on the bar. “I love him but—”
“You love him?” I cut in. “Ken, you were with him for what? Like, two weeks?”
“Three months,” she corrected. “And yeah, it’s possible to love someone in three months. In two weeks, even. Don’t look at me like that.”
“She can’t help it. Apparently no one warned her that if she frowned too much, her face would stay that way.”
I turned to Dean and bared my teeth to him. “My sister and I were having a private conversation, so…”
