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“Sorry, sweetheart, but we can’t today. We have a full house, and we have to be scarce from the premises.” Dad frowns, he’s pretty upset at the possibility of offering new venues.
Financially, it means that we can book two or three events at once. If Damian buys the vineyard next door, the possibilities just continue growing. Dad doesn’t see it that way.
“Can I come with you?” Cassie grins at him.
“I’ll be at theski resort,” Dad says, proud that he said the right name this time. “If your father lets you, we can ski all morning. Then, I’ll take you to the dining room for lunch and maybe some hot chocolate. We can spend the rest of the afternoon watching movies.”
“And eating popcorn?” she suggests, planning her entire schedule for the weekend. I’m almost sure that later she’s going to ask if she can stay at my house so tomorrow morning, she can go skiing again after brunch.
“If that’s okay with you, sir,” Lance agrees.
“She’s always welcome to hang around with us. You guys are like part of the family, Lance,” Dad mentions and looks at me. “What’s for breakfast?”
They’re not family,I want to clarify. Not because I don’t want them to be, but because, well, they’re just friends. This is the kind of situation that I hate, when I feel too comfortable with Cassie and Lance. I want them to be my family. My husband, my child, and my future. Sometimes it seems like I mean a lot more to Lance and other times he reminds me I’m just one of the guys.
Bishop has encouraged me to talk to Lance and find out where I stand. Damian insists that I should move on with my life. They’re Lance’s best friends and know him as well as I do. Maybe they’re right. Either way, I know that Lance and I will never be a couple. I have to grow out of my teenage crush and find a way to fall out of love. If only I knew how.
I glance at Lance who is looking at his phone. His deep dimple shows as he smiles at whatever he’s watching. Maybe he’s scoring a date for tonight. My heart shrinks with disappointment. Yet, my pulse races as his light blue eyes find me. I melt when he winks.
“That new picture you added to your Instagram of you and Bob during your morning jog is cute.”
I bite my lip, staring at his mouth, craving it, and wishing to know how he kisses. My gaze lowers to his sculpted chest and tattooed arms. He’s dreamy. No wonder women flock to him like bees to flowers. I know one thing that they don’t: Lance Miller doesn’t do relationships.
Lance looks around the kitchen. “Where is the mutt?”
“Bob isn’t a mutt, Daddy. He’s a Newfoundland. It took us a long time to find him, remember?” Cassie corrects him.
They gifted him to me a couple of years ago for my thirtieth birthday.
“He’s at the barn with the Alpacas,” I respond.
“Lee, what are we having for breakfast?” Dad repeats.
“Cereal?”
“Pancakes,” Cassie says, frowning at me. “We’re making pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon,” Cassie lists, sounding like she’s already planning a big meal.
“Sounds like a treat,” Dad says, smiling at me.
“It’s not a holiday, people,” I complain.
My family doesn’t understand that this place has to be ready for the guests in a couple of hours. I’ll have to bake several batches of chocolate chip cookies to replace the stench of bacon. Why don’t they go to the resort for breakfast? I glare at them, but the anger subsides when Lance reaches out for my hand and squeezes it.
It’s okay,he mouths.
“Come on, I’ll help you,” Lance offers, heading to the industrial refrigerator.
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Fall in Kentbury
McKay
“Here’s to the shittiest week ofyour life.” Lou, my older sister, raises her margarita glass, the corners of her mouth turning up in a wry smile.
The low hum of laughter and clinking glasses surrounds us as we sit in a crowded bar. I’m not sure coming here tonight was such a good idea, but I didn’t have much else to do. I force my lips into a tight smile and lightly clink my glass against hers. “And just as the holidays are coming up. Joy,” I add flatly.
