was heading back downstairs. Within a few minutes my mother and Maddy entered the dining room.
“Nice job, sis,” Madd y said in admiration of the table.
“ Thanks, Maddy. Hi mom. Happy Thanksgiving!”
My mother handed a covered dish to Juana, while Maria took their coats.
“Mom, you didn’t have to bring anything. Juana and Maria have made m ore than enough food.”
“Oh, I know, honey. I just thought I’d make some of that green bean casse role you love so much.”
“Thanks, mom, I can’t wait to taste it. How about a drink?”
“Wine for me,” she said. “Anything white, please.”
“Red for me,” said Maddy. “Cabernet if you have it.”
“ That sounds good, I’ll have the same,” I said.
Maria nodded and went into the kitchen to get the drinks.
“Where’s Michael?” Maddy asked.
“Upstairs, ” I replied.
My sister lowered her voice and asked, “Did you tell him you invited Lance?”
“I did. Just now.”
“Well?”
“He wasn’t too thrilled at first, but then I reminded him how important family is and now he’s fine…I think.”
My mother shook her head and gave me a look of disapproval. “I think it’s a bad idea,” she said.
Maddy and I turned to look at her in surprise.
“Why do you say that ?” Maddy asked.
“Because today is not the day to r esolve family differences. It’s a day meant to be enjoyed. If Michael is tense about his brother being here, then he won’t enjoy this wonderful holiday.”
“Don’t listen to her , Zoë,” Maddy said. “I think it should be a day of family- and Lance is family.”
Maria came in with three glasses of wine on a tray. We helped ourselves and waited until she was out of earshot to continue our conversation.
My mother cocked her head to the side. “I was only expressing my opinion. Anyway, this table looks lovely. I like the centerpiece.”
“Thanks. Micha el picked it out,” I said.
“ He’s got great taste. Who else is coming?” Maddy asked.
I named the few guests Michael had invited. A moment later he walked into the dining room wearing a red silk sweater and tan slacks. We stood around and chatted until the guests arrived. The cocktails flowed freely as everyone socialized.
Maria came into the living room where we were congregated and whispered in my ear, “Mrs. Adams, Mr. Adams is at the door and wishes to see you before joining the other guests.”
I was in the middle of speaking with one of Michael’s colleagues. I politely excused myself and walked to the front door. I found Lance standing in the entryway looking extremely handsome in casual grey wool pants and a black cashmere sweater. His hair hung loose about his shoulders.
Sexy .
I blushed furiously at the thought and reprimanded myself. He was my husband’s brother!
“Lance,” I sai d, giving him a hug.
Was it wrong that I enjoyed the feel of his strong, hard body?
He bent down to kiss my cheek in greeting. “Hey Zoë. You look great. Here, this is for you,” he said, handing me a bottle of wine.
“ Chateauneuf du Pape . How lovely, thank you. I’m so glad you came.”
“I almost didn’t,” he confessed.
“D on’t be silly. I already told Michael you were coming and he’s fine. Besides, mom and Maddy are here and they’re eager to see you.”
Lance sighed, unsure of what to do. Michael approached and we both turned to look at him in surprise. The two men locked eyes for a long moment until Michael finally stepped forward and extended his hand. Lance accepted it.
“Good to see you, Lance,” Michael said.
“You too, Michael. I hope you don’t mind…Zoë invited me,” he explained awkwardly.
Michae l smiled politely. “Of course I don’t mind.”
Lance let out a sigh of relief. “Good. So, h ow are you?”
“Fine. You?”
“Fine.”
“It’s been a long time.”
Lance nodded. “It
“Nice job, sis,” Madd y said in admiration of the table.
“ Thanks, Maddy. Hi mom. Happy Thanksgiving!”
My mother handed a covered dish to Juana, while Maria took their coats.
“Mom, you didn’t have to bring anything. Juana and Maria have made m ore than enough food.”
“Oh, I know, honey. I just thought I’d make some of that green bean casse role you love so much.”
“Thanks, mom, I can’t wait to taste it. How about a drink?”
“Wine for me,” she said. “Anything white, please.”
“Red for me,” said Maddy. “Cabernet if you have it.”
“ That sounds good, I’ll have the same,” I said.
Maria nodded and went into the kitchen to get the drinks.
“Where’s Michael?” Maddy asked.
“Upstairs, ” I replied.
My sister lowered her voice and asked, “Did you tell him you invited Lance?”
“I did. Just now.”
“Well?”
“He wasn’t too thrilled at first, but then I reminded him how important family is and now he’s fine…I think.”
My mother shook her head and gave me a look of disapproval. “I think it’s a bad idea,” she said.
Maddy and I turned to look at her in surprise.
“Why do you say that ?” Maddy asked.
“Because today is not the day to r esolve family differences. It’s a day meant to be enjoyed. If Michael is tense about his brother being here, then he won’t enjoy this wonderful holiday.”
“Don’t listen to her , Zoë,” Maddy said. “I think it should be a day of family- and Lance is family.”
Maria came in with three glasses of wine on a tray. We helped ourselves and waited until she was out of earshot to continue our conversation.
My mother cocked her head to the side. “I was only expressing my opinion. Anyway, this table looks lovely. I like the centerpiece.”
“Thanks. Micha el picked it out,” I said.
“ He’s got great taste. Who else is coming?” Maddy asked.
I named the few guests Michael had invited. A moment later he walked into the dining room wearing a red silk sweater and tan slacks. We stood around and chatted until the guests arrived. The cocktails flowed freely as everyone socialized.
Maria came into the living room where we were congregated and whispered in my ear, “Mrs. Adams, Mr. Adams is at the door and wishes to see you before joining the other guests.”
I was in the middle of speaking with one of Michael’s colleagues. I politely excused myself and walked to the front door. I found Lance standing in the entryway looking extremely handsome in casual grey wool pants and a black cashmere sweater. His hair hung loose about his shoulders.
Sexy .
I blushed furiously at the thought and reprimanded myself. He was my husband’s brother!
“Lance,” I sai d, giving him a hug.
Was it wrong that I enjoyed the feel of his strong, hard body?
He bent down to kiss my cheek in greeting. “Hey Zoë. You look great. Here, this is for you,” he said, handing me a bottle of wine.
“ Chateauneuf du Pape . How lovely, thank you. I’m so glad you came.”
“I almost didn’t,” he confessed.
“D on’t be silly. I already told Michael you were coming and he’s fine. Besides, mom and Maddy are here and they’re eager to see you.”
Lance sighed, unsure of what to do. Michael approached and we both turned to look at him in surprise. The two men locked eyes for a long moment until Michael finally stepped forward and extended his hand. Lance accepted it.
“Good to see you, Lance,” Michael said.
“You too, Michael. I hope you don’t mind…Zoë invited me,” he explained awkwardly.
Michae l smiled politely. “Of course I don’t mind.”
Lance let out a sigh of relief. “Good. So, h ow are you?”
“Fine. You?”
“Fine.”
“It’s been a long time.”
Lance nodded. “It
Similar Books
