Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Glad you could make it,” Doug said as he walked up to Opal and kissed her on the cheek.
“Thank you, Doug.”
Opal walked into the room and spotted her sister. “Stop with all that nonsense, Lacy. It’s not like you’re entertaining the King of England, for goodness’ sake. Sally would never set the table with dirty dishes.”
Lacy’s cheeks turned red, either from embarrassment or anger. I couldn’t tell which one it was.
“Do we have assigned seats?” I asked Kian in a lowered voice.
Kian pulled out a seat for me. “No, not yet, at least.”
I chuckled, and Lacy shot me a very stern expression. I quickly stopped and cleared my throat. Mark sat beside me, put his napkin on his lap, and spoke very loudly.
“You’ll quickly learn our mother has no patience for people who show happiness, Cadie, especially at the dinner table. Isn’t that right, Mother?”
My eyes bounced from mother to son as I fidgeted in my seat. When I caught Opal looking at me, she winked. I relaxed for the first time since I’d seen the black car drive up.
Sally started serving the food, and I felt terrible about not helping her. She must have hired a few other people to help, as I could see them in the kitchen. A younger girl, about eighteen, came out and poured the wine. Mark didn’t waste any time and flirted with her until his mother told him to stop.
“That will be enough, Mark. We don’t flirt with the staff,” Lacy stated as she picked up her wine glass and studied it.
Mark smirked at his mother. “Should I flirt with Cadie then?”
My head quickly turned to look at him as Kian groaned next to me and said, “Here we go.”
“I mean, that is in the family blood. Right?”
Lacy glared at her son and then looked at her sister Opal, who was thanking the young girl for pouring her wine.
Turning to Kian, I raised a brow. “Yeah, Mark and Macy know. Opal told them yesterday after Macy overheard us talking about Jack.”
“Oh,” I softly whispered.
Macy must have taken what Mark said as her cue.
“Did you hear, Mom, that Liam Turner married Hope Magoffin? Her father, Jake, has been spending a lot of time here in Moose Village since Hope moved here and his wife passed away a few years ago. You know him, right? He used to date Aunt Opal, I think.”
Doug laughed and then quickly used his napkin to wipe at the corners of his mouth. “My, you kids came fired up today, didn’t you?”
“I don’t know what you mean by that, Dad,” Macy stated as she looked at her mother.
Lacy plastered on a fake smile and looked at Opal and then her three kids. “I see we’ve been telling stories, Opal.”
Opal’s smile faded slightly as she replied, “Not stories, Lace. Just the truth.”
“So, is Jake living in Moose Village?” Doug asked.
“Not yet,” Macy said with a smile. “Maybe you and Jake can spark up that old relationship again, Aunt Opal.”
When I looked at Opal, she was downing her wine and motioning for the young girl to refill her glass.
“He would never leave New York City,” Lacy stated matter of fact.
Doug turned and looked at his wife. “And how would you know that, Lace?”
Her face turned red. “I don’t know for sure; it’s been years since I’ve seen him, but I can’t see anything—or anyone—who would draw him here.”
“He is moving to Moose Village.”
Everyone looked at Opal. Lord, this was like a soap opera. Or a train wreck. Maybe it was a little bit of both.
“Is he?” Doug said, a little too happy sounding.
Lacy narrowed her eyes. “Really? And how do you know that?”
Opal smiled. “Unlike you, I have seen him. Actually, I saw him last night.” Taking a sip of her wine, she placed it back on the table and said, “I saw quite a bit of him, truth be told.”
Kian and Mark groaned as Will and Macy both covered a laugh. Doug let out a bark of laughter as Lacy snarled her lip at her sister.
“There are young kids at this table, Opal. If you don’t mind keeping your shenanigans to yourself, please.”
Opal laughed. “The definition of shenanigans is high-spirited and mischievous activity. Yes, that word perfectly describe what went on last night.”
My eyes widened as I looked at Opal. I wasn’t sure if I should be whooping that Opal was having herself a good time, or if I should be grossed out since Opal was becoming more and more like a mother figure to me. Either way, it took everything I had not to burst out laughing at her sass.
“Okay,” Kian said as he clapped his hands. “Will, so that new position you have. Are you happy about it?”
Will cleared his throat and attempted to hide his smile. “I’m thrilled with it. It means I’ll be home with Macy and the kids.”