Page 6 of Catching the Mistletoe

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Sylvie’s eyes were clouded.

Arabella’s smile faded. “It’s just a joke, Mom.”

A momentary quiet fell over the group, and I don’t think it was my imagination. It was fucking awkward. Sylvie looked self-conscious, David uncomfortable.

“You’re right, Aunt Sylvie. I have to work tomorrow, so it’s definitely a bad idea. Hey, Mack, good to see you.” Zane reached out for a handshake.

“Yeah, you too,” I replied, taking his hand. A quick nod to Rhys and Rosie, and the moment passed.

Noah clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Hey. You want a drink?”

“Sure.”

“Whiskey?”

“Sounds good.”

As Noah handed me a glass of whiskey, I scanned the room for a place to sit. There was an overstuffed armchair in the shadowy corner on the other side of the fireplace. No other chairs around it. Perfect. I could do what I always did–sit quietly in the corner and mind my own business. Dropping into the plush seat, I took a sip of the whisky, letting the liquid warmth spread through me. This is what I liked best. Close enough to feel a part of it, far enough away that no one would make demands of me, want me to talk. I appreciated the fact that the Snows always allowed me to do that.

Another sip of the whisky had me leaning back in the chair, relaxing a little more. There was still a frisson of tension in the air, with Sylvie watching Arabella a little too closely and David giving her a quick head shake when she shot him a look.

Arabella, for her part, looked bright and happy, laughing with Genevieve and Noah as they finished setting up the snack platter. I knew better, though. I could read every nuance of her expression. Her smile was too bright, too brittle, her laughter just a little forced. Something was off.

Finally, her eyes met mine from across the room and held them for a moment. I knew I should break the connection, but there was something about her energy right now that pulled at me. Her usual radiance seemed dimmed, a shadow on her face where normally she was a ray of sunshine.

She turned away, and I thought our brief connection was over. Until she surprised the fuck out of me by piling some snacks on a plate and grabbing her wine glass. With her eye on me again, she walked across the room, wordlessly handed me the plate and dragged the rocking chair from near the fire close to where I was sitting.

“Just wanna sit with someone who’s not gonna talk to me,” was her only explanation when she took the plate back and huddled into the rocking chair.

What Sylvie had said didn’t seem that bad or upsetting to me, so I didn’t know what this was about. It felt like more than frustration, though. There was a tinge of sadness to her as she sat, picking up a pretzel but not eating it.

She flicked me a glance, found me watching her, and looked away quickly. “It’s just…I never know when it’s gonna happen, you know.”

“When what’s gonna happen?”

“The landmine.” With a sigh, she sipped her wine, keeping her face averted.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll say something completely benign, just a passing comment, and whammo, there’s the reminder…” she trailed off. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not. I’m being an ungrateful bitch. And you’ve tucked yourself in the corner to get away from everyone and here I come, whingeing your ear off.”

“No.”

She turned to look at me fully, and I felt the tightness in my chest at the impact. She was unbelievably gorgeous, with her pale blue eyes with their thick, dark lashes, her perfect nose…Stop.

“No, what?”

I forced myself to remember what we were talking about. “No, you’re not ungrateful. And you’re not whingeing my ear off.”

This was the most conversation we’d had with each other since…well, ever. Arabella seemed to realize it at the same time I did, because the air became charged with awareness, and she was looking at me closely. Too closely. I felt that familiar warring inside me. The necessity for her to get up and go, fighting with the desire for her to sit and stay. Just talk to me. Smile at me.

“Well, thanks, I guess. You want one of these sliders? They’re really good.”

It seemed she was of a mind to sit and stay, so I took the food she offered. “Thanks.”

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