Page 60 of Miss Humbug
Rafe sneered. “Behind what, a tractor going twenty miles an hour?”
Marlowe shifted beside me. She didn’t bother glaring at her cousin. She must really be flustered. “It’s my fault,” I said.
“I bet it was,” Ashe muttered. “Like starting a fight in front of everybody in town.”
Okay, no way. No freaking way. “I’ll take blame for spilling the beans about the competition for the house—that’s on me. But I would never, ever go for a long pass with the town’s Holy Child.”
Ashe tossed out an exaggerated shrug. “They should’ve bolted the baby down if they wanted it secured.”
Emmaline entered the room and crossed in front of us to her chair by the window. “Every single one of you should be ashamed of the spectacle you caused today.” Her crisp tone closed the door on the chatter. “Ethan Sawyer, have a seat.”
I blinked, realizing Marlowe had unattached her hand and found a vacant spot on a footstool. The only remaining open space waited on the couch beside Ashe, Cara, and their youngest who stretched out with feet planted on his mom’s lap playing games on a tablet. I took the floor by Marlowe.
“There are dogs better behaved than you all.” Emmaline returned a disapproving frown. “I told Mayor Bennington to expect handwritten apologies from each of you, as well as a commitment to pick up road trash by the highway. I asked for the least desirable volunteer work available. For the record, she offered shifts at the animal shelter and I told her no.”
I’d never seen Emmaline Holly so angry.
She observed us from her corner chair. “I’ve seen time and again how wills and inheritances fracture families. I thought the Holly family was above such foolishness. I believed we could spare any future turmoil by handling the estate now. And to think, if I’d waited, you’d all be at each other’s throats at my funeral.”
A half dozen dog tails lowered in shame.
She’d made the inheritance a contest. Of course it would get competitive. Possibly petty. I wanted to ask her what she’d expected. But no way would I say that out loud.
Emmaline sighed. “The secret is out about the house.”
The stares of a dozen Hollys descended on me. “Sorry.” I straightened and looked at the Holly matriarch directly. “I’m sorry, ma’am.”
She nodded in one curt motion. “It was unrealistic to expect I could keep my plans to leave hidden. I’m questioned about the house nearly every time I go into town. When I showed interest to Paulette Hart about the new retirement community at the seniors’ expo, I knew I’d made a crucial mistake. I’ve had to fend off rumors about selling for months.”
While it sounded dramatic, lots of folks around here traded gossip like currency. Town “news” was the second most popular conversation starter after the weather. And people always speculated about the Holly house, especially after Emmaline’s husband passed. Some went as far as saying she was selfish for living in such a big house all by herself, despite her grandkids and their families frequently visiting and using the home for holidays and family parties.
Emmaline gave a light shrug. “The gossips I can handle. My goal is to protect the family estate from vultures aiming to dice up our property to the highest bidder.”
I didn’t dare move or make a sound. Did she know my family already farmed on Holly land? Dad implied she’d be asking about it. What would happen now? If I hadn’t blown up at Shawn, maybe none of this would have happened and we’d be celebrating a marshmallow contest victory. Yeah right—I’d already given up on the marshmallows.
I could only blame myself for putting stock in this idea in the first place.
Riley shook her head with impatience. “Isn’t that what Shawn would do anyway? Sell the land?”
“I never said I’dactuallysell it,” he countered.
“Selling properties is your job,” Rafe shot back. “Number three in the Tallahassee market, right?”
Bickering commenced with raised voices.
“Stop.” Emmaline’s own raised voice settled the room again. “The idea of bringing the family together for a holiday competition felt so exhilarating and, well, whimsical. One last hurrah before life changed yet again and this house no longer belonged to me. I severely underestimated your devotion to this home.”
Her gaze landed on Marlowe, who stared at her hands.
“So is the competition called off?” Cara asked. I didn’t miss the hopeful note in her question.
“Called off—I’m in the lead!” Rafe exclaimed.
Shawn pointed at Rafe. “No,Iam.”
“I’d like a re-tally of all points,” Marlowe stated in a clear, strong voice. She nudged me with her foot.
The points were a mess. We needed todosomething.
