Page 42 of Snowed In With the Maverick
He washed up at the sink in the barn, then walked the winding path up to the house, which overlooked the farm’s fields like a watching eye.
When he entered the house, he found his mom sitting on a chaise lounge in the great room, very unusually wearing a sweatshirt, fireplace on and book in hand. His surprise at her casual appearance must have been visible on his face.
“This is my snowed-in attire,” Imogen said, gesturing toward what was likely a $200 designer sweatshirt. As though with a quick phone call, she wouldn’t have access to a helicopter or something that could fly her out to anywhere her heart desired. “Come, sit.” She patted the plush couch beside her. Seth sat down, and Imogen placed her tented book on the coffee table in front of her. “I have a bone to pick with you.”
Uh-oh. Imogen was routinely the softie in his parents’ dynamic, and it was rare for her to find fault with her children. What could he have possibly done to screw up?
“Then there’s been a mistake, obviously,” Seth said, grinning. He always knew how to get out of trouble with his mom.
She sat up and fixed him in a disapproving gaze. “I heard that you,” she said, pointing one of her red manicured nails, “have been in possession of some very important information about Daniel’s plans to propose to Mike for over a week now.”
“I don’t—”
Imogen held up her hand. “Don’t interrupt me.”
Seth waited. He knew she was mostly kidding. But he’d go along with it. “So, he told you?”
“He did. But I heard you were the first to know.”
“I just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” said Seth.
“And,” she said, holding her hand up again. “And.” She gave him a pointed look. “I heard that you were at the party in Tenacity with a woman.”
Oh no,Seth thought.
“A woman that your brother described as Jessica Chastain’s look-alike.” Seth had no idea who that was, but he knew she had to be beautiful.
“I was,” he said. “And so?”
“And so, as an apology for jumping the line in getting the scoop on a very important upcoming event, I’d like you to bring this woman to Thanksgiving dinner next weekend.” She paused. “It’s been a while since you’ve brought someone home.”
Should he reveal to his mother that he’d already invited Andrea, and she’d agreed to come? Or let his mother take the win? “Alright,” he said. “I’ll bring her. For you.”
Imogen smiled, satisfied. “I’m glad to hear it. I’ll have Lina set another place.”
“How did Dad take the news about Daniel’s plan?” Seth asked.
Imogen waved her hand. “He’ll be fine,” she said. “He’s just happy that at least one of his unattached sons is making a commitment.”
“Mom,” Seth warned. But before he could continue, the sound of cowboy boots on a hardwood floor and keys jingling approached from down the hall, where Thaddeus Taylor’s office was situated.
Seth straightened his shoulders, an involuntary reaction to so many years spent preparing to be on defense around his father.
Unlike his wife, who’d accepted the fact that they wouldn’t be going far the day after a major snowstorm, Thaddeus was dressed as usual, always seemingly prepared for one of two events: going into battle with a business rival, a subcontractor who was trying to take advantage of him or a member of his family who in his mind was stepping out of line, or ready to jump in and manage the business on the floor. He wore the blue jeans of a worker, and the blazer of a businessman, with an immaculately cut dress shirt underneath, his silver-and-white beard freshly trimmed and his eyes full of suspicion.
“Hello, son,” Thaddeus said, passing through the living space to the kitchen, where he pulled a bottle of white wine from the fridge and poured himself a glass. His voice was gruff, the way it was after he’d spent the day with his head buried in papers. Seth remembered those times as a child, when if anyone so much as dared to breathe near the door of their father’s office, there’d be hell to pay. “Drink, anyone?”
Imogen shook her head. “No thanks,” said Seth.
“Seth here’s bringing a date to Thanksgiving,” Imogen said, smiling at her husband, then looking back at Seth and winking.
“That right?” said Thaddeus, not betraying any emotion. “She the one you’ve been talking about this harebrained dinosaur park idea with? Your brother gave me the scoop.”
Seth felt his blood start to boil, but there was no use engaging his father in any kind of debate. Instead, he took a long breath through his nose while doing the best to unclench his jaw. “She’s a paleontologist,” he said. “And I’m hoping she’ll enjoy a nice family dinner here.”
Thaddeus chuckled and took a sip of his wine. “Shots fired,” he said. “Message received.” He held his drink up in a salute. “We’ll look forward to meeting her. Lots of new characters around the dinner table this year, that’s for sure.”
“Darling,” said Imogen, a hint of warning in her voice. Seth knew exactly what that was all about. Thaddeus was to play nice with Mike.
