Ryder raised an eyebrow and snagged his sister’s beer, taking a gulp before handing the drink back. “Why does that frighten me so much?”
“Everything is lovely. Thanks so much for inviting us.” Freya’s voice resonated down the hall. Zane and Asher playfully jabbed at each other, the sounds of their laughter bolstering Claire with a glimmer of hope that Grady wouldn’t be miserable through the entire night, particularly his guest list already outnumbering Patricia’s.
Claire whispered, “You have good friends.”
“I’ve never been so relieved to hear those two messing with each other.”
They appeared a moment later. Grady flashed them a desperate grin and took a deep inhale.
Arm linked with Asher as they caught up, Sophie nodded and cringed. “She was the ultimate, polite hostess on greeting us, but I think she’s brewing an aneurism.”
Ryder chuckled under his breath and muttered, “Maybe she’ll try to operate on that herself. I’m not sure she’d trust anyone else to do it.”
Asher asked, “Going well, huh?”
“Just get me through the night.” Grady cringed.
Haley laughed under her breath. “I’m on it.”
An amused gleam flashed in Asher’s whiskey eyes. “The notorious Haley is back with a vengeance.”
Freya laughed out loud and said, “Holy crap. Haley, I hardly recognized you.” Without a hint of hesitance, Freya crossed the circle they’d formed and wrapped Haley up in an emphatic hug. She delivered a few quick introductions, then turned and said again to Haley, “I think you were, what, thirteen the last time I saw you?”
“Yes. But I’m moving home as soon as I get a few things wrapped up in San Francisco.” Apparently at ease on the outside, Haley downed the last of the drink and said to her brothers, “I’ve been hiding in the kitchen. What did you do to Mother? Did she find out already?”
Another cluster of guests filtered in, and Ryder headed to the corner, the others following so they could chat on the other side of the quartet. Claire chewed her lip and closed her eyes. “She walked in on us. I mean, we weren’t doing anything, but Grady didn’t have a shirt on and was trying to fix my zipper.”
“Fuck.” Ryder laughed under his breath, his smile widening. “Well. That’s one way to break the news to her. I wondered why she gave me about the darkest death glare I’ve ever been at the receiving end of. She stomped her foot, and I could swear she growled.”
A giggle bubbled up in her throat, and Claire snorted a laugh. She covered her mouth, but the giggle fit wouldn’t be contained. Chest convulsing, eyes watering, she shook her head and said, “You should have seen her face.”
Haley giggled and watched her mother across the room. “I’m so glad I came home after all.”
Claire turned to see Grady watching his friends, siblings, and fiancée laughing like a bunch of idiots. Raising an eyebrow, he said, “In a decade, I might enjoy looking back on this. But why is this so funny?”
Ryder knocked him on the shoulder. “The power’s out and half the guest list isn’t going to show. Instead of her engaged son bringing his fiancée, she’s now stuck with a potentially awkward love triangle—not to worry, the third corner is actually happy for you—thus she has no idea how to introduce Claire. Haley’s here without Nate, a first, and I know Patricia suspects something... and she’s going to lose all three of her kids if she doesn’t get her shit together.”
Studying that was slowly filtering in, Zane asked, “Was shealwaysthis...?”
Grady nodded. “For the most part. I mean, it’s gotten tragically worse the last few years. It was more of an overexcited cheerleading perfectionist when we were kids, whereas now it’s...”
“Patricia’s empire of success?” Asher finished for him. “Grady? Come on, I’ll buy you a drink.”
He followed, muttering, “It’s an open bar, and it’s my beer anyway.”
Hand extended to Claire, Ryder gestured to the center of the dance floor. “Shall we show them how it’s done, and royally confuse Patricia as to which brother you’re with?”
“You read my mind,” she said, letting the absurdity of the evening roll off her like a bad eighties movie. Draping her arms over his shoulders, swaying on the dance floor as they had at so many of his work functions in the past, the familiarity was appreciated, but it felt so much more natural without the romantic pressure. “Still trying to win a few contracts thanks to Patricia’s impressive guest list?”
“Always. But the ones I actually wanted to connect with aren’t going to make it. Two decided they didn’t want to brave the snow, and the third planned to come anyway, but he called an hour ago because the road’s blocked and he can’t get here.”
“Wow. What does it feel like?”
“What?” His brow drew together in question, but his smile was pure amusement.
“You have an entire evening to yourself. No work, no fiancée to keep happy, and a mother expecting nothing respectable out of you.”
“Feels pretty damn good, actually.”
