“Ta-da!” he said, beaming, and he was so stinkin’ cute with that smile and those lashes. He held up his offerings: one of his Beanie Baby stuffed animals. Prickles the Hedgehog, and a candle. “This is for your new office,” he said. “A decoration. And a candle, so it will smell nice.” He got defective candles free.
“Oh, Davey, thank you! Is this Vanilla Sugar Cookie? My favorite!” She hugged her brother and kissed his forehead, then smiled at his sweet face. “Hey, guess what? You know Ned Vanderbeek, right?”
“He’s my best friend,” Davey said. He had a lot of best friends.
“Well, he was wondering if he could stay with us for a while. In the spare bedroom.”
“Where the boxes are?”
“Yes. What do you think? Would that be okay with you?”
“Does he have a bed?” Davey asked.
“I bet he does.”
“Then sure! I love Ned! We can watch movies together!”
“Great. We can tell him at dinner. Come on, honey-boy. I’m starving.”
* * *
THE HOLLANDS COMMANDED not just a table, but an entire section of the restaurant. Davey and Jess got there last. Davey had wanted to take his Flip the Cat Beanie Baby, which, after an extensive search, turned out to be buried under his beloved Wonder Woman comic books.
Marcy had gone in a few steps ahead of them. She hadn’t held the door, either. She was just now being assisted out of a very gorgeous and expensive-looking brown leather coat by Jeremy Lyon, who had the manners of a prince.
“Hi, Jeremy!” Davey said, waving Flip at him. Jeremy was Davey’s doctor. Jess’s, too, not that she went too often.
“How are you, Davey?” Jeremy asked. “Hi, Jess.”
“He’s incredibly hot,” Marcy murmured to Jess.
“Gay.”
“Of course.”
She caught a glimpse of Connor through the pass-through window in the kitchen. He didn’t see her.
Good. She guessed that was good, even if it felt like she’d swallowed a stick.
“Our guests of honor are here,” Honor said, standing up. “Let me make the introductions, Marcy. I know you’ve met some of us, but I’ll just go through the list. My grandparents, Goggy and Pops, rarely known as John and Elizabeth Holland. My dad, another John, and my stepmother, Mrs. Johnson, sometimes called Mrs. Holland, but mostly Mrs. Johnson. You’ve met my brother Jack, and that’s his wife, Emmaline, who works with Levi there, the chief of police, and Levi is married to my sister Faith, and that little butterball on her lap is my beautiful nephew, Noah. And you met Tom already, and this is our son, Charlie.”
Jess winked at Charlie. She had a soft spot for the kid, who’d recently gone from miserable teenager, something Jess well understood, to pretty nice person.
“Next to Charlie is my niece, Abby,” Honor continued, “who’s home from college and seeking gainful employment for the summer. And where’s Pru? Oh, there she is. You met her this morning, right? And that’s Carl, Pru’s husband. Guys, meet Marcy Hannigan.”
“Excellent to meet everyone!” Marcy said. Her voice carried easily over the crowd.
“Sorry to overload you, Marcy,” Honor said. “A necessary evil, introductions. And guys, I think you all know our new director of marketing and her charming brother.” This brought a round of applause from everyone, and Jess felt her cheeks heat up with pride and embarrassment.
“Over here, Davey, my boy,” Ned said, though he was younger than Davey. “I saved you a seat.”“‘I am fire! I am death!’” Davey said gleefully. Davey had something of a savant-like memory when it came to movies, and The Hobbit trilogy was getting a lot of play these days.
“‘There you are, Thief in the Shadows,’” Ned returned, also a Hobbit geek. “How’s it going, bud?”
“You’re living with us!”
“I am? That’s great! Thanks, guys.”
Jess moved down the table, saying hi to everyone in turn, to where two empty seats sat at the end, for her and Marcy. Marcy was still working the crowd, shaking hands and laughing. Though Jess loved the Hollands, these events always made her a little sweaty. Luckily, there was an ally who might understand.
“Hey, Levi,” she said. “Hi there, tiny Levi.” Noah Cooper, who was two months old and change, was already the image of his father, sleepy eyes and crinkly forehead. “How’s it going, Faith?”
“Hi, Jess! Congratulations on your promotion,” Faith said, smiling. Jess always felt a small flash of shame where Faith was concerned; she’d been pretty hard on her back in school days. Water under the bridge, largely thanks to Faith being incredibly nice.
“So this Marcy person,” Faith said in a low voice. “Lots of energy.”
And speaking of the energetic devil, she tapped a glass with a knife. “I just want to say hellooo, Team Holland! Thank you for taking me out! Fantastic to join all of you! I’m thrilled to be working with all of you and look forward to an amazing year!”
“Hear, hear,” came the chorus.
Marcy maneuvered into the seat next to Jess. “Oh, a baby!” she said. “I love babies. Well, I should say, they love me! Some people have a way with kids, and it’s not like I try, they just gravitate to me. Look at how he’s smiling at me!” She glanced at Levi. “You must be the father, since he looks just like you.”
“Levi Cooper,” he said, shaking her hand. “Chief of Police.”
“So if I get a speeding ticket, I should talk to you,” Marcy said, laughing merrily.
“If you get a speeding ticket, I probably gave it to you,” he said, not smiling. Good old Levi.
Hannah O’Rourke took their orders, no small feat with the elder Mrs. Holland unable to decide between the filet mignon and the sole almandine, asking for rice instead of potatoes and green beans instead of Brussels sprouts. Davey got chili and nachos; he ate like Homer Simpson, no matter that he was skinny as a pretzel stick.
Several bottles of Blue Heron wine were brought over, and Jack poured her a glass. As always, she’d drink some of it—and appreciate it; she had nothing against wine. But one glass and one glass only was her protection against the family history of alcoholism. Sometimes, Colleen would pour her a refill on the house, but Jess never drank it.
Speaking of Colleen, she came over, her stomach ripe with baby.
Strange, to think that if Jessica had said yes to Connor two nights ago, Colleen would be her future sister-in-law. The baby percolating in there would be her niece or nephew. Connor was thinking it was a girl. A little girl who’d call her Auntie Jess, who’d—
She cut that thought off at the pass.
Colleen was looking at her.
She knew. Oh, shit, she knew.
Then she smiled, right at Jess.
So maybe she didn’t know.
“Hey, everyone!” Colleen said. “I hear congratulations are in order. Well done, Jess. Hi, there,” she said to Marcy. “Colleen O’Rourke Campbell, half owner of this fine establishment.”
“I love it! So homey! So cute! Very charming! I’m Marcy, the new event planner for the Barn! Totally thrilled to meet you!”
“Same here,” Coll said, and Jess didn’t miss the assessing look she gave Marcy. “Jess, do you know any experienced bartenders looking for a summer stint? I don’t see myself yanking beers with a newborn in my arms.”