picked the menu, helped decorate, cut the sandwiches into little stars, and even dusted the tearoom from top to bottom. The Mrs. Clauses supervising and guiding and encouraging her at every step had made this so much more than just a party. It had been a warm welcome to the town and to their group.
Regan hopped over the curb and pushed through the shop’s door. Inside it smelled like chocolate and cinnamon and looked like Christmas gone drag.
Red-feathered ornaments hung from every nook and cranny, while disco-themed snowflakes covered the ceiling. The tables had been shoved together and covered in green sequined tablecloths and kitties in Christmas garb. The only thing missing, besides the kitchen sink, were the Mrs. Clauses and the birthday girl.
Whistling along with Nat King Cole, Regan set the party bags in the basket by the door and was taking Holly’s present to the counter when she stopped.
Standing under Holly’s birthday banner and beside a life-size cutout of David Hasselhoff—complete with red swim trunks, a Santa hat, and a sign that read “Hoff Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”—stood Isabel. She looked manicured and regal and way too pleased with herself for Regan to feel anything but nervous. Especially since she was sans one adorable child.
First Randolph. Then “El Diablo.” The Christmas curse was growing stronger.
Isabel gave the golden bell next to the cash register a little ding and then turned back to Regan. “Well, it looks like Holly’s big day is finally here.”
“Yeah. She’s really excited.” Regan looked around, hating that they were all alone, because with no witnesses it was hard not to grab Mr. Hasselhoff by the biceps and beat the crap out of Isabel. “So, where’s Lauren? Is she in the back with Holly and the Mrs. Clauses?”
Isabel raised her forehead. “Mrs. Clauses? How quaint. And no, Lauren’s dad and I switched weekends and she decided to have a little get-together with her friends instead.”
Regan swallowed. Holly was going to be crushed. “Why would you do that?”
“Oh, well, because I remembered where I knew you from.” Isabel looked her up and down. “You interned with the National Vintner’s Historical Society, right?”
One sentence and Regan felt her whole world start to unravel.
“My ex-husband worked on that project. He headed up the fund-raising here in the Valley. He worked a lot with the other teams.”
“Which one?” Regan asked.
“All of them, but mainly the Oregon team.”
“No, I meant, which husband.” Okay so it was a lame dig, but she was mad and it was all she had. When Isabel didn’t even take the bait, Regan knew whatever the woman had was going to be epic.
“Oh, my first one. The same one who talked about this pretty little Hispanic girl who worked very closely with Richard. Imagine my surprise when I looked up the press release the other day after the council meeting and saw you. Even more surprising is how incredibly similar Richard and Holly look. I can’t believe I never noticed it. I mean, side by side one might even think they were related.”
“Isabel, please don’t hurt Holly to get back at me. She’s had a hard enough time being one of the only kids in school without a dad.”
“Don’t worry,” Isabel said, laying a hand on Regan’s arm. “I would never tell people that Holly is Richard’s.”
“Thank you,” Regan whispered.
She would never want Holly to be ashamed of Richard. But to have people talking about their relationship in a sordid way, meaning that their kids would eventually overhear and repeat every detail to Holly, would break Regan’s heart. She didn’t want Holly to go through the kind of childhood Regan had.
“However,” Isabel said, “I know you can understand why I felt the need to warn some of my friends, whose husbands might be going through a difficult time right now. They have the right to choose whether their children spend time with someone they would never want their husbands to meet.”
Regan felt her face drain. She actually had to grip the counter to keep from sliding to the floor. “Is this all because Holly got the lead in the play?”
“No, this is because women like you don’t belong here, Regan. And it’s time people in this town understood that.” She rang the bell again, and when no one appeared, she walked behind the counter, pulled down a pink box with her name on it and walked to the door. Isabel looked over her shoulder. “Tell Pricilla to put it on my tab. Oh, and tell