it, too. He clasped Riley’s hand in his after they’d settled into their chairs. Declan nodded at him, and Adam wondered who said grace when he wasn’t home. He kept it short, though he had a lot to be thankful for today. Going to a friend’s funeral did that to a guy.
Hanging out with another friend whose pregnant ex-girlfriend wanted nothing to do with him was another reminder. He’d told Sawyer he had no expectations about him and Riley making their fake commitment real, but that wasn’t completely true. What he didn’t know was what to do about it since Riley had cooled off considerably the last few days before Adam had flown to Texas. Something to do with running into Scotty Erickson at Running Creek, but what? Adam was missing a clue or two. Nothing new there when it came to women.
When the meal had been consumed and the remains of dessert cleared away, Mom cleared her throat. Adam looked at her in surprise. She rarely had anything to say in front of Declan or his boys.
“Sunday is Christmas Eve. We’ll be gathering after lunch in the family room downstairs. The girls have a surprise for all their brothers. Then we’ll be heading into Jewel Lake for the Christmas Eve service at Creekside Fellowship.” She looked straight down the table at her husband. “I’d appreciate it if everyone attended.”
Whoa, she was tackling Declan? Way to grow a backbone, Mom!
Everyone at the table froze, heads swiveling between them as Declan stared back at his wife.
“I sing manger song,” announced Toby into the perfect stillness.
“We wouldn’t want to miss that,” Mom said with a smile. “Would we, Grandpa?”
Declan’s jaw twitched. He shot a look around the table. Pleading for a diversion, maybe? But no one offered it. Finally, he gave a terse nod. “We could do that, I guess.”
“That’s settled then.” Mom folded her napkin, rose, and turned from the table. “Thank you, Cook.” She swept from the room.
The only thing that kept Adam grounded was Riley’s hand in his as he pulled to his feet. He didn’t dare meet anyone’s gaze, not his brothers’, not his stepbrothers’, and definitely not Declan’s. He held his breath as he helped Riley into her down parka and didn’t release it until the door closed behind them.
“Wow,” he breathed.
“What just happened?”
“A few things.” Snow whipped sideways as they descended the porch steps. Adam kept a firm grip on Riley’s hand. “One, my mother never challenges Declan in front of us boys. Like, absolutely never. I honestly can’t remember if it’s ever happened before.”
“What else?”
“And Declan agreed to go to church. Yeah, she kind of cornered him, but he could have said no. I have no idea why he didn’t.”
“Because of Toby?”
“I guess so, but remember he isn’t my mom’s grandkid. She has very little to do with Travis or Toby. Hardly any more with Blake or Ryder.” Adam pondered it some more while they walked down the lane toward the cabins.
“I was beginning to wonder if your family had something against Christmas, to be honest. There’s like no decorations or anything.”
“Declan’s not into it.” Adam’s mouth twisted. “My parents sure were. Dad could hardly keep a surprise for even a day or two. He always went shopping for Mom on Christmas Eve so he wouldn’t have to keep the secret for as long.”
“Aw, that’s sweet.” Riley’s fingers squeezed his. “You still miss your dad, don’t you?”
“Yeah. A lot. Even though it’s been over fifteen years.” Time to change the subject. “What does your family usually do for Christmas?”
Riley laughed sharply. “Parties.”
Adam couldn’t know how his sudden question pierced her with memories. Everything with her mom and dad had always been about putting on a front. The biggest tree. The most stylish decorations. The biggest party with the season’s most vaunted caterer and musicians.
Certainly nothing as cozy as the Cavanagh afternoon promised to be, and very little about Adam’s family oozed pleasantries. Still, everyone would be there, and Riley couldn’t imagine Declan and Kathryn yelling obscenities at each other in front of their kids, then covering it up with saccharine sweet smiles as their guests arrived.
Oh, she was under no delusions about the status of the Cavanaghs’ marriage. Bedrooms on different levels of the mansion told that story loud and clear. But she could handle chilly. It was a lot less threatening to everyone around them than the way her parents did things.
“Will you get a chance to see your sister? She lives in Missoula,