The Meaning in Mistletoe - Rachael Bloome Page 0,14
her tightly clenched fist.
“You don’t like talking about her, do you?”
Even though their mother’s name never left her lips, Kat knew exactly who Penny meant, as if Helena Bennet would forever be an unspoken bond between them. “No, not really.”
“Well, don’t worry. I promise I won’t pry you with a million questions. As far as I’m concerned, we never have to mention her again.”
Kat’s head jerked up in surprise.
“This might seem a little strange,” Penny said softly, “but growing up, my dad used to tell me all these fantastical stories about Helena. He made her sound like a magical creature in a fairy tale, and I got used to thinking of her in that way—like she wasn’t real. Looking back, I think my dad thought it would be easier than telling me the truth, that she simply didn’t love us anymore.”
At the look of quiet resignation on Penny’s face, Kat’s heart ached. And yet, she also felt a tiny pang of envy. There had been countless times she’d tried to trick herself into believing parts of her childhood were merely a bad dream, but it had never worked.
“Of course, that being said,” Penny added with an air of irony, “Helena was the reason I didn’t date for a long time. I couldn’t imagine falling in love after witnessing how badly she’d broken my father’s heart.”
Kat stared at the mangled wad of paper in her palm as guilt and remorse swelled in her chest. She hated the thought that others had suffered at her mother’s hand. But she couldn’t escape the reality that Helena Bennet had left behind misfortune like fingerprints, marring everything she touched.
“What changed?” The question escaped before she could stop it, and Kat immediately regretted prolonging the conversation. It teetered too close to unwanted territory.
“Everything,” Penny said simply. As she was about to expound, a man with dark blond hair and a dimpled grin slipped into the booth beside her. Kissing her cheek, he draped his arm around her shoulders in an easy, familiar gesture.
A sweet, self-conscious blush dusted Penny’s cheeks as a loving glance passed between them.
Kat ignored the hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach at the knowledge she’d never experience that kind of intimacy for herself.
“I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind,” the man said with an affectionate smile. “This is closer to an early dinner than a late lunch.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I forgot we needed to do a little shopping first. I definitely wouldn’t forget something this huge.” Penny’s grin broadened. “Colt, this is my sister, Kat. Kat, this is my fiancé, Colt.”
Keeping one arm around Penny, Colt extended his free hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” Kat noticed his grip was both friendly and firm—a fact she appreciated. She hated when men assumed they would crush her delicate bones if they gave her a proper handshake.
“Is Jack in the kitchen?” Penny asked. “I’d like him to meet Kat, too.”
Kat’s pulse stuttered to a stop, and she quickly blurted, “Oh, I don’t want to bother him. I’m sure he’s busy.”
“He can spare a few minutes,” Colt assured her. “In fact, there he is now. Hey, Jack! C’mon over here and meet Kat.”
It took all of Kat’s resolve not to slink beneath the table.
Suppressing a groan, Jack momentarily ignored Colt’s clamoring as he handed Dolores Whittaker her takeout container of fragrant garlic and rosemary chicken. He should’ve known the second he left the kitchen he’d be asking for trouble.
The elderly woman’s blue eyes twinkled behind her Coke-bottle glasses as she said, “I think Colt wants you to meet that beautiful young lady seated with him and Penny. You shouldn’t keep her waiting.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said dutifully. Even though he’d graduated from high school years ago, he still saw her as the principal’s wife. “You be careful carrying that to your car.” He nodded toward the brown paper bag. “I added some extra potatoes with the parsley and shallots you like so much, so the container is a little heavy.”
“You’re a dear.”
Jack watched her shuffle out the front door, taking a moment to gather his nerve before answering his summons.
As he neared the table, his stomach twisted into uncomfortable knots. Somehow, Kat managed to look even more beautiful than before, and he couldn’t help noticing her rosy glow, almost as if she felt as self-conscious as he did.
“Hey, there.” He mustered a welcoming smile despite his sudden lack of oxygen. “Is this man bothering you? I keep telling him