eyes widened. “He didn’t tell you, did he?”
“No. At least, not all the details,” Kat admitted.
Lucy sighed as she coiled another strand of hair around the curling wand. “He’s not very good at talking about his feelings, is he? You know, I don’t even think he talked to dad about what happened. And of course, he would never say a word to me about it. Like a typical big brother, he’s tried to shield me from things my entire life.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you find out about it?”
“Ashley told me, if you can believe it. That’s how I knew she wasn’t right for my brother. She didn’t see anything wrong with the situation.”
Kat folded her hands in her lap and bit her bottom lip. She wouldn’t pry. Jack would tell her when he was ready.
“Of course, there were other reasons I’m glad they didn’t work out,” Lucy continued. “With Ashley, it was purely infatuation. The kind of puppy love where you see the person for who you want them to be, not who they really are. But when Jack called and told me about you…” As she met Kat’s gaze in the mirror, a grin spread across her face. “With you, I can tell it’s the real deal.”
Heat swept across Kat’s cheeks, and this time, it wasn’t from the curling iron.
Would tonight be the night Jack would finally confess his feelings for her?
To Jack’s relief, the remainder of the evening unfolded without incident.
In fact, everyone seemed to be having a terrific time, including Kat.
Since Lucy and their mother were sopranos, everyone raved about the addition of Kat’s contralto range, claiming she finally rounded out the troupe.
Lucy, in particular, seemed to thrive with another girl around. And nothing filled Jack’s heart with more joy than witnessing his two favorite women getting along so well.
After caroling, they returned home, changed out of their costumes, and enjoyed a delicious five-course meal. While Jack would have preferred something simple and classic rather than a dish he couldn’t even pronounce, he had to give credit to the chef; everything tasted exceptional.
To wrap up the evening, they retired to the sitting room for games and an assortment of festive desserts paired with mulled wine.
When Kat excused herself to use the restroom after a lively round of Pictionary, Liam asked, “When are you going to seal the deal with Kat? Because if you don’t ask her to marry you, I might.”
Jack laughed, helping himself to another serving of peanut brittle.
“Do you really think she’d go out with you once she knows I’m an option?” Emmett goaded his younger brother.
“You’d all better be quiet,” Lucy scolded. “Do you want Kat to come back and hear you fools fighting over her?”
“Why not?” Everett grinned. “Perhaps we should duel for her hand in marriage like in grand old Victorian England.”
“Good grief.” Lucy rolled her eyes. “Clearly those costumes I rented have gone to your heads.”
“What do you say, old chap?” Everett turned to Jack, tipping an imaginary top hat. “Are you prepared to fight for your lady’s hand?”
“You haven’t been able to beat me in a skirmish yet,” Jack challenged. Although all of his brothers stood over six feet tall, he had a good inch or two on Everett.
“Aye. But I was but a wee lad back then. And ye didn’t fight fair.”
“Are you supposed to be British or Irish?” Micah asked, watching the amusing exchange from his corner of the couch.
“He sounds like a pirate to me,” Liam snorted over the rim of his glass.
“Dad, can’t you make them behave?” Lucy pleaded. “They’re going to embarrass me in front of Kat.”
“Speaking of Kat…” Emmett glanced toward the hallway. “She’s been gone awhile.”
“Ladies take their time in the powder room,” Everett told him with a superior smirk. “You’d know that if you ever had a girlfriend.”
Emmett threatened to toss a throw pillow at his twin, but reconsidered when he caught their mother’s stern glare.
“Maybe she got lost,” Micah offered helpfully. “With all the rooms and hallways, this house is like a maze.”
“I’ll go look.” Lucy sprang from the couch, but Jack set his drink on the coffee table.
“No, I’ll go. You try to get these hooligans under control while I’m gone.”
“I’ll do my best.” She sighed heavily, as though she didn’t have high hopes for her success.
Jack bit back another chuckle as he walked into the hall, overhearing his brothers argue over which one of them was Kat’s type.
Philistines, every single one of them. But he