Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“Hi, guys,” Hannah said cheerfully, reaching the table with a large pitcher of what looked like strawberry smoothies. “Who wants another daiquiri?”
Three women lifted their tall glasses for her.
“You’re all gonna be drunk off your asses,” Jake commented drolly, having followed my daughter with another pitcher and a jumbo can of whipped cream. “I don’t think she’s using the right rum.”
“What rum is she using?” I asked him.
“A dark one, not the light one.”
“Oh who cares,” Hannah pronounced. “It’s Thanksgiving. None of us are going anywhere, Jacob. Live a little.”
He rolled his eyes as Hannah filled all the glasses but mine. I was sticking with moscato at the moment.
“When we play charades later, it’s gonna be a hoot.”
He squinted at her.
“What?”
“A hoot? How old are you?”
She waved him off as the doorbell rang.
It was Finn, with his parents, and he happily dumped his mother at the kitchen table with us, after hugging me and kissing Regina’s cheek, and then walked his father outside to Sam, Thomas, Duncan, Aaron, and Dane. They were all eating, and I knew they would get Eammon a plate. All the food was out there on a huge buffet table, with warmers underneath, that Aaron had sent over first thing that morning. I really did appreciate that, as all I had to do was make sure everything stayed filled outside, and this way there was not a whole crowd of people traipsing through my kitchen.
“Mrs. Murray, may I pour you a daiquiri?” Hannah asked her.
“Oh no, dear, I’ll just have a––”
“Have one of her wonderful drinks,” Regina prodded her. “It’s her birthday tomorrow. Think of it as a gift for her.”
Anne looked up at Hannah, who smiled big.
“How could I say no to that beautiful face?”
Poor Finn. An hour later, Aja, Robert, Hannah, his mother, Dylan, Chris, and Regina were in a conga line headed by Jake, with Gentry bringing up the rear. “Love Train,” by the O’Jays, was blasting through our house. I was laughing so hard, taking video, utterly enthralled just watching. When Eammon came in and got in behind his wife, I thought Finn was going to die. The look of horror on his face was adorable.
I texted Kola, and he was beside me moments later. Tipping my head at his intended, Kola immediately understood the assignment. When Kola was dancing behind his cousin, and passing Finn, when he reached out his hand, immediately it was taken. To Finn, Kola was irresistible. As they danced outside, I was laughing as I answered the doorbell when it rang. Sandra was there with Michael, and they both looked a bit gray.
“Hi,” I greeted them, stepping aside so they could come in.
Sandra had an enormous pumpkin pie with her, and Michael had a bottle of moscato. Of course the conga line came back through then, with Thomas as the end now, behind Finn, and he waved at his son and his new daughter-in-law as he passed them.
“Jory, you have the most interesting holidays at your house,” she said.
“Right?” I said, opening my arms for her.
Immediately, she stepped in close, hugging me tight.
Squeezing her back, I suggested she come outside with me and get some food. The song changed to “September” then, by Earth, Wind & Fire, and once they got their plates, I noted that both Sandra and Michael waved to everyone as they passed by.
Sam brought Sandra a daiquiri, which she was so surprised over, she didn’t even argue with him, and he passed his brother an old-fashioned.
“I made that with my good stuff,” he told him.
Michael nodded quickly, and I could tell he was a bit choked up.
“You both need to eat a lot. We’ve got a ton of food,” Sam ordered them. “And a lot of booze, so let’s get goin’.”
They stayed outside, and both Thomas and Regina pulled out of the conga line to sit down with them. Sandra complimented my daughter’s drink-making skills, and she yelled back a thank-you as she danced by, grabbing her uncle Dane, since she knew that there was no way he was going to remain outside with Michael. Even entering a conga line for a short time, to be able to get inside with me, was preferable.
“Narrow escape?” I teased my brother.
“You’re not even kidding,” he muttered, then squinted at me. “Why aren’t you dancing?”
“Someone has to keep the circus on track,” I said, grinning at him.
“Thank you for doing either this or Christmas every year. It’s so helpful to have a place that I know I can go and it will be stress-free.”
“Even with Michael here?”
He chuckled. “He doesn’t bother me, not really. I’m sure he’s far more uncomfortable than I will ever be. And besides, they won’t stay long.”
“They might.”
“No. I suspect this is a bit too low-key for them. They both prefer things that are a bit more fancy.”