filled the room.
She straightened. She’d thought it would only be Abby, Gray and herself. Instead, Abby’s family was here. The three sisters were connected at the hips. Now it wouldn’t be a quick meal. She’d have to chat with people who thought she was a bitch.
She shook back her curls. What did it matter? She’d be back in Boston and away from here soon enough.
Dolley, the youngest sister, said something and Liam, the documentary maker she’d latched on to, laughed along with the rest of the adults. Everyone but her.
What would it be like to laugh freely and not care if the laugh lines became permanently engraved on your face?
They were talking about Bess and Daniel’s honeymoon. Courtney hesitated next to the kitchen sitting area.
The boy who’d been in Abby’s wedding sat next to a little girl. What was his name? “Jason?”
He looked up from scribbling in a sketch book. “I’m Joshua. Josh.”
“Hi, Joshua Josh.” She sat across from the kids. “What are you coloring?”
He raised his eyebrows. “I’m drawing.”
She could see ears and the body of a dog forming under the pencil strokes. “Is that your dog?”
“It’s Carly, my uncle’s dog. But Papa says we get a dog as soon as our house is ready.”
“You’re very talented.” She looked over at the tiny blond-haired girl. “What are you working on?”
She held up a coloring book.
“Issy doesn’t talk much. ’Cuz of stuff,” Josh said. “She always colors princesses.”
“I see that.” Pink exploded over the page. “Very pretty.”
Issy pointed to the page she wasn’t coloring.
“You want me to color with you?” Courtney asked.
Issy’s brown eyes brightened.
“Thank you.” She knelt on the opposite side of the coffee table and picked a purple crayon from the pack. “Do you know your colors?”
The little girl nodded.
Courtney held up the crayon in her hand.
“Purple,” the little girl sang.
“Right.” Two princesses were on the page. “Which dress should be purple?”
Issy tapped one.
As they worked, Courtney asked her to name the colors each time she changed crayons.
A blond woman came to the sitting area. “Hi, Courtney, can I get you something to drink?”
Courtney looked up. Everyone in the kitchen had wine or beer. “Umm, a glass of wine? Whatever everyone is drinking.”
“We’re having prosecco.” The woman smiled. “I’m Cheryl.”
“Cheryl. Thanks.” She pushed the crayons back to Issy.
Gray would expect her to socialize with the adults, people who despised her. She’d rather play with the kids, but she stood. “Thanks for letting me color.”
The kitchen door opened again. This time it was a stranger. The man’s dark brown hair was short. She’d never been enamored with the clipped look, but it made his steel-blue eyes stand out.
She arranged her hair so it draped over her shoulder.
“Am I in the right place?” the stranger asked.
“You are. Kaden, come in.” Abby took his hand and pulled him into the center of the kitchen. “I was afraid you’d changed your mind about dinner.”
The hottie shook his head. “No, just my clothes.”
He wasn’t dressed in jeans or shorts like the other men. He wore nice Dockers and a polo. Not the best quality, but not the worst, either.
Cheryl handed Courtney her prosecco. Turning to the stranger—Kaden—Cheryl asked, “How is Nigel doing?”
Nigel. The name rang a bell. Was that the old guy who worked for the B and B?
“Complaining he wants to go home.”
“Oh, dear.” Cheryl bit her lip. “He can’t. He needs physical therapy, right?”
Kaden nodded.
Courtney wished she’d worn one of the sundresses still packed in her bags, but her white top and coral capri pants were dressier than any other woman’s outfit in the room. She moved toward the cluster of people standing near the table, swaying her hips a little.
“Hi, Courtney.” Dolley nodded in her direction, no smile on her face.
“Courtney,” Bess said. “I didn’t know you were here.”
The two Fitzgerald sisters looked at her, waiting for an explanation. Courtney wouldn’t let her teeth grind. “I surprised Gray.”
“Oh.” Bess shoved her long red ponytail over her shoulder. Didn’t the Fitzgeralds realize men preferred women’s hair to be cascading around their breasts? It fueled their imaginations.
Liam wrapped his arm around Dolley’s waist. One of the twin brothers set a hand on Bess’s shoulder.
“Daniel, you remember Gray’s sister?” Bess asked.
He nodded, drinking his beer.
“Good to see you again, Daniel,” Courtney lied. Twin One identified.
Everyone stared at her. Were they waiting for her to speak? Or was it her clothes? Could she help it if she was beautiful? Sure, the Fitzgerald women had their...charm. But she’d been taught to highlight her assets.
“People, meet Kaden.” Abby introduced him to everyone, even Cheryl—an employee—and Nathan, Twin Two, who was apparently engaged to Cheryl and father of Issy.
When Abby introduced her, Courtney set her hand in Kaden’s, letting her fingers linger. “Lovely to meet you.”
His eyebrows arched a fraction. “Nice to meet you.”
Oh, my. Her belly did a lovely slow roll. He was a good-looking man.
Kaden turned and said something to Daniel.
She let her hand slip to her side. Her breath hitched on a bubble of panic. Men didn’t turn away from her.
Everyone talked in groups, excluding her. They talked in shorthand. She couldn’t keep up. Courtney rolled her shoulders. Who cared? These people weren’t part of her world.
“Let’s
