You Had Me At Christmas: A Holiday Anthology(26)

“Let me rephrase that for the ladies present. So, I guess you’re screwed then, buddy.” He couldn’t quite hide his glee as he piled potatoes onto his meat.

His brother-in-law loved and hated their success in equal measure. Jared picked up his knife and fork and said blandly, “Nope, I’m not following.” You passive-aggressive f*ckwit.

“Isn’t that why you’re selling this place? Because Zander Freedman’s screwed everything up?” Greg was a big guy with a big mouth, his sister’s brown eyes, and none of her intelligence. Possibly through taking too many hits in college football. “How can the band survive with your lead singer owing all that money?”

“It could take a while for the insurance company and Zander to resolve things,” Jared said vaguely. There was no way he was sharing Plan B with this guy. “Downsizing is simply a precautionary measure.”

Greg looked across the table at his sister. “Will you move home to Bridgeton if it all turns to sh—crap?

“We have no plans to,” Jared answered. We? I don’t recall you giving her a choice. At least the Grammy nomination eased some of the pressure. If Rage fell apart, he and a new band would have more credibility going forward.

“Mommy, when we move, where will we live?” With Maddie’s cold nearly gone, she’d regained her usual alertness.

“With each other, same as always.”

“You want to come home, though, don’t you, Kayla?” Greg reached past Jared for the bowl of peas. “Didn’t you tell Mom you were homesick as hell? Hated L.A.?”

Jared stopped eating. “You’re really that unhappy here?”

“No. Stop exaggerating, Greg.” She spooned peas onto her plate. “I’ve been very careful not to say I hated…” She seemed to realize what she was revealing, and paused. “Of course I miss everyone, but that’s natural when you move away from your home town. There’s always a settling in period until—”

“Jeez, some women are never happy, right, Jared?” Another wink. Jared could feel his jaw tighten. “She was never satisfied growing up either.”

“Probably because I had to fight for my share.” Kayla speared a potato from her brother’s plate. “Did you not notice I hadn’t served myself any yet?”

“Yeah, but I thought you’d be on one of those Hollywood no-carb diets. Isn’t that what everyone does here? Jared, you taking steroids, buddy? You’re looking pumped these days.”

“Nope, just gym work. You’re piling on a few pounds yourself, buddy.”

Greg patted his beer gut. “Yeah, but I don’t have to worry about competition like my sister does. Is that why you went on tour, Kayla, to keep an eye on him? All that * on offer, man, I envy you.”

“I like pussies,” Maddie commented, chewing the last of her meat. “Orange is my favorite because tigers are orange.” She brightened. “I’m going to put a kitten on my present list.”

“That’s a great idea, honey,” Kayla said tightly. “Why don’t you do that now?”

“Don’t I have to finish my vege’bles first?”

“You’re excused,” Jared answered.

She was out of her chair and running before anyone changed their mind.

The moment she was gone, Kayla glared at her brother. “Watch your potty mouth in front of my daughter.”

“Hell, Kayla, it’s not like she understood what I was talking about. Jeez, you’re so sensitive.”

“When you’re in my house—”

“Whoa, you better watch out, Jared. Her house. She might take that attitude in the divorce court.”

Kayla opened her mouth and hesitated. Jared knew what she was thinking. If she and Greg had this out—again—so close to Christmas it could make the joint family celebration awkward. Greg held grudges and would have no compunction sulking through the three days. And it was her mother’s first Christmas without Kayla’s dad.

Jared bit his tongue. She’d taken enough of the speaking-for-the-little-woman bullshit from her brother and her father Bill, God rest his soul. Kayla hadn’t been close to her dad—who’d been a milder version of his sexist son—but she was protective of her mom.

Then Greg winked at him.

He laid down his knife and fork. “Yes, Greg, her house, her food, her hospitality. We wouldn’t have any of this, if Kayla hadn’t supported me financially, and in every other way.”

“It’s a wife’s duty—”

“And what’s a brother’s?”

“Kayla knows I’m teasing.”

“My sisters would kick my ass if I spoke to them the way you do.”

“No offense, but that says as much about you as your sisters, Jared. I kicked your ass once or twice in elementary, myself.”

“Yeah, you’ve always been a bully. For years I’ve listened to your macho bullshit and watched Kayla smooth things over, for the sake of your mother.” Fiona was a lovely lady, but weak when it came to her son. “I’m done with it. Change your attitude or get out of her house.”

Greg threw down his napkin. “I knew you’d started thinking you were too good for us, Jared. You—”