“Hi, Mike.”
Mike swallowed a groan when Celeste answered the door and did his best to return her smile. “Hi, Celeste, how are you?”
“Good.” She looked curiously at Lucky. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Lucky Caldwell.”
She nodded graciously. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lucky.”
Mike knew Celeste must’ve recognized Lucky’s name and had to be astonished to see them together. But her impeccable manners wouldn’t allow her to give any of that away.
“Are you two enjoying the holidays?”
Mike wasn’t sure he could claim true enjoyment. This year, the holidays had had their high points, but they’d also had their lows. Too much had happened. But small talk was small talk. “We are, and you?”
“It’s been wonderful to have Garth home.”
“I’ll bet.” He hoped she’d continue to be happy about that, but a lot depended on the missing journal. “Is the senator here, then?”
“He is. Please, come in.” She ushered them into the marble entryway Mike had seen so many times growing up. It still had the high ceilings and tall mirrors he remembered, but the sculpture on the pedestal in the center had changed. Celeste had always supported local artists. Sculptures, ceramics, paintings of all kinds filled her home. “I’ll get him,” she said and hurried off.
Mike exchanged a meaningful glance with Lucky. She seemed different all of a sudden, more nervous than she’d been at Dave’s. He reached out to squeeze her shoulder in reassurance just as Senator Holbrook came from somewhere in the back of the house.
“Hello, Mike.” Garth’s tone was cautious, his expression guarded. His eyes cut briefly to Lucky, but he didn’t greet her. “What can I do for you?”
Celeste had accompanied him, so Mike chose his words carefully. “I’ve got some fund-raising concerns I’d like to go over with you, if you’ve got a minute.”
Again his eyes flicked toward Lucky, but he spoke to his wife. “Celeste, would you be so good as to bring our guests some of that delicious spiced cider you make every Christmas?”
“Of course, dear.”
“Thank you.”
As she left, Senator Holbrook escorted them into his study. Once he closed the heavy mahogany door, he leaned against it, waiting for Mike to speak.
“Do you have it?” Mike asked.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The trees outside the only window blocked the sun, making the room darker than the entryway. Mike couldn’t read Garth’s expression well enough to judge his veracity.
“My mother’s journal,” Lucky said.
“Someone broke into her house last night and took it,” Mike explained.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, but he didn’t seem distraught in the least, which told Mike everything he needed to know.
“We wanted to alert you, just in case,” Mike said and then, because he was so disappointed in Garth, he added, “For Gabe’s sake.”
Holbrook didn’t speak for a second. Finally, he said, “Mike, I—”
The sound of Celeste’s heels, clicking across the marble entryway, intruded.
“Never mind.” Holbrook moved away from the door. “Thank you for the visit.”
Mike nodded and waved Lucky out ahead of him.
Holbrook seemed to be struggling with the role of cordial host and didn’t even follow them out. But they immediately encountered Celeste, who was carrying a tray with a pitcher and mugs.
“Oh! You’re leaving already?”
Mike gave her his kindest smile. “We just had a quick question.”
“Don’t you want to stay for a cup of cider?”
“Maybe another time,” he said. “You and Garth go ahead. We can show ourselves out.”
She seemed torn, but her hands were full and Garth, who was still in his study, was obviously her priority. “Well, thanks for coming.”
Mike nodded, and her gaze fell to Lucky. “You’ve become a beautiful woman, Lucky.”
“Thank you.” Lucky seemed to have difficulty meeting her eyes, and Mike could understand. It wasn’t easy to accept Celeste’s kindness when they were sheltering such a terrible secret. He thought he could understand, a little, how disloyal Lucky had felt toward Morris for holding her tongue as a young girl.
“Enjoy the rest of the holidays,” Celeste said, and gave them a parting smile.
MIKE INSISTED on helping Lucky straighten up everything that was at the Victorian. She knew he should probably go home. With Orton’s involvement, the missing journal and their visit to the Holbrooks hanging over them, they were only begging for more trouble by spending so much time together. But Mike hadn’t mentioned leaving, and Lucky didn’t want to be the one to bring it up—not when being with him was the only thing she really wanted.
“Do you think Senator Holbrook was embarrassed that you know?” she asked as she dished up the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole she’d made during the previous two days.
Mike was sitting on the couch in the living room, watching her. “He was feeling something. I’m not sure it was embarrassment.”
“He didn’t ask you not to tell Gabe.”
“He knows I won’t tell anyone because of Gabe.”
“Yeah, I guess you made that clear.” She put the first plateful of food into the microwave so she could heat it up.
“Why did you tell Holbrook about the journal in the first place?” Mike asked.
Lucky kept her face averted so he wouldn’t know what a disappointment her conversation with Holbrook had been. “I wanted him to take a paternity test.”
“He declined?”
“He offered me two hundred thousand dollars to go away.”
Mike didn’t respond for several seconds. “I’m sorry,” he said at last.
“It’s okay.” She tried to act flippant about it, but Mike was beginning to know her too well. He got up and walked over to her. Circling her waist with his arms, he pulled her back against his chest.
“I know it doesn’t change the way that encounter must have felt, Lucky, but he has a lot to lose,” he said, kissing her neck in consolation.
“Too much, apparently. Seems like everyone who associates with me has too much to lose, doesn’t it?”
She laughed, but she knew he’d drawn the connection to himself when his arms tightened. “It’s not fair to either one of us that your mother made such a terrible mess of everything.”