“I’m hoping to spend more time up here in the next few months, so I’m happy to help out.”
“I won’t say no to that,” Landon said. “Give the man the form. It’s the hap-happiest time of the year!”
“Speaking of the happiest time of the year,” Ella said, “don’t anyone forget the staff retreat next Friday night.”
More grumbling followed her announcement.
“Why do you guys still complain when we do this every year before the holiday shopping season begins in earnest?” Ella asked.
“Because,” Lucas said, “you make us give up a Friday night to hang out with the ladies from the store. Not that I don’t like the ladies from the store, but they’re not exactly my target audience.”
“We have some new young ladies working the floor,” Ella said. “You might be pleasantly surprised.”
“New young ladies in Butler?” Landon asked, perking up. “How do we not know about this development?”
Max got up from the table, plate in hand. “I need to get back to Burlington.” He leaned over to kiss his mother’s cheek. “Thanks for dinner, Mom.”
“Of course, sweetheart. Keep us posted?”
“I will. See you all later.”
“Bye, Max,” the others said.
After the storm door closed behind him, everyone looked to Molly.
“What’s going on with him, Mom?” Colton asked. “He’s gone completely silent on me at work on the mountain. I don’t know what to do with him.”
“I don’t know for sure, but I think he and Chloe have broken up, and they’re going to have to make some tough decisions after the baby arrives.”
“Oh damn,” Hunter said. “That’s a tough one.”
“I know I don’t have to tell you all that he’s going to need our support in the next few weeks. Will, I’d like you to try to talk to him if you would. He’s always turned to you in times of trouble, and maybe he’d find it easier to talk to you.”
“Sure, Mom. I’ll do what I can.”
“No matter what happens, we need to make sure he knows he’s not alone in this.”
“Of course he’s not alone,” Charley said. “When have any of us had the good fortune of being alone with a difficult situation?”
Her cheeky question made the others laugh.
Molly served two kinds of pie for dessert, and then everyone pitched in to help clean up. Well, the boys pretended to pitch in, ensuring they were more trouble than they were worth so that Molly would shoo them from the kitchen the way she did every week.
“We need to get their gig,” Charley said when it was down to her, Molly, Ella, their sister Hannah and their aunt Hannah in the kitchen.
“Seriously,” Ella said. “They’ve got it made.”
“I don’t know if I’d rather come back in my next life as a man or a well-kept dog,” Molly said. “Not sure which has it better.”
“A man,” the women said in chorus.
*
After almost everyone had cleared out after dinner, leaving only Elmer, Molly’s sister Hannah and her son Grayson, Lincoln invited Elmer and Gray to have a drink in his study so Molly could have some time with her sister.
“That’s where he keeps the good stuff,” Elmer said to his grandson.
“Well, let’s go then.”
“Bourbon?” Linc asked after he stoked the fire in the hearth.
“You know I won’t say no to that,” Elmer said.
“Me either,” Gray said.
“Still feels funny to be pouring bourbon for kids we raised,” Lincoln said to his father-in-law.
“That it does,” Elmer replied. “Wait until you’re pouring for the second generation of kids you raised.”
“I’m still trying to get my head around becoming a grandfather any day now.” Lincoln delivered drinks to both men and then went back for his before joining them in the seating area in front of the fire.
“Here’s to becoming a grandfather,” Elmer said, raising his glass to Grayson, his oldest grandchild. “One of the best days of my life.”