Unwrapping Holly(32)

She squeezed her eyes shut. Damn, damn, damn. She was crying.





AS EXCITED AS HOLLY WAS about seeing her sister Rachel, and as hard and long as she hugged her, it was torture to bite her tongue through the happy homecoming and not pull her parents aside. It was, after all, only an hour after she’d wiped her tears from her confrontation with Cole. She’d pulled herself together, after being instructed to bring the ruby to the main house, and now Holly sat next to Rachel in the family living room. She watched as her mother placed the stone on the mantel and announced that the ruby’s destiny would be disclosed Christmas morning.

“Grandma left a sealed letter with instructions,” Margaret explained. “She wanted us all here when it’s opened.”

“Well, of course, it’s going to Holly,” Rachel said, casting her a sideways look. “The oldest. The golden child who did no wrong.”

Holly snipped that idea immediately, not about to carry the added weight of this childhood argument at a time like this—with their family home on the line. “The golden child, as in the babysitter, diaper changer, the one who got in trouble for everything you guys did. You sound like Mason now. Please.”

Rachel narrowed her eyes on Holly and laughed. “God, I’ve missed arguing with you.”

Holly found herself smiling despite the stress weighing on her shoulders. “I’ve missed arguing with you, too.”

“Whatever the destiny of the ruby,” Margaret said, “Grandma found a way to make it special for the entire family.” The family story of the ruby followed—including Grandma Reddy’s belief that it held the magic of love—and Holly fought back a wave of emotion. The ruby wish had started her down the path that had led to Cole, and looking at the whimsical expression on Rachel’s lovely, heart-shaped face, she was headed to the same place.

“So all I have to do is wish for a big, hunky guy, and he’ll come calling?” Rachel joked. She shoved a wave of dark hair behind her ear and bit her lip. “I think I’ll wish for someone tall—at least six foot three, broad shoulders, a six-pack, and blue eyes.” She sighed. “Yeah. That would be nice.”

Holly scoffed at that before she could stop herself. “Careful what you wish for,” she said, thinking of her own wish. “You might get it.”

Rachel and Margaret both stared at Holly. Rachel arched a dark brow. “Something you need to talk about, sis?”

“What?” she asked. “No. I’m just uptight about my deadlines. I need to get back to work.” She hugged Rachel. “I want to hear all about that big-time advertising career of yours before you leave. Love ya, sweetie. Glad you’re home.”

Holly stood up and tried to sound nonchalant. “Mom, that contractor who came today left some paperwork he said you needed, if you want to walk over to the cottage with me to get it?”

Her mother’s face froze. “Contractor?”

“Cole Wiley,” Holly said. “He went over everything with me in detail.”

“Yes,” Margaret said. “I’ll be right over.”

The doorbell rang and before anyone had a chance to respond it was open. Buzzy, the nosy neighbor next door, sounded off as she let herself in. “Hello, everyone!” Holly’s eyes met her mother’s and in silent, mutual agreement, they made a path for the door. Neither of them wanted to deal with Buzzy’s questions right now. Poor Rachel would just have to deal with the joy of a welcome home, Nosy Buzzy style.





FIVE MINUTES LATER, HOLLY’S MOTHER sat across from her at Grandma Reddy’s kitchen table.

“Is this about money, Mom?” Holly asked. “Has retirement put you in a bad spot?”

“No! ” she said, looking appalled. “Of course not. The house is paid for. We want the money to travel. We want to live a little. And none of you are here. Why should we sit back and let life pass us by? We planned to tell everyone after the holidays. We thought it was best that way.”

Holly pursed her lips. “Because you knew we’d be upset.”

“We hope you’ll all be excited for us. We’re going to see the world, sweetheart. But yes, we worried that one, or all of you, would be upset, and we didn’t want to upset the holiday festivities. We never intended for you to find out the way you did. That had to be a shock.”

Her mom didn’t know the half of it. Finding out that Cole was buying their property shook her in a way her mother couldn’t begin to understand.

“You’re sure this Cole Wiley isn’t pressuring you in some way?”

Her mother laughed at that. “Oh, goodness no. If anything your father is pressuring him to finish up the paperwork.”