Harlequin Special Edition December 2018, Box Set 1 of 2 by Brenda Harlen

Author:Brenda Harlen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

That evening, as the Hollister family gathered in the den for before-dinner drinks, Holt walked up behind Vivian and slung an arm around her shoulders.

“How’s it going, sis?”

She looked around and promptly gasped at the sight of his face. One eye was black and swollen, while the right corner of his bottom lip was stitched together.

“What in the heck? I hope the other guy looks worse than you,” she told him.

He chuckled. “Viv, you know your little brother quit picking fights years ago. A randy colt gave me this pretty face. He thinks he’s grown enough to be a stallion, but I tried to tell him he wasn’t. We butted heads over the argument.”

In spite of his black eye and mangled lip, she couldn’t help but laugh at the comical expression on his face. Holt was one of the best horse trainers in the state and probably beyond. But over the years he’d suffered various forms of injuries. Some minor and others very serious, like a skull fracture and a shoulder torn out of its socket.

“I’m glad that’s all he did to you. So what does the horse look like? I hope you didn’t hurt him,” she teased.

“A hell of a lot better than I do,” he joked, then, squeezing her shoulders, he guided her toward a small leather couch positioned near the fireplace. “Come on, let’s sit here before someone else does.”

The two of them had settled themselves comfortably onto the couch when Jazelle appeared with a tray full of drinks.

Vivian quickly plucked up a margarita, but Holt took his time studying the assortment of drinks.

“What’s this orange-looking thing with the brown twig in it?” he asked the housekeeper.

“It’s heated punch with apple cider and a few other things Reeva adds to it. And the brown twig is a stem of cloves.”

“You don’t eat it, though, little brother,” Vivian informed him. “It’s just to add flavor.”

Jazelle winked at Vivian, then said to Holt, “The drink doesn’t have alcohol, so you might want to choose one that does.”

“The punch will be fine,” he said. “The doctor gave me something for pain when he sewed up this lip. I’d better stay away from the alcohol. Viv thinks I’m crazy enough as it is.”

Jazelle was handing Holt the drink when Chandler walked up and surveyed the loaded tray.

“Have any wine there?” he asked. “I’ve had a hell of a day.”

Holt let out a cynical snort. “I guess you think mine’s been a bowl full of cherries.”

“Yeah, and you got the pits instead.”

“Ha. Ha,” Holt retorted.

Jazelle handed Chandler a long-stemmed glass of blackberry wine, then moved across the room to where Maureen was seated with Blake and Katherine. In a far corner of the room, Hannah and Nick were busy erecting a small nativity scene on a console table.

It was a typical evening for the Hollister family, but Vivian could only wonder what Sawyer was doing right now. Having a quiet evening meal with his grandmother? Or maybe he’d stopped in Camp Verde to have dinner with a woman.

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