“Thanks.” I brushed it off. “Lleyton filled me in on some of Jameson’s dates, so I can understand where you’re coming from.”
“Oh those women were nothing.” Julia waved it off. “He didn’t look at them the way he looks at you. I can tell he’s taken with you. Call it a mother’s intuition.”
I brought the cup to my lips to hide my frown. There was a very small part of me that kind of wished that were true.
“Anyway, back to more important things,” Julia changed tack. “Like Christmas cookies.”
“Right.” Lily clapped excitedly. “This is my favorite part of Christmas.”
“It’s a King tradition that we make our partners a giant Christmas cookie every year, Harper. I’m so happy you get to join in this year. I don’t think Jameson’s had one in… well, it’s been a very long time.”
A strange sort of silence fell over the room, and it was hard not to notice.
“Speaking of,” Amelia said quietly. “Just a little heads up that you’ll be meeting Jameson’s ex tonight at the party.”
“Oh.” I blinked.
Of course he hadn’t bothered to mention this little tidbit.
“Do you think it’s going to be awkward?” Julia asked aloud, to nobody in particular. Then she shook her head. “No I don’t think so. Katherine is such a lovely girl, she would never stir up trouble.”
“That’s what you like to think,” Lily muttered beneath her breath.
Amelia took pity on me and explained the situation before I succumbed to any more confusion. “Our family has been friends with the Redfords since we were still in diapers,” she said. “Dad and Mr. Redford went to med school together. They’ve both racked up quite the list of accolades since then. And every year they love to get together and have a total pissing contest over it.”
“Ah, I see.” I laughed. “Sounds like a good time.”
“Oh it is.” She rolled her eyes. “And of course, princess Katherine will be there too. The belle of the ball, I’m sure.”
“They really aren’t that bad,” Julia said in her motherly tone. “You’ll see tonight, they are a lovely family.”
Once I finished my muffin, Lacey slid a cookbook in front of me. “Enough about the party. Harper still has to decide what kind of cookie to make Jameson.”
I stared down at the book with a smile. It wasn’t even necessary. I already knew what he wanted.
Chapter Ten
The afternoon passed in a haze of delicious aromas and laughter as we made our special Christmas cookies.
I was surprised how much fun I was having with Jameson’s family. Even Evelyn seemed to be warming to me throughout the afternoon, and I thought I might actually make it through the next two weeks with no problems.
But then there was the other part of me that was ashamed for lying to these lovely women. They’d accepted me into their home and believed the story I spun for them without much question. I should have been happy about it, but the guilt was weighing on me heavily.
I could only hope that when my time there was up, they wouldn’t hate me for disappearing. On one hand I wanted to believe it didn’t matter because I was sure Jameson would find someone else to fill my shoes quickly. But on the other hand that very idea made me feel something strange. Something I had no right to, and it felt very much like jealousy.
At three o’ clock Jameson and Lleyton arrived back at the house, and just as his sisters predicted, he didn’t look happy.
“How did it go?” Julia asked nervously as he strode into the kitchen.
“The same as it always does,” he replied in a flat tone.
“Aw c’mon bro.” Lleyton slapped him on the back. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“Not for you,” Jameson grated. “But then it never is for the golden child.”
I detected a hint of bitterness in his tone, and again I wondered what was going on between him and Lleyton. Julia looked worried, and she was prepared to do anything to salvage Jameson’s time here. That plan apparently included me.
“Jameson,” she said quickly. “Harper made you something special.”