“There’s my girl!” He scooped her up and gave her a twirl, but his gaze went right back to Gracie, which only made Red’s old heart twist.
Tonight. He was definitely going to find some way to tell Gracie what he might have overheard. She could do what she wanted with that information—maybe nothing—but Red would have a clear conscience.
When Marshall stepped back from Olivia, he turned to Gracie, his whole expression warming even more as he reached for her.
“Merry Christmas Eve, gorgeous,” he murmured, both of them standing close enough for Red to hear the exchange.
“Red’s going to ride with us, too,” Gracie said after she hugged him.
“Awesome! There’s plenty of room,” Marshall agreed, walking to the back of his truck. “We can put the dogs?—”
“Wait! Wait! Don’t leave without me!” The high-pitched cry broke over the commotion of car doors and barking, making all of them turn toward the road that led to the cabins.
Bianca Hampton—in a cheetah-print jacket and carrying a handbag that he suspected cost more than his first new car—came teetering across the snow in high-heeled boots.
He felt, rather than heard, a groan of defeat from Marshall.
“I decided I want to go!” she called, waving one hand overhead.
Gracie’s face blanched. Marshall’s smile vanished. Even Olivia’s eyes flashed with a silentuh-oh.
Bianca headed straight for Marshall, who subtly leaned back the way people do when a bee lands on their shirt and they’re trying not to freak out.
“Oh, my gosh, thank goodness I caught you,” Bianca gushed, slipping her hand around his arm like she was boarding one of theTitanic’s lifeboats. “Olivia needsbothher parents tonight. It’s Christmas Eve. It’s our holiday. Our shared special time. This Nativity…thingis such an important family moment.”
Red bit back a groan of doom.
Marshall gently extracted his arm. “Bianca…it’slive, remember? That means…animals that smell and…”
“Poop!” Olivia said, making everyone laugh nervously.
“Right,” Marshall agreed. “And you don’t look dressed for?—”
“I’m fine!” Bianca declared, wobbling prettily. “And, Marsh, it means something to Olivia for me to be there. Family memories? Hello? You want me to go, right, Livvie my love?”
The little girl let out a puff of breath, looking helplessly from one parent to the other. “Yeah…sure. I just don’t think it’s actually your…um, scene, Mom.”
“Then I’ll make it my scene,” she declared.
Or she would makeascene, Red thought.
Marshall cleared his throat. “I’m taking the kids and the dogs and Gracie. And Red, so I don’t really have room.”
If Red hadn’t heard what he thought he heard while he’d been hiding in that cabin, he’d have shown some class and instantly volunteered to ride with Jack and Cindy. But that would play right into this viper’s schemes.
Bianca clapped two hands dramatically over her heart. “But Marshall, it’s Christmas Eve! And I amlegallysupposed to be with her, so I’ll just keep her here with me and we’ll sit in the cabin alone.”
“Bianca.” He ground out her name in a way that sounded…like he’d said it that way a million times. “You can’t?—”
“Just take me, Marsh. I can’t let her go without me. Ineedto be with her.”
Red rolled his eyes so hard he nearly saw his brain stem.
Marshall held firm. “Bianca, this event is very…small-town.”
“Right? Like I’m in my own Hallmark movie. Let’s get great pictures for my social media accounts.” She pushed by him, undaunted and clueless. “Olivia! Let’s go, honey.”
Marshall was visibly torn—a good man and a good father. It was obvious he wanted Gracie next to him. But Bianca was digging in with talons.
