Page 169 of Love Unspoken

"Where will you spend the holidays then?"

I smiled broadly then. "With Amara and her father."

"Lucas," my mother cried out and stood up so quickly that she dislodged the leather chair she was sitting on, causing it to wobble a little. Admirable, considering the sturdiness of that chair, I thought as I waited for the hysterics.

"Grandma told me she was going to leave after the board meeting tomorrow for Hawaii. Maybe Amara and I could go there for Christmas," I said thoughtfully.

My mother's face dropped. "Rena is joining us for Thanksgiving Dinner, and she has not said anything about not spending Christmas at the estate."

"Well, I'm sure her assistant will let you know. I'd make it a point if I were you to ask her." I was running out of patience. "Mama, I am busy."

"Stop it," she yelled. "Just stop it. That horrible woman is breaking up my family."

My office door opened, and I sighed. Who else was going to fuck up my day today?

"Stop screaming, Patsy, the whole floor can hear you," Grandma admonished as she walked in high heels and a bright red pantsuit. She looked at me and smiled. "I spoke to the last board member who you couldn't reach, and we're all good for tomorrow."

My mother glared at Grandma. "Did you know he's not spending Thanksgiving with us?"

"Who is this us?" Grandma asked, tilting her head. "Did Jamie not tell you that I will not be able to attend either Thanksgiving or Christmas at the estate? I'm going to be at the house in Kauai."

"Rena, we always spend it together as a family." Mama was horrified.

"What family?" Rena threw back. "The one where you've been trying to manipulate your son into marrying Hugh's daughter? Just because you're fucking the man, Patsy, doesn't mean you have to do his bidding."

Now, it was my turn to gape. Not in a million years would I have thought my mother was sleeping with Hugh.

"Does that make Kath and me step-siblings?" I mused, knowing that Grandma outing her like this was freaking Mama out.

"Rena, this is very unseemly, and I have no idea what you're talking about." Mama crossed her arms.

Grandma sighed. "Patsy, everyone knows, hon, that you and Hugh are an item. I don't care. You're young and healthy, and you should be enjoying the company of a man if you please. I wish you'd chosen better, but that's none of my business. What I'm saying is that Hugh isn't a Covington, and your loyalties as of late seem to not be with the family."

"How can you say that?" Mama yelled, and I felt a headache start to form at the back of my head. "After all that I have sacrificed for the family! Your son was⁠—"

"Your husband," Rena cut her off. "And you chose to stay married to him even when he was busy dipping his pen, so to speak, in every inkpot he could find. That was your choice."

"Mine?" Mama looked at Rena and then at me. "Can you believe her?"

I raised both hands. "I'm Paul. This is between y'all." I picked up my laptop. "I have a meeting, which I will take from a conference room. Feel free to use my office."

"Lucas." Mama stepped in front of me. "Don't break up our family."

"Mama, you're welcome to spend Thanksgiving with Amara and me at her place. In fact, Shelby is also welcome, and I guess we'll put up with Flynn even though that man is gearing to get his ass kicked."

"But that's absurd. We have Thanksgiving Dinner at the estate."

"I'm inviting you to where I will be. So, if it's family you care about, we will all be together, well, except for Grandma, who will be in Hawaii," I pointed out.

I walked to Grandma and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for taking care of the vote for tomorrow."

Grandma grinned at me. "You can count on me, son."

As I closed the door behind me, I heard my mother scream at Grandma, blaming her for leading me astray. I looked at my assistant and shrugged. She kept her face emotionless and merely nodded at me.

I went into an empty conference room and dialed into the meeting I was supposed to have joined ten minutes ago. My phone beeped as I was halfway through the meeting.

Amara: Emily and Ace will be joining us at Magnolia's tonight.