Million Dollar Mistake by Meg Lacey

there, much to Raven’s surprise. As if the two of them were the main feature, all eyes focused on them. Lorianne and Margaret stopped their conversation, J.R. glanced up from his piled-high plate and Nana gave them a queenly nod as Jackson turned from the buffet to serve her.
    Raven hesitated, but felt Nicholas’s hand in the center of her back supporting her, urging her forward. She took a reluctant step inside, saying in her gayest voice, “Good morning, everyone. Did you all sleep well? I slept wonderfully. It must be this country air.”
    “The windows were closed, pet, and sleep was the last thing on our minds, remember?” Nicholas’s suggestive comment hit the room like a hundred-pound weight dropped from a forty-story building.
    So much for civility, Raven thought as Jackson threw them a dagger-sharp glare.
    Nicholas wrapped his arms around Raven and announced, “Did I mention that we’re engaged?”
    Raven could almost hear the huge sigh of relief from Jackson’s parents, which rather ticked her off. She wouldn’t have been that bad for their son. She wasn’t a leper, for heaven’s sake. She’d had no intention of getting seriously involved with him, but it was the principle of the thing.
    J.R. tipped his coffee cup in their direction. “I can’t tell you how delightful that news is to everyone.” Obviously, he was pretending last night’s hallway scene didn’t happen.
    “Not everyone, Father,” Jackson denied.
    J.R. barreled on as if his son was invisible. “To think we had some small role in reuniting the two of you. Isn’t that great, Margaret?”
    “Oh yes.” Margaret cracked a small smile. “Wonderful, wonderful news.”
    “Wonderful,” Lorianne echoed.
    Nicholas snorted in Raven’s ear. She sent him a look over her shoulder.
    “Like a fairy tale,” Margaret continued.
    “The fair princess rescued by the dashing prince,” Lorianne added.
    At that, Nicholas started coughing to disguise his fit of laughter, at Lorianne’s ironic comment. Raven unwrapped herself from his arms and turned to give him a thump on the back, hissing, “Shut up.”
    “I think you’re confusing your folklore, Lorianne,” Jackson said, not bothering to look at her, keeping his hard gaze on Nicholas instead. “This entire thing is more like Beauty and the Beast.”
    Nicholas straightened at Jackson’s comment, but before he could open his mouth, Raven leaped in to play the tactful smoother-over. A role as foreign to her as a chew toy to a toothless lion.
    “I wonder who he was calling the beast, darling,” she said in a light tone to Nicholas.
    It was enough to make Nicholas relax a bit, but the look on his face told Raven he’d deal with Jackson later. A glance at Jackson revealed he would welcome the opportunity.
    Nana called a halt to the testosterone display by saying with a wicked sparkle, “Now that the cocks have finished crowing, I think we should have mimosas to celebrate. Don’t you agree, Margaret?”
    Margaret responded. “What a delightful idea. Orange juice and champagne is a lovely way to start the day.” She bustled out of the room to make the arrangements.
    “Don’t just stand there like lost children,” Nana continued, patting the chairs near her. “Come and have breakfast.”
    Again Raven felt the urge to run and was surprised to feel Nicholas also hesitate. Could he be as reluctant to prolong their visit as she? She glanced back at him, but his only response was a brief look, after which he sighed. She started to say something when the pressure of his palm at her waist gently moved her forward.
    He settled her in her chair before continuing on to Nana’s. Raven watched as Nicholas grinned then lifted Nana’s hand to his lips for a brief salute. “You’re really enjoying this situation, aren’t you, ma’am?”
    Nana chuckled. “I find it highly amusing. You young people are so dramatic.” She glanced at her grandson who had turned back to the buffet. “It’s better