Christmas Steele Read Online Free

retrospect, her grandparents
were probably wise not to tell her about the adoption. Though Lacy
deeply wanted for her grandfather to know his only daughter and
vice versa, she didn’t believe her mother could handle the
information.
    Holidays had been notoriously bad in their
household, which was why Lacy’s grandmother handled most of them.
Nothing seemed to be able to ruffle Lucinda Craig, though her
daughter was about to test that hypothesis. Lacy could tell her
grandma felt caught in the middle, not wanting to upset her only
child while not wanting to hurt her boyfriend--and her daughter’s
biological father.
    “How’s the weather down in Florida, Clint?”
Mr. Middleton asked her father, wisely diverting the conversation
to the most rational member of Lacy’s family.
    “It’s hot, Mr. Middleton,” her father
said.
    “Please call me Tom. High school was over a
long time ago.”
    “Tom,” her father repeated with a dutiful
smile and Lacy knew that his acceptance of the situation was now
complete. If only her mother would cooperate so easily. She was so
chilly and unbending Lacy felt the need to grab a sweater just from
being near her.
    “Everything is on track for the holiday
party, Mom,” Lacy added cheerfully, hoping to divert her mother’s
attention to a more pleasant topic. “We’ve all been baking like
mad. Grandma has been a task mistress.” She smiled at her
grandmother to let her know she was teasing. Her grandmother smiled
back, but it looked strained.
    “The holiday party,” her mother repeated. “I
was hoping that could just be for family this year.”
    “But we always invite friends,” Lacy
protested, probably sounding like a pouting child. Her mother often
had that effect on her.
    “What’s wrong with just family this year?”
her mother asked, shooting a not-so-subtle look at Mr.
Middleton.
    “Mom, Gladys and her grandson have already
been invited. They don’t have anywhere else to go. And I was hoping
to invite Tosh.”
    “Tosh?” her mother’s ears perked up as they
always did when Lacy mentioned a man. “Who is Tosh?”
    “He’s our pastor,” Lucinda volunteered. “A
remarkably nice young man, and so handsome.”
    “Really?” Frannie said, shooting Lacy a
speculative look. “Why haven’t you mentioned him before, Lacy?”
    “I thought I had. But we’re just friends,
Mom. You’ll like him.”
    “I can’t wait to meet him,” her mother
replied. “But I don’t know why you insist on calling everyone a
friend. What’s wrong with dating?”
    “I’m just not ready to date yet, Mom,” Lacy
said, uncomfortable with the shift in conversation.
    “Why not?” her mother asked.
    “Because that area is still a little painful
for me,” Lacy said, her eyes darting around the room, looking for
escape.
    “Why?” Frannie pressed.
    Lacy sighed. Obviously she was going to have
to spell it out. “Because my fiancé dumped me for my sister and it
hurt. A lot.”
    Her mother waved her hand dismissively in
front of her face. “Oh. That. But, honey, obviously you can see
that Robert and Riley are better suited for each other. You and
Robert were never a good fit.”
    Lacy’s jaw dropped. Was her mother really
excusing what had happened?
    “Can I help you carry your bags, Clint?” Mr.
Middleton interjected. He stepped forward and laid a hand on Lacy’s
shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Lacy wasn’t sure if it was meant to
be comforting or restraining, but she decided to take it as a
comforting gesture.
    “Sure,” Clint replied, relieved to have found
an escape from the tension in the house. “Want to come, Frannie?
You left your purse in the car.”
    “All right,” Frannie replied, turning to
follow her husband back outside.
    Lacy remained standing in the center of the
kitchen, feeling shell-shocked and overwhelmed. “Grandma, do we
have any ice cream?” she asked.
    “No, but I think I’m going to make a prune
cake,” her grandmother replied, sounding as dismal as