Page 7 of Last Chance Seduction (Montgomery Ink Legacy #9)

I raised a brow. “I do call you Lex.” When I cursed him in my mind. Though I knew leaning into calling him Lexington was childish. What was wrong with me?

“Sure you do. Did you get my text? It is you, right? Not some random person.”

“I got them. Thanks for the schedule. Though it does seem to be all noise all the time.”

“We’ll be done in an hour with this, and then there won’t be anything loud for the next two weeks. Promise. We’re hitting the holiday season, and I’m giving my team time off.”

I blinked at him. “Oh?”

He winked and I swallowed hard. “I do like to be a nice boss every once in a while. Where are you off to?”

“Well since I couldn’t get most of my work done today, I’m off to grocery shop. Is that okay with you?”

Why was I acting like this? Lexington had been my friend. We had been friendly. Nice to each other. I didn’t know what it was that got my fur up when it came to him these days. But maybe it was because once again he had seen me at one of my lowest points.

There had been a reason I hadn’t invited anybody to Emily’s funeral. Because she hadn’t had one. She hadn’t wanted one. And I had acquiesced to her request. So nobody had been with me to say goodbye. It had just been me and her ashes, and a sense of loss that would never be repaired.

“Merce? What’s up? What’s wrong?” he asked as he reached out and slid his fingertips over my cheek.

I flinched and took a step back so my body pressed against my SUV.

“I’m fine. Just lost in thought.”

“Okay. I’m sorry. But for real though, you should be able to get all the work done you need to soon, okay? We’re almost done with the outdoor projects. Promise.”

“It’s your house, Lexington. Don’t worry about it. I know you already talked to everybody else about timing. I just wasn’t here for that.”

“I can still feel bad about it.”

“And I can still apologize for being grumpy.”

“You never need to apologize for that, Merce,” he said, his lips quirking into a smile.

I was aware that some of his team members, as well as probably a few Montgomerys, were stealing curious looks over at us, but I ignored them. It would be best for everybody if I continued to do that.

“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know we’ll be out of your hair soon.”

“Thanks. It’ll be nice actually, since I have a bunch of deadlines I want to get ahead of during the holidays.”

He frowned. “You’re going to be working the whole season?”

“Of course. It’s a great time for me to get some work done because there’s not that many people out and about. You know?”

He looked like he wanted to say something, but one of his crew called him over, and I waved him off.

“Get back to work, I’m going grocery shopping.”

“Okay. Yeah. Well, it’s good to see you, Merce.”

I nodded in answer, and he made his way back towards the house.

With a sigh, and wondering why everything just felt off, I got in my car and headed to the grocery store.

I wasn’t planning on celebrating the holidays this year.

It was just me after all. What was the point of putting up a tree, setting lights, or buying myself gifts?

I had friends all around the world, and I could visit any one of them.

Many had even offered, but I didn’t want to invade their time with their families.

I just wanted to be by myself and try to figure out how to enjoy the time that I had on this earth.

Which might not sound too productive or healthy, but for me, it was a step in a different direction.

I wasn’t drowning myself in sorrow, wasn’t hiding from my own feelings.

I was moving on in this new life of mine. Alone.

But I was good at being alone.

I put one earbud in my ear, had my phone out with my grocery list, and set about to get through this part of the day quickly.

I hummed along to my favorite contemporary artist, focusing on trying to breathe through the day, rather than on what I didn’t have anymore.

Holiday music blasted through the speakers overhead, while the aisles were filled with different seasonal purchases and offerings, and I added a box of specialty chocolates to my basket, I ignored the other red and green items surrounding me.

Images of our family holidays blasted through my mind, that bittersweet feeling taking hold once more.

My mother and Emily had always been the ones who pushed us to go all out for the holidays, while my father and I had smiled along, but enjoyed it, nonetheless.

When Mom had died when we’d had been juniors in high school, Emily had gone full tilt to make sure that we still celebrated the way that Mom had always loved. And I had joined in, knowing that my sister had needed me.

Then Dad had died just three years later, leaving us alone in a world where we still did everything for each other to bring that joy.

Now it was just me—and Mr. Darcy. Celebrating didn’t really seem high up on my list of priorities.

With a smile, at least a forced one, I was nearly done with my grocery shopping when the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Frowning I turned around and saw a familiar man walking the opposite way down the aisle.

Now that I thought about it, he had been down nearly every single aisle I had been throughout this entire shopping day, but that wasn’t too crazy.

After all, it was grocery shopping, and it wasn’t as if people didn’t have similar lists.

Still though, it felt a bit odd.

Or maybe I was just seeing too much considering I had just read a thriller book the night before.

Nonetheless, I finished my shopping quickly and kept an eye out for him on my way out. But I didn’t see him again.

“You’re losing your mind, Mercy,” I whispered to myself.

I drove home, pushing the odd experience out of my mind, because it was just me seeing things after all, and pulled into my driveway soon after.

The construction crew seemed to be done for the day, and only Lex’s truck and another SUV I didn’t recognize sat in the driveway.

I quickly pulled my groceries out of my SUV and brought everything inside.

Mr. Darcy meowed angrily at me because I wasn’t going to let him outside yet, considering the temperature was beginning to drop quite quickly, and I immediately put everything away.

The doorbell rang soon after I was finished, and I frowned, wondering who that could be.

When I checked the app on my phone, I blinked, seeing a familiar face.

I went to the door, opened it, and smiled at the woman who had done her best to bring joy into my childhood. “Mrs. Montgomery. Oh. Hi.”

Eliza Wilder-Montgomery smiled brightly at me and opened her arms. “Mercy. Lexington said you were back.” I immediately hugged her, and she enveloped me in her arms, that familiar mother’s touch nearly bringing tears to my eyes.

“It’s so good to see you,” I whispered, my voice breaking.

“Same here, baby girl. Well, let me get a look at you.” She pulled back and studied my face. I didn’t know what she saw there, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. “It’s good to have you home, darling.”

Tears pricked at my eyelids, and I blinked them away, wondering at the odd reaction.

I had grown up with the Montgomerys and run wild with them. Then I had run away to the best hospital in the world for my sister and then continued to run to save myself.

And in the end, I had left everybody behind.

And I was only just now realizing that.

“I didn’t realize that you guys live so close.” Of course, I shouldn’t have been surprised. The Montgomerys had always been a tight family. They might not live on top of one another, but there always seemed to be one nearby. Case in point: my neighbor.

“Oh, I’m just here to annoy my son. But he said you moved next door, and I had to say hello.” She squeezed my hand and I relaxed.

“Well I’m glad that you’re here.”

Her smile brightened her face, and though I knew she wasn’t Lex’s biological mom, she looked so much like him then, I couldn’t help but smile back. “Me too. And I’m inviting you to the Montgomery Christmas party at my house in Fort Collins. It’s coming up soon, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

I blinked, suddenly unsure. “Oh. I don’t know.”

“I told you I’m not taking no for an answer. You used to come to them when you were younger, and now you’re doing it again. Lex can drive you if you want, because we don’t know about the roads, however, I just want you to know that you are required to come. I’m sorry, it’s a mother’s prerogative.”

I blinked, wondering if there was a way out of this invitation, but from the determined look on her face, I didn’t think there would be.

“Oh…Mrs. Montgomery.”

She waved me off. “Call me Eliza. There are way too many Montgomerys out there. You know that.”

“I don’t think I can call you Eliza,” I teased. “My mother would shake her head at me from above.”

Her eyes warmed at the mention of my mother, and she sighed. “You’re home now. And that means the Montgomerys are here to make you one of our own. We tend to do that. Believe me, I wasn’t born a Montgomery.”

“Mom, are you annoying Mercy?” Lex called out.

“You are not too old for me to wash your mouth out with soap. Don’t be mean to your mother.”

“I’m just saying, Mercy has to get to work. It’s finally quiet over here.”

“Mrs. Montgomery. Eliza,” I corrected at her look. “You don’t need to invite me.”

She winked. “I just did. And Lexington will take you. You don’t need to bring anything, just yourself. I want to stuff you full of cheese, and joy. Even for a few hours, okay? Let me do that.”

Tears once again threatened, but I swallowed hard through the tightening of my throat. “Okay. But only because I feel like if I don’t, you’ll drag me anyway.”

“You always were very brilliant, my dear.”

“Were you always this threatening when we were younger?” I asked, laughing.

“Yes, but I was a lot more subtle about it. Now I don’t have to be subtle because you’re all adults.” She leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “Welcome home. Don’t worry, the Montgomerys will take care of you. You really don’t have another choice.”

And as she said the words, I had a feeling I only knew half of exactly what that meant.