Montgomery case?” He loved his father, but he knew his grandfather and father were like oil and wate r . . . they didn’t mix at all. And from Kennedy’s expression, she wasn’t pleased to see him, either.
Frankly, neither was he. Having his father in Cupid Falls had never been a good thing. They got along so much better in Pittsburgh. They were colleagues there. They had business in common. Here? They were simply father and son, and they’d never quite figured out how that should work.
“It’s Thanksgiving. I thought I’d give the whole family holiday a try.”
That was a first for his dad. Mal hated to be cynical, but there was something more going on here.
Kennedy stood, and Mal saw his father’s expression of shock as he took in her condition. “And this is?”
Before Mal could introduce her, she said, “I’m Kennedy Anderson. We’ve met before, Mr. Carter. I was your ex-wife’s friend, and I think I’m your son’s friend as well.”
She glanced at Mal, and he smiled at her description of their relationship, hoping that reassured her that he thought it was a fair description.
“Kennedy forgot to add that in addition to being my friend, she’s also going to be the mother of my child.” He turned to Pap and said, “Sorry. We meant to announce it at dinner. I know you already knew.” Before his grandfather could protest, Mal added, “Or at least suspected, but we wanted to make an official announcement.”
Pap walked over and hugged Kennedy. “I’m thrilled. I’m going to be a great-grandfather. Did I say thrille d ? That doesn’t even begin to cover it. I’m beyond thrilled.”
Senior stood there, stunned into unfamiliar silence.
In for a penny, in for a pound , Mal thought and added, “And in the interest of honesty, I’ve asked Kennedy to marry me, but she’s said no. I plan to ask again, and I won’t be back in Pittsburgh until things are settled here, sir.”
“What have you done?” his father finally asked. “I would have thought you’d have learned from my mistakes. I came here on a case and met a girl I thought I couldn’t live without, so I married her and brought her home to Pittsburgh with me. I thought love trumped everything. I should have known better. Valerie wasn’t interested in being an attorney’s wife or living in the city. She missed this ridiculous small town. But by then, I was trapped. Tied to her and this place because of you.”
Mal was accustomed to his father’s shoot-from-the-hip blunt ways, but try as he might, he couldn’t manage to avoid his father’s direct hits—they still hurt after all these years. “Gee, thanks, Dad.”
“That’s not what I meant, Malcolm.” His father sighed. It was a sound of pure frustration. “I simply meant your mother and I were never suited for each other. I think we did really love each other once, but our differences were too great. She couldn’t understand my need to work, and I couldn’t understan d . . . her. I never really understood anything about her. The only thing that held us together for the five years we managed was you.”
“Aka, the mistake.” His father looked as if he wanted to say something else, but Mal cut him off. “Senior, I think we should stop talking about the past. It’s only going to lead to trouble.” He shot Kennedy a look and she smiled. “We’ll concentrate on the present and the future. And at the present, this turkey is almost ready. Kennedy, why don’t you set a place for my father? Pap, why don’t you take him in the dining room before he puts his other foot in his mouth.”
Pap led the uncharacteristically compliant Senior out of the room.
Mal turned to the mother of his child. “Kennedy, I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“I do. I shouldn’t have announced the baby that way. My father does have a way of putting me on the defensive. It’s a great trait for an attorney, but he can’t seem to turn it off
Frankly, neither was he. Having his father in Cupid Falls had never been a good thing. They got along so much better in Pittsburgh. They were colleagues there. They had business in common. Here? They were simply father and son, and they’d never quite figured out how that should work.
“It’s Thanksgiving. I thought I’d give the whole family holiday a try.”
That was a first for his dad. Mal hated to be cynical, but there was something more going on here.
Kennedy stood, and Mal saw his father’s expression of shock as he took in her condition. “And this is?”
Before Mal could introduce her, she said, “I’m Kennedy Anderson. We’ve met before, Mr. Carter. I was your ex-wife’s friend, and I think I’m your son’s friend as well.”
She glanced at Mal, and he smiled at her description of their relationship, hoping that reassured her that he thought it was a fair description.
“Kennedy forgot to add that in addition to being my friend, she’s also going to be the mother of my child.” He turned to Pap and said, “Sorry. We meant to announce it at dinner. I know you already knew.” Before his grandfather could protest, Mal added, “Or at least suspected, but we wanted to make an official announcement.”
Pap walked over and hugged Kennedy. “I’m thrilled. I’m going to be a great-grandfather. Did I say thrille d ? That doesn’t even begin to cover it. I’m beyond thrilled.”
Senior stood there, stunned into unfamiliar silence.
In for a penny, in for a pound , Mal thought and added, “And in the interest of honesty, I’ve asked Kennedy to marry me, but she’s said no. I plan to ask again, and I won’t be back in Pittsburgh until things are settled here, sir.”
“What have you done?” his father finally asked. “I would have thought you’d have learned from my mistakes. I came here on a case and met a girl I thought I couldn’t live without, so I married her and brought her home to Pittsburgh with me. I thought love trumped everything. I should have known better. Valerie wasn’t interested in being an attorney’s wife or living in the city. She missed this ridiculous small town. But by then, I was trapped. Tied to her and this place because of you.”
Mal was accustomed to his father’s shoot-from-the-hip blunt ways, but try as he might, he couldn’t manage to avoid his father’s direct hits—they still hurt after all these years. “Gee, thanks, Dad.”
“That’s not what I meant, Malcolm.” His father sighed. It was a sound of pure frustration. “I simply meant your mother and I were never suited for each other. I think we did really love each other once, but our differences were too great. She couldn’t understand my need to work, and I couldn’t understan d . . . her. I never really understood anything about her. The only thing that held us together for the five years we managed was you.”
“Aka, the mistake.” His father looked as if he wanted to say something else, but Mal cut him off. “Senior, I think we should stop talking about the past. It’s only going to lead to trouble.” He shot Kennedy a look and she smiled. “We’ll concentrate on the present and the future. And at the present, this turkey is almost ready. Kennedy, why don’t you set a place for my father? Pap, why don’t you take him in the dining room before he puts his other foot in his mouth.”
Pap led the uncharacteristically compliant Senior out of the room.
Mal turned to the mother of his child. “Kennedy, I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“I do. I shouldn’t have announced the baby that way. My father does have a way of putting me on the defensive. It’s a great trait for an attorney, but he can’t seem to turn it off
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