Kissing Comfort by Jo Goodman Read Free Book Online Page B

the door. “The shirt, Sam.” It wasn’t until Travers was gone that Bode allowed himself the indulgence of a sympathetic smile. He’d known when he left home that he was abandoning the man who had mentored him more than his own father, but leaving Sam behind had been done for a purpose. Bram needed mentoring now, although judging by tonight’s behavior, Bode had good reason to wonder how much his younger brother was open to influence.
    He leaned toward the mirror and examined the cut on his scalp. Ruffling his thick, dark copper hair around the wound, he attempted to hide it. His mother would notice, though perhaps the other guests wouldn’t look past his eye. That was going to be a shiner. He only remembered having had one like it before, and he’d been about twelve on that occasion. At least he’d been proud of that one, earned as it was for defending Bram from a trio of bullies. That was twenty years and three thousand miles ago. Most often the score of years seemed less distant than the geography. He was still looking out for Bram.
    Travers’s return brought Bode out of his reverie. He accepted help slipping into the shirt and put up with Travers fussing about the fit of the jacket until the valet began making soft clucking noises. Stepping away from the mirror’s unforgiving reflection, Bode put out a hand.
    â€œEnough,” he said. “There’s no more that can be done. Certainly no one’s going to blame you if I’m turned out like a sow’s ear instead of a silk purse.”
    â€œA lot you know. Your mother will say I shouldn’t have turned you out at all. Send for the doctor, that’s what she’ll want to do.”
    â€œWell, there are probably three of them downstairs, so it’s more likely I’ll be trampled when they rush forward to do her bidding.”
    â€œThere is that.” The momentary gleam in his eye said that he approved. Sobering, he looked Bode over, and then tilted his head toward the door. “Go on. Have a care you don’t upset your mother more than you can help it.”
    As advice went, it was exactly what Bode knew he needed to hear.
    Â 
    Â 
    Alexandra DeLong captured Comfort as soon as Bram released her at the end of the waltz. She crooked a finger at her son and kept him from slinking off. “Come with me, both of you. There are still more guests that want to congratulate you, and I won’t have you slipping away again either alone or together. Do neither one of you have any sense of what is expected?”
    Very much afraid that Bram would be unable to conceal his amusement, Comfort did not hazard a glance in his direction. Alexandra was a formidable presence, a force of nature on the order of earthquakes and tidal waves, and she did not suffer anyone opposing her for long. Determined and forthright, she made her opinions known, and for those who lacked her clarity of purpose or principle, she was entirely capable of making her opinion theirs.
    Comfort dutifully allowed herself to be moved through the guests lined six and seven deep close to the ice sculpture and lemonade drinks fountain and deposited next to her uncles. Their expressions told her they’d been swept up in Alexandra’s wake as well.
    â€œApparently we haven’t accepted everyone’s best wishes,” Tucker whispered as Comfort leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.
    When she did the same to Newt, he said, “If I die right here, don’t let them bury me with this idiotic smile on my face.”
    Comfort tamped her own smile as she turned to offer herself for Alexandra’s inspection. At her side, she felt Bram’s fingers close over two of hers and squeeze gently. Comfort had always suspected that Bram might be a little afraid of his mother, and she accepted that his gesture was as much to steady his own nerves as it was to steady hers. She’d never told him that while she sometimes stood in awe of