Love in a Nutshell - Janet Evanovich [51]
“Please, call me Mary.”
“Okay.” Kate handed Matt’s mom the shiny gift bag she’d been tightly gripping. “I brought a little something. It’s not much, but my mother taught me never to arrive with empty hands.”
His mom pulled a bottle of Chianti from the bag and laughed. “This is exactly what Barb would have brought, too.”
Kate’s eyes widened. “You know my mother?”
“Of course. It’s been years since we’ve had the opportunity to spend any real time together, though. Back before we all got too busy with children and life, there was a group of us that would get together at Bagger’s now and then during the summer.” She smiled. “In fact, I recall one night when your mother and I had a contest to see who could get the most tips while dancing on tabletops.”
Kate was dumbfounded. “My mom? At Bagger’s?”
Matt’s mom nodded. “Harley’s place was very different in those days. It was the trendy spot to go, like Matt’s is today.” She gave Matt’s arm a little pat.
Matt liked that his mom was proud of him. He was proud of her, too. “Are you thirsty, Kate?” he asked.
His mom eased into hostess mode. “We have water, milk, soft drinks, coffee, tea, wine—and Patrick, my husband—he’s out back with the men—mixes a mean dirty martini.”
“Thanks for the offer, but a soft drink would be perfect.”
“I’ll be right back. Matt, introduce your sisters before the other guests arrive and it gets too confusing.” Matt’s mom gave Kate a sunny smile. “You know, I’m so happy Matt decided to bring a girl along. It’s been forever!”
He just hadn’t had the right incentive, Matt thought. For Kate, though, he’d be willing to do a year of Spaghetti Tuesdays. And that was just for starters.
* * *
MATT TURNED to the family table, where a hugely pregnant woman—and Kate thought that in the very kindest of ways—sat with a woman identical to her, except for the burgeoning belly. Opposite them sat Lizzie and a twenty-something woman with wildly curly light brown hair.
“Kate, you know Lizzie,” Matt said. “Next to her is Rachel, and across from them are my sisters Anne and Maura. Maura’s the—”
“Don’t you dare say I’m fat,” Maura cut in, then winced. “Sorry, rogue hormones. I know I’m only having one this time, but I swear I feel like it could be three. Especially today. Just call me Supercrank.”
“I was going to say that you’re the oldest among us, but I’m guessing that wouldn’t have scored me any points, either,” Matt said.
Maura smiled. “Not a one.”
“Maura and Anne are twins. I was born next, Lizzie eleven months after me, and then Rachel last.”
“We surrounded him,” Anne said.
Kate had no doubt that they had … and still did to this day.
“Where are Todd and Jack?” Matt asked.
“Outside,” Lizzie said. “Hiding, I think.” She focused on Kate. “Todd and Jack are Maura and Anne’s husbands, respectively. They have coming to Spaghetti Tuesday but never really making it into the house down to an art.
Kate sat in the open chair in front of her.
“If you want to go hang outside with the guys, that’s fine,” she said to Matt.
“No way. I don’t trust anyone at this table not to fill you with lies about my youth.”
Rachel leaned forward, smiling conspiratorily at Kate. “Lies? Why would we have to bother with that when the truth is so entertaining?”
Matt smiled. “See what I mean? I’m going to go grab a beer.” He shot Rachel a mock stern look. “Try not to do too much damage while I’m gone.”
“So,” Anne said as soon as Matt had moved off. “Word at the market is that you and Matt went away for the weekend.”
Kate wondered if she was going to have to post a notice on the market bulletin board disclosing the truth of her nonrelationship with Matt.
“We were up in Traverse City for a day, but it was just business,” she said.
“Business?” Maura asked. “What business does Matt have in Traverse City?”
Yikes! She’d screwed up already. But in her defense, she never would have thought that his family didn’t know what he was doing.
“Well, sort of business. There were a couple of brewpubs he wanted to check out … a little comparison shopping, you know? Anyway, he asked