The Perfect Christmas - Debbie Macomber [45]
“Leave it to you to insult me, Harry,” she snapped.
“You always were quick to take offense,” Mr. Oliver snapped back. “A man makes a simple comment and you jump all over him and ruin a perfectly fine friendship.”
“Ah…” Cassie raised her index finger, trying to get a comment in before the confrontation broke into a full-fledged argument.
“I don’t know how anyone could even imply that you’re overweight,” Simon said, pouring everyone a little more wine.
Cassie managed a smile at his smooth handling of what was rapidly becoming an awkward situation. It also gave her an opportunity to make off with the stuffing unobserved.
“I’ll put on a pot of coffee,” Cassie said, jumping up from the table. She grabbed the stuffing bowl and practically ran into the kitchen, convinced she was about to have a nervous breakdown. Once inside, she leaned against the wall and breathed deeply, wanting nothing more than this dinner to be over.
When she returned, Simon had collected the dinner plates. Cassie reached for the gravy boat and stared down at it. Lumps, indeed! She couldn’t find a single one!
Thankfully, after coffee and dessert, Cassie started to relax. Again Mrs. Mullinex damned her with faint praise regarding the pie, but by then Cassie didn’t care. Besides, she had to agree—the apples were unevenly sliced.
“Don’t you have anything good to say?” Mr. Oliver muttered. “I thought the pies were great. All of ’em.”
“Excellent meal,” Bob told her and tried to take her hand.
Cassie snatched it away before he had the chance. As far as she was concerned, the man should be arrested.
“I’ll have you know, Mr. Oliver, I’ve paid Cassie several compliments,” Mrs. Mullinex said righteously.
If that was the case, they’d flown right over Cassie’s head.
By the time she saw her last neighbor to the door, Cassie was exhausted. As soon as Bob left—with obvious reluctance—she collapsed into a chair.
“You look a bit out of sorts,” Simon commented.
“You think?” The man had mastered the art of understatement.
He grinned and sat on the sofa across from her.
“Actually, the meal went well.”
“You have got to be kidding. It was a disaster!”
“You’re being too hard on yourself. You did an admirable job, and while it might not seem that your neighbors fully appreciated what you did, I believe they had an enjoyable afternoon.”
She gave him a weak smile. “I don’t know if I should be glad the ring didn’t show up or not.”
“Is it valuable?”
“Not really. I bought it in Hawaii a few years back. I hate to lose it, though.” She raised her shoulders in a shrug. “But if it hasn’t turned up by now, I doubt it ever will. For all I know, it might be in Mr. Oliver’s digestive system.”
“I’m sure it’s not.”
“What makes you say that?”
Reaching inside his suit pocket, Simon pulled out the ring, displaying it proudly between index finger and thumb. “Is this the ring you misplaced?”
Speechless, all Cassie could do was stare at him. Once the shock wore off, she lunged forward and grabbed the ring. “You’re telling me you found it?”
“I did.”
“Where?”
“On the kitchen counter. You must’ve taken it off and forgotten. I tried to get your attention in the kitchen and then at dinner but you ignored me.”
“I didn’t take it off.” Cassie would’ve remembered that.
“Then it must have fallen off before you stuffed the turkey.”
Cassie held the ring in one cupped hand, her relief overwhelming. Then, slowly, her suspicions started to rise. “Exactly when did you find this?”
“Just before Phyllis came into the kitchen. As I said, I tried to tell you but you were too flustered to notice.”
“Phyllis?” she echoed. “Mrs. Mullinex is now Phyllis to you?”
“She’s a delightful mature woman.”
“Hmm. Then again, she isn’t stealing your newspapers.”
“I suggest you purchase her a subscription for Christmas.”
“I’ll think about it,” Cassie muttered. Then, remembering the ring, she glared at him. “That was cruel and unusual punishment, letting me worry that someone was going to swallow this ring.”
“I tried to tell you I’d found it,” Simon said in his