“Oh, how thoughtful,” Robert said, eyeing the bottles. “But I don’t see any glasses.”

David reached over the seat and pulled open the picnic tray to the left of the liquor cubby. “They should be right underneath, sir.”

Robert’s face lit up as he peered under the open shelf. “Well, now isn’t that convenient,” he said, spying the four Cumbria crystal tumblers in the velvet-lined niche.

“Yes, sir,” David said with a nod. “Would you like me to pour?”

***

Just after he had finished his third splash of scotch, Robert was surprised when David quickly exited the car. Seconds later, the back door opened, and Joanna and Fran climbed inside. Offering her father a weak smile, Joanna let out a long breath as she looked down at the engagement ring she was now wearing.

Earlier that morning, Fran had handed Joanna a small box containing the ring Addison had chosen, explaining that even though the marriage was in name only, appearances had to be kept. Joanna was taken aback by the sentiment, but as she opened the box, she fully expected to see a band of inconsequential size with an equally deficient chip of rhinestone. She couldn’t have been more wrong, and she couldn’t have been more shocked. It was positively the most beautiful ring she had ever seen, and as Joanna slipped it on her finger, somewhat impressed it fit so perfectly, reality hit home. Her life would never be the same.

Startled from her thoughts by the clink of glass against glass, Joanna looked up just in time to see her father fumbling with one of the etched decanters housed in the compartment directly in front of her. “Dad, what do you think you’re doing?” she said, pushing his hand away. “That’s not for you.”

“Sure it is,” he said, straightening his spine. “I’m the father of the bride, aren’t I?”

Fran couldn’t stop a laugh from escaping. “He’s right, you know?”

“You’re not helping,” Joanna said, all the while finding it hard not to show her own amusement. “Besides, it’s not even two o’clock.”

“Well, you know what they say. It’s five o’clock somewhere,” Fran said.

Joanna turned to look at the woman sitting next to her. “Whose side are you on anyway?”

“I’m on the side of having a drink,” Fran said, leaning forward to reach a decanter. “Robert, how about you?”

“That would be lovely, but make it a short one. I don’t want to be a sloppy arse when I meet Miss Kane,” he said, looking through the rear window. “By the way, where is she?”

“She went back to the office,” Fran said, pouring a splash of scotch into Robert’s glass. “You probably won’t see her until later tonight, if at all.”

“If at all?” Joanna asked, raising her eyebrows. “What’s she planning to do, hide from us?”