Page 15 of Holly Jolly Rebel

That made her smile. “Just mine.”

“As if. So, nothing happened?”

“No, it’s just a vibe.”

My kids were all about “the vibes.”

Time to lay it out. “Do you want to leave college?”

“I thought I did. But I think what I really want is to transfer to somewhere closer. And maybe live at home for a while. Is that crazy?”

“One hundred per cent. I can’t imagine why you’d want to spend more time than you have to with Conor and Landon. But hey, you had your chance.”

Her eyes filled with tears, and I pulled her in for a hug.

“This is your home, baby girl. It will never not be.”

She swallowed. “Thanks, Dad. I’ve been dreading telling you. I built fessing up into this horrible thing, and the longer I left it, the harder it got.”

I kissed the top of her head, dark and silky like Ellie’s. “Clearly your mom’s fault. You got her hide-all-your-feelings genetic code. Bet you wish you had more Kershaw in you.”

“Ha, the boys need it more than me, being the attention hogs they are.”

I chuckled softly. “Wouldn’t change a thing.”

She smiled up at me, her eyes shining with tears. God, how had I created a human being so beautiful?

“Even when it’s a madhouse,” she said quietly, “this is still the best place to be.”

“It is, isn’t it?” I squeezed her a little tighter. “I always wanted a big family. Being an only child is kind of lonely, though I did my best.”

“With all your imaginary friends?”

“Had to create my own hockey team. The Saugatuck Sasquatches I called them.”

“That’s a terrible name for a team.”

I grinned. “Yep, but I was nine. Now, speaking of teams, there’s room for everyone in Casa Kershaw. So what if it takes a while to figure out where you want to go. Take as long as you want, Addy.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

She snuggled in, and I put an arm around her and gathered her close. I considered telling her about the pregnancy, but Elle still needed time to decide and I didn’t want to steal focus from what was going on with Adeline right now. Neither did I want her thinking she should step aside to make room for what might be coming.

My heart was plenty big enough for all my kids, old and new.

Eight

Elle

Usually Theo woke before me,all that puppy dog energy needing an outlet. But this morning he was still asleep, his sooty lashes fanned like gorgeous, fringed curtains over his perfect cheekbones, his breathing steady as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

We’d been through a lot over the last twenty or so years. Health scares, injury worries, the kids getting up to all sorts and into mountains of trouble (anytime we got a call from or about Landon, I braced for disaster—that kid was a magnet for catastrophe).

I slipped out of the warm bed and into my cozy flannel PJs, which the entire family wore on Christmas Day, even Aurora, who was already in the kitchen, drinking what was probably her second cup of coffee and wrapping gifts.

“Last minute as usual.” I grabbed a cup and set the Keurig to do its holy work.

“They get harder and harder to shop for every year.”

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