Page 4 of Holly Jolly Rebel

I laughed, glad to hear from my friend, who had three kids of her own and understood exactly what was happening.

“She’s not happy at college and now there’s a rumor that she wants out, but she hasn’t talked to me about it yet.”

“Well, that kid has always been the rule follower, not a rebellious bone in her body. Maybe she’s catching some of those revolutionary feelings at last.”

“During her first year in college? I don’t need that! I need her to embrace her newfound freedom and independence in a safe and non-threatening way. And talk to me. Mostly, talk to me.” Asudden wave of nausea hit me, the third one today, only this time I was unable to suppress it. “Gotta go. Call you late?—”

I made it to the bathroom just in time to hurl.

Three days to Christmas, on the day of the Rebels holiday party, and with my daughter’s life in disarray, was not the time to come down with a stomach bug. I was also on deadline with one of my information consulting clients, so I really didn’t have the time to be sick. I’d felt so tired over the last couple of weeks, too.

My phone rang. Jordan again, who was already speaking when I picked up.

“… you okay? What’s going on?”

“Just threw up. Good times.”

“Oh no! Are you getting sick?”

“I didn’t think so? But I’ve been feeling a bit off for a while, kind of like I felt when—” I broke off. “But that’s not possible. Theo got the snip.”

Jordan paused, and I hoped she didn’t question it further like the scoop-hungry journalist she was. “So just a bug then. Maybe you should stay home tonight?”

“Yeah, probably. Adeline probably won’t want to hit the party so it would be a good time to talk to her.”

Jordan hummed her approval. “Tell my goddaughter she can always talk to me if Mama Bear scares her.”

I snorted. “Sure thing, Soft Touch.”

Three

Theo

“She’ll be here, right?”

In the passenger seat, Elle was checking her phone—it looked like a calendar app—and glanced up quickly as we drove past the entrance to Chase Manor. The driveway’s trees were draped with twinkling lights and the house shone like a beacon for Santa and his reindeer.

“She texted that she was going to come to the party with Rosie and Esme.” Elle bit her lip. “She’s been out of sorts since she came home from Vermont, so it’s good she has her girls to talk to.”

I pulled the SUV in behind Erik Jorgenson’s Prius and turned to my wife. Even with the obvious worry clouding her expression, she was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. All dark waves, ocean-blue eyes, lush mouth—I still couldn’t believe one night of passion with my prickly neighbor had given me this amazing woman and blessed life.

“But you wish she’d talk to us.”

She threw up her hands, a lot more dramatic than usual. I was typically the queen of the boards here.

“Of course! If she’s going through something rough, I want to be there for her.”

“And she knows that. Like you said, she probably needs to run it by her besties first. It’s not that unusual.”

“I suppose.” She took another glance at her phone.

“Is something else going on?”

“Like what?” Too quick. Something was off, and it wasn’t just Adeline’s freshman woes.

“You’ve seemed stressed the last few weeks, even before our girl came home.”

“Just the holidays. It’s always a lot this time of year.”

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