Page 113 of Tracing Holland

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, sweetheart,” Annie chastises.“A quick shot and you can go back to your game.”Her smile grows mischievous.“Or you could try coming home more than twice a year!”

Holland sighs.“Fine.Whatever.Let’s get this over with.”

“Yes.I’m in the middle of something,” Sylvie echoes, joining her sister by the fireplace.

“I’m pretty sure watching an endless loop of Casey Barrett saying your name doesn’t count as being in the middle of something,” Hannah comments, and Sylvie casts an irritated scowl.

“Ok, girls.We want smiles for the camera!How about that?”Annie chirps.

“I don’t know, hon.Maybe this is the year we capture them in their natural state,” James teases, earning four sets of eye rolls for that remark.

For my part, I can’t get enough.A family photo.No, a long tradition of family photos.Matching dresses.It’s too much, and I fight the urge to pull out my phone to film this strange, touching, and hilarious event.I can feel the grin on my face as I take it all in.Studying Holland, my heart exploding at the image of her surrounded by so much love, the thought that she has twenty-nine years of memories like this.I want to know them all right then.Each one, I want to absorb them, let them fill my own void and stabilize the foundation for a future of creating more.I want her, us.I want to give that woman a lifetime of these moments.

“Holland, move closer to Hannah.Hannah!Stop that!Emma, honey, your hair, yes.Perfect.Sylvie, turn more toward me.A little more, oops too much.James, stand to the right, but make sure to leave enough room in front for me…”

Annie stops abruptly.“Wait, where’s Luke?”

I had removed myself out of the way against the far wall and straighten at my name.

“Right here,” I say, moving toward her.“Would you like me to take the picture?”

Her look of surprise stops my heart.

“Of course not, son.This is a family shot.Go stand next to Holland.”

I’m prettysure I’m still smiling from my encounter with the Drake family by the time we reach the hotel, our rooms, and our favorite cooking show while reclining on Holland’s bed.And that’s without ever gaining access to the Casey shrine in Sylvie’s room.

“Oh, hey.Look what my mom just sent,” Holland says, shifting so I can see her phone.I mute the TV and glance down at the display.A sudden warmth explodes in my chest at the image.

“Can I see that?”I ask quietly.Her expression softens as she hands me the phone and I study the seven smiling faces in awe.

“I’ll forward it to you,” she offers gently.“She also said they loved having you over and hope we’ll come by again before we leave.Dad wants to take you for burgers.”

“I’d love that.Maybe Saturday?”

“Sounds good.I’ll let them know.”She rests against me and takes my hand.“Thanks, Luke.It meant so much to me to have you there.”

“Your family is incredible, Holland.I…” I look away.“I guess I didn’t know.I didn’t get it.”I’m not sure how to explain, how to describe the impact of my first family photo.

“There are going to be a lot more of those, Luke.A lot more of this.”She holds up our locked hands.

“Yeah?What about this?”I ask, moving toward her lips instead.I can feel her smile against mine, which only draws me closer.

“Um, yeah.Way, way more of that.”

Suddenly, she pulls back with a start, her gaze shooting to my left hand.Tears gather in her eyes, and I swallow the lump developing in my throat.

“Luke…” she whispers, her eyes meeting mine.They’re so beautiful in that moment, endless, timeless.I have to blink back my own tears.

She traces the small tan line on my left hand, and I instinctively glance at the ring on my right.

“It felt like it was time tonight,” I explain quietly.I have no more words for this, but maybe that’s enough when she weaves her fingers with mine and kisses my hand.That vacant spot so full of meaning.

I seem to have stripped her of words as well until finally she settles against me again, gripping my hand, treasuring it.It’s her hand now.

“I’m going to be in love with you, Luke Craven,” she breathes into the peace.

I smile.“I’m going to be in love with you, too, Holland Drake.”

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