younger sister Phoebe and Max’s teenage son Jace would be joining them, too. Emma was taking it all in―the noise, cheer and infusion of energy―when yet another guest arrived. Wandering up, Judd wore a fluffy white beard and tired looking Santa’s cap.
When he got to the porch, Judd dabbed a kiss on Emma’s cheek and jerked a thumb at his costume. “Do it for the kids.” He looked around. “That baby here?”
It took an effort to keep her smile tacked up as Emma shook her head. Then, in the spirit of the holiday, she added, “But Christmas isn’t over yet.”
They all moved inside. The women were sorting out food, the younger generation was checking out the tree, and the men were discussing sports when another knock sounded.
Damon looked to Emma and she shrugged. She didn’t want to get her hopes up again. “Guess it’s open house,” she said.
When she opened the door, her skin tingled hot and cold. Her ears started to sing. She put a hand over her mouth to stop a yelp from escaping.
Her visitor’s smile was apologetic―thin and somehow weary, too.
“Shelley said she wanted to see her aunt Emma Christmas Day,” Krystal said.
Beaming, Emma smacked a kiss on her sister’s cheek and lowered her head to press her lips on Shelley’s soft brow. Tears dropped down her cheeks. She was so happy. So blessed.
She took a deep breath, gathered herself, looked around. “Where’s Rick?”
Krystal’s closed her eyes and shook her head as if she was withering inside.
“Em, I made a massive mistake. Again. I told Rick this morning. I couldn’t go through with it.” She blew out a shuddering breath. “He isn’t Shelley’s father.”
Emma gripped the jamb to hold herself up. Her legs suddenly felt as limp as cooked noodles. “If Rick isn’t her father, who is?”
“The night Shelley was conceived, I drank way too much at a party. I can’t remember past midnight. I woke up alone, but...well, obviously I didn’t start out that way. When I realized I was pregnant, I tried to find out more.” She gnawed her lower lip, grunted. “I have no idea.”
Emma’s face went hot. Her cheeks and neck were burning. So much was wrong about that story. Drinking too much, unprotected sex. A man who not only took advantage of an intoxicated woman but couldn’t even hang around after the deed was done.
And the result was this beautiful baby girl.
“Where does Rick fit in?” she asked.
“I met him eighteen months ago. He was so much fun to be around. I fell for him…like I do. I don’t know what I was thinking, using Shelley like that to try to get back with him.” Krystal gazed down at the baby who was blinking open but sleepy eyes…looking up at her mom with nothing but trust. “This morning it was like I woke up from a dream. I told Rick the truth. He actually asked us to stay. He said he loved me. I told him I was sorry then I bundled Shelley into the car and drove straight here.”
Emma was speechless. Rick was out of the picture and Krystal was taking responsibility. She wiped away another tear.
“You know you’re both welcome to stay here.”
“Thanks, but Shelley and I should get our own place. Close by.”
“ Very close by.” Emma stepped back. “Come through. People I know would love to see you both.”
But Krystal hesitated.
“Em…there’s something else.”
Oh no. “Something bad?
“I want to say I’m sorry.”
Emma waved it off. “I loved looking after Shelley.”
“I mean I’m sorry for what happened three years ago. So many times I wanted to at least try to explain, but there’s no excuse for hurting you like that. No man is worth losing a sister over. Destroying a friendship.”
Emma let the apology sink in. No one had ever wounded her the way Krystal had. She’d never be able to get past the ‘why’s, including why both sisters had been attracted to a man who was so ill tempered. So much like their father. But now…
None of that mattered.
“So,”
When he got to the porch, Judd dabbed a kiss on Emma’s cheek and jerked a thumb at his costume. “Do it for the kids.” He looked around. “That baby here?”
It took an effort to keep her smile tacked up as Emma shook her head. Then, in the spirit of the holiday, she added, “But Christmas isn’t over yet.”
They all moved inside. The women were sorting out food, the younger generation was checking out the tree, and the men were discussing sports when another knock sounded.
Damon looked to Emma and she shrugged. She didn’t want to get her hopes up again. “Guess it’s open house,” she said.
When she opened the door, her skin tingled hot and cold. Her ears started to sing. She put a hand over her mouth to stop a yelp from escaping.
Her visitor’s smile was apologetic―thin and somehow weary, too.
“Shelley said she wanted to see her aunt Emma Christmas Day,” Krystal said.
Beaming, Emma smacked a kiss on her sister’s cheek and lowered her head to press her lips on Shelley’s soft brow. Tears dropped down her cheeks. She was so happy. So blessed.
She took a deep breath, gathered herself, looked around. “Where’s Rick?”
Krystal’s closed her eyes and shook her head as if she was withering inside.
“Em, I made a massive mistake. Again. I told Rick this morning. I couldn’t go through with it.” She blew out a shuddering breath. “He isn’t Shelley’s father.”
Emma gripped the jamb to hold herself up. Her legs suddenly felt as limp as cooked noodles. “If Rick isn’t her father, who is?”
“The night Shelley was conceived, I drank way too much at a party. I can’t remember past midnight. I woke up alone, but...well, obviously I didn’t start out that way. When I realized I was pregnant, I tried to find out more.” She gnawed her lower lip, grunted. “I have no idea.”
Emma’s face went hot. Her cheeks and neck were burning. So much was wrong about that story. Drinking too much, unprotected sex. A man who not only took advantage of an intoxicated woman but couldn’t even hang around after the deed was done.
And the result was this beautiful baby girl.
“Where does Rick fit in?” she asked.
“I met him eighteen months ago. He was so much fun to be around. I fell for him…like I do. I don’t know what I was thinking, using Shelley like that to try to get back with him.” Krystal gazed down at the baby who was blinking open but sleepy eyes…looking up at her mom with nothing but trust. “This morning it was like I woke up from a dream. I told Rick the truth. He actually asked us to stay. He said he loved me. I told him I was sorry then I bundled Shelley into the car and drove straight here.”
Emma was speechless. Rick was out of the picture and Krystal was taking responsibility. She wiped away another tear.
“You know you’re both welcome to stay here.”
“Thanks, but Shelley and I should get our own place. Close by.”
“ Very close by.” Emma stepped back. “Come through. People I know would love to see you both.”
But Krystal hesitated.
“Em…there’s something else.”
Oh no. “Something bad?
“I want to say I’m sorry.”
Emma waved it off. “I loved looking after Shelley.”
“I mean I’m sorry for what happened three years ago. So many times I wanted to at least try to explain, but there’s no excuse for hurting you like that. No man is worth losing a sister over. Destroying a friendship.”
Emma let the apology sink in. No one had ever wounded her the way Krystal had. She’d never be able to get past the ‘why’s, including why both sisters had been attracted to a man who was so ill tempered. So much like their father. But now…
None of that mattered.
“So,”
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