Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
I’m unsure if we’re all supposed to know about what happened with Benson and his friend Cam, but our family can’t keep their mouths shut. I know how upset he is and how he wishes she wouldn’t have cut off all communication with him.
I just wish it were easy to get over stuff like that. But when your heart is involved, it’s not that simple. Which is why my aunt Grace is still completely in love with my uncle James, even after his being gone for over ten years now.
Thankfully, before she can take Benson up on his offer, her son Ryan and his wife Sofia walk in. They are so beautiful together, and both are thriving. Sofia’s gym is such a success, and all the videos she posts on TikTok are fun to see. I love getting to see Ryan at the rink and working closely with him. But what I’m not ready for is the belly that Sofia is holding in her hands.
They’re pregnant.
Finally.
Grace lets out a shriek and wraps her arms around her firstborn and his wife. I’ve been waiting for them to have kids; I just wish I weren’t so sad about my own loss. I feel Boon’s gaze on me, but I don’t want him to be worried about me. I’m operating on autopilot, hugging and congratulating them. I move out of the way and back into a rather large body. I know instantly it’s not Boon, and when I turn, I find it’s Asher. He’s got a huge smile on his face, and in his arms is a bundle of pink. A baby with his nose. I bring in my brows, and his grin just grows.
“Surprise! Alexis, this is your auntie Posey!”
I feel like I’ve been hit in the gut. “Wait, what?”
“We had a baby,” he says, the image of the proud papa if I’ve ever seen one. My lips start to quiver as I gaze at the sweet little baby, and my heart hurts. I stroke my fingers along her cheek. “She’s utterly perfect.”
“Thanks. You’re not mad, are you? Everyone is mad we hid it.”
I swallow back my emotion. “Not at all. I’m just so happy for you,” I somehow say. “I’m sorry. I’m not in a festive mood. Excuse me.”
I kiss her little head and then Asher’s cheek and head for the door. I must get out of here. Right this fucking second. I look for Boon, and he has Zac on his hip, laughing with Grace and my dad. I slip out the back door, and the cool air is welcoming. I stare out at the top of the mountain, and I’m in awe of its beauty. I swallow past the sob in my throat and look around for somewhere to go. I kind of want to be alone. I love my husband, but he’s been very suffocating since we left the hospital a couple days ago. It seems like it’s been years rather than days.
When my eyes fall on a bright purple-and-black Tuff box, I know it’s our family ice-skating stuff from home. Dad used to bring it with us when we’d go north to visit family. I crunch through the snow toward the frozen pond where the box is. I take in the huge ADLER name written on top and then all of our first names around it. We all signed the box when we learned to spell our names. Dad put sealant over the names so they’d never come off.
Of course, Shelli’s name has a heart over her i. Mine is under my dad’s name, with my old hockey number. Owen and Evan are right next to each other, while Quinn is over by my mom. I smile as I trace my finger along the names. I remember everyone signing this box and how we’d all get ready for family hockey games during the holidays in Boston. Those are some of my favorite memories. Our family. Together.
I want to make my own memories with a big family like the one I grew up in. God, Zac is so lucky. He is completely and utterly loved by the greatest people. Yes, his aunt is a drama queen and his twin uncles are unpredictable and Quinn probably doesn’t even know Zac exists, but Mom and Dad are the best. They make up for all these crazy siblings they gave me. I open the box and find my skates. I pull them out and then sit on a huge log to put them on. Maybe burning my thighs will make me feel better. I know I need to take it easy, but I’ve been skating since before I walked, so I’m fine.
As I get my first skate on, I hear the crunching of snow, and I look up to see my dad coming toward me. He puts on his gloves and hollers, “You got it?”