pulled herself together for Holly, her strength amazing to witness. Then she met her daughter halfway, hugging her tightly and congratulating her on her part in the musical before clasping her hand and heading toward the exit.
At the doorway Holly paused and turned, looking at him with confusion. Forcing himself to stand there and let them walk around the corner and out of sight was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do.
ChiChi rushed over, demanding to know what was going on. Nate and Trey were trying to explain the events. Marc was apologizing for not digging deeper to get the whole story. And Abby was tugging on his sleeve, asking him if he was okay. None of it mattered.
All he heard was the slamming of the metal theater doors in the distance. Gabe couldn’t remember a time in his life when he hadn’t acted in the best interest of his family. Even when it was the hard choice, he always chose family. So then why did his chest feel like it had been gutted?
Oh, shit. He looked from his family and then to the empty hallway.
Oh, shit. His breath came in fast, panicked bursts. The reality of what he had just done crashed in on him. Sure, part of his family was standing next to him, loud and bickering and trying to figure out what had just happened. But the other part, the part of his family that he didn’t even know he possessed, had just walked out the door.
“I love her.” When no one stopped yelling, he looked his family square in the eye. “I. Love. Her.”
The hall fell uncomfortably silent. All five sets of eyes that were the exact image of his father’s looked back at him. The only set that was smiling was ChiChi’s.
“I love her,” he said again, this time just to hear how it sounded. It sounded right.
“There are a lot of emotions going on right now. Let’s take a step back and think this through,” practical, level-headed Nate said, making Gabe want to shove him through the wall.
“Listen.” Gabe waited for silence. He was only going to say this once. “I love Regan and Holly with everything that I am, and I will do whatever I have to do to win her back.” He turned to Abby and took her hands in his. “I love you and I am sorry I allowed that bastard in our lives. But I can’t keep punishing myself or Regan. So if it will be too hard on you to see us together, tell me now.”
Abby blinked, sending tears down her cheeks. “You’d still ask her to leave?”
“No, I’d go with her. I’m not willing to give up Regan, but I also don’t want Holly growing up in a place where Regan is an outcast. Understand?” Abby nodded, her mouth quivering. “So if you can’t let this go, tell me now and I’ll leave.”
“Who the hell would run the business?” Marc asked, his kid brother not looking so cocky anymore.
He looked at his family. “I guess one of you would have to figure it out. But wherever my girls go, I’m going. So if you want me around, then we’d better figure out a way to make Regan stay.”
“Mommy, wake up.”
Regan felt little hands poke her shoulder. Careful not to move for fear that her head would explode, she opened her eyes and immediately slammed them shut. They were puffy and irritated, and the blinking lights overhead felt like lasers piercing her retinas.
Regan opened her eyes again, pushed through the pain and gasped. Her butt was asleep, her right hand was attached to her cheek with what she hoped was sap and not superglue, and something hard and pokey was sticking her in the kidney.
On second glance, she realized that she was lying under the Christmas tree next to an empty tub of Rocky Road, covered in popcorn garland, and spooning Randolph.
She had a piece of popcorn husk stuck between her teeth. Even sadder was that she hadn’t even had a sip of alcohol. Regan had accomplished all of this awesomeness by her sober lonesome.
She remembered putting Holly to bed, remembered stuffing the stockings, and remembered getting the presents out of the trunk.
She also remembered taking one look at Randolph, alone on Christmas Eve, hiding under the plastic tablecloths with little Santas, and completely lost it. Then, to really put the guilt on, he had flipped his switch and wished her a merry Christmas. Outside of Holly’s, it