is a no-no.”
Mia and Eli stayed behind for a minute, but the rest of them went back to the living room.
Wyatt spoke first. “I’m sorry I ruined Christmas.”
How had this all gone so wrong? Wyatt just wanted to do something nice and instead it looked like he might have played a major role in the family breaking up.
Intellectually, he knew it wasn’t his fault. If anything, he’d only brought the trigger for others to reveal long-buried secrets, and he’d done so unintentionally.
“You didn’t ruin Christmas,” Sean reassured him. “You bought a nice gift for all of us, and our parents reacted like children.”
“Not even like children.” Gray snorted. “We knew better than to say something rude about a gift.”
“I think they’re really cool,” Lani told him, picking up her box. “Harrison knows a lot about his history, but the rest of us don’t know much, except the Beach side of the family has been here for over a hundred years.”
Harrison winced. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to do this, but I do appreciate it. I’d love to know more about my mother’s side of the family, but putting my DNA in a database for people to end up matched with isn’t something my father is likely to approve of.”
“Of course not.” Wyatt gave the best smile he could. “I didn’t even think about that.”
“Why would you?” He turned his own box over to read the back. “I wonder if there’s a way to do it anonymously. Let me ask my father. He might know. I think it would be fascinating to find out.” He laughed. “And pray there’s no skeletons on my father’s side of the family. That could get awkward quickly.”
Maybe Wyatt should have mentioned his plan to Madi before ordering the test kits. Would she have thought it was a good idea?
Mia and Eli came in from the other room. He was the other reason why they could only do video from this gathering. Something about one of his contracts. Wyatt couldn’t be upset about that.
The rest of the gathering was far more subdued than it had been before the arrival of Madi’s parents. They tried, but no one’s hearts were in it any longer.
Eventually, it was back to just Wyatt and Madi. She showed her last sibling and spouse out the door then disappeared.
After cleaning up the last little bit of trash and leftovers, Wyatt turned out the lights and went to their bedroom, where he suspected Madi had gone.
He could hear the water running in the bathroom, but the door hadn’t been closed. Wyatt rapped on it a couple of times, but didn’t push it open.
“You can come in.”
When the door opened, he could see Madi sitting on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub as it filled with water. “Are you all right?”
Her fingertips trailed through the water as it rose. “Finding out that my mom probably had an affair? That she, and my dad probably, believe there’s a good chance my sister is a result of that affair? It’s a totally normal day.” She sighed deeply. “I know we don’t know that for sure, but it seems likely. So many things make so much sense.”
Wyatt leaned against the door frame. “Do you remember your parents being different?”
She shook her head. “I was only two when Mia was born. Sean was a little older. He’d know better than I would. The pictures would seem to confirm it, but I don’t really know. If it is true, I’d guess my father had an affair, my mother retaliated with one of her own, then the social stigma of divorce in small town middle America meant they stayed together.”
“That’s kind of messed up.” Wyatt gave himself a mental shake. Probably not the best thing to say to her right now.
“It is.” She glanced up at him and then down again. “Just so you know, it’s highly unlikely I’d stay if you cheated. I won’t say there’s absolutely no chance, because I believe in both grace and mercy, but...”
“Then it’s a good thing I’ll never cheat on you.” They did still need to have a conversation about his past, but that would have to come another time.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Madi swiped at a tear. “And then after all of that, they still had two more kids. I can’t imagine a world without Gray and Lani, but I don’t understand their decisions.”
Wyatt shoved his hands deep in his pockets and stared at the floor as Madi reached for the