Page 87 of Kilt Trip

Addie breathed into the silence that for once was companionable and safe.

“I don’t remember where this was taken, though. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay.” And it was. Addie’s heart was so full hearing his stories, talking to the one person who knew Heather like she did. This first step felt hopeful and promising even as the path was long. “This has been really nice. Thanks for telling me.”

“Anytime, Addie.” Brian paused, the familiar silence shooting up a flare in her chest. “I know we haven’t gotten a chance to talk lately, but I have some news.”

Addie’s muscles tensed at his serious tone, waiting to hear he was selling the house. She’d often wondered if he would. It was too big, and he was getting older. If he was ready, she could understand. She would fly back, walk through the rooms, cut sprigs of lavender, let herself soak up the memories the walls held.

She could do it now.

She was strong enough.

“I’m getting married.”

His words slammed into her, doubling her over.

Married.

Addie’s line of vision distilled to a single poppy on her wellies, the sounds of the lake fading until all she could hear was her own uneven breathing.

Married?

They were just talking about how much he missed Heather. They bonded over the strength of his love for her. And now he was telling Addie this?

How could he? What he’d had with her mom was a once-in-a-lifetime love. The kind there was no coming back from. The kind he’d nearly lost his daughter over.

“To who?” Her voice came out a ragged whisper, and she folded an arm across her stomach.

“I’m sorry, Addie. Things between us are always so... I didn’t know how to tell you. Her name’s Becky. We met in the bowling league.”

Becky? Who was this man? Her father would never date. Never remarry. Never bowl.

God, she was about to be sick.

“She has two daughters, sixteen and seventeen.”

The same age Addie had been when she’d lost her mom, lost Brian to grief. He was starting a new family. Getting a do-over. Two brand-new daughters that would get his full love and attention. They’d replace her *NSYNC posters with Harry Styles and eat SpaghettiOs and Cap’n Crunch at the bistro table by the bay window and get everything she’d lost. Everything she hadn’t been able to claw back. Anger slicked through her.

“I think you’d really get along. Olivia especially. You should’ve seen her all wide-eyed at the Tent Rocks. She reminded me a bit of you at the hot-air balloon festivals.”

He’d knocked the wind out of her without a single touch. Replaced her so easily. Built on their traditions with strangers.

No... Addie was the stranger.

“Well, congratulations.” She could hear the bite in her tone, but how else was she supposed to feel? She hadn’t meant to picture Christmases at home, but her mind had conjured images of digging through boxes of Heather’s old things, decorating the tree with ornaments they’d collected on their many travels, and reminiscing about the time Addie drank and promptly threw up an entire carton of eggnog.

But not now.

Once again, he’d managed to push her to the outside of a home she’d only recently started wanting again.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but you haven’t been the easiest to get ahold of lately.”

The steady thrum of Addie’s pulse beat in her fingertips. Maybe that was true, but she wasn’t letting him put the blame on her. “I have to go.”

“Addie, wait—I want to answer any questions you have. And they really want to meet you. Please don’t shut me out.”

“Pretty bold ask.” She railed against the insinuation that she had a choice to make when her dad had made the choice for them years ago.

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