I pull the phone from my head with a laugh. “Hi, Ava. How’s the best niece ever?”

“I’m terrific!” She shouts again in my ear so loudly that Madison hears her.

She covers her mouth as she laughs, but somehow Ava still manages to hear her.

“Who’s that, Uncle Shawn? You bring a friend with you?”

“I sure did.” I pull Madison close to me again. “Her name is Madison.”

Madison and I both hear her exclamation of excitement on the other end of the line. “Oh boy, I get an auntie! Auntie Madi!” Before I can say anything else or tell her she’s wrong, she squeals, “Uncle Shawn, can Auntie Madi come play with me, too?”

Without any prompting, Madison leans toward the phone. “Yes, Ava, I’ll come see you soon.”

“Great!” We hear a big thump and then a muttered curse from Heath.

“Whatever you all just told her, she got excited, threw my phone in the air, and took off running.”

I laugh and Madison giggle-snorts next to me. She calls over her shoulder so he can hear, “Sorry, Heath!”

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Another rough chuckle escapes me. “Gotta go. Talk later.”

“Sounds good. Later.”

Chapter 27

Madison

While Shawn had been talking to Heath, there’d been a lively conversation going on in the group text message. I scan back over everything now that he’s off the phone and resting quietly beside me.

Sophia: OMG, you’re killing us. We know you guys slid off the road in the storm, but that’s about it.

Zoey: Isn’t the last time we heard from her right before the reception?

Quinn: Yeah, but Shawn texted Heath about the accident. Scroll up—Sophia was talking about it earlier.

Piper: Madison, I can’t even believe that you’ve kept us hanging all this time.

Hadleigh: Where’s all the juicy gossip? I need details.

I stifle a laugh and tap out a message that it sounds like there is much anticipation over.

Me: Please believe me when I say this whole weekend has been one massive whirlwind.

Zoey: There she is! And I’m not late to the party this time!

Quinn: Ooh, this sounds interesting.

Me: Obviously, you all know there has been one hell of a snowstorm.

Sophia: Oh yeah. It’s nasty out there.

Me: But there has also been an ex-boyfriend.

Hadleigh: Uh-oh.

Me: And there has been a former best friend.