Page 128 of The Addendum

“Just down the road from Mom and me. Right beside Heather and Reed.”

I flung my arms around his neck with a happy sob. He hugged me tight. “You have a safe place now, my girl. Always.”

He drew back and wiped under my eyes. “You and Luc will be very happy there, I’m sure.”

Suddenly, I was on my feet, hugging everyone. Laughing, crying, unable to articulate the emotions running through me. I had always wanted a house of my own. A family with lots of people to love. A father.

And thanks to Richard VanRyan, I had all that.

Add in Luc?

Life was pretty damned perfect.

* * *

Hours later, I strolled out onto the deck of the winery. The men were gathered as per their tradition. On the table was a bottle of scotch and one of whiskey. Cigar smoke circled their heads. All of them had loosened their ties, and the heat of the propane burners kept them warm.

I approached the table, trying not to smile. Dad watched me, his gaze suddenly leery. Aiden grinned, his arm flung over his chair.

“Anyone else feeling déjà vu?”

“Jesus, I hope you’re not about to tell us there’s a twin,” Halton muttered.

“Fuck,” Maddox muttered. “If there is—no more weddings. Shit always happens at these weddings.”

I laughed. “No twin, boys. Relax.”

Dad chuckled. “You guys are idiots. What’s going on, my girl? I thought you left an hour ago.”

“I wanted a do-over.”

He peered at me quizzically.

“A do-over—for what?”

I nodded and laid a piece of cloth I had in my hand on the table.

He stared at it, pushing it with his finger. “My old shirt sleeve.”

“It was my something old today. I had it wrapped around my bouquet.”

He smiled, confused. “I see.”

“It brought me to you.”

“It did.”

“The last time you saw it, I was angry.”

“We’ve moved past that,” he pointed out.

“I know, but like I said, I wanted a do-over. I’d like to replace that memory with something better.”

He smiled. He said those words to me so often. “All right.”

“This shirt proves you’re my father.”

He nodded.