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I clear my throat. "She's going to be running the new resort. This is good news. You all love her."
"She's family as far as we're concerned, but she hurt you terribly, Grant. We love her, but I personally don't like her very much."
"Neither do I," Hailey says. "Sonya says her parents have barely heard from Kaia since she left. Grant wasn't the only one she abandoned."
Sonya and Hailey had been close and gotten closer when Kaia and I were engaged. I didn't realize they still kept in touch.
"Stop looking at me like I'm about to detonate." I shift in my seat. I should have fled when I had the chance. "I'm fine. Kaia's fine. She's engaged to another man and only here until she can get back home to Ottawa."
My father lets out a sigh like a sleeping bear. "Thank God. It's been our policy not to say a word against anyone you children love, but Kaia was never right for you, Grant."
I stare at him, rocked. "She's my soul mate. You said that yourself."
His eyes widen and he leans forward, concern clear. "I never said that. I know I never said it, because I never for one moment believed it."
"But I fell in love with her before I was twenty, just like you and Mom and Pops and Nana. She was my first love. That's how it's supposed to go."
"So I don't have a soul mate, then?" Hailey asks.
I turn to her, confused. "Barlow. You fell in love with him when you were seventeen and he's still got a thing for you, Hay. He's your soul mate and you'll realize—"
"I'm going to stop you right there," Hailey says. "Because number one, I was never in love with Barlow, and number two, his boyfriend John might beg to differ with your assessment of Barlow's feelings for me."
I stare at her. Did I step into an alternate dimension and not realize it? "Okay, I didn't see that one coming. Was there anyone else you loved or dated I don't know about?" She shakes her head, biting her lip to hold back obvious laughter. I turn to my brother. "Lazy?"
Lazy leans back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. "Nope. Never been in love and never plan to. Though I'm interested in what the other requirements for this soul mate are."
I turn to Mom. "Help me out here. You're the one who told me the stories." It just makes so much sense. Kaia has to be my soul mate because I loved her once and I haven't loved anyone since. I can't imagine meeting someone brand new and falling in love, building the kind of implicit understanding with them I once had with Kaia.
Mom presses a hand to her chest, tears glinting in her eyes. "I never meant for those stories to be a prediction of your future, Grant. Mom and Dad's love story and my story with your father are your past, the love and respect I hope you find in your own relationship someday, not a prescription forhowyou'll find your person."
"I didn't even meet your mother until I was twenty-one," Dad says. "Our story is nothing like your grandparents' story."
Hailey gasps and Lazy straightens in his seat. I just stare, the truth sinking in. Mom drops her head into her hands, the sound she makes somewhere between a sob and a laugh.
Dad, as usual, fails to read the room. "And my parents divorced when I was ten, Grant. They've each remarried twice."
Mom puts a hand on his arm and squeezes until he looks at her. "Eli, honey. We met when we were twenty. Grant was born when we were twenty-one."
Dad looks around at us kids, realization dawning. "Well, damn it, Molly, I think they're old enough to know the truth. If we'd told them the truth sooner, Grant wouldn't have this ridiculous idea about that Kincaid woman being his soul mate."
"Mom was pregnant before you got married?" Hailey asks, breathless.
"Your mom being pregnant was why we got married," Dad says.
"Eli!"
"Molly, honey, it's nothing to be ashamed of." Dad pats her hand. "You are my soul mate, the love of my life. It just took me a little while to figure it out. There's nothing wrong with that."
Mom sighs, her cheeks bright red. "Fine. Your father and I weren't in love. We were dating, having fun. It was nothing serious."
"Your mother was trying to make her ex-boyfriend jealous and win him back." Dad is practically gleeful. How long has he been waiting to tell this story?
"I did win him back," Mom says, chin high. "And then I found out I was pregnant. My ex-boyfriend proved himself a total twit when he dumped me because the baby wasn't his. Your father asked me to marry him."
She looks at Dad, eyes damp. "Do you remember your proposal?"
"Every word." Dad laces his fingers through hers. "I've always wanted to be a dad and just because it's happening sooner than I expected, I couldn't be happier that it's happening. You and I get along well and we have fun together. I want to be your partner in this adventure. Marry me and let's make a family."
