Chapter 24 #2
Oh, right—I was wearing my fancy sweater.
Lydia’s hiccupped cries grew louder as Ryan’s icing melted over the kringle and pooled on the counter under the wire cooling rack. “Your mom does so much for us. I just wanted to treat her to a special Christmas breakfast.”
Wait. “This is about Mom?” I snorted, halfheartedly patting Lydia’s shoulder. My newfound Christmas patience was admittedly wearing a bit thin. “Trust me, it’s fine. She thinks you can do no wrong.”
“But I’m just trying to live up to you.” Lydia wailed again.
Oh. That changed everything. I met Ryan’s eyes over her head. He held up both hands and backed away.
“Lydia, what do you mean?” I moved in front of her and tugged her hands off her face.
She settled her hands in her lap, wringing them together and avoiding my gaze. “You’re a superstar. Living by yourself in a big city, Ms. Independent with a great job.” She sniffed. “Well, until…you know.” She grimaced.
Yeah. I knew.
Lydia wiped her watery eyes. “I could never do that. I’m such a homebody. But Ryan thinks you hung the moon. And your parents…all Grace talks about is how proud she is of you. Like, you didn’t get married too young—”
“Hey.” Kat frowned.
“—or believe that you had to have a man to be happy.” Lydia sniffed again.
“She said all that?” I frowned, unsure what I was hearing. Unsure why Axel was still kneeling on the ground in a puddle of coffee. Unsure who was at the door.
But mostly unsure how in the world Lydia and I had never had this conversation before.
“I’ve always needed someone.” Lydia waved her hand toward Ryan, her eyes puffy. “I can’t do anything by myself. Even teaching. I need my aide, or those kids would destroy me.” She shuddered.
Wow. I tilted my head, studying her as she worried her bottom lip between her perfectly straight teeth. “Lydia, you’re the one who makes everything look easy.” I sighed. “Literally everything.”
“Well, it’s not easy being in your shadow. Everyone loves you. You’re funny and pretty and clever. You’re so…cool.” She eyed me up and down. “You don’t have to try to people-please to fit in like I do.”
Oh brother. “I think you’re confusing that alleged lack of people-pleasing with giving up.” I huffed. “I’ve literally been thinking for months that you’re the daughter my mom would prefer.”
“That’s crazy,” Ryan, Kat, and Lydia said at the same time.
We looked at Kat.
“What? I’m confident in my role in this family.” Kat tossed her ponytail, her scowl still in place. “You two are apparently insecure enough for all the Sinclair women.”
She had a point. If I’d been more comfortable in my own skin, in who I was, with or without a job or a boyfriend, maybe I could’ve avoided all this holiday heartache by not being afraid to come home.
Lydia didn’t see me as weak without a man or a job—she saw me as strong. And apparently, so did Mom.
Why had I been so nervous to be myself with my own family? None of us were perfect. Including Lydia, who dabbed her face on the oven mitt, which left a black grease smudge on her cheekbone.
“I would have burned a pastry a long time ago if I’d known it’d have cleared the air between us.” She chuckled self-consciously. “I really admire you, Holly.”
Oh, my heart. Still aching for Nick, but simultaneously overflowing with joy toward my family.
This was what the holidays were all about, wasn’t it?
“Listen.” I took Lydia’s hands and squeezed them.
“You’re a great sister-in-law, and the perfect addition to our family.
I’m sorry that I got jealous and didn’t show you how much I admire you too.
” I let out a breath and laughed. “Although I have to say, the burned kringle made it a little easier to admit.”
Lydia laughed, pulling one hand free to wipe her eyes again. “Hang out with me more. I’ll show you how often I mess up.”
“Well, this kringle is definitely messed up.” Ryan stepped back, holding the nearly empty piping bag, and sighed. “Not sure whose point that helps make.”
“I bet there are more powdered donuts somewhere around here. We can put them with the leftover sausage balls.” Kat headed toward the pantry, nearly tripping over Axel, who was still on the ground. “ Oomph. What are you doing?”
“Waiting. Didn’t want to interrupt that sister moment over there.” Axel gestured toward me and Lydia before beaming up at Chloe.
“Didn’t want to interrupt by standing?” I frowned at him.
He shifted in his kneeled position. “I needed to stay down here.” Then he pulled a box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a shiny, albeit tiny, diamond ring. “Chloe…”
Kat gasped. Ryan growled. Lydia grabbed my arm.
“You’re, like, the coolest chick I’ve ever known.” Axel’s eyes shone to rival the diamond. “My forever beach babe. Will you marry me?”
Chloe covered both cheeks with her hands, eyes wide. “Axel! Again?”
I clutched Lydia back. Again?
The kitchen door swung open. Mom and Dad walked in, followed by Olivia and a dark-haired man in fatigues.
“Devin!” Kat squealed in the girliest voice I’d ever heard come out of her.
We all gasped again. Kat vaulted over Axel, cleared the kitchen in two strides, and launched into his arms. Mom barely got out of the way before Devin picked Kat up and swung her around.
“ Oh. ” Lydia grasped Ryan’s robe sleeve in one hand, feeling the weight of the romantic moment, or holding him back from Axel?
Tears streamed down Kat’s face, causing my own eyes to well. “So that’s why you didn’t answer my FaceTime.” She pulled away long enough to slap her husband’s arm, then immersed herself back into his embrace.
“Merry Christmas.” Devin pressed a kiss to her forehead and nodded at the rest of us, eyes soft and grateful. “Everyone.”
“Merry Christmas.” The kitchen fell silent as we watched the sweet reunion. The back of my throat burned with a flood of emotion begging for release. Kat deserved this.
“Hey!” Dad had apparently noticed Axel holding a ring, and his face darkened. “What’s going on in here?”
Moment over.
“Axel is proposing.” Ryan’s face matched our father’s.
Dad’s eyes narrowed.
“Again.” Chloe knelt too, coffee and all—wow, she really was in love—and joined Axel on the floor. “Babe, we’re already engaged. You didn’t have to do this.”
“What do you mean ‘already’?” A tornado would have fled the Midwest at Dad’s expression. But Mom was stronger than gale-force winds. She placed a calming hand on his shoulder. His cheeks reddened with the words he wasn’t saying.
“You’re so amazing, I’d propose every day of my life if you’d say yes.” Axel frowned. “You are saying yes again, right?”
“Of course I am.” Chloe leaned forward and pecked him on the lips.
“ Already engaged?” Kat disentangled herself from Devin. “What are you talking about?”
“I proposed in Cali last month, but I finally got the ring. Had to finish the payments.” Axel winced as they both ambled to their feet. “It’s also your Christmas gift.”
“It’s the best gift ever.” Chloe lit up like a Christmas tree as he slid the ring on her finger. “Absolutely perfect. Like you.”
“So that’s why you planned to quit school.” I let go of Lydia, who seemed to need both hands to hold Ryan back. “To get married.”
No one was holding Dad back anymore. He strode toward Axel, fire in his eyes. “Now wait just a minute.”
Axel gulped.
“It’s one thing to come here for Christmas and be all new relationship lovey-dovey.” Dad glared, going so far as to tap Axel on the shoulder with one finger. “But quitting school, getting married at your age—how do you expect to provide for my daughter?”
“Oh, easy. I’m going to be a lawyer.” Axel straightened his shoulders and grinned. “I’m graduating this semester with a 4.0 and have a head start toward my juris doctor.”
My jaw joined the icing on the floor.
“Your what ?” Ryan’s eyes bugged.
“Yeah. I’ve already started studying for the bar.
” Axel lifted one shoulder. “UCLA has a five-year combined BA plus JD program, so I’ll finish that up next year.
I’ve spent every school break clerking. I’m most interested in entertainment law, being in California.
But I’ve got a sticky note full of firms that want me to come intern with them after the holidays. ”
We stared at him.
“I just took time off to meet you all.” He smiled.
“A lawyer.” Dad cleared his throat. Smoothed the sleeve of Axel’s shirt. “Very well, then.”
“Wait…” Axel frowned, turning a slow circle, taking in the silence and our expressions. “Why is everyone surprised? Did you all think I was just a freeloading surfer dude or something?”
“Um…” We all looked at each other, heads tilted, stammering.
“I’m not quitting because of marriage, anyway.” Chloe huffed. “Duh. My influencing is really taking off. I could do more reels and have more time to represent brands if I’m not in school.”
We turned our staring to her.
Chloe wrinkled her nose. “I mean, why bother with the degree if I’m already making money doing this now?”
“We talked about this, babe.” Axel shot a wary look at Dad, then crept toward Chloe in a half crouch, as if he were afraid Dad might snatch him back up. “You should do both. You’ll graduate soon enough.”
“Maybe.” Chloe shrugged. “Let’s talk about it later, okay?”
“Okay.” He kissed her nose.
Dad peered at them like maybe he approved more than he leton.
Huh. Talk about a Christmas miracle.
“Presents!” Kat clapped suddenly, saving us all from further awkwardness. “We should open gifts!” She grinned up at Devin. “And by the way, I have a really great present for you.”