Alan shifts his gaze to me.

I nod, in contradiction to my thoughts. Alan, if this makes sense to you, you’re an expert in Chrissie-speak. I’m her daughter and even I don’t know what the fuck she’s trying to say.

Time to end this.

Ready to be out of here.

“It’s OK, Mom. I’m sorry, too. We’re good.”

Chrissie’s wide doe eyes lock on me. “We’ll always be good. Remember that. I’m your mother and I’m always here for you. No matter what happens, I love you, Kaley. I know there’s been a lot of change and uncertainty, that things haven’t been clear for you. And if I could have made it any other way I would have. But change is what we do to get to where we’re going—”

Oh groovy, now she’s quoting Grandpa Jack.

Change is what we do to get to where we’re going.

Yep, that’s Grandpa Jack.

I stare at the ground, waiting for her to finish.

“And maybe I haven’t been as focused on what’s going on with you as I should be—”

Really?

You think?

“What Chrissie is trying to say—”

Thank you, Alan, for cutting her off.

“—we’re getting married on Sunday and we hope that’s something agreeable to you.”

My eyes go wide.

Did I hear Alan correctly?

My parents are getting married?

What the hell happened out here last night?

Shit, they’re both smiling and staring at me expectantly for some kind of reaction.

“What do you think?” Chrissie says in a bubbly, cute-cute way.

“I think…it’s agreeable.”

Alan laughs and Mom beats back a smile.

I stand up. “Can I leave now?”

Mom nods. “We wanted to tell you first, but don’t say anything to Krystal and the boys.”

“I won’t, Mom.”

I hurry into the house and close the door behind me. I lean against the glass. It feels like my head is about to explode. I don’t have the first clue how things got from where they were yesterday to what just went down on the patio.

My cell vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out, swipe it open, and grimace. The driveway. I forgot.

After shaking my body to rid myself of the last few minutes—Chrissie and Alan are freaking getting married—I hurry toward the front door.

I step out outside, and halt mid-step.

My breath catches in my throat.

Oh God.

“Bobby.”

I run and fling myself into his arms. In a flash, I’m surrounded by him, flattened against the car, and he’s kissing me across my face, my cheeks, and my lips. I don’t know why he’s back early, but I am so glad that he is. All I can feel inside me is him, blocking out every nightmarish minute since he left for Tahoe five days ago, and I can’t get close enough to him. It would be so nice to forget everything in my life but him.

Bobby breaks off.

We’re both breathing heavily.

“God, I missed you,” he says, leaning his forehead against mine.

I feel dizzy and euphoric.

“What are you doing back early? I thought you were staying on the slopes until the end of next week.”

His arms are quivering. “Tahoe was no fun without you, Kaley. It was nothing without you.”

My eyes widen and I study his face. As sweet as that is, nope, not buying it Bobby Rowan. Suspicion nips at my gut.

“Zoe told you everything, didn’t she?”

Those green eyes meet mine directly. “Yep, she did. Yesterday afternoon, everything you should have told me yourself, and I drove all night to get back here.”

My face burns red.

Damn it, Zoe. So not cool.

I exhale.

“What did Zoe tell you?”

He shakes his head. “She told me enough.” He runs a hand through his hair, then leans in and gives me a featherlight kiss. “That you needed me here and I’m here. And that should you tell you a few things, Kaley.”

I curl into his chest and his arms tighten around me. Crap, the tears give way and I don’t want to cry in front of him, but it’s been an emotional week, I still haven’t gotten my head around Chrissie’s bombshell of the morning, and the relief that Bobby is back is too overwhelming to contain.

He strokes my arms gently, painting light kisses across my curls. “Shush, Kaley. Whatever it is, it’s going to be all right. Let’s go somewhere we can be alone. Can you sneak away for a while?”

I nod, not caring that I’m grounded, but then Chrissie will probably not remember, her attention definitely totally claimed by Alan at present.

With his thumbs, Bobby brushes the tears from my cheeks. “Baby, why are you crying? Those don’t look like happy tears and I thought surprising you today would make you happy.”

“It does make me happy.”

His brow crinkles quizzically. “Then what’s going on?”

I lift my gaze. “My mom is marrying Alan on Sunday.”

Bobby’s eyes goes wide with surprise and comprehension. “Are you OK?”

I shrug. “Why shouldn’t I be? It only took them eighteen years, but I’ll be like one of the few people I know whose parents are freaking married. Pretty groovy, huh?”

He pulls me back against him. “It will be all right. We’ve got each other. Don’t wall me out because I want to be here for you. And it doesn’t matter what happens in your parents’ lives. It doesn’t matter if they get married. What matters is us. We’re our future, Kaley. You and me. I love you.”

* * *

One week later

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” Grandpa Jack says.

Bobby’s arm tightens around my shoulders as his lips touch my hair. I stare at my mom, the breathtaking smile on her face, and the way her eyes light up when she looks at Alan.

“Are you going to kiss the bride?” Grandpa Jack asks, louder and amused.

“This better be legal,” Alan teases.

Everyone laughs.

“It’s legal once you kiss her,” Jack counters.

My dad runs his thumbs along my mom’s face. It’s like he can’t see anything but her. “I just want to stare at you for a little while. Let me.”

Chrissie’s face is consumed by her smile. “No, I want to be kissed. Kiss me fast since we’re not married until you kiss me.”

They laugh and they’re kissing and then the intense hush on the cliffs above the beach in my grandpa’s backyard is shattered by applause, laughter, and moving guests.

Chrissie steps back, laughing. “Holy crap. We did it, Alan.”

Bobby leans in to me. “You OK?”

I nod. I don’t know what I feel. The entire ceremony passed as sort of a slow-moving film in front of me, and still I couldn’t keep up with everything roiling through me.

It’s just so freaking weird. Tears fill my eyes out of nowhere. Why am I crying? Maybe it’s just because my mom looks so happy. Alan does, too. Maybe it’s just inescapable to get emotional at a wedding, even a wedding as bizarre and confusing as this. Linda has been Niagara Falls since it started and she’s the least emotional woman I know.

Bobby stands up and holds out his hand to me. “Come on, Kaley. Everyone is moving to the tent.”

I snap out of my thoughts.

Oh crap, we’re the only ones left sitting on the chairs facing the cliffs, and I didn’t go give my mom a hug or something at the end of the ceremony and I probably should have.

The inside of the tent is a crush of bodies by the time we get there.

“There’s a buffet,” Bobby says quietly. “Do you want something to eat?”

I exhale. “I’m not hungry.”

He does a cute little pucker of his brows. “Do you mind if I eat? I didn’t get a chance to grab anything this morning and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need my energy later.”

“You are, are you?” I tease, trying to match his lighthearted mood but I know I’m failing at that.

He smiles, his expression sweet. “You may not be here with me, but I’m here with you. Hopefully you arrive soon. You look so beautiful today. It’s going to be torture keeping my hands off you during the reception.”

My cheeks flush.

Message received, Bobby.

I’m behaving pathetically. My parents got married. No big deal. My self-absorption and emotional botheration needs to end. He wants me to focus on him.