My cheeks rapidly heat. “Thanks. It means a lot to me that you think it’s good.”

Graham hands the computer back to me. “Have you shown it to your dad?”

I shake my head.

“Why not? He’d be so proud of you if he could see that. And I think really happy. Because that’s not just a film about him. It’s film about you, too, and how much you love your dad. It’s in every frame of film how much you love your father. Show it to him, Kaley. He deserves to see it. The past four months have been a journey for your dad, too. Let him know that he’s forgiven and you love him.”

I fight not to get all teary-eyed and exhale the breath I’ve been holding. I shrug. “Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t know if we’re ready for that much honesty between us yet in our relationship.”

Graham slips an arm around my neck, pulling me in to drop a kiss on my curls. “Alan is there. He always has been. But now you are, too. Show it to him, Kaley.”

I nod, struggling to hold back my emotion because Graham reads me like a book and is right. He’s always right about everything. Overbearing at times with his opinions, but he’s a good friend with my best interests at heart.

“You doing all right, Kaley?”

I nod.

He smiles. “You must be really excited about going home to California tomorrow.”

To hide my expression from him, I focus on loading my junk into my tote. The mention of home is a definite mood kill. “Excited? Sort of. I don’t really have anything going on at home.”

“You start USC in September. That definitely sounds like something exciting to me.”

“Yep. I do have school.” I put the strap of my bag over my head. “Can you take me back to the hotel?”

His brows shoot up. “You want to leave when your mom’s on stage? I think she’s going to sing with your dad. Don’t you want to listen?”

I shift my gaze to find Chrissie next to Alan center stage. Jeez, they look so happy. Everyone is happy—my folks, my brothers and sisters—everyone except me.

I debate grabbing my camera and snapping a picture of them. Oh well, the documentary is done, and this experience is done, too. The way my parents stare at each other reminds me of everything I lost and makes the hurt in my heart burn.

All going back to California means is that tomorrow my next phase of life starts: Pacific Palisades without Bobby.

The lump in my throat becomes strangling.

Graham slips an arm around me.

“It’s going to be all right, Kaley. If it was meant to be, it will be there when you get home. Four months won’t have changed a thing. And if Bobby is not there waiting for you, then he wasn’t worth your time in the first place.”

Shit, how did he know what I was thinking?

I settle back into my seat, slouch down and brace my feet on the back of the chair in front of me. “We broke up. It’s over. I don’t expect him to be waiting for me.”

Graham shakes his head at me. “He’ll be there. I’m not worried about that.”

I wish I could believe him, but I don’t.

The arena fills with the sound of screaming guitars and my parents’ voices. Slowly we slouch into each other, my head tilted and resting against Graham’s, our eyes glued on the mesmerizing picture that is my mother when she’s with Alan.

“God, your mom’s incredible,” Graham murmurs appreciatively. “Her voice is like a thousand volt jolt through the body. Forty-two years old and she’s still one of the sexiest women I’ve ever seen.”

I grimace. “Gross. Don’t say things like that about my mother. Besides, you’re gay. She should do nothing for you.”

Graham’s eyes start to twinkle. “Sexy is sexy, sweetheart. I don’t need to be straight to see how hot your mom is. Both of your parents are sexy as hell.”

I shudder. “Ew. Anyway, my mom has no moves at all on stage. She’s got to be one of the least coordinated recording artists ever.”

Graham’s head goes back as he laughs. “OK. I’ll give you that. She’s no Jennifer Lopez, but she doesn’t have to be. Even no moves works for Chrissie.”

I watch her. Jeez, Dad is smiling and staring at her as if she’s the most amazing thing ever.

My humor vanishes and my mood dips.

A prick of sadness.

“Everything works for Chrissie. Always. My mom has everything she wants, the way she wants, always.”

Graham takes me in a one-arm, shoulder-wrapping hug and lays his cheek on my curls. “You do, too, Kaley. And you always will. You just don’t know it yet.”

CHAPTER 31

I stare out the window as the plane slowly descends. Southern California has never looked better to me than it does today from the air.

I’m finally home. I can track down Bobby and try to fix things with him, though I’m sure the smart girl move would be not to chase him and I’m pretty sure my dad is going to object if I try to cut out first thing.

My dad will tell me not to do it.

He’s probably right.

His guy advice is always right, probably because he’s such a guy, the alpha male of all alpha males.

I’m going after Bobby anyway.

I turn and stare at the closed door of the luxurious sleeping compartment on Alan’s Lear jet where my parents have hung out alone pretty much since wheels up in Toronto. It’s sweet, though awkward at times, how into each other they are. Who would have thought two people could still be so hot and heavy and in love at their age, especially after five kids?

Yep, I’ve definitely witnessed a lot of too much visual moments since my mom flew to Australia to be with Dad. As embarrassing as they behave at times, watching them makes me a little sad and jealous. It’s like there is no one else in the world for them than each other, and though it’s confusing that their life together wasn’t always a smooth thing, it’s kind of a nice feeling to know I have two parents married and deeply in love with each other.

My gaze shifts to my sister sound asleep in Lourdes’s arms. Khloe is so lucky that that is all she’s ever going to have in her life: both parents loving her and in love with each other. There’s not a doubt in my mind that Chrissie and Alan are going to be together forever this time.

I shut down the twinge of resentment inside me because it’s wrong and I don’t want to resent Khloe any longer, and I’m really glad that she’s here. I’m not sure we would have ever become a family without her.

And my mom is so happy. I’ve never seen her happier. Nope, it’s time to put the past and the unpleasant feelings away, and only enjoy where we all are today.

One family, a little weird, totally not normal, but good.

“We are thirty minutes from touching down in Los Angeles,” the pilot’s voice announces through the intercom. “It’s clear skies, 74 degrees in the south land, and we should be taxiing in around 1:30 p.m. California time.”

My heart jumps; we’re landing soon.

Maybe it’s safe to bother my parents.

I unbuckle my seat belt—please let it be safe—and make my way toward the back of the plane.

I knock.

I wait.

“You can come in, Kaley,” my dad says through the door.

My brows hitch up.

How did he know it was me?

I slowly turn the knob, inch it open, peek in and then breathe a sigh of relief. Alan is sitting on the bed, fully clothed, reading a newspaper, and my mom is asleep beside him, curled in a tight ball, using his lap as her pillow.

Not what I expected.

So maritally normal.

Crap, my dad even has half glasses resting low on his nose.

I sink down on the bed, sitting on my knees facing them. “How did you know it was me?”

My dad folds his paper and tosses it aside. “We’re nearly home. Who else would be interrupting us first thing? I’m reasonably certain none of the rest of the herd is itching to bolt. What do you want, Kaley?”

I choke back a laugh at the term herd and fight off a grimace at the itching to bolt comment.