Laura nodded. “Okay.” But Kyla didn’t miss the disappointment that crossed Laura’s face.

Damn! She’d always thought their parents would be horrified if something like this happened. She’d never in a million years thought that maybe Laura wanted her and Tag to get together! Dear god, that was crazy.

Her insides churned as she returned to the chicken breasts, trying to focus on them. Just then Remi returned from the store. “I’m back!” she called cheerfully, setting the bags of wine bottles on the dining table. “They don’t have a big selection at that little store, but I got something anyway.”

But Remi apparently had instincts as good as Laura’s and she looked back and forth between Kyla and Laura as she unpacked the bags to put the wine if the fridge. Kyla forced a smile. “Great.”

“How’s the food coming? What can I do?”

“You can snap this asparagus,” Laura said with a smile as bright and forced as Kyla’s.

Damn.

It was their last night all together. Kyla and Tag were both heading back to the city on Sunday. They both had work obligations they had to get back to. So the two families had planned a big barbecue on the MacIntosh deck.

After they’d cooked and drank wine and eaten, they all sat on the deck. A blanket of pale gray obscured the sky, meaning rain was likely coming, but the evening air was still soft and warm. Then Kyla looked up to see her dad standing on a chair. “Dad! What are you doing?”

“I’m making a speech.”

She slouched back in her chair, waiting. She smiled and sipped her wine. Her dad was used to public speaking in his role as CEO, often traveling all over the world to give business presentations, so had no reservations about standing on a chair in front of the family to make a speech.

“I just want to say a few words while we’re all together,” he began. “It doesn’t happen very often anymore that all our kids can be home at the same time. Now our family is growing with Jessica, and grandchildren. The Heller family is growing too, with Remi here.” He smiled at Remi. “And maybe I’m not supposed to mention it, everyone has been tiptoeing around this all week, but Doug and Laura are going to be grandparents too.”

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances. Jase’s ex-girlfriend’s pregnancy wasn’t something anyone felt very comfortable talking about. Trust Dad to put it out there.

“That’s the truth, and even though it may not be ideal circumstances, I know Jase is going to be a great father and we’ll have another little one running around here soon. That child will be as welcome here as any. Just wanted you to know that, Jase and Remi.”

They both nodded, Jase’s mouth tight, Remi’s eyes bright.

“You all know that our family’s been through a rough time over the last year with Jenn’s cancer diagnosis.”

Another subject no one really wanted to talk about, another elephant on the deck, so to speak.

“So that just makes us extra grateful for this time together and for everything we have.” Dad paused to take a sip of his drink and Kyla suspected he was feeling a little emotional. “Having our whole family around us this week has been an incredible gift. That includes you Heller boys too,” he added with a smile. “All of us…Doug and Laura, Jenn and I…are so proud of all you kids. Not kids anymore. Grown adults, all of you successful and bright and happy. That means so much to us.”

Kyla looked around. There was Tag, Logan and Jase, big hockey superstars, and Matt just drafted into the NHL in the first round. There was her brother, VP at a big bank, the one who’d given her parents their first grandchildren, and Michael the tech entrepreneur making money like crazy.

And her. She looked down at her drink. This would have been the perfect time to celebrate her making partner. Her stomach tightened. It wasn’t a competition. She knew that. But she felt like the least successful of all of them in terms of her career.

Hell, her life overall wasn’t any better. She’d sacrificed so much working for the partnership, she didn’t have a husband or children or even a boyfriend. She sighed.

“So,” her father finished. “We just want to thank all of you for making the effort to be here, even though some of you have other obligations. When it comes right down to it, family is the most important thing and we know we’ve raised all of you right at times like this. So let’s drink a toast―to family.”

That old guilt nudged her again, at the fact that she’d almost missed this. Kyla lifted her drink in the toast and smiled and caught Tag’s eye. Heat speared through her again. Their eyes met and held and she gulped her wine. Family. She remembered the things they’d talked about this past week, his tough questions about her job and her future.

She was going back to work on Monday to resume that plan toward partner. But as that thought entered her head and nerves buzzed in her stomach, it was then she realized how incredibly different she’d felt this past week. How easy and relaxed she’d felt—no headaches, no sore neck, no stomach problems, no panic attacks. Well, just the one.

She’d laughed a lot, talked a lot, cooked and eaten and enjoyed food more than she had in a long time, exercised more than she had in years, swimming, waterskiing, running with Tag. She’d had a lot of very hot sex, which had also probably been very therapeutic. She’d had fun. The idea of going back to her workaholic existence suddenly seemed less appealing.

Her dad approached and smiled at her. “Hey, sweet pea.”

“Nice speech, Dad.”

“Thanks. I know it was hard for you to get up here this week. Just wanted you to know we appreciate it. Especially your mom. We worry about you.”

She sighed. She’d heard this before. “I know. You don’t need to. I’m determined to make partner, Dad. Don’t worry, I’ll live up to the rest of you some day.”

He frowned and tipped his head. “That’s not what I meant, sweet pea. I mean we worry that you focus too much on your work. You need to have a life.” He paused. “I’m not sure how you got the idea that we expect that of you. I mean…you’re an intelligent, talented woman. We know you’re capable of doing whatever you want in this world. But we love you no matter what that is, Kyla. If you make partner, we’ll be proud, sure. But if you don’t, we’ll still be proud. We just want you to be happy.”

She opened her mouth to tell him she was happy, but couldn’t say it. Because she was starting to realize…maybe she wasn’t.

“I know I was away on business a lot,” he continued. “But there were a lot of trips I cut short so I could be back for your piano recital or one of Scott’s or Michael’s games. My bosses always knew that family came first.”

She gazed up at her dad, remembering those times he’d rushed in the door just in time for her jazz band concert or a playoff game. There’d been things he missed, yeah, but looking back, she had to admit he’d made a big effort to be there for them as a dad. And had still managed to climb the corporate ladder.

“I don’t think you know this,” he continued. “But I once turned down a promotion because it meant we would have to move to Germany.”

“What!” She gaped at him.

“Your mom and I talked about it. We didn’t want to uproot you and your brothers.”

“But…wow.”

“Family is most important,” he said again. “If you got the idea from me that career is most important, then…I am so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault I’m like this,” she said, voice husky. “It’s just me.”

“Ambitious,” he said with a smile, laying a hand on top of her head. “I understand that. Just make sure your priorities are straight. Need another drink?” He held up his empty glass.

“That’s okay, I’m good.”

Her dad moved on and the conversation rose and fell around her, Remi’s soft laugh, Tag’s deep voice, Emily’s nonstop chatter. Her eyes sought out Tag and watched him.