Christmas was a holiday she’d dearly loved since Maddie was born. They did most of their celebrating at June’s house and Maddie wouldn’t have it any other way. Jock had joined them for dinner a few times, usually showed up early Christmas morning to watch Maddie open gifts, even stole Maddie away for a few hours to spend time with his family. He was always very cordial and respected Riley’s wishes, not pushing too much. He still spent most of his major holidays with his mom, dad, brother and sister. Once he’d asked if Maddie could stay over so they could have Christmas at his mom’s. Riley had known that wasn’t asking too much. But she’d said no, and he had come to June’s instead.

 Riley loved helping her mother with the meals, Adam was always there Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and over the years there had been the occasional extra guests—a girlfriend of Adam’s or friends or coworkers who would otherwise be alone. Now that Maddie was a teenager, Christmas morning wasn’t such a big deal and they’d do their gift opening later in the morning while the turkey roasted. June cooked all day, talking, laughing and singing carols when the spirit moved her. Riley spent the whole day with her mother and daughter. Adam was in and out because he liked delivering gifts and good tidings to his friends at their homes, just as friends and neighbors stopped by June’s house, knowing there would be eggnog, coffee and cookies. It was always warm, cozy, low-key, and made Riley feel secure. After all, she’d drawn the blueprint for this life.

 She had a feeling everything was about to change. She could smell it in the wind.

 Maddie was getting older, more mature. She was asking the questions Adam had predicted, and then some. She wanted to know how she came to be. Did her parents love each other? If they did, why did they stop? Riley could no longer live in denial—Jock was a pretty good dad and Maddie loved him.

 And Adam, he would never leave them, but he wasn’t going to belong to them anymore. It was the elephant in the room—Emma had come back and Adam was different. Emma had come back and Riley had lost fifteen years, feeling thrown back in time. She wanted to ask where Emma was today but she wouldn’t. Surely Lyle would look after her. Or her landlady would.

 Riley tried to savor the two days, to fill up on them, as if they’d have to hold her for a long time. The presents were a success and dinner was slowly being prepared. She stood at the stove and sink with her mother, got out the Christmas dishes and set the table. Maddie came into the dining room, her cell phone to her ear. “Put an extra plate on. Daddy is coming to dinner.”

 “Does he know it’s at four?” Riley asked.

 “He knows. He’s glad. He’ll have to go to work early tomorrow.”

 Because Mackie’s would be a madhouse, Riley thought. People would be returning and exchanging all their gifts. He’d worked for Mackie’s full-time since getting his degree. Which took him over five years to accomplish, she reminded herself.

 But he’d been there for fifteen years—part-time at first while he went to school, steadily working his way up. It wasn’t a big job but it was solid.

 He wasn’t the senior partner of a law firm or chief of neurosurgery, but he worked hard, long hours in a tough, competitive business and his employees loved him. So when are you going to give him a break, huh? she asked herself.

 He arrived, wearing the ugly Christmas sweater Maddie had gotten him, thrilling her and forcing a laugh out of everyone, even Adam. And too soon it was coming to a close and Riley had a sinking feeling the Christmas holidays she’d known since Maddie was born would never be the same. Maddie was growing up. She was so smart they were already looking at colleges. Riley, though still young, was staring in the face of a different life. June would age, Adam would leave her, Maddie would build a life of her own.

 Riley’s phone rang and she fished it out of her purse.

 “I just wanted to call to wish you a merry Christmas,” Logan said.

 “And merry Christmas to you!” she replied cheerily. “We’re just sitting down. Can I give you a call after we eat?”

 “Perfect,” he said. “I am blessedly finished with my family. I’m home.”

 “I’ll call in a little while,” she said.

 Jock and Adam both left while Riley and June were cleaning up the leftovers and washing the dishes. Maddie was on the phone planning a big shopping day with Gramma and two of her girlfriends for tomorrow bright and early. Riley would go to the office. The Monday after Christmas was always a busy day for her crews.

 That left only tonight. Maddie was staying overnight with Gramma, and Riley was alone. She felt a little guilty that seeing Logan hadn’t even come to mind. It was only seven and Christmas was over.

 It was a dark, cloudy night and she drove to Jock’s house. He’d lived in this house for three years now. It was small and one of the newer houses in Santa Rosa, a new construction. He was proud of it. Riley had never been inside but she knew where it was because she’d dropped Maddie off there to visit many times. Maddie hadn’t spent the night very often; her life was still mostly with her mom and gramma and girlfriends. Jock didn’t push any kind of custody arrangement. He didn’t dare. Riley scared him, she knew that.

 She sat in her car out front for a while, just thinking. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but here she was. She was driven by some sentimental force she didn’t understand. After ten minutes or so, she walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

 Jock threw open the door and looked at her in shock. “Riley?” he said. “You need Maddie to stay over?” he asked, looking over her shoulder.

 He had gotten rid of the sweater and wore an old sweatshirt—Seahawks. His jeans were old, torn here and there and looked like a beloved garment and in absolutely poor taste. He was in his stocking feet and held the TV remote in his hand. The TV was muted but there were football players paused like statues on the screen.