When evening rolls around, many friends have gone home, but the core family hangs out on the side porch by the pool (with what’s left of the jalapeño poppers Jacky-Ann whipped up earlier) to watch the sunset. Nadine is trying to get my ma onboard with an idea she has about renting out a whole floor for our guests at a resort on Dreamwood Isle, figuring they could spend the first few days or so of the new year there. My ma balks at how pricy that’d be and worries that the beach town will already be totally booked up for New Year’s, and who knows whether the weather will be nice or totally awful and cold? It’s always a coin toss in Texas this time of the year. But Nadineinsists it’ll be fine—and she knows people. “Bein’ mayor has its perks,” she points out, then leans in and quietly adds, “I’m best pals withArmando, the sexy GM at the Elysian Seaside Resort & Spa that’s on the prettiest dang beach of Dreamwood Isle, and hedoesowe me a favor.”
The stars are out by the time Tanner and I head on back to the house with the kids—and burdened with a dozen containers full of leftovers and turkey—when Joshua asks, “Is it too late to hang out in the treehouse before going in?”
Tanner and I share a look.
Marcus, reading said look, smirks and says, “I’ll put the food away and get snacks,” before heading into the house ahead of us.
And there we are: Tanner at the edge of the new treehouse overlooking the pond, legs dangling under the railing. Marcus on a blue beanbag with his tablet. Joshua and I on the floor between them playing a Pokémon card game I barely understand (his latest obsession) and what better way to end the night than to spend a quiet moment in Joshua’s dream treehouse with the family I love?
“Few weeks ago, that morning at your parents’ right after the storm …” Tanner and I are down on the dock while the kids stay in the treehouse playing a rather heated round of the card game. “It was just before we spoke to the kids, you said you had a confession to make, but never told me what it was. It’s been naggin’ at me.”
Tanner takes hold of my hand. “Takin’ the advice from a pal, I started writing you a letter. A real one. Figured if I couldn’t say all the stuff in person, maybe I could write it down. It was gonna be my last stitch effort to win you back, had you not … come around.”
I lift my eyebrows, surprised. “Did you finish it?”
“Nope.” He turns to me and smiles. “Guess I don’t have to.”