feet may leave, but not our hearts.

—Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

The annual Abbott family game night was, in fact, utter chaos and nonstop laughter, most of it due to the antics of Lucas and Landon as well as a steady flow of beer and wine.

“They really do this every year?” Emma asked Grayson as they sat off to the side watching the goings-on.

“Two days after Christmas for as long as I can remember. Aunt Molly says that with ten kids on vacation and not a lot of disposable income back in the day, they had to be creative with how they entertained the troops. Game night became a holiday-week tradition.”

“What’ve we missed?” Charley asked as she came in with Tyler.

“Just Lucas and Landon being morons,” Will said.

“Nothing new there,” Charley said.

“Dad always said if you’re going to do something, be the best at it,” Landon said.

“You took that advice a little too literally,” Hannah said from her perch on the sofa next to Nolan. She was so pregnant she could barely move, or so she said.

“I’m here to defend my Scrabble title,” Ella said, arriving with Gavin.

“No one wants to play with you anymore, honey,” Lincoln said.

“Bunch of chickenshits,” Ella said, scowling.

“It was the ninety-point word that did you in.” Linc pulled a piece of paper from the game box. “Here’s the petition signed by the entire family on game night last year.”

“They actually signed a petition?” Emma asked Grayson.

“Oh yeah. No one can beat her.”

“I’ll play with you, babe,” Gavin said, patting Ella on the bottom.

“I hope we’re still talking Scrabble,” Colton said from the floor where he sat with Max and Caden setting up Monopoly. “And not strip poker.”

“I’m happy to play whatever games your sister dreams up,” Gavin said to moans, groans and flying game pieces.

“Don’t mess up the games!” Linc said. “You’re all a bunch of animals!”

“They always have been,” Molly said.

Wade dabbed at his eyes. “I love when Mom and Dad get sentimental.”

“I’m here to photograph the mayhem,” Izzy Coleman said when she arrived, camera in hand.

“And I’m here to referee,” Grayson’s mother, Hannah, said as she followed her daughter into the family room, zeroing right in on Emma sitting close to Grayson on the love seat.

Emma shifted ever so subtly away from him.

He looked at her, raising a questioning brow.

Should she tell him his mother seemed to disapprove of her for him? He’d deny that. Of course he would, but Emma knew disapproval when she saw it.

“Okay,” Lincoln said, “Ella is the defender of the Scrabble title, which has been banned from game night due to lack of interest from challengers.”

“Bunch of babies,” she said, glowering at the others.

“Hunter is the defending Monopoly champion.”

“Whatever,” Will said.

“He totally cheats,” Lucas said.