“Since he’s on his honeymoon and unable to defend his title, Hannah will act as his proxy,” Lincoln continued.

Hannah flexed her muscles and pretended to crack her knuckles. “He’s had me in training for this moment for months. I’m ready for you losers.”

“It’s not fair,” Landon said. “She’s got two brains to work with this year. That ought to be an automatic disqualification.”

“Stuff it,” Hannah said. “I could kick your ass with half a brain.”

“I see game night is off to a rousing start,” Elmer Stillman said when he came in, his cheeks red from the cold.

“Hannah’s already swearing,” Colton said to his grandfather.

“Business as usual,” Elmer replied.

“I thought this was such a nice family,” Cameron said.

“I know!” Lucy said. “I had no idea.”

“Welcome to your first game night, ladies,” Elmer said. “This is where the truth comes out.”

“Lucas and Landon are the team to beat in both charades and Pictionary,” Lincoln said.

“Did we agree that they aren’t allowed to do any handstands this year?” Colton asked.

“After they took out the Christmas tree last year, Mom made a no-gymnastics-of-any-kind law,” Lincoln said.

“Go near my tree, and I’ll have you killed,” Molly said.

Emma giggled uncontrollably.

“The Colemans are positively tame compared to this crew,” Grayson said.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Izzy said. She moved around the room taking photos, zeroing in on Max, who held his sleeping infant son in his arms. “Most photogenic father and son I’ve ever shot.”

“You may be a little biased,” Max said, smiling at his cousin.

“Nope, it’s true. The two of you are going to have the ladies beating down your door.”

Max nuzzled Caden’s fuzzy blond hair. “We don’t need ladies. We’ve got each other, right, buddy?”

Emma’s heart broke for Max, who now had sole custody of his one-month-old son after Chloe, the baby’s mother, brought him to Max during Hunter’s wedding, saying she wasn’t ready to be a mother. The family had rallied around Max, but it was obvious he was still reeling from the enormity of his new responsibilities. Thankfully, Caden was an easy, sweet baby who enjoyed being passed from one set of loving arms to another.

“Here we go, lunatics.” Lincoln began picking names from a hat to face off against the defending champions in each game.

Emma ended up with Grayson facing off against Lucas and Landon as well as Will and Cameron in charades.

“I think this was rigged,” Grayson whispered to her.

“He put us together on purpose?”