“Yes,” Nick said with a sigh. “She would, and she’d hate every minute of it. That’s not what I want for her—or for us. And speaking of choices made with the best interest of family in mind... Christina has let me know she’s resigning after Christmas to spend more time with Tommy and Alex.”

“She is? For real? Wow, I didn’t see that coming.”

“Neither did I, but I get it. Kids are only little for a short time, and she wants to be with Alex. I think she’d like to have a baby of her own too. She knows my door is always open to her if she wants to come back to work.” He paused, contemplating the man he’d known for twenty years who’d finally become a close friend in the last six months. “Of course her departure leaves me in need of a chief of staff. Are you interested in a promotion?”

“Seriously?”

“Dead seriously.”

“I, um...” When his eyes filled, Terry looked away until he had regained his composure. “I’d be honored.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you. When I think about where I was a year ago and where I am now... It’s overwhelming, and I have you to thank for taking a huge chance on me when you had no good reason to.”

“I had every good reason to. I knew this Terry was still in there somewhere, and it’s been a pleasure to have him by my side this year.”

“I hate that my brother had to die for me to get a clue and get my life together.”

“He’d be proud of how far you’ve come. He used to worry about you a lot.”

“He did?”

Nick nodded. “It pained him that he ended up where he was due to your misfortune. He never wanted it in the first place, but he certainly didn’t want it at your expense.”

“He and I... We weren’t as close as we could’ve been, which is another of my many regrets.”

“He’d love the changes you’ve made,” Nick assured him. “As much as the rest of us do. And he’d love to see you so happy with Lindsey.”

“I hope so. I miss him. I can’t believe it’s almost been a year.”

“I know. I find that hard to believe too. And what a year it’s been. He wouldn’t recognize any of us if he came strolling in here right now.”

“No kidding, right?” Terry said with a smile. “You married, me sober and in a stable relationship for the first time in my adult life, Christina leaving the rat race to help raise her fiancé’s kid. Who are these people, and what have we done with his friends and family?”