Her eyes narrowed with anger. “Reid Matthews, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I may be old, but I wasn’t born yesterday. I don’t know what you think you’re doing with that girl.”

He kept his gaze steady and even. “I love that girl.”

“You can’t be serious!” She shook her head with disbelief. “Your parents and your dear wife must be rolling in their graves, bless their souls.”

Unable to stay seated, he surged to his feet. “Damn it, Martha! Look at how I’m spending Christmas—by myself. My son has a life of his own now, so where does that leave me? I’ll tell you where—alone—like I was all the time until that girl came into my life. I’ve been alone for more than twenty years. Surely you can’t sit there and say I don’t deserve some happiness.”

“Not like this,” Martha whispered. “Her father is your friend. He trusted you to take care of her.”

“Do you know what that girl, who’s wise beyond her years, once told me? ‘Reid,’ she said, ‘people love who they love. It’s not always a choice.’”

“When you’re more than twice her age, it is a choice. You’re damned right it’s a choice.”

“I’m sorry you don’t approve.”

“Does your son approve?”

Reid looked away from her.

“You know this is wrong, or you would’ve told him.” She shrugged and stood up. “I can’t tell you how to run your life. I can only tell you how disappointed I am. I’ll pack my things in the morning.”

He closed the distance between them and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t do this, Martha. I don’t want you to leave. You’ve been a part of my family for more than forty years.”

With tears in her eyes, she turned to him. “You’re not the man I helped to raise. That man is honorable and decent. I don’t recognize you anymore. I’ll be gone in the morning.”

After she left the room, he poured himself a stronger drink. Maybe if he got good and stinking drunk, he could stop the roaring in his ears.

Jack drove Kate to the airport the morning after Christmas. “I wish you could’ve stayed longer,” he said.

“I know, but the band is playing tomorrow night. I was so lucky they hired me.”

“They’re the lucky ones.”

“You have to say that,” she said with a smile. “I can’t get over how big the babies got in just six weeks.”

“They’re growing like weeds. At least they’re sleeping through the night once in a while now. It’s always a surprise to us when they do. We wake up and fly out of bed to check on them.”

Kate chuckled. “Better you than me.”