Page 108

“I have to pay him back. And tell him off.”

“You can’t pay him back, Maddy. We’re getting married, so he considers you family. And this family is all about helping other members of the family.”

“We weren’t family then.”

“He knew how much I still loved you. He was hedging his bets.”

“And if it didn’t work?”

“As far as he was concerned, then he helped out someone I cared deeply about. You never would have known who it was.”

She tapped her foot on the sand, crossing her arms again. “I want to be pissed. Go yell at him about invasion of privacy and…stuff.”

“But?” I asked, sensing her hesitation.

“But I can’t.”

“Really?”

“That might be one of the sweetest things I have ever heard.”

“It was pretty incredible. But then again, my dad is awesome that way.”

“Like father, like son.” A voice spoke behind us.

I turned and saw my dad standing a little ways to the left.

“You can yell if you want, Maddy. It’s okay.”

She shook her head. “No.”

He came closer. “Good. I don’t want my about-to-be-daughter mad at me.”

She laughed. “I think the name is daughter-in-law.”

“Not to me. You marry my son, you’re my daughter. That’s how we do it in the VanRyan family.”

“I like that,” she admitted.

“Then put this behind us. If you want to pay me back, then marry my son soon. Nothing would make him happier.” He paused. “And get him to work a little less. Come see his family more. We’d all like that. Especially his mother and me.”

She looked between us, and I nodded.

“I can do that.”

“Then consider the debt paid in full.”

Dad opened his arms, and Maddy flew into them. He hugged her, grinning at me over her shoulder.

“Good team,” he mouthed, making me laugh.

He was right.

We were.

EPILOGUE

MADDY