He squatted and tweaked her chin. “Hey there, pretty girl. Twirl around so I can see the whole dress.” Her tiny-toothed smile perked him up, as did the quick spin she excitedly performed. “Well, it’s almost as lovely as you.”
She giggled and grabbed Kelsey’s hand. “Meemaw and Pops get all the presents tonight, huh?”
“Yes, they do. Thirty-five years of marriage is a big deal, right?”
Fee shrugged, clearly unimpressed by the milestone. “As long as I get cake.”
“Don’t worry,” Kelsey assured. “I’ll make sure you get the biggest piece.”
Just then Maura spotted Kelsey and Trip still standing near the front door, where Fee had them cornered. She beelined toward them and placed her hands on Fee’s shoulders. “Well, hello, you two.” She kissed Kelsey’s cheek and offered Trip a look he could only describe as resigned. “Welcome, Trip. Guess congratulations are in order for you, too, right?”
“Thanks.” He wrapped his arm around Kelsey’s shoulders, partly because he wanted to touch her, and partly because he wanted to show her family their solidarity. “We’re real excited.”
“About what?” Fee asked.
“About the baby,” Trip answered. When Kelsey’s elbow poked his side, he realized too late that the family had intentionally withheld the information from Fee.
“What baby?” Fee asked, turning her face up toward her mom. “What baby, Mommy?”
Maura sent a sharp glance in Trip’s direction before faking a smile at her daughter. “Aunt Kelsey is having a baby.”
“Like you?” Fee’s eyes widened in shock, then, when turning toward Kelsey, her pale brows pulled together. “But how can you be a mommy if you’re not married?”
“I . . . uh.” Kelsey cringed. Under other circumstances, the sheer astonishment of seeing Kelsey at a loss for words might’ve made Trip chuckle. He stifled the urge in order to avoid a consequence more painful than a simple elbow to the ribs.
“Fee, honey, we can talk about all that later. Let’s let Aunt Kelsey and Trip come in and enjoy the party.” After exchanging a quick glance with her sister, Maura gestured toward the rear of the home. “Mom and Dad are in the living room.”
“Thanks.” Kelsey took two steps and scanned the candlelit home, her gaze moving from the gleaming silver trays lining the dining table to the fresh flowers scattered in glass vases throughout the space. Frank Sinatra’s indelible crooning enhanced the nostalgic mood of the party.
Cozy, like a lot of things Trip noticed about the Callihan clan. A marked difference from the crystal-laden reception Deb had thrown for her and his father’s thirtieth anniversary, complete with eight-piece band, Beluga caviar, and one hundred of their “closest friends.”
However, the ambience also suggested the entire Callihan family indulged romantic sentiments just like Kelsey, as if they could make their real life as enchanting as a Hollywood love story. It worried Trip—Kelsey’s illusions of love—making him question her ability to be happy in a less-than-perfect relationship with a notoriously less-than-perfect man.
Kelsey grasped Maura’s forearm. “Looks great, sis. Don’t forget to tell me my share of the catering bill.”
“I will, don’t worry.” Maura turned toward Trip, her polite smile almost masking her annoyance with his recent gaffe. “The bar is in the dining room. I’ve got to go check on the caterers, if you’ll excuse me.” She tugged on Fee’s curls. “Come help Mommy, okay?”
“Can I have a cookie from that big tray in the kitchen?” Fee clapped her hands together in prayer.
“After dinner,” Maura said.
Fee frowned but dutifully followed her mother, skating along the wood floor in her tights.
“Well, that was awkward.” Kelsey wrinkled her nose while Trip took her purse and coat to hang in the hall closet.
“One down, many to go.” Trip sighed. “Guess we can’t avoid the firing squad forever.”
Kelsey slapped his arm. “Who knew a guy who defies death on a daily basis could be so fearful of my parents and their old cronies?”
Who knew, indeed?
Feigning the confidence that had deserted him on the front porch, he smirked. “Lead on, princess.”
When she stepped ahead of him, he pinched her behind. She swatted his hand. “Honestly, I think we both know this isn’t the time or place for your games. Can you stop acting like a teenage boy and please help me convince my parents we aren’t making the biggest mistake of our lives?”