Winter Solstice (Winter Street Book 4)

by Elin Hilderbrand

“I can’t believe this,” Potter says. “You gave Harrison your number. Because stealing my wife wasn’t enough. Now he wants to steal away my girlfriend. Who, I would like to point out, is far more precious to me than said wife ever was.”

Lol

Kelley says, “Did you see my wife last night on TV?” “Your wife?” Lara says. “Mitzi?” “Margaret,” Kelley says. “Margaret Quinn, my

wife.” Lara offers Kelley a sip of ice water. “Mitzi is your wife,” she says. “Margaret Quinn is a TV news anchor. And yes, I did see her. She was wonderful, as always. She has such elegance, such grace.” “She’s my wife,” Kelley says. “No, wait, that’s not right. She’s my ex-wife. Margaret was my wife before Mitzi.”

Uh oh

“Dad,” Bart says. “I think I’m in love.” In love. Kelley has lived nearly all of his adult life in love—first with Margaret and then with Mitzi. He has been very lucky in that respect. Kelley feels like he already knew this about Bart. “The ghee. The ghee.” “The geisha from the party,” Bart says.

Awww im sad now for Kelley

“You’re perfect,” Kelley says, though his words are unintelligible. “You’re going to meet her on Thursday,” Bart says. “She’s coming for Thanksgiving.” Kelley thinks, Thursday is Thanksgiving? He reaches out for Bart’s hand and tries to squeeze. This is torture! Kelley is here, he’s listening, he’s present, he has things to say, blessings to bestow, but he isn’t having any luck communicating. Or maybe he is. He can’t tell. Bart seems to understand. “I love you, too, Dad,”

Nooooooo!!!! Omg!!

Mitzi’s voice. “Potter is on the phone. He has something he wants to ask you.” Mitzi sounds coy. Who is Potter? Harry Potter? Kelley made it through the first book only.

Lol

Mitzi’s voice. “It’s December twenty-first. The winter solstice,” she says. “It’s the shortest day of the year. It’ll be dark by quarter past four. So dark, so early.” Mitzi touches his face. “It’s okay, Kelley,” she says. “We are all going to be okay.” It’s permission, he realizes. He can let go. It’s the winter solstice. Do you know what the best thing about the winter solstice is? he wants to tell Mitzi. After today the days will get longer.

Noooooo!!!! Wtf!!!

“Scott?” Ava says. “I said I’d help him serve the holiday dinner at Our Island Home, then we’re going out drinking.” Nathaniel arches his eyebrows. “You could come!” No, thanks, Ava thinks.

Lol

The last thing she wants to do is climb aboard the same old merry-go-round with Nathaniel and Scott. Ava can’t believe they’re friends now, friends who make plans together!

Lol

“There’s our chariot,” Nathaniel says. He plunks some money down on the bar. “I’ve got your wine.” “No,” she says. “Ava,” he says. He touches her cheek. “It’s me.”

Oh god lol

Finally her phone pings. Ava checks the screen. The text is from Scott Skyler. It says: Nathaniel just told me about your dad. I’m on my way over right now. “No,” Ava says. Everyone at the table looks up at her. She fakes a smile.

Lol!!

And then Ava sees Potter, standing over by the Christmas tree. He gets down on one knee and holds out a velvet box, in which is nestled a diamond ring. “Ava Quinn,” he says. “Will you marry me?”

Omg!!!!!

“I’m getting married, Daddy,” Ava says. “Potter asked me to marry him, and I said yes.” Ava holds Kelley’s other hand and tries not to think about walking down the aisle without this man at her side. She gets to have this moment with him; she gets to tell him the news. She is grateful for this, so grateful.

I’m so happy for you, Ava. My little girl. “I love you, Daddy,” Ava says. She squeezes his hand, and a trace of a smile crosses Kelley’s lips.

Time remains a mystery to Margaret. A game of Monopoly can consume an afternoon, and an hour on the treadmill seems like forever. But a lifetime passes in an instant.

When Patrick comes out, he says, “It’s your turn, Mom.” Margaret didn’t think she would take a turn. It seems selfish and maybe even improper. Mitzi is in the room, at Kelley’s bedside, where she should be. She’s his wife. Margaret is… who is Margaret to Kelley anymore? His former wife? The mother of his three older children? His best friend, she thinks. She has known him longer than anyone.

“I never thought it would end,” she says. “I know,” Drake says. But does he know? Margaret turns to take one last look at Kelley, but the person she sees in the bed is herself, in the moments after she gave birth to Patrick. The baby had just been laid on Margaret’s chest, and Kelley was next to her, both beaming and weeping. “We have a son, Maggie,” he said. “A healthy baby boy.”