“Elli, darling, you’re looking thin,” Olivia then said, and everyone stopped eating to look down at her.

“Momma is beautiful,” Evan informed her, turkey hanging from his mouth.

“Yeah, like all the time,” Shelli added.

“She’s the best too,” Posey said with a nod.

“I agree, kiddos. I think your momma is the prettiest girl ever,” her father said with a wink. She smiled but didn’t miss the looks Olivia and Victoria gave him. It was easy to say you could cut the tension with a knife.

“Y’all sure do love your momma,” Olivia said with a big ol’ fake grin on her face.

“Ugh, yeah, she’s our momma,” Evan said with a look on his face that said he thought she was an idiot. “Duh.”

“Evan Marcus, that’s rude,” Shea reprimanded and Evan nodded.

“Yes, sir. Sorry, Grandma.”

“Oh, you’re fine!” she said, way too quickly, in Elli’s opinion.

Elli smiled as she laced her fingers with Evan’s. “Well, I sure do love y’all, and thank you, Mother.”

That ended the conversation, and shortly after dinner, they were gathered around the big Christmas tree, opening gifts. Sitting in Shea’s lap, Elli moved her fingers along his jaw as she watched her little bits open the presents her family had gotten them. Of course, they spoiled them and Elli hated it. She wished they were more involved than just buying them things. Minus her father, of course. Elli would never think that of her father.

“I love you,” Shea whispered in her ear, and she grinned as she leaned her head against his.

“I love you.”

“Good, can you go get me another beer, please?”

She giggled as she shook her head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I need beer. I have to be at least almost drunk to deal with your mother,” he said softly with all the seriousness in the world.

“Touché,” she said with a nod before getting up to head to the kitchen. “Daddy, do you need another beer?”

“Sure, my sweetheart, thank you,” he said with a wink. She kissed his cheek before heading through her childhood home. Soon she noticed that nothing had changed. Her dad had let it go some since he had been drowning himself with work, but she was sure it would not stay that way with Olivia back home. She would have this place back to pristine condition in no time. Probably the only good thing about her mother returning.

Taking frozen mugs out of the freezer, she poured two beers and threw the cans away. As she turned to leave, she paused when she almost came crashing into Victoria. Her sister was all legs and still as gorgeous as ever. Long, dark auburn hair curled down her shoulders, her green eyes were wicked, and her lips devastating to any man who came in contact.

Meeting her gaze, Elli looked away quickly and said, “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Victoria said, but she didn’t move. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Elli’s brows came up as she set the mugs on the counter. “Um, yeah, I guess.”

Victoria cleared her throat and looked down at her hands. “We haven’t spoken much since everything went down.”

“No, we haven’t.”

“Yeah, well, I…well, you see, I—” she stopped and took in a deep breath before meeting Elli’s questioning gaze. “I want to change that. I don’t want to fight. I don’t want you to be mad at me. I want to be able to see my nieces and nephews. I want a relationship with you.”

Elli’s brows came in. Huh? “Why?”

Victoria smiled, but Elli could tell she was uncomfortable. Clearing her throat, she said, “Because I’ve learned being a bitch drives everyone away. I’m trying to change and fix the wrong I’ve done. I’m sorry for everything I’ve ever done to you. The name-calling, the putting you down, the trying to ruin you and Shea. I was wrong, and I am very sorry for that.”

Elli could only blink as her older sister, who she’d always thought was Satan, slowly started to cry.

“I adore your children. They are beautiful souls, and I really would like the chance to spend more time with them and you. I want us to be sisters, not strangers.”

Looking away, Elli took in a sharp breath. This was completely crazy. They hadn’t spoken more than two sentences to each other in almost eight years. “I’m sorry, but this has kind of left me speechless.”

“I know,” Victoria agreed. “I don’t deserve your trust, or even for you to accept my apology, but I promise, I am being true and speaking from the heart. I’m not under Mom’s control anymore. I’m my own woman. I don’t need anyone anymore, but I want to have you and the kids in my life.”

Her eyes were sincere, and this was the first time Elli had ever seen her sister look at her like that. Elli didn’t know if she could trust her, but she kinda wanted to. She had always wanted a real, loving relationship with Victoria. She’d envied her when she was growing up and wished that she would have given her the time of day. Kind of like how Harper was with her baby sisters. She wanted that, and maybe this was her chance.

Or maybe it would all blow up in her face. She wasn’t sure, but slowly she nodded, a grin pulling at her lips as she said, “I would like that. Maybe we can get together for coffee when I get back from Fiji.”

Victoria’s lip quivered as she nodded, her eyes not leaving Elli’s. “I would really love that.”