When Elli turned onto Winthrop Shore Dr, she took in the sight of the water running up against the shore. The water was such a beautiful bluish green. It crashed up against some rocks that lined a lighthouse. The lighthouse stood tall, majestic, and beautiful. Elli had never realized how much she loved the ocean until that moment. It was like she was instantly calm as she looked out at the water that was glistening under the sun.

“We used to live in this house in the heart of Boston, but when I made it into the NHL, I bought my parents this house since they love the ocean,” Shea said as Elli turned where the GPS said to turn.

She ended up in the driveway of the most beautiful colonial home she had ever seen. The home stood tall, white siding with dark blue shutters around glamorous wide windows. The second floor was bigger than the first floor. It came out over the front door acting as a cover for the porch. The windows that lined the whole top floor were huge and poised. On the porch was a small lighthouse that must have been a replica of the one that Elli was admiring earlier, along with it were two wooden beach chairs and an end table that held a large bouquet of yellow sunflowers. The house was breathtaking.

“It’s beautiful,” Elli gasped as she looked through the windshield up at the house.

“Yeah, mom had to have it. They sold their last house and used that money to fix it up. They’ve done a lot,” Shea said with a grin as he opened the door and got out. Elli followed behind him, popping the trunk as Jenna came out on the porch.

“You guys are here!” Jenna gushed, clapping her hands together, “Mark, James, come help with their bags. Shea’s arm could fall off, you know.”

Shea rolled his eyes, and Elli just smiled.

Oh yeah, she was going to have a hoot of a time.

Chapter 28

After being greeted with hugs from Mark and Jenna, and kisses from Ryan, Elli sat on the bottom step with Ryan, admiring the beauty of the white hardwood floors. Elli had always loved the look of them, thought they looked classic. She made a mental note to make sure to see if houses in Nashville had them, and if not if she could get them. As she admired the rest of the house Shea argued with Grace. Ever since he got hurt, he had been extremely argumentative, and it was getting on Elli’s nerves. Not that Elli could really say anything, though. She cussed him out for calling her “sunshine” for goodness sakes.

When Shea had asked which room was his and Elli’s, Elli knew things were about to blow by the worried look that crossed Jenna’s face. When she said that they would be sharing a room with Ryan and Amelia, Shea flipped. Elli didn’t care, though. It wasn’t like they would be having sex, since Elli was convinced he would break, but apparently he was irate about it.

“Grace, put the kids in your room, before they have to see Unky Shea’s magic stick!”

“SHEA RYAN!” Jenna complained.

“Oh, please!” Grace said with a roll of her eyes. “Like it’s magical!”

“Oh, I can show you!” Shea said before sticking his tongue out at Grace like they were nine years old, while she made a crude hand motion with her hand. Elli guessed she was trying to say Shea’s stuff was limp.

Little does she know.

“Unky Shea knows magic!?” Ryan exclaimed beside a beet red Elli.

“No, honey, he doesn’t.” Elli basically groaned.

“He said he has a magic stick, though!”

“I know, ignore him,” Elli said, patting the young child’s hands.

“Shea, you guys can’t even do it, so why do you need a room to yourself?!” Grace objected, but that seemed to make Shea madder.

“Grace Caroline!” Jenna shrieked.

“Now, Grace, come on!” Mark added, “Don’t rub that in your brother’s face.”

“Yes, we can!” Shea countered. Ryan looked up at Elli.

“Do what?” The whole family turned to look at Ryan, and then they looked at Elli, waiting to see what she would say. All it did was make her to want to climb into a hole.

“Color, honey. You know, since Unky’s arm is hurt,” Ellis said as she turned even redder, could she be any more embarrassed?

“Oh yeah, why does he think he can do it then?” Ryan asked.

Elli shrugged her shoulders, “He probably expects me to do everything.”

Ryan made an “o” face as everyone snickered, “You have to do all the coloring? That’s not fair!”

“Who you telling?”

Ryan gave her a toothy grin, while everyone else tried not to laugh.

“I’m not sleeping in a room with my niece, nephew, and girlfriend, no way. I didn’t make those kids, you did.”

“You weren’t supposed to be here,” Grace countered back.

“Well, I am here now. Put the kids in the living room, or with mom and dad.”

“Hey now, some of us can still color!” Mark said. Jenna smacked him on his chest while Grace and Shea both yelled, “Ew.”

“Really, Mark?” Jenna asked.

He answered her by wiggling his eye brows, causing Grace and Shea to again, yell “Ew!”

James and Elli, the normal ones, she thought, both laughed.

“Grace, the kids can sleep in the loft upstairs. Doesn’t the couch still turn into a bed, Jenna?” James asked Jenna.

“Yes. Thank God you’re in this family, James, you’re the only man with some sense.”

“Hey!” Shea and Mark complained, as Jenna waved them off, gathering Ryan up in her arms.