Ed released her hands and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her as close to him as he could. She let out a grunt, but quickly eased back into the kiss he was sinking them both with.

If he hadn’t promised his sister he’d be there…

“Would you two knock it off out there? This is a reputable neighborhood,” Christian’s voice broke through the silence of their kiss.

Ed rested his head against Darcy’s. “Do we have to take him?”

“Yes, you have to take me,” Christian said, standing just inside the door. “Get me out of this house before I lose my mind.”

Ed chuckled. “I’m beginning to get used to you on crutches.”

“Yeah, well, I’d rather be crouched down behind a batter, but…”

Ed realized by Christian’s attitude that he was feeling extremely down on himself.. Christian was the sensitive type. He liked a good time, but Christian was a gentleman to the extreme. It wasn’t like him to be snappy, so Ed knew he could use a night out.

“I suppose you’re going to call shotgun, too?” Ed snapped back at him.

“I’d ride in the back of that stupid truck if it meant I didn’t have to sit here all night.”

Ed chuckled. “C’mon then, Clara will be looking for us.”

The Commodore already had a decent size crowd when they arrived.

“Clara said she had a table for us all up front,” Ed said as he led them toward the stage.

Darcy wasn’t sure why she was surprised to find the entire Keller clan there. That seemed to be a given, no matter what anyone of them did.

Each of them stood, and the men shook Ed’s hand and the women kissed his cheeks. But when each of them hugged her and kissed her as well, tears began to sting the back of her throat.

Regan looked at her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m getting used to this big family stuff.”

Regan smiled. “You are family. You mean everything to Ed, so you mean everything to us.”

Her words tugged at Darcy’s heart. What was it about Regan Benson that made the world right?

Darcy took her seat and listened to the banter that went back and forth between them all. She was a part of this family. That gave her as much pride and joy as being a McCary.

A man walked on stage and announced the performance for the evening. It was just what the crowd had wanted to hear.

“Randy is a friend that Clara used to write songs with. He’s getting a lot of attention lately,” Ed leaned in and said in her ear.

She nodded. “I think I’ve heard of him.”

“You’re going to be hearing a lot more. This guy is going to be famous.”

There was that Keller pride in the smile that Ed wore. “What about Clara? She’s very comfortable up there.”

He shrugged. “She just loves to play and sing.”

And that was exactly how she saw her when Clara stood in front of the mic and the duo began to entertain. Clara was comfortable being Clara.

Darcy looked around the table. Pride radiated from the group, and even Darcy felt it. But as Regan had said, she was part of this family. Clara was as close to a sister as she could imagine, but then the moment of clarity hit. She was a part of this family as long as she was on Ed’s arm. What if this thing with Ed didn’t work out? What if, in the end, Darcy just became an employee of Benson, Benson, and Hart—or worse—an ex-employee?

The warmth in the room began to chill. Her body began to shake, and Ed had taken note.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m perfect, and that’s what’s wrong.”

Her voice had cracked when she said it, and he leaned in closer to her.

“How can that be wrong?”

“What if it goes away?”

There was an understanding that surfaced in his dark eyes. “I’m not going anywhere, Darcy. I’m yours—forever.”

That was even more nerve wracking. Forever. Oh, she was quite comfortable with it. She was the daughter of two people who had been married nearly fifty years. They were very in love. Her mother was a nurturer and her father the protector. She understood forever. She just never thought forever would come so quickly after she found the right man—or ran in to him.

Darcy stood from her seat, and Ed stood, too.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the ladies’ room. I just need a moment.”

Darcy grabbed her purse and headed off.

She pushed the door open to the restroom and was happy to see that there weren’t very many people in there. She wasn’t sure if she just needed to breathe or cry.

A moment later, the door opened and in walked Madeline.

What could have been worse?

“Ed’s worried about you.”

Darcy tried to be calm, but this was the woman who was the least likely to like her if things went wrong. Though, she couldn’t see Madeline Keller disliking anyone.

“I’m okay. After having been with my father, I’m just trying to embrace the enormous size of your family. I’m sorry if I seem a bit out of sorts.”

Madeline smiled. “Your father is okay? Ed said he was in the hospital.”

Darcy nodded. “Just a bump on his head. I call it military stubborn. He thinks he can fight anything—or anyone.”

That made Madeline laugh. “He sounds like a good man.”

He was, and at that moment, Darcy’s chest swelled with pride. Those two people who had given her a name and a life were just that—good people.

“He is a good man. And my mother…” she choked out before the first tear rolled down her cheek, “she was amazing.”

“Ed and Christian told me she died of cancer.”

Darcy wasn’t comfortable talking about the disease that had stolen her mother from her and had threatened to take Madeline, too.

“Yes. It was quick. She was diagnosed and gone within a year.”

Madeline shook her head and rested her hand on her chest. “I’m so sorry. I know that when I had cancer the part that hurt the worst was wondering if I’d see my children grow up.”

Darcy nodded and wiped her eyes. “I feel even worse because before she was diagnosed they had finally told me I was adopted.”

“That’s a lot to have to absorb. But, I must say, you’re in the right place if you want support being an adopted child.”