Page 81 of Rise After Fall

“He’ll always be Mayor Gentry to us,” Corbin chimes in.

“And you’re Taeli’s father?” Zoey’s mom asks.

“No, ma’am, but I will be her stepfather real soon,” he says as he takes Leona’s hand and kisses it.

“My father passed away several years ago, and Mayor Gentry here is my mother’s beau,” Taeli explains.

“I see. So, Isley, Langford’s wife, is the mayor of Balsam Ridge at present,” PJ says.

“That’s correct. You’re going to have this crazy group figured out in no time,” Taeli confirms.

“That must be convenient when you need permits and such at the resort,” Tobias notes.

Langford’s eyes snap to him. “No. We go through all the same hoops as any other business in the valley. Isley doesn’t show us any favoritism.”

“Of course not,” Zoey’s mother says.

I watch as Zoey cringes every time Tobias speaks. The pressure he puts on her to return to the professional skiing circuit must be incredible for her to be so tense around him.

Her parents should have come to Balsam Ridge alone.

After dinner, Mom and Leona make coffee, and we all grab our desserts and walk outside to the deck that overlooks the mountains. Langford and Corbin turn on the overhead heat lamps, and we settle in on the outdoor furniture.

“This is a beautiful home, Ansley,” Zoey says.

“Thank you. It’s a bit over the top, but then again, Garrett is a bit over the top,” Ansley muses.

“A celebrity should live like a celebrity,” Tobias adds.

“Garrett’s main requirements were security and privacy. He also wanted a place to do just what it did today—provide a space big enough to welcome the entire family. That, and the fact that he wants me to birth a five-member band,” Ansley explains.

“Or a football team,” I add.

“I think the rest of you guys are going to have to pitch in for the football team,” Ansley quips.

“Working on it,” Isley says as she rubs her bump.

Zoey’s mother sighs. “This is all so wonderful. I’m jealous of your family, Sara-Beth. All our holidays consisted of just the four of us, and that was only when Zoey wasn’t in some competition or something else. I have loved it today. Thank you so much for having us,” she says.

“It’s our pleasure,” Mom assures her.

Tucker and Caleb talk us boys into a game of touch football in the snow with Pop acting as referee.

Tuck, Caleb, West, and I whoop up on the others.

“You might be bigger, but I’m faster,” Tucker teases his dad.

“Kid, I’m full of turkey and dressing, or I’d run circles around you,” Langford grumbles.

“Right.”

The girls cheer from the deck as we thoroughly exhaust ourselves.

“Guess what tomorrow is,” Ansley sings.

“Black Friday—the day the world loses its ever-loving mind over ten percent off a PlayStation,” Weston answers.

“Besides that,” Ansley says.