Page 80 of Snap

Dad made a pretend gagging sound.

I punched him very gently on the leg. "I've had to listen to this my whole life. About how perfect your current girlfriend is."

Now he sighed happily. "I think I finally got that right."

"You think?" I shook my head at him. Skye was nice enough. We might even be friends someday, but whether or not they'd last forever was anyone's guess. I hoped they would. They both deserved to be happy.

"I'm sure," he said firmly. "I'm glad you two are getting along now. Especially since…"

I frowned. "Since what?" I assumed he was about to say they were getting married. That wouldn't have surprised me. Dad was in love with the idea of love and marriage.

"We're having a baby," he said in a rush.

"You're what?" I shook my head. "I thought you said?—"

"I did," he said. "Skye and I are having a baby. They're due sometime in the summer."

"Well," I said slowly. "Um, congratulations?" I gave him a hug, even though my head was spinning. "You really are going to need to rest then. You won't get much after the baby arrives."

My throat was suddenly choked. As absolutely devastated as I would have been to lose my father, if Dad died the other day, this new baby would never have met him. They didn't deserve that.

"That's true," he agreed. "I'm sure big sister Rubie will be around all the time to babysit." He smiled slyly.

"Sister Rubie is going to be very busy," I said. "But when I pop over to visit, I might give your nanny a break."

"Skye doesn't want a nanny," he said. "She wants to do everything herself." He shifted uncomfortably on the couch. "That was something I learned while raising you. That kid needs caring adults around. Stable ones. Not ones that are in and out of their life from one day to the next."

"You can teach an old dog new tricks," I said.

He chuckled. "So it would seem."

"Maybe this time you'll get the son you always wanted," I said.

He shrugged. "As long as they're happy and healthy. And love football." He gave me a sly smile.

I rolled my eyes. "I hope they're the biggest hockey fan on the face of the planet. But if they're not, they better love the Rapids." I knew they'd love Ollie, because I certainly did.

EPILOGUE

RUBIE

"Isn't she cute?" I cradled my baby sister in my arms.

"She has your hair colour," Ollie said.

I grimaced. "I hope she doesn't have my temper." Up until now, all of Dad and Skye's children had her calm, sweet personality.

I wondered if having me somehow washed out the demon blood from our family line. Okay, I'm not that bad, but my little siblings were sweethearts. By no means perfect, but I adored them all.

"If she has half of your brains, then she'll be very smart," Ollie said. He smiled down at her.

It was no surprise to me that he and my siblings had taken to each other so well. He adored children and they looked at him like a kind of cool uncle. Especially now we had more time to visit. We seemed to find ourselves in Queensland every second weekend or so.

That would end soon enough. With the new football season about to start, Ollie would have his hands full. Ever since he retired from playing, he was busier than ever with the team.

The other side of the business kept me busy. We now owned several houses in Queensland, as well as a bunch back in Victoria.

"I should probably give her back to her mother before she pukes on my dress."