“It’s just a watch,” Damon said.

Luke leaned closer to his grandfather. “He might be our daddy.”

Silence filled the entryway. Cassandra closed her eyes. Margaret opened the door wider. “Everyone inside before the neighbors get the full story.”

Christmas Eve dinner began with more questions than food. Cassandra explained the breakup, her attempts to reach Damon, and Nora’s call. Damon described the life he had built in Seattle and admitted that he had made himself deliberately unreachable after leaving Denver.

“I thought disappearing would make it easier,” he said. “I told everyone at my company I didn’t want personal calls from Colorado.”

Robert stared across the table. “And it never occurred to you that the woman you planned to marry might have a reason to call?”