Page 77 of When in December

“Please don’t make him go, Uncle Aaron,” said Gavin, climbing up onto the bed. “I want to sleep with Ozzy. He likes me.”

Gavin slowly petted a long line from between the dog’s ears and down his back. Ozzy—damn him—leaned into the touch. His head was basically in the kid’s lap, wet tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth.

Dangerous, terrifying K9 indeed.

I knelt in front of the dog’s face. “You’d better be nice, and if you do anything wrong in here, you’re out. Got it?”

Oz stared back at me like I was the most absurd individual he’d ever laid eyes on. Sometimes, I was sure he could understand me beyond what a dog should.

“You’re out of here if you mess with my family,” I repeated.

My family.

I blinked a few times at the thought. I hadn’t really thought of it all until today. My sister and I were never what could be considered close. Today felt different. The cabin was quiet yet full as I took my time to tuck Gavin in under the thick duvet. Liana rubbed her eyes before climbing into bed next to her little brother.

“Please, Uncle Aaron?” Gavin asked again. “Can you let him stay for the night?”

“You tell him to get down if your sister wants him to or if there isn’t enough space. He has a bed on the floor he can use.”

“There’s enough room.”

I cocked my head at Gavin.

He sighed, much like the dog. “Fine.”

“Good. Good night.”

“Night, Uncle Aaron,” both kids called after me.

I listened to the kids whispering behind me inside the room before I walked out into the living room. Poppy tossed pillows off the couch before she extended them into a much more luxurious bed than I remembered couches ever being able to be turned into.

Honestly, when the couch had first arrived, I’d expected it to be something out of a fancy catalog that you’d never want to sit down on, let alone sleep on. Another surprise.

A second one? The way my eyes were attached to Poppy, who was wearing nothing but an oversize shirt that trailed down to her knees.

My shirt again.

“I’m sorry.” Poppy fluffed a wide bed pillow before setting it toward the back of the makeshift bed. “All I have is clothes for tomorrow. I have no idea where my sweatpants went, and I didn’t want to go searching in your room for anything if the kids were already down. This was on top of the wash bin.”

“It’s fine,” I said.

It had been my idea anyway that she stay the night again. The final shipment of furniture would be coming tomorrow, and she needed to be here. Not to mention, it was much later than she’d ever driven home back to the city before.

I didn’t want her on the road.

“I’ll still be sure to take extra-good care of your favorite sweatshirt.” She offered a small smile.

I shook my head. “Looks better on you anyway.”

She snorted, looking down at herself. “I doubt that.”

It was true. I shrugged.

“Are the kids asleep?”

“They’re winding down. Liana finished brushing her teeth.” I swung a hand back toward my bedroom. “The dog didn’t want to leave Gavin.”

A small smile curled at the corner of her lips. “That’s adorable.”

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