Page 25 of Packed for the Holidays

I narrow my eyes at his tone.

“Woah,” Ellis lets out a low whistle as he flips open his calendar first. “Guys, this is actually good. This is actually…” He turns to another month. “This isactually… damn.”

Actually? This is actually good?

“Holy snow globes…” Dante opens his calendar beside me, to the month of July. The month’s photo is me holding a strategically placed water polo ball and nothing else. My wet hair and golden tan, our pool in the background, my new Olympic rings tattoo on my hip, it’s one of my favorite pictures in the calendar I made. Em got such good photos, even if we did have to get tipsy before I got naked so my best friend could take pictures of me.

“I need a minute alone with this calendar, omega,” Dante whispers before kissing my temple.

“Where’s an outlet?” My mom’s voice breaks the heat forming around my men. Holding a foot spa in her hand, she’s turning left and right, looking for a plug to try it out.

The massaging foot bath is the tip of the iceberg of my mom’s present. While we take my sisters to Black Heart Mania, we’re sending my mom to a spa resort to be pampered and enjoy the quiet. McQuinn made sure we included a sizable bookstore gift card so she could pick up some new spa weekend reads.

“Oh my gosh,” Lily gasps. “Is Cinnamon housebroken?”

Jerking to look at my poochie, a reddish brown wet spot coats the dog bed. That’s clearly not a pee accident and everyone comes to stand around Cinnamon.

Still holding her foot spa, my mom bursts out laughing.

I don’t know what’s so funny. My dog is injured! She’s bleeding!

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know she was pregnant?” My mom sets the spa on the coffee table and leans down to kiss my forehead. “Best get ready, sweet pea.”

Instantly, my men hop into action. Nils and McQuinn search the internet for helpful videos. Harrison calls the only vet he can find open on Christmas. He tells us it’s best to keep her where she is at this point, since his office is an hour away from us. But he gives us thorough instructions on what to do to make Cinnamon comfortable.

My mom puts on a Christmas movie to try to keep everyone a little distracted, since there’s really not much we can do but wait. None of us watch it, but by the time it’s over, we’re the proud parents of four healthy, wriggling puppies.

Harrison’s hair is a complete mess from running his fingers through it so much. Ellis hasn’t moved more than a foot away from Cinnamon through the whole labor. Oz nearly threw up when the placenta came out, but Nils handled it and saved us from needing to clean up any vomit. McQuinn paced so much it started to give me anxiety until Dante made him get dozens of rags of warm water for no purpose other than to keep him from pacing.

My sisters immediately want to claim a puppy, but my mom refuses to hear the girls speak of separating them so soon and makes Lily and Vickie go help cook lunch. The morning’s pastries have long since wornoff.

“You’re a momma, Cinnamon,” I whisper to my girl as she licks her pups. Little happy tears wet my eyes.

“They’ll need names.” Harrison sits beside me next to our dogs. He kisses my cheek, and I lean into his strength.

“I know.” I nod and tug his hand to wrap it around my waist as we snuggle. “But I don’t want to rush it. It’s a big decision. We’ll know when it’s right.”

His hand on my waist shifts to press gently on my abdomen. Warm kisses tickle my neck as he leans to whisper, “I’m ready. Whenever you are, love.”

“I know.” I nuzzle into him and lace my fingers with his over my flat stomach.

It’s a big decision. We’ll know when it’s right.

For now, I have everything I need.

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