Page 11 of Packed for the Holidays

“We don’t need your dog food. We can cook for her.” My dog won’t live off dry kibble kernels and dehydrated corn. Ground turkey. Duck feet. Scrambled eggs. Beef liver. I’ve doom scrolled enough social media videos to know how to nourish this dog better than this under-funded place that’s been taking careof her.

Oatmeal pet shampoo. A plush, cozy dog bed in the front room right where the afternoon sun hits the hardwood floor. The highest recommended vet in the city. If she’s going to be my dog, she gets the best. Just like my Meggie.

Ellis and Em Chat

Ellis: Can you hide something at your house for us?

Emily: Depends what it is

Ellis: A dog

Em: You got Meggie a dog?!

Ellis: She’s always wanted a pet

Em: I know! She’s gonna freakin’ love it.

Ellis: I hope so.

8

Ellis

My sister’s pack house isn’t far from our place. Life has been a bit of an adjustment for all of us after everything that happened in Paris, and Emily’s life has been equally flipped upside down and reassembled. I could write a whole book on just the couple of weeks right after Paris that led to my sister living here with a wrap-around porch and too many Christmas lights hung around the banisters.

Before we’ve even pulled in the driveway, the front door is swinging open and Meggie is bounding down the steps with a giant smile.

“Shit,” Oz mutters.

“Keep the dog down,” Harrison snaps.

“Her name is Cinnamon,” I remind him. I grab thedog’s collar and pull her away from the back window. Poor little thing gives me a confused look before I throw my body half over her to keep her contained.

“Distract her,” Harrison says to none of us in particular.

McQuinn hops out of the car before it’s even stopped and runs to our girl. He swoops her into his arms and spins her around so she’s facing away from the car. She’s chattering excitedly, like she wanted to tell us something and couldn’t even wait until we got inside, but I can’t hear any of the conversation.

Harrison parks and the rest of the guys pile out while he meets my gaze in the mirror. “You got this?”

Guess I’m on dog duty. “Yeah, just keep her inside so I can sneak Cinnamon around back.”

The guys try to usher Meggie back inside, but she’s got her hands on her hips. With the car door open now, I can hear her saying something about Emily and her pack being obnoxiously cuddly and wanting to go home and be with her men. Fat chance we’re letting you straight in the car, sunshine.

“Ellis is clearly ready to go too,” Meggie says, motioning toward where I’m still sitting in the car.

Shit. Okay. Guess we’re gonna have to adjust this plan.

“Can you be a good dog, Cinnamon?” I pull her down off the seat to the floor. She gives me the most adorable puppy eyes I’ve ever seen. “Oh, don’t be like that. I’ll only be gone a few minutes.”

Carefully, I maneuver around Cinnamon and outthe door before shutting it and silently apologizing to the sweet mutt.

“I need to pee,” Oz announces, a little too loud. “We gotta go inside.”

“Me too,” I add, hoping this will get Meggie back in the house.

“You can pee at home. It’s like a brothel in there right now. You’d think a certain someone was going into heat, but noooo.”

“Like you’re one to talk,” Nils teases.

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