Page 81 of Here Comes Santa Paws

I pressed my hand to my chest as emotion threatened to overwhelm me. It’d been me and Gramps against the world for far too much of my life. Now, our family had doubled in size. Gramps’s had grown even more because Nancy had taken him to Christmas Eve dinner with her family.

The dogs—wearing on-theme sweaters with reindeer bodies—sat patiently at Gramps’s feet with their tails betraying theircalm postures. Krampus’s glower wasn’t as serious as usual as she watched us from her perch. She refused the sweaters but compromised with reindeer antlers. Why she allowed those instead of a sweater, I’d never understand.

Roman grinned. “I’ll go get the camera and tripod while you two see the puppies.” His expression turned serious. “Carol is still exhausted, so we should probably minimize the disruption.”

Nancy turned toward me and gave me a knowing look. I winked. Roman had turned into quite the protective dog dad, and it was one of the sexiest things about him.

Roman pulled his shoes on as I took Nancy and Gramps to Carol’s room. Even with Roman home, we decided to keep her here for the time being to minimize distress. He was happily sleeping in my bed to stay close to her, and he’d only minorly grumbled about the dogs sleeping at our feet.

I’d wanted this for Christmas but had never expected to get it.

“Hey, girl. We’re popping in to check on you,” I said in a soft voice to Carol. Two puppies were feeding while the other three were fast asleep under the heat lamp.

Nancy gasped quietly. “Look at them.” Nancy kept her distance, but I could tell she wanted to scoop them all up.

Gramps moved to her other side. “So Roman came back for Christmas, huh?” Gramps’s words dripped with smugness.

“He did.”

“Well…”

With all the meddling Gramps had doled out over the past month, I could make him work for the info.

“Roman got here in time to be with Carol while she gave birth. I think that gave her comfort.”

“I’m glad he did.” Gramps smiled at Nancy, who was clearly working overtime to refrain from bundling all the puppies in her arms. “Is there a reason you’re holding out on me?”

My shoulders shook with silent laughter. “Just making you work for it.”

I heard Roman’s familiar steps move toward the spare room. He eased the door open and stepped in, promising my eager dogs they’d get to visit Carol another time. My heart pitter-pattered in my chest.

He wrapped his arm around my waist. “What?” He looked between me and Gramps.

“Gramps was just asking about you returning early.” I smiled at him.

Roman’s eyes twinkled before he kissed my temple. “I had to see how bad this one’s Christmas fever got.”

Gramps’s smile grew. He looked pointedly at Roman’s sweater. “Guess the fever’s contagious.”

“You two are so cute.” Nancy beamed from her spot on the ground.

“We are, aren’t we?” I wrapped my arm around Roman’s waist and squeezed.

“You are awe?” Gramps’s bushy gray eyebrows rose.

I shook my head. “You’re angling for credit, aren’t you?”

Gramps shrugged. “Ididpush you two together. I wouldn’t mind some recognition for your happiness.”

“We knew each other before Roman became your PT.” I raised an eyebrow.

“And you wasted two years being stubborn knuckleheads. It took me to get your heads out of your asses.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re not wrong, but that’s all you’re going to get from me.”

Gramps clucked his tongue.

Roman removed his right arm from my waist and held his hand out to Gramps. “Thank you for helping me pull my head out of my ass. You and your grandson have a special talent for that.”

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