Page 82 of Here Comes Santa Paws

Guess Roman’s the favorite now.

Gramps pulled Roman into a hug and clapped his back several times. He winked at me over Roman’s shoulder. Those two would be thick as thieves, and I couldn’t be happier. I wanted everyone to love Roman like I did.

My feelings had grown even stronger since he’d returned yesterday morning. It wasn’t only seeing him with Carol and how he treated me. It was all the conversations we’d had about our hopes, dreams, fears, what we wanted from a relationship, and what we wanted from our future. All the conversations we’d dodged while trying to keep things casual.

“Shall we let the pups rest? I’ve got food for us.” I turned toward the door and ushered my dogs away to let the others out.

“I’ll help you in the kitchen,” Nancy said.

I heard Roman and Gramps talking about their favorite scenes fromNational Lampoon’s Christmas Vacationas I checked the ham in the oven.

“What can I do?”

“There’s a cheese plate in the fridge. Can you pull that out and add crackers from the container next to the fridge?” I basted the ham with juice from the pan, then stirred the baked beans.

“You got it.” As she pulled the plastic wrap off the cheese plate, Nancy turned toward me. “So. Big developments for the holiday.”

I moved a colander of potatoes to the sink. “You mean you and Gramps?”

The rosy blush on Nancy’s cheeks darkened. “Are you okay with that?”

I turned toward Nancy. “Are you kidding? I’m thrilled! You two are perfect for each other. I couldn’t be happier. Honestly.”

Nancy let out a relieved breath, then flashed a wry smile. “Speaking of heads in asses, took him long enough to pull his out.”

I laughed and pulled her into a hug as soon as she finished placing the last crackers. “It sure did. I think your little matchmaking venture didn’t hurt.”

She squeezed me tight, then pulled back enough to look into my face. “That was the plan. Though, if you know any singles, it’s a great service.”

“I’m not in the market anymore, but I’ll keep an ear to the ground.”

“He’s good for you. You’re always lively, but you’ve seemed more fulfilled this past month.”

I pressed my palm to my chest. “You’re so right. That’s how I feel.”

She patted my cheek with her warm hand. “It’s a good look on you.”

I smiled at her, then carried the cheese plate to the living room. Gramps sat next to Roman on the couch, huddled close as they studied Gramps’s phone.

“Whatcha looking at?”

I set the plate on the coffee table, then sat in the recliner so Nancy could sit on Gramps’s other side.

“I wanted to show Roman those dolls made of yarn. The Clark and Eddie ones.”

I laughed. “The crocheted doll of Eddie emptying his sewage in his bathrobe?”

“That’s the one!”

Roman shook his head, laughing, when Gramps handed him the phone.

It was the best Christmas I’d had in years. I couldn’t remember the last time there’d been so much laughter within the walls of my home. Roman fit into our little family. So did Nancy.

We made a huge dent in the food and devoured dessert before Gramps declared it time for presents. Nancy had broughttreats from Hank for all the dogs and a catnip banana for Krampus. I gave Gramps an old-school handheld fishing video game I found on eBay. He gave me a custom pet portrait of my critters in royal clothing. The gemstone eyepatch on Nutcracker was the perfect touch.

I retrieved my gift for Roman and handed it to him. They were two boxes wrapped in red paper covered in white snowflakes with a green ribbon tied around them to hold them in a tidy stack.

“You got me something?”

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