Page 141 of Stuck with my Mountain Daddies

“Holy shit,” Jaxon hollered from across the bar, raising a cider like it was a trophy. “Garrett Wolfe in a sweater. Somebody call theGazette.”

“Shut up,” I growled, but Riley laughing beside me made my lips twitch. I might’ve worn the damn sweater under duress, but I’d do it again if it meant seeing that smile.

“Garrett Wolfe. In a sweater,” Lila joined in with a laugh. “Tell me someone’s filming this for the historical record.”

Riley leaned in to whisper, “I like her.”

“You’d like her even more if you knew how many knives she probably has in that diaper bag.”

“True.”

Behind her, Colt raised his glass in greeting. “Riley, you look like a holiday-themed fever dream. It’s perfect.”

“Thank you,” she said brightly, fluffing the sequined tree on her chest. “Garrett doesn’t like the themeat all.”

“Aww, well, he sure looks good.” Ryan laughed. “Look at him.”

I glowered. But I didn’t get a chance to say anything back.

“Biscuit, no?—!”

Oh shit.

Lila’s corgi, decked out in a tiny elf costume with a jingle bell collar, had broken free from wherever he’d been tethered and tore through the bar like a festive wrecking ball.

He barreled straight under a table where Vera and Paul Baker were sitting, snagging a loose tablecloth and dragging it, along with an entire plate of gingerbread cookies, into his wake.

The cookies exploded like shrapnel.

“Oh mygod,” Riley gasped, laughing so hard she nearly doubled over. “He’s like a holiday missile!”

“Biscuit!” Lila shouted, trying to wrangle baby Jace and the dog at the same time. “Ryan! Get him!”

Ryan stood with all the energy of a man about to enter combat. “Colt,” he said, already moving.

“I’m on cookie retrieval,” Colt said, diving for the fallen plate.

Biscuit zigzagged toward the dartboard, then did a full U-turn and headed straight for Todd behind the bar, barking furiously at a bowl of bar nuts.

Todd didn’t flinch.

“Come here, gremlin,” he muttered, reaching into his apron and pulling out a slice of cheddar.

Biscuit skidded to a halt, gave a full-body wiggle, and gently took the cheese as if he was an angel who hadn’t just caused five minutes of seasonal destruction.

Applause broke out across the bar.

“Hero,” Lila said dryly, scooping Biscuit up with one arm and re-fastening his jingle bell collar. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Riley wiped tears from her eyes, leaning against me. “That dog might be my new favorite person.”

I wrapped an arm around her waist, tugging her close. “He’s definitely more well-behaved than Beckett.”

Beckett flipped me off without looking.

Behind us, Lucy was already dragging Nate Harper onto the dance floor. His face was all scowl, like he’d rather be walking into a burning building barefoot, but Lucy didn’t give him a choice.

She looped her arms around his neck and swayed in her glittery gingerbread man sweater, laughing at something only she found funny.

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