Page 116 of Chasing Shelter

Keely let out a squeal as she hopped off the stool. “I wanna see!” She raced down the hall before I could stop her.

I turned to Ellie. “Thank you. This is going to make her year.”

Ellie’s expression went soft. “I love doing it. I had way too much fun looking for supplies.”

“Thank you,” I said again.

“You don’t have to thank me.”

“I want to.”

A mischievous smile played over Ellie’s face as she walked toward me. “I’m pretty sure you preemptively thanked me last night.”

Memories of her moans and quick intakes of breath played in my mind. “Please, don’t make me hard before I have to take my kid to drop-off.”

Ellie laughed, the sound wrapping around me in the best way. “Okay, but you do need one thing for drop-off.”

I frowned. “What?”

Ellie moved so fast I didn’t have a prayer of stopping her. Her arm lashed out, spray bottle in hand, and she let the glitter spray fly. “There. Now you match Keely.”

My jaw went slack. “You didn’t.”

She shrugged. “You needed a little something.”

I dove for Ellie, tickling her sides as she shrieked and twisted in my arms. “You look good,” she cried.

“I have a meeting with my whole department today.”

Ellie only laughed harder. “You’ll be a vision.”

Pullinginto my spot at the station, I switched off my engine and grabbed my cell from the cupholder. A text notification.

Cope has changed the group name to Don’t Tell Mom.

Cope

Gonna bring Sutton and Luca back to Sparrow Falls through the weekend. I have a few days off training. Should be there around noon. Where are you delinquents hiding?

He was officially back in the throes of hockey since recovering from his incident with Sutton’s ex and a teammate, and we’d barely seen him for the past couple of months.

Me

Come to Keely’s Wacky Hair Day parade. It’s at 2:30. It’ll be the best surprise.

Cope

We’re there.

Kye

You can admit it, Copey pants. You missed us. I get it. We’re fucking awesome.

Cope

Missing everyone but your annoying ass. And you better not have left anything at my house.

Fallon

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