Page 123 of Her Billionaire Bargain (Kensington Square)

Especially after I flopped down beside Shelby, who wore something silky and short and trimmed in lace. That I was too tired to properly take advantage of at this stage in the game.

Happy holidays to me.

Gumdrop settled between our pillows and Bob stretched out between us, his fishy breath bracing even in the cold morning air. “Why is he wet,” she mumbled, opening one eye.

“Don’t ask.”

“Okay.” Her sleepy agreement was a far cry from the Shelby who’d greeted me not quite seven months ago.

She’d made some changes. I’d made some changes.

Even Berry had changed some too.

We were all subtly changing each other, but not in ways that didn’t suit us deep down to the root. There was some discomfort, but overall, mostly just happiness.

Other than the endless sounds of construction. Even that was nearing its end. With winter looming, the last of the renos would pause soon and any future changes wouldn’t take place until the snow melted.

In central New York, that probably wouldn’t happen until April.

I was pretty sure the house was basically almost perfect now. I even had the final most important detail rolled up in the coat closet.

I fell asleep fast enough to only hear the start of Shelby’s soft rumbling snores. But I always made sure she was out before I drifted off.

The next time I opened my eyes, I grunted at the crick in my back from the dogs and human child tap dancing on my vital organs.

Well, the dogs were tap dancing. Berry was just wrestling with them and trying to get Bob’s rawhide bone back from him.

Good luck there.

“Berry, be careful with the puppy,” Shelby admonished from the seating area. The furniture was different than the set I’d originally had, made for relaxing, and done in a gorgeous dark print.

“Oh, sure,” I groaned into the pillow. “Don’t hurt the puppy. As for me, go to town.”

Berry’s high-pitched giggle made me smile despite the massage I’d almost certainly need later on. And I had important plans today.

I had to cut down my first family Christmas tree, Griswold-style. Although at least I’d remember my saw.

Hopefully.

“Off, child!” My sudden exclamation had her rearing back with such speed that she tumbled off the bed and the dogs followed, assuming the roughhousing had moved to the floor. Quickly, I rolled off the bed to try to break up the melee before someone got hurt—other than me and my still protesting back.

“Alice Anne, enough.” Shelby’s voice lashed out like a whip and had Berry’s giggles coming to a halt as she sat up and shoved her wild curls out of her face. Gumdrop chose that moment to lick her chin with adoration in her big brown eyes.

Not two minutes later, she headed out of the room, her gaze cast downward at the floor as her two canine companions followed her.

“They were okay in here,” I said in an undertone, only barely not groaning as I reclined again on the bed. My back was being seriously annoying lately. Of course, I was still spending far too much time working.

Eli was a big help and he’d actually been perfect to take on some of the workload. Problem was, apparently, Kensington Square was having a divorce boom, if such a thing existed. And I was spending a lot of my time counseling clients rather than drowning in paperwork—and lo and behold, I liked it.

Just my back wanted more time at the masseuse’s.

“You are far too lenient.”

“Well, I’ve only been doing this parenting gig for, what, not even seven months now? The dungeon is still under construction in the basement for when she gets really out of line.”

Shelby crossed the room and set aside her coffee on the nightstand to crawl into bed with me. “Funny man,” she said, laying her head on my chest.

“I try.” I stroked a hand over her hair. “Now, of course, we’ll have to construct two side-by-side cells in the dungeon just in case another one of our brethren comes along. Don’t want them to be left out.”

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