Page 4 of Two Hearts' Christmas Homecoming

“There is. Dad has them set up throughout the house since there’s so much space,” Harry answered, smiling. “He’s sure excited, isn’t he? I remember the first day Amy and I were brought here. Amy behaved a lot like Caleb. She was so much in awe.”

“She was,” Izzy agreed. “I guess we’d better go eat. You guys probably have a long afternoon ahead and you both look so tired already.”

“I’ll admit, I’m nervous,” Lex replied as they followed Izzy from the room.

“Don’t be,” Harry answered. “Take it from someone who’s been through all of this before. No one’s going to do anything without asking you first.”

Both Zane and Lex nodded their apparent acceptance as they made their way down the staircase.

Izzy led them into the kitchen, where Mrs. Giordano smiled as they lined up inside. “I thought it would be nicer to just have our meals in the solarium since there are so many of us. Boys? Why don’t you each grab a tray and carry it to the table. We can use paper plates to make cleanup a little easier.”

“Look at all this food,” Zane observed.

Lex’s eyes went wide, checking out all the dishes spread out on the countertops.

“Lasagna’s my favorite, and Mom makes the best,” Izzy smiled as she looked at Zane first and then at Lex.

Sighing, Zane appeared thoughtful. “I don’t even remember the last time I had lasagna, let alone anything resembling a real meal.”

“I hear you.” Lex cleared his throat. “I…well—thank you Mrs. Giordano. I never thought people like you really existed.”

Lex noticed that for some reason, Izzy looked like she was ready to cry.

Zane gave Lex a light jab in the ribs with an elbow, nodding at Mrs. Giordano. She appeared to be wiping her eyes and trying to compose herself as well.

It was crazy how choked up Lex suddenly felt, because it was true—it was hard to believe that there were actually adults who would care about them this much.

Izzy seemed to take charge of the situation. “You guys grab the garlic bread and brownies and I’ll go set the table. Harry? Why don’t you see what everyone wants to drink?”

When all of them walked back into the solarium carrying the dishes and food, Mr. Giordano was apparently talking to his friend Jake on the phone and had some testing kits set up near the table. “Okay. We’ll see you and Danielle around six. I think we’re just going to go with takeout tonight for dinner.”

Mr. Giordano glanced at Izzy. “How’s everything going?”

“Good. The beds are set up and made. Where are Amy and Caleb?”

“On the patio outside,” Mr. Giordano answered, grinning. “Amy’s showing Caleb her playhouse. He looks exhausted, but I think he’s afraid if he falls asleep, everything will be gone when he wakes up.”

“That’s exactly how Amy behaved when Jake and Danielle brought her here along with Harry.” Izzy smiled. “I’ll go outside and tell them lunch is ready as soon as I set the table.”

A few moments later, Lex and Zane had gone back and forth from the kitchen and were each carrying bowls filled with more food.

“Just put everything on the table, guys. I’ll go find Amy and Caleb if you want to sit down and get started,” Izzy said as she finished doling out paper plates, napkins, and silverware on the table before heading outside past the screen door.

“Lex,” Caleb called out as they came scrambling through the doorway into the solarium a few minutes later. “Amy says that they havedogsand they’ll be coming back home in a few hours.”

Lex couldn’t get over the difference in Caleb. He’d only been playing with Amy for a few hours, but he already had color in his cheeks, and despite how scrawny he was, he looked almost…normal.

“You can sit next to me,” Amy said to Caleb, pointing at a seat which he took right away.

Lex had to grin at the look on Caleb’s face when he saw all the food that was spread on the table.

Amy had noticed too. She’d been so quiet since they’d met, that it was the first time that Lex had really looked at her closely. She seemed kind of shy. But he’d never seen such pretty blue eyes, he decided.

“How many dogs do you guys have?” Lex asked as Amy took a seat between Lex and Caleb.

“Three,” she answered, looking directly into Lex’s eyes as she gave him a sudden impish grin. “They belonged to Harry. That’s how Harry and I met Eve. Harry stole her parents’ boat to try to save the puppies because our foster father and brother were trying to drown them. But Peanuts is the runt of the litter, so Harry gave her to me.”

The way that she said it tugged at Lex’s heart. It was funny, but suddenly, she seemed older than the ten years she was supposed to be. There was just something about the look in her eyes that made him realize that she’d seen more than any normal ten-year-old should have.

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