“Please,” Mia huffed. “I’ve known for weeks what you and Cole got me.”
“What? Did he tell you?”
She shook her head. “No. I just figured it out.”
“No way.” There was no chance she’d ever guess our gift.
“No way, what?”
Cole and Brad walked back into the kitchen. Brad looked sullen but he was trying to hide it, while Cole’s relief radiated through the room.
No one brought up their conversation in the living room. Instead, Evie brought them both into ours. “Mom said she knows what Poppy and Cole got her for Christmas, but Poppy doesn’t think there’s any way she could have guessed.”
Brad chuckled. “Take my advice, Poppy. Just accept that there is no such thing as surprising Ms. Crane. The harder you try, the faster she figures it out. Save yourself the stress.”
“But, how could she possibly—”
“You got me a puppy like Nazboo.”
My chin fell open as I gaped at Mia. Impossible. Cole and I had just ordered the dog yesterday. The puppy wasn’t even weaned yet, so we’d had to wrap up a collar and leash along with a picture.
“How—I don’t—” I blinked and closed my speechless mouth.
“See what I mean?” Zack muttered.
I took a long gulp of my beer and looked up at Cole. “So much for our big surprise.”
Cole chuckled. “Sorry. I should have told you about Mom’s superpower. Honestly, I thought we might have had her on this one, but I guess not.”
“Are there any other family secrets I should know about?”
“Don’t tell her!” Brad shouted as both Mia and Evie opened their mouths. “If I’m lucky, it will take her a few years to figure out mine.”
The kitchen erupted in laughter as Mia kissed Brad’s cheek and went back to making dinner and Zack and Evie started debating baby names. And I just smiled and leaned into Cole’s side, happy to be part of it all.
Hours later, after too much food and drink and gifts, Cole and I loaded up a sleepy Nazboo and drove home.
“How did it go with your dad?”
“Better than I expected. He didn’t want to hear me at first, but when I told him that I’d make a shit chief of police because my heart wasn’t in it, he started to come around. I still think he was disappointed though.”
I knew Cole hated disappointing people, but in this case, he’d done the right thing. Reaching across the console, I took his hand. “He’ll come around.”
“Yeah.” He kissed my knuckles. “Did you have fun?”
“Yes, so much. I love your family.”
“They’re yours too. You’re stuck with me, so you’re stuck with them.”
I smiled out the dark windshield. “I like stuck.”
“Good.” He laced our fingers together. “How would you feel about being stuck at my house? Maybe make it our house?”
My head whirled toward him. Cole was grinning into the night. “Really? You want me to move in?”
He looked over and nodded. “Pretty much since the first night you stayed over but I thought that might be too soon.”
“Finally!” My shout startled Nazboo in the backseat. “Sheesh. I’ve been stalling my realtor for months.”
He chuckled. “So that’s a yes?”
“That’s a yes, Detective.”
“Goodman.”
I frowned as Cole answered his phone. It was the morning after our dinner at Brad and Mia’s and we were supposed to have the Friday alone together.
I’d gotten up early and made us both breakfast—we were eating in the dining room for the first time in ages. We’d been talking about taking Nazboo for a walk when his phone had rung, and since it was the station on the other line, it couldn’t be ignored.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in twenty.”
Damn it. So much for our day off.
“Sorry.” Cole gave me a sad smile as he hung up the phone. “If I could stay, I would, but I really need to head into the station.”
“Okay.” I couldn’t fault him for putting the chance to make an arrest ahead of couch time with me. “Be safe.”
“I will.” He stood and kissed my forehead, taking his plate to the sink.
I stood and followed him with my own. “I’ll take care of the dishes. You go ahead.”
“I’ll make it up to you.” He took the plate from my hand, set it down, then hoisted me onto the counter.
I brushed his dark hair off his forehead as he stepped between my legs. “What did you have in mind?”
“How about I pick up Chinese takeout on my way home and we have a late lunch and watch a movie?”
“Do I get to pick what we watch?”
He nodded. “Yes, but I get two vetoes.”
“One.”
“One.” He leaned in and brushed his soft lips to mine. “I’ll hurry.”
“Text me when you leave the station. I might take Nazboo over to my place to start packing.”
“Don’t wear yourself out. Save some energy for me.” He grinned and kissed me again before rushing out of the kitchen. His sweatpants hinted at the perfect ass beneath the gray cotton.
I’d hoped to spend a lot of time squeezing that ass today. Instead, I’d get a head start on packing so I could officially move in.
I sighed and hopped off the counter, rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher. I was just about to go upstairs when Cole came back down, dressed in jeans and a thick green sweater. The cable knit made the green in his eyes pop more than his usual black polo.
“I love you.” I wrapped my arms around him, taking a deep breath of his fresh smell.
“I love you too.” He leaned me back so his lips could mold to mine. His tongue slipped between my teeth, tickling, before he pulled away. “See you soon.” One more kiss to my forehead and he was gone, striding toward the garage.
I held Nazboo back as we went to the front door to wave good-bye from the porch.
Nazboo let out a whimper as he backed out of the garage and onto the street, leaving her behind with her second-favorite owner.
“Sorry,” I rubbed her ears, “but he’ll be back soon. Come on. Let’s
