Aiden loved the expression on John’s face. It was more open and free than he’d ever seen before. He watched his brother play more joyously with his sons than he’d ever seen him do before, and something lifted in his chest. It wasn’t ideal, becoming a father right now, but they would make do. He shifted, wrapping his arm around Angela, and leaned over to rest his head against hers. “I love you,” he told her softly.
“I love you, too,” she whispered, cupping his face. “You know you’ll be a great dad. No matter your upbringing, if he can do it,” she made a motion to John, “you can do it. You both know what you lacked growing up. You’ll take the steps necessary to ensure our child doesn’t.”
Aiden nodded, breathing in the scent of her hair. “We’ll wing it, like we’ve done everything else, and come out smarter on the other side.”
Angela grinned at him, leaning up for another kiss. “Yes.”
Wyatt and Caden screamed as John pulled them through a snow drift and they got buried, then they giggled. Wyatt laughed so hard his breath hitched. Without missing a beat, Caden called out ‘fuc’. They all dissolved into laughter.
Aiden looked at the people around him and knew that the family he was born into was not as important as the one he’d created with the people around him. And the one he was about to create, he thought, looking down at Angela.
Oh, Louie
So, this is just one of those comedic parts of life.
My Grandad’s name was Louie, and it was pretty funny because my uncle named his dog Louie. This was many years after my Grandad had passed, but every time I heard the dog’s name I could imagine poor Grandad being yelled at.
“Damn it, Louie!”
“Oh, Louie…”
“Get off the couch, Louie!”
This short story is a bit of a follow up to Healing Home, which was released last year. I loved writing the book and I really loved Lincoln, so of course I wanted him to have a family!
Copyright © 2020 by J.M. Madden. Oh, Louie
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Chapter One
“You’re an idiot,” her sister Carolina told her.
BB frowned down at the phone on her desk, her pen pausing mid-stroke. “Why do you say that?”
She’d heard it many times before but she was curious why Carolina thought she was non-normal this time.
“Because that dog has you wrapped around her paw.”
BB looked at Frankie, sprawled beneath her artist’s table. The dog flirted with her eyes, sensing that she was the center of conversation, and totally okay with it.
In spite of herself she laughed. “You may be right. But why are you saying that right this second?”
“I know for a fact that dog is underneath your legs right now, probably wearing some stupid collar.”
BB squeaked. “I’ll have you know she pouts if she’s not wearing one of her favorites. And if you’ve ever seen a Frenchie pout you know how bad it can be.”
Carolina laughed because she did know. She’d had to babysit for Frankie before.
“So, what’s this I hear about doggy play dates with Hannah Mastrena?”
Ah, so that was why she was calling. Carolina had this thing about relationships. Crazily enough she expected men to be loyal when they dated her and if they weren’t, well, it never went well. Hannah Mastrena had been one of the ‘other women’, but she’d been even worse. She’d married Carolina’s ex. As far as BB knew they’d been very happily married the entire time, which grated on Carolina. She wanted all cheaters to roast in hell with a case of the crabs.
BB had tried to not say anything to Carolina because she actually liked Hannah, but she should have known. There must have been a picture or something. Hell, Hannah probably tagged her in a post. She hadn’t been on Facebook for a while to check.
“Well,” BB admitted, “we were at the dog park and she has that adorable little black male. Too bad his name is Chuck. Seriously, who uses that name anymore? He’d be perfect otherwise. Anyway, Frankie likes him. They play like they’re puppies. It’s really cute.”
She didn’t dare tell Carolina that Hannah had a line on a Frenchie litter coming available soon.
Carolina sighed on the other end of the line and BB felt bad for her. Carolina was well into her thirties and had zero romance in her life. Maybe BB felt it more sharply because she had fallen in love with Lincoln recently. She had more sympathy, perhaps. Carolina needed someone to love her like Lincoln had shown BB. The only guy in Carolina’s life had been that cop. “So, subject jump, here. Is the detective still bothering you?”
“Yes,” Carolina growled. “He’s positive that I’m running some kind of high-end prostitution ring for military people.”
BB had heard it before but it still made her snort. “Do you think it would help if I talked to him? I mean, I cancelled my contract with Lincoln when I realized we were getting involved. And I don’t think Lincoln would mind talking to him either when he gets back.”
Her heart skipped a beat. When he gets back. When.
“I don’t know if it would do any good or not, honestly. I might give him your number anyway. Thanks
