“You think we should be worried?” Ace asked.
“Is King worried?”
“He’s wondering what’s going on, just like the rest of us, but he doesn’t seem too worried about it. At least not yet.”
The next several hours were spent with Ace and Chip snoring softly while Colton sent off several emails and made dozens of phone calls. With Christmas roughly three weeks away, he was cutting it close, especially with the number of supplies, decorations, and merchandise Winterhaven needed to pull off another successful holiday season. But with his company handling shipping and transportation, he could get it done.
Rubbing his eyes, Colton closed his laptop. He was waiting to hear back from a few vendors, but he’d managed to make the rest of the arrangements. Winterhaven was about to be inundated with freight trucks. He stood and stretched, smiling at his sweet, slumbering husband. Unable to help himself, he stopped by the bed, putting a finger to his lips when Chip opened his eyes.
Colton leaned in and brushed his lips over Ace’s, gasping when Ace grabbed him and pulled him down. Chip barked his displeasure at them from being startled, then jumped all over them, licking wherever he could get them and making them laugh.
The door opened, and Joker stood there, shaking his head. “I heard shenanigans, so I figured you all were awake and wearing clothes. Can I have my dog back now?”
Ace blinked at Joker while he took hold of one of the large pillows and slowly dragged it over Chip. It might have worked if Chip’s butt wasn’t sticking out and his tail wasn’t thumping loudly against the mattress. “What dog?”
Joker was not impressed. “Oh, gee. I wonder where he went. Chip.”
Chip darted out from under the pillow and leaped over Colton and Ace, landing gracefully on his paws in front of Joker, tail wagging.
“Show off,” Ace muttered.
Joker snorted. “Maybe if you didn’t go around lifting things you shouldn’t, you could make that jump, too. Instead, you have to lay there. Like a potato.”
Ace narrowed his eyes at Joker, then batted his lashes at Colton. “Baby, could you annihilate him for me? Or, I don’t know. Ooh, steal his wallet and hold it high over his head so he can’t reach it.”
“Bite me,” Joker said, turning and leaving the room. “Get your asses downstairs. Red says dinner’s almost ready.”
Colton got up and helped Ace to his feet. “You okay? Feeling a little stiff?” Ace opened his mouth to reply, and Colton put a finger to Ace’s lips. “If you say, ‘That’s what he said.’ I’m going to leave you to the squirrels.”
“I was just going to say, after you, my darling husband, light of my life.”
Colton hummed. He headed downstairs, groaning as he got to the bottom step. “That smellsamazing.”
Red beamed at him as Colton walked into the kitchen, his stomach rumbling and mouth watering at the smells.
“I figured since it’s so cold outside, some homemade comfort food was in order.”
Ace and Chip entered the kitchen simultaneously, lifted their noses to the air, and sniffed in perfect sync, making Red and Colton laugh.
“What?” Ace asked.
“Nothing,” Colton replied, taking a peek in the oven. He gasped at the glorious sight. “You made your famous chicken pot pie.”
“I did,” Red replied brightly, then glanced at Ace. “Before you go worrying. I made your honey cornbread.”
Ace threw his arms up and then immediately regretted the action. “Ow. Ooh. That was not a good life choice.”
Fitz walked into the kitchen and headed for the fridge. “Heard you threw out your back. Was it carrying all that breakfast food? Oh, wait.”
Colton had to put his fist to his mouth to keep himself from laughing. His husband was not going to live that down any time soon.
“First of all, I didn’t throw out my back. Second of all, I said I was sorry. Andthirdof all, if my back did go out, maybe it was when you and your fifty-pound fur coat landed on me!”
Fitz took the pitcher of iced tea from the fridge, his expression showing he was not impressed. He poured himself a glass, his gaze still on Ace. Somehow, he didn’t spill a drop. Then, he placed the glass on the counter and returned the pitcher to the refrigerator. He picked up his glass again and slowly sipped, meeting Ace’s gaze.
“I’m sorry. I should have been more careful.” An evil twinkle came into his eye. “After all, your bones aren’t what they used to be.”
Ace gasped. “That little nerd nugget! He told you.”
