“No dogs are harmed in the making of that film,” she says, teasing.
“How does that song go?” Mav walks in, giving Haddy a bump. “‘God loves a terrier’? Sing it, Hads.”
Haddy immediately launches into the song with a perfectly pure singing voice. My eyebrows rise, and I sit a little straighter. She’s only two lines in when Ladybird straightens her front legs and sits up, dropping her head back and letting out a long howl.
Mav falls back laughing, and Haddy jumps off the side of Gavin’s chair to kneel in front of our bloodhound as she continues.
“Get your phone!” Gina waves at Maverick. “Take a video!”
Haddy keeps singing, putting her arm around Ladybird’s back as my dog continues to howl, hitting different notes for different lengths of time.
Haddy breaks, falling forward as she laughs. “It’s like she’s trying to sing along!”
“That’s what I said!” Maddie runs over to sit beside them, hugging our dog. “It’s okay, Ladybird. You don’t have to be fancy. You can be a singer!”
“I was thinking about being a pet psychic.” Heather turns to Gina. “What do you think? Know anybody who’d be interested in something like that?”
“Really?” Gina’s nose wrinkles. “I kind of… don’t think that’s real.”
She puts her hands over her eyes like she’s hiding, and it’s all too cute.
“Who cares?” Mav cries. “I bet we could find folks who’d be interested. LA is woo-woo like that. Post it on social media and see what happens.”
“I think I will,” Heather laughs, standing. “Come on, Mads. Let’s get cleaned up and watch a movie in bed.”
My daughter jumps to her feet before skipping to me and throwing her little body against mine in a hug. “We can read a bedtime story tomorrow night, okay, Daddy?”
“Okay, baby.” I give her a tight squeeze. “I love you.”
“I love you, too!” Then she stops and gives Gina a hug. “I love you, Miss Gina!”
“Aw, thank you!” Gina hugs her back. “I love you, too!”
My daughter continues making her way around the room, telling everyone goodnight, but Gina’s response simmers in my chest.
It stays in my mind as we continue visiting a little while longer. I watch her, and it’s like the air around her glows. She smiles, and the room brightens. Her hands move as she tells a story, and it’s like she’s conjuring magic.
Clearly, I’m falling asleep from nonstop hockey.
Gav is the first to call it. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m beat.”
He shifts his sleeping daughter to his shoulder and stands, and Haddy walks over to hug Gina. “I’ll touch base with you tomorrow about calendar distribution.”
“Calendar distribution?” Gina frowns.
“I just mean putting a few in your studio for people to buy. Don’t get all wiggy.”
“I’m not wiggy.” Gina snorts as they head out the door for their house.
“Night, guys. Don’t be too loud.” Mav gives us a wave before disappearing into his first-floor master suite.
That leaves Gina and me alone, facing each other. Sheblinks up at me briefly, giving me a cautious smile, which I hate. I don’t want her to be guarded around me.
In my very best, nonthreatening tone, I ask, “Do you need to shower? I can wait.”
“I won’t be long.” She walks to the stairs, hesitating at the bottom. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” I lean against the back of the couch, watching as she jogs to the second floor in those track pants.
