That ache in my chest loosened. She didn’t spend the night last night. Christian, and now Penny, and Charlotte always spent the night at the Calhouns’ watching holiday movies. It was another Calhoun tradition. I’d also been invited, but this year Gwen needed some stability at home with my parents leaving.
“I missed you too.” I smiled and made the turn into their neighborhood. I didn’t want to think about it too hard, but Charlotte had slipped into my life with such ease that I don’t know how I had lived without her before. Her laughter filled my house at night, and I awoke with a smile all week. Were we moving too fast? Probably. But I knew what I wanted, and it was her. “Any crazy Calhoun traditions that I don’t know about after dinner?”
“Mm, we might go look at lights, but that’s it. Why?”
“Because I want you to myself. I have a feeling today is going to be a struggle.” A few cars already lined the side of the street, Charlotte’s familiar Mazda right in front of the house. I parked right behind her. If she brought a change of clothes with her, I could just follow her back to my house. “I just got here.”
“Yeah, I’m watching you from the window. I’m annoying myself with how excited I am to see you.”
I glanced into the house, not seeing her in any windows. Then I looked upstairs, her old room, and she stood with her hand raised. She wore a red-and-green sweater that hugged her curves, and her hair was down in soft waves. “God, you look beautiful.”
“You can’t even see me from the truck,” she said, but I could hear the smile in her voice.
“Are we there? Is Uncle C there?” Gwen screamed from the back. She hadn’t glanced up from her electronic game the entire ride, but now she was ready. “And Mama C?”
“Yes, honey. We’ll get you unbuckled, and you can go see everyone.” My baby girl squealed and clapped her hands. She’d been doing better after having a short, twelve-hour flu. It was disgusting, but Charlotte had been super helpful. She did laundry and ran to get food while I was on cleanup and cuddle duty.
There was a moment when Charlotte saw me wearing rubber gloves and smelling like vomit, but she smiled at me and shrugged. She was completely unfazed and so willing to help out that I instantly thought about building a life with her. She was such a teammate, and fuck, I wanted to keep her forever.
“No heated looks today, alright? I’m not sure I can be chill.” Charlotte moved from the window. “See you inside, handsome.”
She hung up, and now I had a big-ass smile on my face. I loved knowing Charlotte struggled as much as I did. One of her concerns from three years ago was that there was a power imbalance of feelings. There wasn’t this time. We were both in this.
After undoing my seat belt and grabbing a bag of presents, I undid Gwen’s buckle. The front door opened.
“Uncle C, Uncle C!” Gwen sprinted from my truck toward the front door, jumping onto Christian before he could set his drink down.
This damn kid had no fear.
“Hi, girlie.” Christian kissed the top of her head and hoisted her on his hip. “You look older. Are you five?”
“No! Three!” She held up her fingers. “I’m three!”
“Are you seven?”
“No! Three, Uncle C! Three!”
“Is this a new jacket? I like it. I also love your hair.”
“My daddy did it.” She beamed at me, making my heart do the stutter thing it did every time I saw her happy.
Gwen might get sick and ruin plans, keep me up at night and fight me at every turn, but this three-year-old tyrant was the best part of my life. Shaking my head, I clapped Christian on the back. “Still trying to be her favorite?”
“Already am.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” I said, just as Gwen spotted Charlotte. The only other person on the planet who made my heart swell.
“Auntie Lotte!”
“Gwyneth Paltrow!” Charlotte yanked her from her brother’s hands and snuggled her. It didn’t matter that we’d seen her two days ago, she seemed genuinely happy to hug my daughter. “How’s my favorite girl?”
“So good. I built a dinosaur today with blocks, and it was tall. I named him Dino!”
“You clever, clever girl.” Charlotte winked at me before walking deeper into her parents’ house. This place was a second home to me after spending so much time here growing up.
The familiar scents of cinnamon and laundry mixed with firewood greeted me. Christian mumbled something about a football game, but I didn’t respond. Charlotte handed my girl over to her mom and dad, who spoiled her rotten with hugs and little presents.
My chest tightened, like someone had increased the pressure in my lungs. How did Gwen get this fucking lucky, to have all these people in her life?
