My eyes go wide in excitement. “Paella Valenciana?
It’s been years, but I can already taste it on my tongue.
“Of course, what else?” She takes both hands and squeezes. She looks at Nate, then back to me. “Both of you have made an old lady happy. Even if you took your damn time.”
“Who are you calling old?” Javier comes up behind her and wraps his arms around his wife, then leans over to kiss me hello.
“All right. This reunion is all great and everything, but can we do it inside? I have a puppy nipping at my hands,” Harrison announces.
Rosa suddenly holds up her hand, then walks over to Nate, Leo, and Mase, frowning and sniffing them.
“Are you drunk?”
Like scared little boys, they shake their heads at warp speed. “No,” they all announce in unison while the rest of us burst out laughing.
Busted.
“To be fair, we’ve had a shit day so far,” Leo bravely says.
She crosses her arms; the matriarch in her was showing. “Unless the status of information changes, we are not discussing this at family dinner. This is a safe space, and I want to enjoy my family, not the craziness that surrounds us.”
Leo turns to Nate andthinkshe whispers, “Doesn’t seem so safe right now.”
Rosa pinches his arm and pushes him inside. “You’re not too old to get reprimanded, León.”
We all chuckle, following inside.
Harrison gives us five minutes to say our hellos, then he’s asked us to make sure Juliette is in the living room when he walks in, which is easy.
The living room is the heart of this house.
It always has been.
Ten minutes pass, and when Harrison walks in, Juliette screams so loud I almost lose an eardrum.
“H?”
“Happy early push present.”
She covers her mouth and tries to stand but struggles. Leo’s there to help with an outstretched arm.
Tears are streaming down her face once she makes it to Harrison.
“Seriously?” she asks, looking up to him with a loving expression.
He passes her the puppy, which immediately begins licking her face.
Harrison frowns. “Hey. Stop that.”
Juliette swats Harrison’s hand away and makes kissing noises to the dog.
“I can’t believe this. Thank you so much. This is the best present you could have ever given me.”
We’re all standing around the room, swooning over the new German Shepherd puppy, and it’s making me wonder if Skye needs a playmate.
“You’re welcome, Jules.” He leans down and kisses her behind her ear. It’s intimate, but none of us can look away. “Werescued her from the same place where Nate rescued Skye. She and her two siblings were found alone.”
“Oh, you poor baby.” She kisses the dog’s nose, then glances at Nate and me. “She’s okay with Skye?”
