Page 53 of Once Upon A Christmas Song

“Thank you,” Cami told her friend. “And I read really well, not good. This is why you got an eighty-six on the grammar test.”

Prue nodded.

I lost track of what was going on for a bit but then woke up briefly during the twilight barking. “I’m listening.” I let Cami know.

“Shh, Prue is liking the book.”

I was quiet after that, my head turned away from her, still following the story.

“Prue, honey.”

Cami stopped reading.

“Aw, Dad, it’s getting really good.”

“I’m sorry, but we need to go get ready. It turns out your mother and I are taking Chris, and Cami’s mom, to an event with us tonight.”

“Nuh-uh,” Cami told him. “Chris is watching me. We’re taking Otto home, and then we’re going to eat dinner and watch movies. That’s what we do when he sits me. Usually my mama cooks for us, but she didn’t have time, so we’re getting pizza.” She fidgeted while talking, accidentally pulling my shirt up. It was getting colder at night now, not horrible, only in the mid-forties, but for us, in the great state of Louisiana, that was like the arctic. I felt the air hit my skin and wished she would move or get me a blanket.

“Oh no, honey, Chris and…Chris and your mom are coming with us.”

“Okay,” she agreed quickly.

“That’s it?” he teased her.

“Mama says never to argue when you know you’re right, just wait and be mindful.”

“I don’t…”

I yawned, rolling over so Cami was forced to move as I sat up, and rubbed my left eye.

“Don’t do that,” she scolded me just as I had her a million times. “You’ll make it all red.”

I was standing up by the time Georgine and Nicole walked through the door.

“There you are,” Nicole said, smiling at her husband as she walked over and slipped her arm through his. “We need to get home and change. Georgine’s going to meet us at the event. I called for a ticket for her and her plus-one, Seth Rafkin.”

I shot Georgine a look, and her answering one told me to keep my mouth shut. It would be nice if the widowed father and single mother could finally achieve liftoff with their romance. I’d never seen two people more smitten with one another who refused to take a step forward. And I knew why—neither wanted to mess up their friendship or that of their children. They were both being so very careful. Too careful, in my opinion.

“Seth sure agreed to go on short notice,” I said cheerfully.

Her eyes narrowed.

“Who’s gonna watch Henry?”

“You,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Oh yes!” Cami crowed, beyond happy. Her best friend and pizza? She was living the life. “But remember, now we hafta get the barbecue-chicken pizza, not the pepperoni and no bacon. At all.”

I nodded. “I remember.”

“Wait,” Cami said suddenly. “If Prue’s mommy and daddy are going with you, is Prue coming to our house?”

“No,” Georgine answered her daughter. “She’s going to her grandmother’s.”

“Aww.” Cami sounded disappointed, but really, Prue’s parents didn’t know me well enough to leave their kid with me. And that was fine with me.

“Okay, let’s go,” Georgine said, gesturing at me. “Get the cage. Conner’s borrowing Darcy’s Highlander to drive us.”