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"Lainey wants you there."

He grunts. "She knows too."

"Well, Charlie wants you there for her first Christmas, and she's not going to understand why you're not there."

His eyes turn to slits. "You already used her once."

"Worked pretty damn well."

"You can't use my granddaughter against me every time you want something."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm telling you it won't work."

"You can't skip Christmas. I can't allow that."

"Son, you don't get to decide what to allow and disallow in this house," he declares.

I look at Charlie. "Peanut, Granddaddy doesn't want to spend your first Christmas with you."

"You son of a bitch."

I burst out laughing.

Charlie squeals again.

Dean scowls at me, but his mouth keeps trying to twitch.

"You're really gonna sit here by yourself while your wife, daughter, and granddaughter are at my family's ranch?"

"I've spent Christmas here alone before. Lorraine took Lainey a few times to see her parents alone when I couldn't go. "

"That was before Charlie was born."

He goes quiet.

I add, "My mama's cooking enough food to feed half of Texas. My entire family's gonna be there. You won't have to do anything except show up."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

I grin. "We're not that bad."

He shakes his head.

"Come on, Dean."

He stares at Charlie.

She reaches for his nose again.

The hard-ass melts. "Fine."

I pump my fist. "Yes."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"