Page 62 of Lost Lyrics

“Tia, happy Christmas.” I hugged her hello. Her huge baby bump was the size of a watermelon, and she still had two months to go. “Are you sure you’re not having twins?”

“Nope.” She swayed from side to side, rubbing her lower back. “Just one. Feels like twenty.”

Flint’s cell buzzed. He grabbed his phone out of his jeans pocket, glanced at the screen, then stuffed it away again. “Um. Cole? We need the kids.”

“Shit. Yep. On it.” Cole strode over to the games room, clicked his fingers at Ava as he passed, fetched the kids, then returned to the living room. As the kids took a seat by the tree, Ava joined us.

What is going on?

The doorbell rang.

The huge glass door swung open and in stepped Maddy and Slip, wearing ugly reindeer Christmas sweaters and carrying a big box each. Slip’s present was twice the size of Maddy’s.

“Merry Christmas, everyone.” Maddy made her way over to us. Flint lightened her load, taking the box from her.

“Who’s ready for more Christmas presents?” Slip hollered and handed Cole the enormous gift.

“Me!” Charlotte and Josh pounced on all fours.

The box tilted in Cole’s hands.

Was that a rustle? A whimper?

Oh, my.My heart skipped a beat. Cole hadn’t, had he?

“Okay.” Cole held the box in the air above the kids. “This one is for the two of you. It’s actually from Ava and me.”

“And this one is for you?” Flint held his present out for me to take.

Me?I’d already gotten a diamond necklace and Prada purse from him. I didn’t need anything else. The box moved, tippingto one side.Oh crap!

Cole placed his box on the ground. The kids yanked the lid off and out leaped a tiny ball of black and white chaos...a Dalmatian. The puppy whimpered and whined as it licked and sniffed Josh’s and Charlotte’s faces. Its tail wagged at one hundred miles an hour, thumping against the box.

“A PUPPY! We got AHH A PUPPY!” Charlotte grabbed the dog around its neck and crushed it against her chest. It scrambled from her hold and dashed over to Josh.

Oh gosh . . . what do I have?

I put my box down and eased off the lid. A beautiful, yet frightened, black kitten shivered in the bottom corner. “Oh. She’s beautiful.” I picked up the tiny cat, stood, and cradled it against my chest. I patted her back and kissed her head.

“It’s actually a him.” Flint edged closer and scratched its ears.

“And it pissed and shat all over our bathroom last night.” Slip grunted as he gave the kitten the evil eye and then did the same toward the puppy. “The dog was just as bad, peeing everywhere in the laundry. They both cried all night. Maddy and I have had no sleep. You can thank us at any time.”

“They weren’t that bad.” Maddy curled her arm around Slip’s and rested her head against his shoulder. But judging by the dark circles under her eyes? Yeah, she hadn’t had a decent sleep.

“You’re champions. Thank you.” Cole squatted and patted the puppy. “So, kids, you now have to take care of this little guy. But first, you have to give him a name.”

“Spot!” Charlotte giggled as the puppy licked her face.

I winced and shook my head. Too obvious, right? But whatever.

“No. Rex. Like a T-Rex. Roooar!” Josh clawed his hands and hollered at the dog. The puppy just licked his nose.

“Yeah. Rexy.” Charlotte wrapped her arms around the puppy’s tummy and kissed his head. “I love you, Rexy.”

Ava bobbed down next to the kids and smoothed her hand along the puppy’s back. “Sounds like his name is Rex.”

“Very cool name, kids. I love it.” Cole ruffled the puppy’s head, then stood. “Do you want to take him outside for a play before lunch?”

---