Page 56 of 27 Kisses

My heart breaks for the kid. Spending Christmas alone—except that’s exactly what I was going to do. “So here’s what we’re going to do?—”

“I can get your dog back for you.”

Nat’s eyes are wide. “You can?”

“How big is your boy—ex-boyfriend?”

“Not as big as you.” She smirks. “Finally, those muscles of yours will come in handy.”

“What about all the lifting I do around here?”

Nat moves around her desk and me. “Did I say finally? I meant again.” She touches Jonah’s bicep. “Perfect. Just don’t get any ideas. My heart belongs to Ramon.”

“Pfft. You’re not my type anyway.” Jonah pulls her hand off his bicep. “The boss is more my type.”

What the fuck? “That’s not?—”

But they talk right over me.

“Grumpy?” Nat guesses.

“Yeah, sure. But it’s more about his bossy personality.”

“Hold on.” Nat tilts her head. “I’m bossy.”

Jonah laughs. “But you’re not interested, and more importantly, not a guy.”

“Gotcha. I hope you like pizza. That’s always our Christmas Eve eve meal.”

“I love pizza.”

“Great. How do you feel about rugrats?”

I stare at them as they walk out of Nat’s office. Nat turns and gives me a big smile. “Thanks, boss.”

Jonah winks. I’m ninety-nine percent sure he’s just messing with me.

Now that’s sorted, I can go home to my…family. Maybe this Christmas won’t be so bad after all.

The house is quiet when I get home. Aidyn’s van is still here and Jane’s car. I enter through the garage into the kitchen. Jane’s in the dining room, wrapping presents. One side of the table has stacks of wrapped presents and a much smaller stack of unwrapped presents. Are these hers? Or Aidyn’s?

“Where is everyone?” I ask.

“I think Lanie’s in her room— I mean, the room she’s been staying in. Mom and Dad went shopping.” She stops, and I let out a sigh.

“And Aidyn?”

She focuses on cutting the paper. “He’s somewhere.”

“Jane.”

Her eyes dart to my face. “What? He was helping me and then…I don’t know. He got upset, I think. Said he needed a moment. I didn’t follow him.” She huffs. “I don’t have a death wish.”

I dial down my frustration. No need to take it out on Jane. “Thank you.”

“If I had to guess, I’d say he went to your office.” She smiles. “Good luck, bro.”

I want to ask more questions. What did you say to upset him? Instead, I walk through the house listening. The door to my office is shut. Which doesn’t mean much. I’ve been keeping it shut ever since my mother decided to rearrange my furniture.