Page 66 of One More Yule Log

Ben grinned at Gray. “Let’s go. There’s a lovely girl waiting for us.”

“There so is.” They stopped to get more pizza and warm up cocoa, and they all settled in withFace Off.

“Are you okay, Daddy?”

“I’m good, honey. Thinking about selling the business.”

Her eyes lit up. “For real? Not just in that thinky way?”

“For real. I don’t like it. Gray says maybe I can work at the bakery with him.”

“Oh, Alice might beat you.”

Gray cracked up. “I bet we can find things your dad is good at.”

“He likes coffee. Make him clean the espresso machine. Alice hates doing it.”

“There you go.” Little whip-cracking girl.

“Man, you’re a tough manager, baby.” Ben winked over her head.

“You have no idea, Daddy. I’m nice to you.”

“You so are. You’re a queen, though.”

Gray munched his pizza to keep from saying something. Liv was a doll, and she could get her feelings hurt. He had to remind himself she was a kid sometimes and forgo what he would say to an adult.

Teasing was hard at nine, or so he understood.

He leaned back, the TV’s pleasant noise, the warmth, and hard work of the day lulling him.

When he woke up from his doze, he found Ben and Liv on the floor playing checkers.

Liv hooted, the sound so birdlike. “Look, I jumped two!”

“You did! You are a whiz at this.” Ben gnawed on a pizza bone and made his move.

“I learned it from you, Daddy. Daddy Dale never had time.”

“Nope. He loved his job a lot. I loved my job a lot.”

“You mean being my daddy?” She got all teary again. Poor kid; it had been an emotional day.

“Yes. That’s the best job in forever.” Ben held his arms open. “I love you, chica. More than anything.”

She flew into them. “I love you, Daddy. And you brought Gray home.”

“I did. You found him, though, because you’re the coolest.”

“I know!”

Gray laughed, crawling down on the floor for hugs, and he got them, first from Liv, then from his lover.

“I love it here, guys. Thanks for making it so easy.”

“You fit in,” Liv told him, patting his cheeks. “You want to go skiing tomorrow?”

“I do. If we don’t have other plans.” He would have to integrate calendars.