My phone buzzes just as my driver pulls the town car up in front of the sprawling brick building where Jessie attends fifth grade. It’s the precocious little girl’s last day before the Christmas break, and when Jia Koh asked Hannah to accompany her to a salon appointment for the afternoon, I volunteered to collect Jessie myself rather than pass the job off to the hotel nanny whose services we’ve been using over the last couple of weeks. The truth is that I have an ulterior motive—I have a favor to ask of Jessie—but the way Hannah’s eyes had gone all soft and warm at my offer was most definitely an unexpected side benefit.

Thinking of that has me smiling, but as I exit the car to collect Jessie and get a good look at the building I’m approaching, that smile turns into a frown. Public schools are hit and miss in New York City, and by the looks of this one, I’m not at all sure it’s a place we can count on for Jessie to receive the best education. I make a mental note to have my executive assistant look into it for the future as I answer the incoming call my phone continues to buzz with, navigating my way through the throngs of chattering students and parents to the pick-up location Hannah described.

“Masters,” I answer after tapping the Bluetooth in my ear.

“Crenshaw,” snaps the voice on the other end of the line, followed immediately by a burst of laughter. “Jesus, Luke. Could you sound any more pretentious? A simple ‘hello’ works for most people.”

I snort back a laugh of my own. Paul and I met Bill Crenshaw while the three of us were in college, and after opening The Luminare, we’d poached Bill from the law firm that had snatched him up after his graduation. Ironically, having known him as a shit-faced undergrad prone to streaking across campus at the slightest provocation, I actually trust him even more.

Yes, he’s our corporate attorney, but he’s also a friend.

“Sorry, Bill,” I say, scanning the crowd of miniature people around me as I look for Jessie’s signature glasses and grin. “I didn’t check the screen before answering.” Then my voice gets sober. I know why he must be calling. “What have you got to tell me about Trey Romano so far?”

Just saying the man’s name has my blood boiling all over again, but I take a breath and school my features into a smile, aware that I’m surrounded by children and—based on the garishly decorated campus—an excess of Christmas cheer.

“Trey Romano is a menace,” Bill tells me, almost growling the words. “With the unlimited budget you granted me, I hired three different private investigators to look into his personal life and track down past and present restaurant staff members. It looks like he’s not just a sexual predator, he’s both a stupid and an arrogant one. The PIs have already dug up so much dirt on him that you’ll have no problem making him pay for the way he treated your fiancée.”

My fiancée. Bill says it without any irony, and I wonder if he suspects that there’s anything… non-traditional about my engagement to Hannah. He must. He’s whip-smart and knew me all through the Gretchen debacle years ago, but he’s also got the lawyer’s knack of playing his cards close to his chest. Regardless, I know I’ll have his support for the relationship. If I didn’t trust Bill implicitly, I never would have asked him for help in the first place.

“The thing I don’t understand,” Bill continues as I catch sight of Jessie and wave her over to me. “Is why Lorenzo Romano has let his son get away with this shit. Did you know that my father was Lorenzo’s attorney back when Lorenzo was starting up the first Romano’s location thirty years ago? The man I remember would never have put up with the way his son has been treating the staff there. It’s not just bad business, it’s disgusting. And fucking Christ, Luke, you should see some of the bullshit Trey has pulled with women in his personal life, too. Nothing on the record, but if you know where to look and how to read between the lines…”

Bill is starting to sound genuinely worked up about it, making me even more confident that I’ve got the right man on the job, but now I’ve got Jessie bouncing in front of me with wide eyes and an infectious grin, and that means the Romano details will have to wait.

“Thanks, Bill,” I tell him, winking at Jessie and tapping my Bluetooth to show her I’m on a call when she starts to say something.

She snaps her mouth closed immediately and theatrically mimes zipping her lips closed before grabbing my hand with hers and tugging me back toward the waiting town car.

Something inside my chest starts to melt a little at her easy affection, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through me. I’m definitely going to have to get her in a better school. And by the look of things, get her a sturdier backpack, too. Maybe something in purple, since I’ve noted that she seems to favor the color.

Purple… with glitter.

“I’ve got to go,” I tell Bill, letting Jessie lead the way back to the car. “Good work, though. And keep me posted on the next step necessary to… resolve this matter.”

Bill signs off, indicating he understands my cryptic comment. We’re taking that Romano fucker down.

I flex my free hand as a feeling of satisfaction fills me. The slight swelling around my knuckles is gone, but a hint of stiffness remains. It’s a welcome reminder of just how gratifying it felt to plant my fist in Romano’s face… both times.

“How come you’re the one picking me up, Luke?” Jessie asks as soon as she hears me end the call.

I hold the back door of the town car open for her and she scrambles inside, continuing the interrogation before I have a chance to answer her question.

“Is Hannah busy charming Miss Jia? Is that why you’re getting me instead? And did you know that women couldn’t vote back when America first became America? Mrs. Lipton gave us extra credit for the Christmas break if we want to write about why but I’m not sure I want to do more schoolwork over Christmas and also I’m not sure she’s right. Because why wouldn’t they have let girls vote?”

She sounds indignant about it, and I guess I don’t blame her. It is a bit ridiculous when you think about it.

She also doesn’t stop for breath.

“Can we stop for ice cream on the way back to the hotel?” Jessie asks, blinking up at me behind those adorable glasses.

The endearing look is followed immediately by a disapproving frown as the driver pulls away from the curb.

“You need to buckle your seatbelt, Luke,” Jessie says sternly. “You should always be buckled for safety in a moving car.”

I do it, snorting back a laugh at Little Miss Bossy as she continues at full speed. My participation clearly isn’t required for this conversation, but I find that I’m enjoying it just the same.

“Did you know I got 97 percent on my math test?” Jessie goes on without any sign of slowing down. “Do you want to see it? And are you allowed to have pets at the hotel? And did you know that snails can sleep for three years? That would make them a boring pet, but I still think you should have one. I pet, I mean, not a snail. Maybe a puppy?”

The way her eyes light up at that has me seriously re-thinking The Luminare’s no-pets policy.

“Do you think it would be okay if I ask for extra jam the next time we get room service breakfast?” she continues in a rush. “Hannah said I shouldn’t be a bother, but I wasn’t sure if jam counted for bothering? And where are we going?” She pauses for breath just long enough to press her nose against the window, looking back at me over her shoulder and adding an accusing. “This isn’t the way to the hotel. And you never told me why you’re the one picking me up.”

“I’m pretty sure you didn’t give me the chance, munchkin,” I point out, grinning. “But you were right, your sister is busy with Mrs. Koh and besides, I have a favor to ask. I need your help, Jessie.”

Her eyes go wide. “You do?” she asks, breathing out the words almost reverently. Then her face splits into an ear-to-ear grin. “I love helping! I’ve been making my bed every morning even though Miss Susie—” the hotel nanny, “—says the housekeepers will do that for me. Do you want me to help the housekeepers? Or I could help deliver all the breakfasts to people! I won’t have to go back to school for a couple of weeks you know, so I can do lots of things at the hotel! Maybe you should put me in the elevator! I could push buttons so your hotel guests don’t have to, and I can even tell them how to find things like the pool and the restaurant and the gift shop, because Miss Susie took me exploring yesterday when you and Hannah went to the cocktail party but Miss Susie said not to tell you in case you got mad that I was wandering around the hotel but I wasn’t really wandering since I was with her and… and you’re not mad, are you?”

She pauses, biting her lip nervously, just like her sister does.

“Of course not,” I tell her, pretty sure getting mad at the little sprite is something I’m incapable of.

She stares at me hard, like she’s trying to figure out if I really mean it, then gives me that sunny smile of hers again.

I’m not entirely sure how parents ever actually say no to their children, given how satisfying it feels to see them light up like this.

“Okay, good,” Jessie says, bouncing happily in her seat again. “I really wasn’t trying to be a bother but the hotel is so pretty and I really want you to still let us stay until after Christmas, like you said. Miss Susie says all the presents under the tree down in the lobby aren’t really presents but they’re still so pretty and I… I like being around them.” Her voice suddenly gets smaller, and she looks out the window again so I can’t see her face as she adds, “It makes it feel more Christmasy than most Christmases me and Hannah have had lately, and it’s nice. Plus it’s always warm in your apartment—I mean, in your suite—even though it’s all snowy outside, and you never tell me I have to keep the heat turned down so we can afford the power bill.” She sighs, finally looking back at me with a small smile. “I really hope the next place me and Hannah live is warm, too. Do you think you might want to visit us there? Even after you’re done paying Hannah to pretend you two are getting married? Maybe we’ll live somewhere that Hannah would let me get a puppy, and I’d let you play with it, too, if you wanted to come over sometimes.”

“That’s not going to happen, Jessie,” I tell her firmly, the scowl I haven’t worn in a couple of weeks suddenly appearing back on my face. There’s a lot about her innocent rambling that warrants that scowl, in my opinion, but first and foremost is her assumption that her place in my life is temporary. Granted, given the way it started I can see why she might feel that way, but things have changed.

I’ve changed, and Hannah and Jessie are the ones who changed me.

They’re not moving out, not if I have anything to say about it. Now that I’ve found them, I’m not going to lose them. Not ever.

Jessie’s eyes go wide as she takes in the expression on my face, and she shrinks back in her seat. “You don’t have to play with the puppy,” she whispers, backpedaling fast. “That’s okay. Hannah probably won’t say yes to a pet anyway. I know puppies are a lot of work and they’re expensive and… and… I mean, you don’t have to visit us at all, I guess.” She sounds so forlorn that I can’t stand it. “I know our next place won’t be as nice as your hotel. But maybe… maybe if you don’t want to come see us there, we could still visit you sometimes? Just to say hi? And even if I get a puppy, I won’t bring it to the hotel if you let us come see you, I promise.”

“Jessie,” I say firmly, tipping her chin up gently so she has to look at me. “I’m not going to visit you after Christmas, and you won’t be visiting me—”

Her eyes well up so fast that they spill over, and my heart breaks just a little for having caused that, even just for a moment.

I have to clear my throat before finishing.

“No one will be visiting, munchkin, because you’re not going anywhere. I’m keeping you.”

“What?” Jessie gasps.

“You and Hannah both,” I clarify, grinning as the shocked expression on her face morphs into something so beautifully joyful that I vow to protect it forever. “If you’ll both have me, that is.”

Jessie nods jerkily, but she’s speechless. In the two weeks I’ve known her, it’s the first time I’ve ever seen that happen.

“I know it hasn’t been long—” I start to say.

“That doesn’t matter,” Jessie interrupts, throwing herself across the space between us with a squeal and somehow managing to wrap her arms around me like a little monkey despite us both being safely buckled in. “You never know how long someone is going to last and if you love them you should keep them! Does this mean you love us, Luke?”

Now I’m the one who’s speechless. But I… think I do.

Despite Jessie’s enthusiasm, it’s hard to accept that it’s not only happened to me, but that it happened so fast. Now that she’s named it, though, I can’t deny it. The thought of not coming home to find Hannah and Jessie in my suite is intolerable. My heart was frozen before, but if I lost them, it would be utterly empty.

“I need your help today, Jessie,” I tell her as the town car pulls smoothly to a stop at the location I’d previously requested from the driver. I’m avoiding answering Jessie’s question, so I rush on with my request quickly in the hopes she doesn’t notice. Love just isn’t a word that comes easily to me, despite the unexpected thawing of my heart. “I need you to help me pick out Hannah’s Christmas gift, munchkin. Do you think you’re up to it?”

Jessie squeals again, clapping her hands together excitedly. “I can do that! What do you want to get her? A puppy?”

I laugh. “No,” I say, since quite honestly, the thought had never once occurred to me. And then I tell Jessie what I am planning for Hannah’s gift, and her mouth falls open and stays that way.

“You really are keeping us,” she finally says after a moment, her eyes lighting up with glee.

I smile, having no doubt that it’s just as wide as the one Jessie is wearing. “I really am.”

And even though our shopping trip ends up taking twice as long as I’d anticipated and results in the purchase of at least three times as many gifts as I’d planned for, the afternoon feels—to quote my favorite ten-year-old—more Christmasy than any Christmas I’ve had in a long, long while.

It feels perfect.