Ethan

I fired off a text to Arthur, though I knew he was going to bitch about it later, because I couldn’t risk being overheard on the phone.

Me: Everything set?

He responded with a terse “Yes.”

Me: You mad I’m forcing you to text?

Arthur: Yes.

I laughed under my breath and didn’t press my luck.

Me: On our way in ten.

He didn’t respond, but I knew he had it covered. We’d talked at length about what I wanted. I slid my phone into my pocket and reached for Dammit’s leash. I’d almost forgotten he needed a walk before we left. “Come on, buddy. Wanna go melt some snow?”

Dammit came sliding into the room a second later, all wags and snuffles. I couldn’t wait to give him his present either, a huge cat-shaped chew toy and some gourmet treats from the frou-frou doggy bakery. That ought to keep his teeth out of my ass, at least for a while.

Emily came out of the bathroom, hairbrush in hand. “Can we bring him with us? After we do whatever you’ve got planned, I want to go back to my place. I left your gift there so I wouldn’t be tempted to give it to you early.”

I raised a brow. “Because you didn’t try every day, anyway?”

“Shush, you.” She stuck out her tongue. “So, can he come, or do we need to come back here to get him afterward?”

“He can come. I don’t think pups are prohibited where we’re going.”

“And where is that again?” She tried to sound casual but there was a sneaky gleam in her eye.

“Nice try. Not telling.”

“Dammit,” she muttered in defeat, and the dog went scurrying over to her. “Sorry, buddy. I didn’t mean you.” She scratched behind his ears for a while, and eventually he calmed down, having forgotten I was going to take him outside.

I hung the leash up as quietly as I could and waited in the kitchen while she finished getting ready. A few minutes later, we were taking Dammit for a quick walk, and then we set off toward the gallery and her Christmas surprise.

Aubrey and the guys had popped into town last night and wanted to get together for an early dinner before they all drove back to Pennsylvania that evening, so this early start was a must, no matter how much I’d wanted to linger in bed.

If I knew Aubrey, the whole visit was her idea because she was the only one I’d told about my present for Em. She’d been so over the moon excited you would have thought it was for her.

No way was she missing the aftermath of this one. She wanted the details immediately and had dragged the whole band here to be sure she got them.

I kind of loved her for that, my crazy sister-in-law.

Truthfully, the anticipation was killing me too, and I couldn’t wait to give Em her gift.

Epic didn’t even begin to cover it.

* * *

When I parked in the narrow alley behind the building, she looked confused and somewhat anxious. “Why are we here?”

“I asked Arthur to hang onto your gift for me. He’s meeting us inside.” I didn’t give her time to ask further questions, getting out of the car and reaching in to free Dammit from his carrier. I carried him in since the snow was a bit too deep here for him, leaving the leash in the car with his carrier.

“Come on, pokey.” I goaded Emily when she looked hesitant to follow. “Arthur probably has some hot date to get to after this. We don’t want to cost him his chance at some Christmas nookie, do we?”

She shuddered, and it had nothing to do with the cold. “What did I tell you about that?” Her steps were slow and deliberate, like someone unaccustomed to the snow, which I knew damn well she was. Why was she stalling?

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” She answered too quickly. “Just surprised to be here, of all places. But it’s good because I wanted to check on Arthur anyway and this way, I get to see for myself that he’s feeling better.”

I was going to ask what she meant, but I lost all focus when she finally made her way over to the door and opened it, standing there waiting for me to lead the way in.

Here we go…