“Thank you,” I murmured against the top of Steve’s head.
He was the best emotional support animal you could wish for without ever being trained for it. He searched for the person who needed support the most and just went for it. Sometimes it was a guest who didn’t care for big dogs, but eventually caved in the face of Steve’s quiet affection and calm.
About ten minutes later, I moved to sit at the front desk—it was under the window between the office and the lobby—and Steve went to his dog bed in the lobby.
Just seeing him there was comforting, and I played some games on my phone while answering the office phone and checking people in and out of the Inn.
When my shift ended, I went to grab some food from the kitchen and told Dana I didn’t feel like peopleing, so I’d go to my place instead of staying for the dinner they had planned for the night. She agreed easily, so all I had to do was to get back to my place with my wrapped plate without being questioned by anyone too much.
Of course, the universe was against me, and as I walked up the incline, the whole Caldwell family with my uncle and Nic in tow appeared in the distance.
“Great,” I grunted under my breath.
As soon as the kids noticed me, they squealed and ran to me, and I lifted my hand holding the plate and took the hugs.
“Easy, hooligans!” Law called out, and I did my best not to look at him.
Because it hit me then: I really liked to look at that man, and there lay trouble.
“I see you like your hats,” I told the kids.
“They’re awesome,” Harper said, smiling at me. “It’s so clever that you made them in our room colors, too.”
I couldn’t help but to smile back at her. “Thank you, I came up with that all by myself.”
And the list they’d given us to begin with, but I could’ve still chosen different yarn for their hats.
“Itisreally clever.” Caitlyn stopped next to her kids, the others still behind. “Thank you so much for what you’ve done.” Her expression was grateful and kind, but I saw a sharpness in her eyes, too.
“Of course. They’re family now, right?” It came out as a question, and I saw the flicker in her gaze, an almost-hurt, before she smiled.
“Yes. And I’m so happy for that.”
Tristan had wrapped himself around my leg while Marlie fawned over Cricket who had been walking with the rest of the group.
Harper, however, stood next to her mom and seemed to be reading the adults around her like some weird AI trying to figure every nuance out. Preteens were scary sometimes.
“You’re not eating with us?” Charlie looked at my plate worriedly.
“Nah, I’m a bit tired and….” I shrugged. “There was a thing. I’ll text you, okay?”
“Of course.” He came to give me a side hug awkwardly around Tristan who giggled with delight.
Law gave me this small smile I couldn’t quite read and followed the women and the kids past me.
“You sure you’re okay?” Uncle Teague asked, his eyebrows scrunching a little as he came close enough that Salem, who had been standing on his shoulder, could lean close to sniff my hair.
“I’m sure. Elderly couple had a cross in their car, I got triggered but Dana and Steve took care of me,” I explained, deciding I wouldn’t take Charlie’s family time by texting him.
Uncle Teague came and hugged me tightly, giving me one of his bear hugs I knew Charlie was very partial to. Salem, for his part, headbutted me and purred.
“Okay,” Uncle Teague murmured as he stepped back with his little shadow. “But you call us if you need us. Anytime, eh?”
I nodded, choking up a little. Sometimes it was hard to accept the fact that I had a proper, amazing family now.
Cricket had stopped next to us, keeping an eye on Salem as much as she did the kids that were still audible down the road.
I waved my hand at her. “Go, girl.”
