Page 35 of The Grump I Got Stuck With

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve always loved about the app,” she agreed, smiling at me. I smiled back.

“How about this?” I said. “I’ll use my connections to help you figure out where your mother’s photos were taken. Then I’ll make sure you have the means to get to every single one of those places before you leave Scotland. What do you say?”

Madison’s face lit up as she looked at me and I knew I would remember this moment. She stuck her hand out for me to shake. “I’d say, Lord Crankypants, that this is the best deal you’ve offered me and I accept.”

I shook her hand.

Down the hall, Princess started barking followed by Kenna’s laughter and the tiny bubble we were wrapped in popped. Madison jumped to her feet. “She’ll be ready for a snack, and then more playtime, so I’ll just…”

She pointed to the door and left without another word while I remained in my seat. This wasn’t some boardroom deal, but the euphoria that flooded me when I figured out how to help her felt the same. Maybe better. I could get used to that, which was concerning because she wouldn’t be sticking around once I hired a permanent nanny. Because I’d just made sure of that.

12

MADISON

“Oh, we should totally get Kenna a little knitted hat!” I said, spotting a display at a booth called Knit-Knacks. “Look how adorable that hot pink one is.” Princess surged across the slushy street. I tightened my hold on her leash, latching onto Alistair’s coat with my other hand as I dragged him and Kenna toward the vendor.

“She has hats,” Alistair insisted.

I honestly hadn’t expected much of the winter festival after learning how small Braeburn was, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the high street decked out with at least two dozen booths selling handmade wares as well as sweet and savory treats. There was also a giant tent where members of the town council were doling out mulled cider, hot chocolate, or Bovril—a hot beef drink that Alistair said was popular at football games.

“But not one with these adorable axolotls on top like a pom pom,” I said, pointing them out.

Kenna jumped up and down at my side. Princess barked excitedly. “I need one, Daddy.”

Alistair sighed. Behind him, the sky was gray, a few flurries twisting through the air. “What about the perfectly lovely unicorn hat on your head?”

Kenna wrinkled her nose. I tutted teasingly at him. “Everyone knows unicorns are on their way out. Axolotls are the new thing.”

“Axo—what?”

I gave him a flat look. “Oh, come on. You have to have seen them in the stores.” I gestured to Kenna. “She has like four stuffies that are axolotls.”

Alistair pursed his lips, shrugging. “I have no idea what you’re on about.”

“The aquatic salamander with the cute little face?” I said, imitating the smile. “They’re critically endangered.”

He rolled his eyes, his gaze landing on Kenna. “We’re not putting an endangered lizard on your head.”

Kenna giggled.

“It’s an amphibian,” I corrected.

“My point still stands.”

“What point?” a voice called, and Alistair’s expression brightened.

I turned around, spotting Weston coming up the road, his wife Lena right behind him with their adopted daughter, Aisling. I’d met the family a couple weekends ago when the friends got together to finally exchange Christmas presents. Like Alistair, Weston was a businessman, running Kincaid Energy with Lena’s help. They’d just returned from Texas and had brought Kenna a cute, pink cowboy hat. Apparently, they were coming up on two years of marriage this summer, and any time they remotely glanced at each other, it became clear just how much they adored each other.

Kenna surged in Aisling’s direction, the girls hugging and squealing. Aisling was a few years older than Kenna, but you could hardly tell the way they were attached at the hip.

“We were discussing the downfall of unicorns in favor of the axolotl,” I said.

Lena smiled warmly as she stopped next to me. “I know, right? Aisling says they’re very popular at school.”

“Is this the lizard thing?” Weston asked, exchanging a confused look with Alistair.

“Amphibian,” Lena and I corrected. She shot me a wink.