Page 148 of Thin Lives

About a decade earlier, Calisto had needed to take Midnight in and have the poor pup put to sleep. It nearly killed his wife, as she loved that mangy dog so much simply because it had been a gift from him to her in one of her loneliest times.

It took her ten years, but she finally let him get another dog.

He really wished this one would stop chewing on his shoes.

Emma glanced down at her pup, and smiled.

Calisto figured if the dog made her happy, he could live with the ruined shoes.

For now.

“Hey,” Calisto finally replied.

Emma’s gaze lifted to his, and her smile deepened. “Everybody gone?”

“Yes. Did Cross find you before he left?”

“Of course.”

Calisto winked, and gave a low groan as he pushed up from his chair. The week had been a busy one with his daughter’s wedding, and the streets being as noisy as they were. There was no rest for a boss. It was something he longed for more often than not.

Peace.

Quiet.

Rest.

“Is he ever going to settle down?” Emma asked.

“Cross?”

“No, Jesus, Cal. Yes, Cross.”

“He will,” Calisto assured. “On his own time and when he is good and ready.”

Emma pouted. “He’s twenty-five. I’d like a grandbaby to spoil. Maybe two.”

Calisto cocked a brow at his wife. “Two?”

“Or three. Stop looking at me like that, Cal. You want it too, but you just won’t admit it like I will.”

Fair enough.

“Camilla is newly married. Give it time.”

Emma frowned. “But she’s in Chicago. Cross won’t leave—so I’m depending on him. He better not fail me. You make damn sure he doesn’t.”

“God, Emma, give him some time.”

“Make sure, Cal,” she said, eyeing him in that way of hers.

Calisto laughed as he crossed the room, sneaking a kiss from the corner of his wife’s mouth as she played with her puppy. The one, chaste kiss was enough to soothe his overworked mind and tired body. Just touching Emma gave Calisto all the calm and serenity he needed.

He wasn’t quite sure why that was.

She had always done it for him.

When things were too much, when he needed to think, when he wanted to breathe, Emma was the one thing that gave all of that to him.