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I look closely at the blueprints and point to the laundry/mudroom combo. “What this?”
Josephine smiles triumphantly. “It’s a grooming shower for Hades. It’s designed to keep him in place while he’s being washed. No more hefty groomers bills for him.”
I look at my Pixie in awe. “You thought of everything.”
She gives me a cocky smirk. “It’s kind of my job. If you don’t like the ranch, I do have a two-story option, but I’m partial to this layout. We’re at a point on the MC build where I can take my first crew and break ground next week. We only need to decide on where we want to build on the property. Depending on what elevation we pick, we could have a walkout basement.”
“If you want the ranch, I want it, too.” I pull her into my lap and kiss her.
“I’m still upset with you,” she mumbles against my lips.
“I know. It’s okay,” I answer back. “I love you, Josephine.
“I love you too, Maceo,” she coos back, leaning her forehead against mine.
Our tranquil moment is interrupted by the doorbell. I look at Josephine with my brows pulled together, and I notice her facial expression mimics mine. No one knows we came here, and neither of us was expecting anyone.
I lift her from my lap and set her on the couch before reaching for my ankle holster to remove my Glock 19. This may seem like an extreme action, but in my line of work, unannounced guests never lead to anything good—always better to be prepared. I stalk to the door and peer through the peephole.
“Shit,” I mutter, tucking my gun into the back of my waistband and hiding it underneath my shirt. I unlock and open the door.
“Jim. Stella. What are you doing here? I told you guys not to come ‘till I calmed her down,” I whisper in a clipped tone. Now is not the time for these two to drop in unannounced.
Stella gives me one of her big hugs, which I reciprocate before shaking Jim’s hand.
“Hello, dear. I know you said to wait, but we wanted to see our little girl. It’s been far too long,” Stella explains with an unabashed smile. “Is she here?”
Fuck.I look over my shoulder at Josephine, sitting like a spooked cat on the couch, wide-eyed and teeth bared.
I raise my face to the ceiling and hold the door wide for them to come inside. Stella marches right on in. Jim gives me an apologetic look before stepping over the threshold. Yeah, a little warning would have been appreciated, but there’s not a fucking thing I can do about it now.
“Sweetheart?” Stella says cautiously when she enters the living room with Jim.
Josephine doesn’t stand to greet them. She stares at her estranged parents with hostility radiating off of her like a smoke bomb, her tension flooding the room with a general sense of uneasiness.
“Why are you here?” Josephine asks in the coldest tone imaginable.
Internally, I curse Jim and Stella for jumping the gun.
Shits gonna get ugly.
