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Chapter Five
Josephine
We’ve grabbed the first flight back to Colorado. Neither of us wanted to leave early, but we’d never be able to enjoy the rest of our stay with trouble brewing for the crew.
Flying back in the middle of the week is cheaper than the weekend, and we were able to exchange our tickets for an upgrade in first class. The flight is nearly deserted, giving us more privacy. Before takeoff, Maceo squeezes in a final call to headquarters, notifying them of our return. I schedule an appointment with my gynecologist through the clinic app before calling my parents, Jim and Stella Holland.
“I’m excited you're coming back early,” my mom says. “Just wait ‘till you see the progress on the cottage.”
My parents had moved to Colorado when they learned that Maceo and I were getting married and planning a family. It made no sense living in Los Angeles when neither of their children resided in the area. I designed and built them a cottage on our property to bridge the relationship damaged by miscommunication. Jared and my father continued to work on it in my absence. Their house in California finally sold—they’re officially Coloradans.
“Jared said it was coming along nicely. Told me you picked some unique tile for the bathrooms.”
My dad groans in the background, making me snigger. Mom’s design choices are something to be desired. My dad is not a fan, but if it makes her happy, then he’s happy.
“We have a confession to make,” mom says, surprising me.
“Youhave a confession to make,” my dad counters.
“Fine. I do,” she amends. “Hades has packed on a couple of pounds.”
“She made him tubby. Feeding him table scraps,” my dad shouts.
My mom scoffs. “It’s not all my fault. Hades refuses to run with anyone. Not even Chase, who he loves, can coax him out. He’s depressed and misses his owners. Food brings him comfort.”
“Plus rolls,” dad adds.
My poor boy. It’s not like he has other dogs to play with and keep him entertained. A health check will be a must. “I’ll schedule a vet screening. Maybe we should get him a companion.”
Maceo, who overheard me, swings his head toward me and slaps his meaty palm over the speaker of his phone. “We’re his companions, Josephine. Plus, we already have one loud snoring hellhound in our suite—if we add another, we’ll need earplugs.”
Killjoy.
“A companion for Hades sounds like a wonderful idea,” mom says.
“I think so too—something to consider. Gotta go, mom; we’re about to take off. Love you guys.”
I disconnect at the same time Maceo ends his call with Chase. He gives me a pointed look. “Josephine, no new dogs. It won’t be fair to the puppy with babies on the way.”
It’s too bad. I’ve had Hades a little over a year, and he was at least a year old when I adopted him from the rescue. I never got the experience of having a puppy. A baby Cane Corso running around keeping Hades occupied would be adorable. They would be great watchdogs for the baby, but I see Maceo’s point.
“I guess you’re right. It’s not like we’ll be going away anytime soon. Hades will be fine once we return.”
My hand rubs my flat belly, feeling all maternal—definitely a recent development. I always wanted kids, but wanting kids doesn’t translate to having a maternal instinct. Mine is showing.
Maceo places his hand on top of mine. “Any idea how far along you might be?”
“Well, according to the baby calculator on my phone, if I was ovulating the night we experimented with the pheromone oil, we’re due in June.”
Maceo settles into his seat, his long, tree-trunk legs stretched out in front of him. He wraps his arm around me. “Won’t be long ‘till we have a couple of kids running circles around us.”
“I have so much crap to finish before D-day. My parents’ cottage, our new house. Then there are the boutique and restaurant projects. I’ve got a couple of clients lined up for quotes on builds. Jared and I wanted to find new local vendors for construction materials. Oh, and this new design software is going to be available for purchase in March—I’ll need to learn that program moving forward.”
Maceo cups my face with his free hand. “Pixie—breathe. It’ll be alright. It doesn’t need to get done tomorrow. We’ve got some time. Plus, you’re the queen of multitasking. You got this. You need help? I’m your man.”
“You’re just as busy, even more with this manhunt.”
He shrugs. “I feel like I can finally function again with you in the know. Juggling everything is going to be a breeze in comparison to the last ten days. I’ll be fine. You will, too.”
