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“Oh look, there’s one!” Rebelle gasped. Princess immediately began washing the first kitten, a squirming little black and white bundle. Over the course of six hours, she had four more kittens. When it was over, Rebelle was cooing gently at Princess about what a good mom she had been. Princess kept blinking at Rebelle, padding her paws.
Will watched Rebelle fuss over them and eventually, Bryan and Parfait were allowed to visit the new kittens and were introduced.
“What are you smiling about?” Rebelle asked as she looked at him over their brood of animals, her dark eyes twinkling at him.
He just shook his head. “Everything.”
*
“Merry Christmas!” Christy exclaimed, raising her glass. They all clinked glasses and dug into the amazing food everyone had brought. The Rusty Bucket Inn filled with the sounds of excited chatter as everyone caught each other up on what they’d been up to recently. Rebelle watched as Harley babbled away on Blake’s lap, reaching up to tug at his beard. Will tucked his hand under the table to feed Bryan some scraps when no one was looking. And Taylor and Beau were whispering furiously between themselves.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Beau called and the noise died down.
Will turned to Rebelle, winking and shot her that award-winning smile which had been her downfall. She frowned at him, wondering what he was so happy about.
“Next year we’re going to have to set another place at this table,” Taylor said, squeezing Beau’s hand.
“We’ve started the adoption process!” Beau exclaimed.
“Oh my God!” Justine cried.
“I’m going to be an uncle?” Dean asked, his voice slightly wobbly. The noise level erupted again as everyone descended on the couple to congratulate them and find out more info. Then it was time for dessert and Rebelle nervously brought out the cookies and ice cream.
“Don’t panic, they’re store bought,” she said, shooting the entire table a withering look when they all breathed a sigh of relief. She fought back her smile at the reaction, secretly loving the way they teased her.
Once the food was all gone, everyone loosening belts and groaning at the fullness, Blake turned to her. “So where to next?”
Rebelle shot Will a frown as he draped an arm around her shoulders. “He won’t tell me. He’s keeping it a secret.”
“I’ve got to have some control here, now you’re such a hotshot businesswoman.” He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose.
“Wait, so you don’t know where the next shelter location is?” Christy asked, sliding onto Dean’s lap.
Rebelle shook her head. “I’ll get it out of him eventually.”
“Don’t you leave in two days?”
“We sure do,” Will replied, his smile bright.
“I guess you’d better hurry up and start torturing him for information then,” Justine joked.
Later on, once they’d tidied up all the food and returned the tables back to their normal place, they hugged each other goodbye.
“Hey, you guys, mistletoe. You need to kiss,” Christy said, pointing at Beau and Rebelle who were hugging goodbye. A low rumble emanated from Taylor.
Rebelle looked up at Beau awkwardly and he smirked down at her, a twinkle in his dark eyes.
“I’ve just realized something. Rebelle’s the only woman here I haven’t kissed.”
Will tugged Rebelle away from him. “Yeah, and it’s gonna stay that way.”
Beau laughed and instead grabbed Will who, in his retrieval of Rebelle, had stepped under the mistletoe. Beau dipped him backwards, no mean feat given how huge Will was, but Beau could handle it. He planted a big, sloppy kiss right on Will’s lips.
“Yes, finally, that’s what I’m talking about!” Taylor hooted.
At that moment the door to the bar opened and a woman entered.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but we’re closed for a private function,” Taylor said but the woman peered around her and Rebelle nearly fainted when she saw her own reflection staring back at her.
