Dream Keeper (Dream Team 4)

He was now.

He also knew what that felt like and he knew what that feeling was.

It was love.

With that thought burning warm deep in his gut, it came to him he’d stepped out there to finally end this when his father called.

But they’d arrived back at Pepper’s to find the turkey only slightly overdone and then his girls flew into action to sort the rest out, and they’d dragged him along with them.

And when his phone rang, they seemed weirdly eager for him to “sort that out, honey” (Pepper) and “We’ll be here when you’re done, go outside” (Juno, actually shoving him toward the sliding doors to the backyard).

He figured this was because they wanted this situation off his shoulders and behind him so they all could enjoy what was left of the day without this weighing on any of them.

Auggie wasn’t certain the weight was off.

It had shifted, and it sucked to admit, given that he was excising his parents from his life, it felt like it had lightened.

But he knew it was something he’d carry the rest of his life.

He turned to go back inside.

Then he stopped when he looked in the glass doors and saw the island covered in a tablecloth. Their three stools had been set around it. There were some little pumpkins tumbling from a horn in the middle of the island with leaves scattered around and two thin, glass candlestick holders with two orange taper candles stuck in, both lit.

The plates were laid out with cloth napkins and cutlery on top. Champagne glasses sat at two place settings and a bucket filled with a bottle sat on the counter with some bowls covered in towels to keep the food that was in them warm.

And there was a pint glass filled with beer at what was obviously his plate.

His plate.

His place.

That warmth in his gut intensified.

The island had not been like that when he’d walked outside.

The lighting of the room had also been dimmed.

And the turkey was on the counter, resting and waiting for him to carve it, a platter beside it.

Last, Pepper and Juno were standing there, Juno in front of her mom, holding Pepper’s wrists that were resting at her chest because Pepper had her arms around her girl.

They’d been busy while he was outside.

But never…

He had to take a second…

Not ever had he seen anything close to this during any Thanksgiving he’d had.

And absolutely not a soul had put this effort into it just for him.

His throat had closed, and something seemed stuffed into the back of his nasal passages. It took him a beat and no small effort to power through it before he caught Pepper’s eyes through the glass.

That beautiful woman standing with her beautiful daughter loved him.

She loved Auggie in a way that would never be a weight.

She would always be a breeze flowing through his life, keeping him calm, keeping things fresh, grounding him.

Making him happy.

His throat was tight again when he went to the door and slid it open.

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Juno shouted, at the same time her mother said the same thing in a normal voice.

They were both beaming at him.

Christ.

Christ.

He’d known it was happening, but still, it was a shock to the system to realize he’d fallen in love twice in a month.

With a blonde.

And a brunette.

He didn’t sound like himself, his voice seemed far away, when he said, “It looks great.”

At his tone, Pepper’s head cocked, her gaze remained on him, and warmth moved over her face that Auggie felt spread through his chest.

Juno jumped forward, sharing, “We bought the cloth napkins and tablecloth and the leaves and that horn basket thingie to make the table pretty. And a special beer glass for you to have here all the time just for you.”

She’d made it to him while speaking, grabbed his hand and was pulling him the two steps to the island.

“It’s gorgeous, sweetheart, thank you.” He murmured this understatement.

She smiled up at him. “We have to do a Christmas one next. But you can go shopping with us when we make that one.”

He was not a shopper.

He was also not missing that.

Not for anything.

“I’m in,” he said.

“Okay, let’s get this rolling,” Pepper declared, watching him closely even as she thankfully moved them along before Auggie did something whacked, like pull one or the other or both of them in his arms and crush their bones by holding them too hard. “I’m whipping potatoes. Aug, you’re on carving duty. Juno, you fill up some water glasses and put the butter and salt and pepper on the table.”

“Got it!” Juno said excitedly, let him go and ran to the counter, where three glasses were waiting to be filled.

The turkey was sitting close to where the standing mixer was wafting steam from the boiled potatoes.

They got to work, and when Pepper was at his side and the mixer was whirring through potatoes, butter, salt, pepper and sour cream, she bumped her hip to his.