The Company You Keep

“Wonderful. Call me James,” I add, wanting her to trust us.

“Thank you both for your kindness.”

“It’s the holiday season. If there’s any time to be nice, no time like the present,” Piper says with that beautiful smile of hers etched across her face.

“You’re always nice,” I remind her, kissing her temple.

The doctor comes in to check on her, then we settle on the Christmas plans before I steal Piper away. There’s so much to do, and we don’t have much time to get it done.

As we leave the hospital, my head is spinning with ideas of what fun things we’re going to do. I want to make this Christmas fantastic well as good as we can considering everything that’s happened.

First things first, Piper and I go Christmas shopping. I want them all to have a lot of toys, clothes, and all the fun stuff possible. Then we need to get a tree. As we make our way around Target, when Piper says, “I know that this is a bad situation, but I’m love shopping for them. I can’t believe he was such a dick and didn’t even get them a Christmas tree.”

“Yeah baby, and from what the cops said, the house looked like it was threadbare.”

“That’s awful. Let’s give them a nice Christmas.” There are three kids two boys and a girl that are all under ten. This is the time that should be magical. It was hard for my sister when she was around that age. I look at all the cool toys they got out and fill the cart.

“Remember we’re going to need a bunch of wrapping paper.”

“And maybe an army of helpers to do the wrapping.” My phone starts buzzing. I pull it out of my coat to see it’s Becca.

“Hey, my favorite sister. How are you?”

“I’m your only sister.” Technically that she knows about. Craig has two daughters.

“Whatever. I thought if you and lover boy weren’t busy tonight, you could stop by and meet your future sister-in-law.”

“What!” she screeches into the other end. “Oh, we’ll be there. What time?”

“Six. And we’ll be wrapping gifts okay. Awesome. Bye.” I hang up before she can say anything else. Then I stuff the phone in my pocket with the ringer on silent. I know she’s going to ask forty-five questions. I look at Piper who is holding the latest Mickey Mouse toy in her hand with her mouth gaping open.

“What? You two were going to meet soon anyway. Why not make it tonight?”

“I suppose you’re right. I’m just shocked,” she says, showing me the toy. “Does this work for the little one?”

“I think so. And I love you, Piper. You’re going to see that she’s a sweetheart and she’s going to love you too.”

“Um, what do you want me to make for dinner?”

“I don’t know. I was thinking of ordering since we have so many decorations to put up and presents to wrap,” I tell her.”

“You’ve got a point.”

“I know this pizza place you’ll love.” Piper has a thing about pizza. She loves it, and I love to watch her eat. Every moan made me want to climb over my desk and fuck her, so she moaned for me like that.

“You know the way to my heart,” she sighs, pressing her hand to her chest and smiling at me.

“Damn right. And I’ll do anything to win it and keep it,” I growl, pulling her to me and kissing her in the middle of the toy aisle. I let go reluctantly.

“Let’s pick out a tree,” she says.

“Let’s pick out three of them.” She cocks her brow at me like I’m odd, so I add, “We have room for three trees in different spots all over the house. And we can give them two of them to take back home for next year.”

“But they aren’t going to have a home for long.”

“No, but I think they need a new one. I haven’t thought of it all, but I want to get them either a smaller house until she can get back on her feet or an apartment.”

“Well, I suppose you’re right.” She swats my ass and starts rushing the cart down the aisle. I catch up to her, and we move through the store to look at the trees.

***

Three hours later we’re home and unloading the back of the SUV with everything we picked up when my sister and her family come through the gate behind us.

“Okay, damn we took a long time,” I say.

Piper blanches even in the cold, tucking her hair behind her ears and patting her curls down. I shake my head and leave the stuff in the trunk. I want to introduce her as my world to my precious little sister.

Becca stares at her a little suspiciously, but she smiles anyway. “Becca, Rob, I’d like you to meet Piper, my fiancé, and my soul.” Piper blushes and nervously bites her lip. Fuck, I want to take her inside and bite her lip myself.