Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
My job is only part-time, mainly to help out Maria. I handle the laundry and most of the shopping, then I help out serving dinner and whenever else Maria needs it, but I still have plenty of time to spend with Livy while Jasper is at work.
Mateo isn’t remotely stodgy about the help keeping to themselves, either, so Livy gets to play in the ridiculous playroom Mateo built for his kids.
Her favorite thing, though, is the ridiculous playhouse he had built for them in the backyard. It’s a legitimate princess tower, straight out of a fairytale. I don’t know how much money that man has, but it’s clearly too much.
I like pretty much everything about where we live right now, but another nice bonus is that since Jasper and I both work for him, Mateo doesn’t charge us anything to live here. We don’t have utilities or rent, or much at all to pay for outside of cell phone bills and groceries, so we’re able to sock away the majority of our pay toward a house. We’re saving up for a nice, big one. Jasper is still paranoid about the idea of living in a place with less security than Mateo’s, and… well, I think the Pentagon has less security than Mateo’s house.
It’s okay, though. I’m perfectly content to live here as long as we need to while Jasper saves up for a fortress of his own.
“Hot chocolate,” Livy says, tugging off her mittens and dropping them as she runs into the kitchen.
“Yes, Mommy is making you some hot chocolate,” I assure her. “It’ll need to cool down before you can drink it, though.”
Livy sighs dramatically, her little belly sticking out as she turns around and toddles into the living room.
The Christmas tree twinkles in the corner and draws Livy to it like a moth to a flame.
“Not so fast,” Jasper says, scooping her up right when she’s about to snatch an ornament.
Livy giggles, wrapping her baby arms around his neck and squeezing him. “Dada.”
Jasper kisses her on the cheek. “Yes, I know you’re adorable. I’m still not gonna let you dismantle the Christmas tree.”
“Ball,” she objects, pointing to the pretty ornament she just about had her hands on.
Jasper shakes his head. “We’ve been over this. It’s not a ball, it’s an ornament. You can’t play with them. They’ll break.”
She sighs again with all the drama, then looks around for something else to get into.
Distracting her like a pro, Jasper says, “Why don’t we go change you into pajamas while Mama makes your hot chocolate?”
“O-tay,” she says brightly.
My heart contracts with every little o-tay that drops from her lips. I can’t help stealing a glance at both of them as Jasper totes our daughter down the hall to her bedroom.
Jasper slides me a look at he passes, winking at me just before he moves out of view.
A smile claims my lips, a sigh of contentment drifting out of me as I gather enough Christmassy mugs for all of us.
By the time they come back, the hot chocolate is ready. Livy isn’t patient, so I put an ice cube in hers to cool it down quicker, then once it was cool enough, I poured some into a sippy cup.
She looks precious in her Christmas pajamas. I got her a soft pink nightgown with Santa faces and reindeer all over it. She has a matching nightie for her doll, Wendy, and I can see that Jasper dutifully helped her change Wendy into her pajamas already, too.
He’s such a wonderful father. Attentive to her just like he is to me. I haven’t married him yet, but only because I told him a long time ago I’d only marry him in Stillwater, and I’m a woman of my word.
We have gone to Stillwater for Christmas the last couple of years, but this year Jasper wanted to stay home for the holidays. Since Livy understands more this year and she’s really looking forward to Santa visiting, I thought it was a good idea, too.
We settle in on the couch with our hot chocolate and a warm blanket. Jasper sits behind me, I sit between his legs, and Livy sits on my lap as we watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas—an annual Christmas Eve tradition for our family.
Despite being a little ornament thief herself, Livy doesn’t see the parallel. When the Grinch starts shoving the Christmas tree up the chimney, she hops down off my lap to point her finger at the TV and scold that no-good Grinch for being so naughty.
“If only she knew,” Jasper murmurs in my ear, sending delightful shivers down my spine.
I grin and lean back against him. “She’d tell you off, for sure.”
“Permanent member of the naughty list.”
“Don’t tell Livy. She’ll set her mind on straightening you out, and you know those Hardings—when they set their minds to something…”