Go figure. That kid would sleep through an earthquake.
“At least you aren’t a pain in my ass.” Gently Holly woke Peanut after grabbing the baby bag and made her way back into the living room.
Ben stood by the fireplace still brushing the insulation off himself as John continued to laugh his ass off. How in the hell had her day ended up here? She would have looked to the ceiling to curse the Universe but then that would involve her seeing the hole again.
Instead, Holly scanned the room and as she did, she once again saw Waffles chewing on the plush Santa doll.
Wait a second… This time she got a better look at her dog.
Holy shit, Waffles had the Santa hat on! Holly’s eyes widened. “Is he wearing the hat I got him? Who got him to agree to that?”
“I did,” Jimmy answered with a toothy grin on his face. “He asked me to put it on him.”
Holly’s eyes narrowed at the dog. “He asked you?”
Then to no one’s surprise, Waffles sent Holly the biggest side-eye that she’d ever seen.
“Yeah, he asked me to.”
Holly’s eyes narrowed further on her dog as she recalled the pain in the ass he was last year as she tried to put that same hat on him. “And he just let you do it? There were no arguments?”
“None. He wanted it. See, look how cute he is. I’m gonna go through the box again and find Ripley’s so they can match.”
“You do that,” she answered, not taking her eyes off of her betraying dog. “You are going on Santa’s naughty list.”
“No, you’re not!” Jimmy hollered. “Don’t listen to her, Waffles. You’re on the good list.”
A deep growl escaped Holly as her jerk of a dog turned his nose up at her.
That’s it.
A person can only take so much in one day.
“You know what, I’m going to Emma’s.” Holly hiked the baby bag higher on her shoulder making sure to keep Helen securely in her arms. “And when I get back this better be fixed.” She pointed at John. “You go get my dad so he can supervise.”
“Me?” John cocked his brow at her. “What the hell? I didn’t fall through the ceiling. Don’t spit fire at me.”
Holly gave him a look that dared him to cross her. “Do it.”
John folded his arms over his chest. “Only if you tell Emma I said hi.”
“I’ll tell her you tried to kill my husband by pushing him through the ceiling.”
“That works.” John shrugged as he winked at her.
That only served to annoy Holly more. “Go get my dad and have all this cleaned up by the time I get home.”
“What is it with all you Richman’s being so demanding? I don’t know why I stick around.”
“You love us,” Jimmy chimed in. “Stop complaining and let’s go get Grandpa!”
As Holly took another calming breath, Ben walked over to her before kissing her on the head and then doing the same to Peanut. “As you wish.”
“Don’t you go throwing my favorite movie quotes at me.” Holly’s left eye twitched.
Ben smirked once more as he kissed the top of her head one more time. “Love you, Grace. Don’t worry, we’ll have this all cleaned up and back to normal in no time.”
“Back to normal?” she scoffed. “There is no such thing as normal in this house.”
Holly did another once-over of Ben who seemed completely fine. So fine in fact, that Jimmy, John, and Ben all sported the same stupid happy expression on their faces.
Oh God, she lived in a circus.
Even though her heart still raced at a dangerous level, somehow, Holly relaxed seeing Ben wasn’t in immediate danger. Maybe it was because Helen was still fast asleep in her arms. Who knew?
There was only one thing Holly knew for certain. She was getting her ass out of there and by the time she got back, there should not be a hole in the ceiling.
How was this her life?
“I promise, you’ll never know what happened.” Ben winked.
Holly eyed him one more time before a smirk appeared on her face. “Make sure of it, Grace.” With that, she walked out of the front door.
Chapter Five
“See, good as new.” Henry puffed his chest the best he could as he stared at the ceiling where the hole once was.
“You didn’t do anything,” John grumbled, frowning at Holly’s dad like he had two heads.
“What do you mean I didn’t do anything? I made sure you numb-nuts didn’t screw it up,” Henry squared off with John.
Ben rolled his eyes as he rubbed his side. It was pretty sore. After all he did fall through a ceiling and patched it back up.
“And we finished putting up all the decorations. Well, most of them,” Jimmy announced with a smile. “Mom’s gonna be so happy. She’s been kinda cranky.”
“That’s my Pumpkin,” Henry answered. “She goes a little overboard at times. Last week when you all came over, she was going ten million miles an hour. I still don’t know how she ended up on her butt in the middle of the kitchen.”
Ben and Jimmy both spoke at the same time, “She tripped.”
“Figured as much.” Henry laughed as he sent them his lopsided grin. “Like I said, she’s a little crazy at times.”
Ben smiled at his father-in-law, a man he now considered like his own father. “At times? How about all the time. And right now, even though she’s got a screw loose. We still love her.”
“True.”
Henry cautiously sat on the couch as Waffles took a running leap to sit with him. Poor guy didn’t make it, though. Instead, he hit his chest and fell back onto the floor. Just as Waffles was about to sulk away, Jimmy ran over to him.
“Here ya go.” Jimmy picked Waffles up putting him on the couch. Instantly, Waffles eagerly cuddled up to Henry asking for belly rubs, plopping onto his back with his tongue hanging out of the left side of his mouth.
Figures.
“I ain’t got any food, Waffles. You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
At that, Waffles huffed before he jumped off the couch giving Henry an evil glare as he trudged away toward the kitchen. “That dog’s a piece of work.”
“That’s the nicest he’s been all day.” Ben laughed at the side-eye Waffles was now giving Henry. “Thanks for helping, Dad.”
“Anytime, son. It was good to get out of the house. It’s lonely there sometimes.” Henry shuffled in his seat as a puppy dog expression appeared on his face before looking at Jimmy. “All by my lonesome.”
Ben knew what was coming next. He’d been around his father-in-law enough times to know exactly what he was hinting at.
“Lonely? You shouldn’t be lonely, Grandpa. Maybe I can have a sleepover? We haven’t had one of those in a really long time. It could be so much fun and then you wouldn’t be so lonely.” Jimmy looked at Ben. “Can I, Dad?”
“You come over here all the time, Henry. Not to mention, you talk to Holly or me every day.” Ben sent Henry a look, which Henry promptly ignored. Henry then clapped his hands together in excitement eyeing Jimmy. “Why who would’ve thought of such a wonderful idea?”