“If I gave up, he would win. It would’ve been like he killed me, along with the others.” Determination filled her expression. “He doesn’t get to win.”
Hallie’s eyes sparked silver as she looked up into mine. “You shouldn’t let her win either.”
* * *
I handedHallie a dish to put in the dishwasher as the kids argued about what movie to watch.
“Whose turn is it?” I yelled over the noise.
“Mine!” Charlie called.
“He wants to make us watchCarsfor the millionth time,” Luke complained.
“I can practically recite it by heart,” Drew echoed.
Hallie lifted her head. “I’ve never seen it.”
“See?” Charlie defended.
Luke groaned and flopped onto the couch.
“Your betrayal hurts,” Drew grumbled.
Hallie pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “They are brutal.”
I handed her another dish. “You have no idea.”
She smiled up at me, the action hitting me straight in the gut. “We need to talk about Drew’s birthday,” she said, her voice lowering to a whisper.
This time, I groaned. Kid parties, especially at Drew’s age, required a delicate balance. His aunts, uncles, and grandparents would all want to come. But he would want his friends here and to play things cool. “I don’t have the first idea where to start,” I admitted.
Hallie straightened, rolling to the balls of her feet. “I can do it. I already have some ideas for games and a cake. I could order food from his favorite place or make some, and—”
“You’re hired.”
She laughed, the sound wrapping around me and digging in. “Awesome. I have one more question for you.”
“Shoot.”
Hallie clasped her hands under her chin, looking nervous but far too hopeful. “What would you think about getting Drew a puppy?”
I blinked a few times. “A puppy?”
“He wants one so badly, and Charlie and Luke would love it, too. It would teach them responsibility and caring.”
“You’ve seen the chaos we live in. You really think adding a puppy to the mix is a good idea?”
Hallie rolled her lips over her teeth. “Your family is busy, but I’m helping now, and I’ll be here most of the day to help with the potty training and all that.”
I stilled, shutting off the water and looking down at Hallie. “You want a puppy?”
Her gaze slid to the side. “I wouldn’t mind having a wriggly ball of joy around.” She sighed, looking back at me. “My parents never let Emerson and me have a pet growing up. They were too concerned with keeping their house pristine.”
Half a dozen curses flew through my mind. “Okay. Let’s look for a puppy.”
Hallie’s eyes went wide. “Really?”
“Really. We can try the shelter in—”
