Page 129 of His Surrender

Without either of us ever planning it, Aubrey has become one of those people.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

AUBREY

The entire city feels different today. The holiday season has officially arrived.

Garland wraps around the black iron lampposts lining the sidewalks, oversize red bows flutter in the chilly breeze, and every store window seems to be competing to outdo the next with sparkling lights and elaborate holiday displays.

Even the air smells different as I walk by roasted chestnuts and hot chocolate stands.

I smile to myself as I glance down into Liana’s stroller.

“Someone’s going to steal the show today.”

She blinks up at me, completely unimpressed.

Her tiny reindeer onesie has little brown antlers sewn onto the hood and the cutest red nose embroidered right over her tummy. She keeps grabbing one of the antlers and trying to shove it into her mouth, making me laugh every single time.

“That outfit is way too expensive for you not to appreciate it.”

She responds with a happy squeal.

“I’ll take that as a promise that you will not destroy it.”

My phone vibrates in my coat pocket as I steer the stroller around a family admiring the giant ornaments hanging outside Macy’s.

Dean: How’s my favorite girl?

I grin as I type back a response.

Me: Which one?

The typing bubble appears almost immediately.

Dean: The tiny one.

I shake my head, laughing quietly.

Me: Rude.

I snap a quick picture of Liana sitting proudly in the stroller with one mitten halfway in her mouth before hitting Send.

A few seconds later, my phone rings.

I answer with a smile. “Hi.”

“What”—Dean pauses dramatically— “is she wearing?”

I glance down. “A reindeer.”

“I can see that.”

“She needed a Christmas outfit.”

“Rudolph had better be careful.”

“Why is that?”