Page 79 of Bear’s House

"Well, now you're doing it. And you've got a whole bunch of people looking out for you."

Max smiled, actually happy. "Yeah!"

I bumped my shoulder against his. "And Dominic."

His smile got bigger. "Yeah. Him too."

We kept going table to table. One had sugar-free candy for anyone who needed it. Another had little wrapped caramel apples. A few people were handing out tiny Halloween toys along with candy — plastic spiders, little bouncing eyeballs, glow-in-the-dark skeletons. Even Bella was handing candy, and I was happy that she got included.

By the time we finished the whole loop, all four bags were full. I felt weirdly proud looking at them.

"Should we take those back?" Max asked.

"Yes!" I exclaimed. We headed toward Daddy's table. JJ was still sitting beside him. He looked up when he saw us coming. Then he saw the bags. He tried very hard to look uninterested. He failed.

"This one's yours, big bro," I said, proud of myself, and I held the pumpkin bag out. JJ stared at it. His face changed. The guarded expression disappeared, and underneath it was that soft look he got whenever something hit him harder than he'd expected.

"You actually got some for me?"

"Of course."

He took the bag carefully.

"Even after everything?"

I looked at him like that was the dumbest question I'd ever heard.

"You're my brother."

That was it. His eyes immediately filled.

"Oh my God," Sawyer muttered. "Don't start crying again."

JJ flipped him off without looking away from me. Daddy made a warning sound. JJ lowered the finger.

"Sorry."

I giggled. JJ looked back down at the candy. "Thanks, Mikey." His voice was quiet. "Really."