Logan saw the door cracked open just enough to let in a very determined puppy, who, from the sounds of it, was in there growling at s
omething.
How did she--?
Logan glimpsed a window as he raced for the study. Snow swirled and blasted against the glass. A storm. Mom or Dad had brought the puppy in. He looked over his shoulder to see the basement door also cracked open. They'd brought her in and put her in the basement to keep her warm.
And now she was in the study. Worse than that, as Logan saw when he pushed open the door, she was attacking Jeremy's recliner, ripping at it with her tiny teeth.
Then she saw Logan and forgot all about the chair as she hurled herself at him, yipping and yelping.
"Shhh!" he said as he scooped her up. "Shhh! Please. We need to get you--"
Footsteps thundered down the stairs. Only one person in the house made that much noise.
"Kate," he whispered. "Oh, no."
He looked both ways, as if he could find someplace to stash the puppy where his sister wouldn't smell it. He went to call a warning, to tell her to keep out, make up some story about wrapping one final present or--
The door flew open. Kate stood there, grinning.
"I see you found your gift," she said. "Or did she find you?"
He froze and stared.
Kate thought their parents had given them the puppy.
This was worse, so much worse. His mouth opened and closed, and the puppy leaped out of his arms and scrambled over to Kate, who lifted her in a hug, laughing exactly like he'd imagined, her expression even happier than he'd imagined.
"It's not . . . ," he began. "She's not from Mom and Dad."
"Of course not, silly," she said, making a face as the puppy licked her lips. "She's from me. I found her in the fort."
"Wh-what?"
Kate handed him the puppy, who seemed fine with the transfer, wriggling and whining and licking.
"She got inside the fort and couldn't get out, poor thing. Luckily, we'd both left a couple of sweaters in there, so they kept her warm, and there was snow to drink. I was out walking with Mom and Dad while you and Jeremy went shopping, and they thought they smelled a mutt, so they were getting me back to the house when we smelled the puppy in the fort. I thought that's what the scent was. I guess not, but, well, that's why I was going into the woods the other night--I thought it was safe, and I had another one of your sweaters, because I wanted to make sure she got your scent most of all." She motioned at the puppy. "Merry Christmas, Lo."
He heard a sharp intake of breath and looked to see their parents in the doorway. Mom was in front, watching him, shock and dismay on her face.
"Hey, Mom, Dad," Kate said, without glancing their way. "Looks like she escaped, and Logan found his gift early."
"I . . . see . . . ," Mom said, that look still on her face, as if frantically trying to figure out what to do, and he realized that's what she'd been talking about last night. Not how to tell Logan he couldn't keep the puppy. How to tell them they'd gotten each other the same gift. The same puppy.
"Kate," Mom said. "Can I speak to you a moment?"
Kate looked over, and worry crept into her eyes, picking up on Mom's. It was like dowsing a fire. She'd been happy giving him this gift. Even happier than he'd imagined she'd be getting it. Now they had to tell her it was a mistake--that he'd rescued the puppy for her. As her gift.
"It's okay, Mom." Logan looked at Kate. "So, you got me a puppy, huh?"
"Found you one. Exactly the kind you wanted, too." Her face lit up again. "When I saw her, I couldn't believe it. It was like . . . well, like it was meant to be."
"She's the kind you wanted, too. Maybe, since you found her . . ."
That light dimmed, just a little, as she nibbled her lip. This was what she wanted. The puppy for him.
"Maybe since you found her, we could share her," he said. "I think Mom and Dad will agree one puppy in this house is quite enough. One more pup, that is."