Page 34 of Puppy Christmas

Lila had just wiped her hands on her apron when the doorbell sounded once again. It alarmed no one except her. Although the steady stream of guests to the door was the whole point of this exercise, she hadn’t invited anyone else to attend.

Jeeves performed his part to perfection as everyone went about the normal business of enjoying high tea. As soon as he heard the sound of an arrival, his curly black ears pricked up and his little body went rigid, just like a butler preparing to answer the door. Since he was never far from Emily, he was able to dash to her side and press his nose against her hand in a matter of seconds. Emily performed her part, too, looking to her father for permission before following Jeeves to the door.

“Morecompany?” she squealed, remembering to thank Jeeves for his good work before using both hands to turn the knob. “Hello, and welcome to my—”

Her voice cut out the moment the door swung open to reveal the newest addition to the party. “Hello, Em-ee-lee!” Helen spoke in an overly loud, overenunciated voice. “How nice to see you again. And looking so grown up in that dress. I hope I’m not interrupting.”

Only Lila was looking at Ford as his neighbor descended upon them, so only Lila noticed the flicker of weary resignation that crossed his expression before being replaced with a beaming smile. It was as good an indication as any that the face he showed to the world wasn’t representative of his true feelings.

He was a nice man, obviously, and cared enough not to let anyone see just how wearisome he found their company, but it would serve her well to remember it.A smile doesn’t mean he likes you. A laugh doesn’t mean he cares.

“Oh,” Emily said, her shoulders falling. “It’s Ms. Helen.”

Ford did a much better job of greeting the newcomer. “Hey, Helen. You’re just in time. We’re about to start spinning plates to work off all this sugar. Apparently, Princess Dawn here is something of an expert.”

Princess Dawn dipped into an elegant curtsy. “I spent six months traveling with a circus once. You should see what I can do with flaming swords.” She paused and frowned. “Actually, you shouldn’t. I’m a little out of practice. There’s a good chance I’d light the curtains on fire.”

Once again, it spoke volumes about Helen’s personality that none of these greetings—not the dismay on Emily’s face or the flaming circus stories, which had the misfortune of being true—caused her the slightest hesitation. “Oh, really? You should come practice at my house. All my belongings are made of fireproof materials. Boys, you know.”

None of the Vasquez sistersdidknow, since they’d grown up in a brother-free zone, but Lila could appreciate the wisdom of such a precaution.

“Anyway, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Helen held out a small white envelope. “I only wanted to drop this off for Princess Lila. It’s an invitation to my annual Christmas Eve block party. Seeing as how you’re one of us now, I thought you might want to join in on the fun. It’s pirate-themed this year, but I’m sure your usual attire will work just fine. No need to go all out.”

Lila stood in the space between the kitchen and the living room, her feet frozen and her head in a whirl.One of us? Pirate-themed?She might have remained in place indefinitely, but Sophie lifted the plate from her hands and gave her a nudge.

“‘No need to go all out’ means that she’s hired professional actors, and nothing short of our arrival under billowing sails will do,” Ford said as though all of this were perfectly ordinary. Because who didn’t invite virtual strangers to their weirdly themed holiday parties? “I’ve already rented a parrot and taught him every swear word I know.”

Helen released a trill of laughter. “Oh, Ford. As if you would.” She pressed the envelope into Lila’s hand. “Don’t bother to bring anything. Just the pleasure of your company will be enough.”

“Um, I’m not sure if I’ll be free—”

“These must be your sisters,” Helen said as though Lila hadn’t spoken. She took in the room’s inhabitants without blinking. “I can always tell. My, you’re an attractive bunch. Is this a celebration of some sort?”

“A training exercise, actually,” Lila said, grateful for the distraction Helen’s question provided.Work.She was here to work. It would do them all a world of good to remember that. “We’re teaching Jeeves about doorbells.”

Helen’s hands flew to her mouth. “Oh dear. Did I ruin everything, coming when I did?”

“Not at all,” Ford said politely. “In fact, we’re in your debt. You gave us an opportunity for extra training. Why don’t you stay and have some cake?”

Helen seemed to hesitate, glancing anxiously from face to face before finally settling on Lila’s. “I don’t know. This looks like a family gathering. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

Lila was in no position to offer hospitality in a house that wasn’t her own, but something about Helen’s expression gave her pause. The poor woman looked so eager, so lonely,so desperate to be included. Lila smiled and nodded her agreement before she could second-guess herself. “Dawn’s plate spinning is worth sticking around for,” she said. “And we’re mostly done, anyway. I’m just cleaning up and getting ready for our afternoon training.”

It was all the invitation Helen needed. With the wide smile back on her face, she started unwinding her scarf and shrugging herself out of her coat. “Well, if you’re sure I won’t be in the way…”

The only person who seemed dismayed at the addition to their party was Emily, but the prospect of flying plates meant that even she was inclined to accept Helen with good grace. Especially once she started helping move the living room furniture out of the way to make room for the spectacle.

“I didn’t really rent a parrot,” Ford whispered as he drew Lila aside. No part of him touched her, and there was nothing particularly intimate about the way he leaned in, but she felt a shiver move through her all the same. “A costume, however, has been acquired. I’m going ass-l-u-t-t-yBlackbeard, in case you want to get one to match.”

Oh, for heaven’s sake.“You won’t says-l-u-t-t-y, but you’ll dress up that way? And what’s the counterpart to that, anyway? Anne Bonny?”

“S-l-u-t-t-yAnne Bonny,” he corrected her.

She stopped her laugh just in time. “Sure. That’s what I’ll wear. I’ll be the toast of the neighborhood, allt-i-t-sanda-s-s. The mothers at the party will be delighted.”

“I don’t know about the mothers, but I’d sure ash-e-l-llike to see it. Or them, I guess I should say. I’m partial to both.”

She was sure he was. Her tits and ass, however, were going to remain covered for the duration of this training. Yes, she was making efforts to soften her appearance and her approach, to show Patrick and Anya that she was just as capable of handling young clients as her sisters, but she drew the line at actual nudity.