All Chapters of Side Hustle: Chapter 41 - Chapter 44

Weston“Hey, buddy!” I step past the dogs, holding the bag of takeout a little higher to keep Rufus from sniffing at it.“Daddy!” Jackson comes running. “We have to be quiet,” he says loudly. “Emma just fell asleep.”“Okay,” I whisper back, shuffling into the kitchen. Archer got called in for surgery, so Quinn and the kids came over to our parents, just to be safe.“Hey, Jackson.” Scarlet takes her coat off, smiling down at him.“Are you still sick?” he asks her, taking her hand. Both Scarlet and I pause for a moment until I remember telling Jackson Scarlet wasn’t feeling well and that’s why she wasn’t home.“She’s better now,” I tell him. “Are you hungry?”Mom is sitting at the island counter, which is covered in blueprints. “You didn’t have to bring fast food.” She raises her eyebrows. “I could have cooked.”“I thought Jackson would like a Happy Meal,” I say, and Jackson gets excited. “I got one for Quinn too.”Mom laughs. “She’ll like that I’m sure.”I hand the bag of food to Scar

WestonI put my arm around Scarlet, smiling as we watch Jackson tear into his Christmas presents. The three of us are wearing matching pajamas, which was Scarlet’s idea. Not mine. She said she bought them as a joke, but was rather insistent on all of us wearing them and taking a picture together last night on Christmas Eve.No sooner than Scarlet gets comfortable against me, she jumps up.“Salsa, get out of the tree.” She grabs the black kitten and brings him to the couch with her. He stays for half a second and jumps down, pouncing on the pile of discarded wrapping paper.Midnight, the mother cat to all the kittens, curiously walks over, batting a plastic bow across the living room. We were only going to take the kitten, but the mama cat really likes me for some reason. She’s a bit annoying, really, and rubs her head all over me purring almost every night when I go to sleep.Scarlet laughs, watching the cats have almost as much fun as Jackson with the presents. I take her in my arms