Make Me Howl (30 page)

Finally I grabbed my jacket, went onto the screened front porch—the width of the house—and prowled. I walked the length of the enclosure again, and the entire time, I thought of Doc. I could envision his eyes as easily as I could blink. The memory of our night in his bed was as alive within me. To conjure his scent, I only had to take a deep breath. Now if I could only make him appear, too, life would be perfect.

But there are some things even a werewolf can’t do.

The front door squealed in protest as it opened. Spencer stepped out on the porch, tucked his hands in his pockets and moved close enough to me he wouldn’t have to yell over the blizzard. “Want me to tell you why he’s not here?”

I wanted to act as if I wasn’t sure who he was talking about, but I’ve never been able to pretend to have a feather brain. I stopped pacing and stared out at the storm. “I guess.” My voice was so husky, I wasn’t sure he’d heard me over the wind.

Leaning his shoulder against the door frame, he watched me. “He was on duty at the zoo. And even then he might have come, but there were several emergencies. Then the wolf cub you got to start eating suddenly took a turn for the worst. He didn’t feel he could leave her.”

My heart thumped with pain as I thought of the small animal. “Poor baby. Is she going to be okay?”

Spencer shrugged, a look of sympathy on his face. “I don’t know. He promised to call when he knew something, one way or another.”

“If he can get through. We usually lose phone service not long after we lose our power.”

“He can always call on the cell.”

“Hopefully.” I forced myself to smile. “Reception isn’t always the best here.”

“Kind of like where I’ve been for the past few days.” He matched my smile then touched my arm. “Aren’t you freezing? What you’re wearing isn’t heavy enough for this weather.”

Although the gift is mine, its secret was Bella’s to share with Spencer, or not. I couldn’t tell him that frigid weather was the least of a werewolf’s worries. “Now that you mention it, it is a bit nippy.”

He chuckled at my lame joke then turned with me toward the door. When we went inside, Bella sat on the hearth, watching the door. “Are you okay?”

I glanced at Spencer, wondering if there was something he hadn’t told me. “I think so. Why? What’s going on?”

“He told me about the wolf pup.”

I sat by her on the hearth. “I’m fine. I just hope Doc doesn’t have to miss Christmas.”

“Are you kidding?” Spencer rested his hand on Bella’s shoulder as casually as if she were an extension of his body. A part of him. “He never misses anything. If he has to work on a special occasion, Mom makes sure somebody takes him dinner and keeps him company.”

I could only hope it wouldn’t be Spencer’s godparent’s daughter.

Glancing around the room, I realized Mom and Dad weren’t there. “The ‘Rents head for bed?” I asked, using the shorthand name we’d teased them with when we were kids.

“Yeah. I think all the firelight and candlesticks got to them. They snuggled on the couch for a few minutes while you two braved the elements then decided to go to bed.” A naughty grin curled Bella’s lips. “Told us we should make pallets here in the living room, since upstairs we’d probably freeze to death. Then they shut the door.”

“Sounds like a Santa thing to me,” I said, referring to Dad’s old excuse for putting us to bed early—so he and Mom could head for theirs on Christmas Eve. I always blamed Christmas lights for stirring up Dad’s libido.

Bella and Spencer chuckled then glanced at one another. I could almost hear their thoughts.
What excuse can we use to sneak away?

I didn’t have a wrapped present to give Spencer the next morning, but I had an idea for a gift he’d like better, and that would mean more to him than a new tie or belt—time alone together with Bella.

I feigned a yawn, then leaning close to the firelight, glanced at my watch. “Wow. I can’t believe how tired all that cold air made me. I think I’ll head for bed.”

My words took a moment to register with Bella. Clearly her mind was someplace else. Finally she asked, “What?”

Spencer gazed at me for a moment, gratefulness in his eyes. “Please don’t feel—”

I did my best to look coy, but brazen is more my thing, so I winked at him. “Thought I might try to give Doc a call.”

He tossed my wink back at me, put his arm around Bella and pulled her against him. “That’s a great idea.”

I lit another lamp and said goodnight. After going through the French doors into the frigid air that filled all but the heart of the house, I made my way up the dark stairs. I checked the house phone that sat in its niche in the upstairs hall, but as I’d expected, found it dead. I pulled out my cell, but there was no reception. I walked the length of the corridor, frustration filling me. Still none. I went into my room and Bella’s. Nada.

Finally, in the large, extremely cold room across the hall from mine, I got a tiny bit of signal. Setting down the lamp, I quickly called Doc.

“Hello?”

The static was so bad, I could barely hear him. “Doc?”

“Jazzy?” The noise grew worse, but his voice was like a damper to my exasperation. “—can hear me…a mer—”

I’d lost him.

The quelling of my fiery energy left me almost languid. I picked up the lamp and went to my room where I put on a pair of sweats, unfolded an extra quilt and crawled into bed.

The next morning, the worst of the storm had past. Flakes the size of quarters still fell, but without the ferocity of the night before. I quickly dressed and went downstairs, where I found myself all alone.

In the kitchen I flicked on a light switch but found the power still off, so I got out Grandma’s old enamelware coffee pot, filled it and set it on the stove. Thankfully, Grandma always cooked with gas, but if she hadn’t, I’d have made my brew in the fireplace. Coffee is a necessity of life.

While I waited, I carried wood to the living room and built up the fire. Maybe I could have the room comfortable, and the icicles melted from the tree, by the time the rest of the family got up.

There wasn’t much to do once I had the fire going strong, so I ran back upstairs for Grandma’s journal. I lit my lamp and set it on the dining room table. After pouring a cup of coffee, I read until Mom and Dad got up.

When I heard them stirring, I hurried to my room and packed away the diary. On my way back down, I tapped on Bella’s door. “Merry Christmas.” Then I scooted back to the living room. Whether or not she was alone was TMI—too much information—and none of it mine.

By the time I got back to the living room, Mom and Dad both had mugs of coffee and were all but mainlining it.

“Morning,” Mom murmured, cup at her lips.

“Good morning.” I glanced at Dad. “Do you feel okay this morning? You look like a house fell on you.”

Dad gave Mom a startled glance then shrugged. “I’m fine. Or I will be when I have one of those rolls Mrs. Newkirk baked for our breakfast. But no. Your mother—”

Mom made a face. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Mark. Go ahead.
Eat
Christmas breakfast before everyone is down.”

“Everyone should be down by now,” Dad grouched, then glanced at the stairs. “Think I ought to go wake that…”

“I’m sure he’ll be down soon.” No matter what Dad said at this point, Mom would take the opposite side. Good thing he’d had his Christmas Eve last night.

“Good morning.” Bella came into the room, and in a few moments, Spencer followed her.

“Finally.” Dad’s whisper was loud enough for the Newkirks to hear next door.

Mom rolled her eyes. “Come on, guys. There are hot sweet rolls in the warming oven. We’d better eat them before they dry out.”

“How in the world did one of the Newkirks get over here in this snow with hot rolls?”

Mom shrugged. “I don’t question their generosity. I just appreciate it.”

We each took a roll then went back to the dining room table. The spicy sweetness of the rolls struck us dumb, so we ate in silence. I forced myself to quit after the third roll, as did Mom, but Dad, Spencer and Bella had no such compunction. Dad fell out after the next round, and Spencer after the next, but Bella lasted through six.

We all watched in amazement as she all but licked her plate. And when she finally finished, she had syrupy cinnamon on her nose and chin. She glanced at her audience with a shy smile. “Well, that was good.”

I laughed at her. “You’re going to have to wash off a few layers of sugar before we can open presents.”

She flashed me a smirk then with the dignity of a queen, left the room. The rest of us moved into the living room. Dad threw some wood on the fire while we settled in.

We took turns with our presents because Mom believed that the gifter enjoys seeing them opened as much as the giftee enjoys unwrapping them. To put it mildly, our Christmas mornings are known to be drawn out celebrations. That Christmas was no exception.

Mom gave Bella and me the exact purse that she’d demanded Dad give her—as well as the same jewelry and the cat pee perfume that I wouldn’t buy. When she realized she hadn’t received the fragrance, she pouted just a little until we gave her the cruise tickets and Dad promised to go.

Mom and Dad gave Spencer a set of pajamas that I was certain had been purchased with Dad in mind. And Bella gave him a beautiful antique pocket watch.

And finally, after every other present had been opened, Spencer took the small box from the high boughs of the tree. Holding it in both hands, he held it out to Bella.

Bella stared at the present without touching it. Without her telling me, I knew what she thought. The box was the right size and shape to be an engagement ring, and that in itself was a scary thought. They hadn’t known one another long enough—at least on a friendly basis—for him to ask her to marry him.

Had they?

He had to practically force the gift into her hand. “This is very dear to all the Hollidays.”

As she took it, her thoughts reached me.
What if it’s a ring? A family heirloom?

Look at him, sis. He’s not stupid.

She glanced up at him.
You’re right; he’s not.

I lost her thoughts then. Well, I really didn’t lose them. They flowed away from me as her fascination with him took over. Very slowly she tore the paper from the box then pulled off the top. Inside was another box made of leather. Pulling it out, she opened the hinged lid and looked inside.

“It came through my mother’s family. It’s a piece of some sort of reward from a great-great somebody. I don’t remember the whole story, but it’s a good thing.” He sounded almost like a little boy, hoping his gift would be the most highly regarded.

Bella blinked hard as she gazed into the box. Wishing I could snatch it away from her and have a look for myself, I peeked over her shoulder.

There on a chain was a golden coin that looked as old as Christmas. “Wow. Looks like someone found the end of the rainbow.”

Spencer chuckled, then took the box and pulled out the necklace. Stepping behind Bella, he put it around her neck and fastened it. “I…hope you like it.”

Bella put both hands on the necklace then turned to him. Tears filled her eyes, making them luminous as she smiled. “I love it.”

****

Christmas morning, Chase paced the wagon wheel. First his home, then the garden. It had been too long since he’d seen Jazzy. And way too long since he’d held her.

With the blizzard blowing in the panhandle, it was likely to be a while before he saw her again. Damn phone service was out. Damn cells had no reception.

Damn. Damn. Damn!

He grabbed the phone as it rang. Jazzy’s smile played with his libido as he put the receiver to his head. “Hello?”
Please be Jazzy.

But he was disappointed. “Chase, darlin’?” Disappointment leached his excitement as his mother’s voice reached his ears.

He couldn’t quite stifle the sigh that built within him. “Yeah?”

Her light chuckle told him she understood way more than he hoped. “Come eat breakfast. And if you have gifts for anyone, bring them now so you won’t have to go back later.”

If he had gifts for anyone?
If?
As if he’d forgotten to buy gifts more than once in the last few years?

With a snort, he hung up the phone, grabbed the pile of gift bags he’d left on his kitchen counter and stalked out the back door. A brisk walk through the center garden didn’t help his mood much, but the heady fragrance of breakfast made a real difference. Especially the coffee. He walked straight to his mother and took the steaming mug she held out for him before depositing his presents under the tree.

Putting the cup to his lips, he savored a careful drink. How did people live without coffee?

“Breakfast is ready,” Mom announced to the room. “Since we’re all here, why don’t y’all go to the table while I bring it out?”

Mack and Drew argued good-naturedly while everyone took their places.

Mom brought a huge fruit laden pizza to the table. “There’s another one just like this in the kitchen, so don’t hold back.” She sat opposite Dad.

Chase snagged a couple of pieces then passed the platter to Dad before Mack and Drew could take most of the pie for themselves. After waiting for everyone to serve themselves, he took a bite then closed his eyes to enjoy it while he chewed. The slightly tart fruit on the sugar cookie crust was delicious, but it was the sauce, some kind of super sweet white stuff, that made it spectacular.