by Tena Stetler
He leaned over and kissed her bottom lip, pulled back with a grin. “Okay, let’s check out the new occupants. I’ll feed and water them while you deal with the urgent matters, then we’ll ride into town. You can finish up the rest of the paperwork when we return.”
She looked at him dubiously. “I know you. We’ll be gone all day.”
“Too much excitement, too little sleep has left you on edge. The creatures will sense it. You need to relax.” He frowned, paused for a beat. “Not having second thoughts?”
“No…well…yes, but not about marrying you,” she said quickly. “About this whole big wedding thing. The town, your pack, my parents, Aunt Ashling, the ghosts and arrangements—so many things to go wrong.”
“Okay, want to run off and get married?” he offered, taking two bowls from the cupboard and spoons from the silverware drawer.
She paused for a couple beats, shoulders slumped. “I guess not. Already sent out the invitations.” When she pulled the too-full pitcher of orange juice out of the fridge, it splashed on her robe and slopped on the floor. “Great, now we have a sticky mess.”
He grabbed a roll of paper towels, patted the front of her robe, a little longer than necessary, then knelt down to mop up the floor. “Hey, as long as my pack gets a big dinner, they are fine with anything else we do. That’s the big deal in my world. The ceremony…” He stood, waved his hand dismissively, holding a wet paper towel. “It’s merely a…”
“What about the townspeople that have been so supportive of the Center? Mom and Dad would be…Mom would be upset. What about my generations of see through relatives?” She glanced at her white robe with orange stains down the front, made a sour face.
Lathen roared with laughter. “That’s my girl. We’ll make it through this just fine.” Tossing the soiled towels in the trash, he turned to her. “Gwen will be here next week, Hayley the next. With Mike, we have an extra hand to help out around here, so I can help you.”
“I’ve so much to do. And Hayley…” She paused and tilted her head up to watch Lathen’s expression. “How is Mike doing? Are you sure he can handle…”
“Alec believes so, thinks he has an aptitude for working with animals. Mike will be late due to a doctor’s appointment this morning, which bodes well for him. But only time will tell.” Lathen leaned down and brushed her lips with his, then trailed his tongue along her neck, nibbled at her ear.
She giggled, put her hand on his chest and pushed. “We are never going to get anything done…”
Eyebrow raised, he licked his lips. “Oh I disagree.” He took her hand in his and put it around his neck, pulling her close.
“Let me rephrase. No work is going to get done—so we can leave—if you don’t get your libido under control.”
“Spoil sport.” When he released her, she sprinted up the stairs with him in hot pursuit.
A few minutes later, Pepper descended the stairs dressed in snug purple jeans, a matching plaid shirt, and black ankle boots. On the landing, she turned and sucked in a breath when Lathen bounced down the stairs his flannel shirt flapping open, the tight black t-shirt underneath showing the contures of his chest.
In her mind, the well-known magazine’s sexiest man alive didn’t hold a candle to Lathen. She smiled, her gaze wandered over his fit body.
He winked at her, struck a pose, and swiveled his hips. “Now who’s checking who out.”
They sat down at the table and rushed through a breakfast of cereal, toast, and orange juice. Lathen rinsed the dishes and stacked them in the dishwasher as Pepper filled his travel mug with coffee, hers with tea.
Lathen shrugged into his coat and pulled hers off the peg by the door, nodding in the direction of Tonk and Ember lounging below the front window.
Lathen opened the door, a blast of cold wind blew through the room. Ember raised her muzzle, sniffed and growled, ears back, her hackles raised. Mike was sauntering across the path toward where Alec stood down by the barn.
“Stay,” Pepper commanded to both canines. “We need to bring Mike in here to meet Ember and Tonk, so they don’t corner and pin him.”
Whistling to catch Mike’s attention, Lathen motioned him into the cabin. Introductions were made, while he held out her coat and slipped it over her shoulders. “Want me to zip it up?”
She batted his hand away. “I am perfectly capable of zipping my own coat. Let’s go check on the new additions.” The group trooped down the path toward the marine habitat.
****
Finished with the rounds, Pepper settled into her chair and flipped through the invoices and correspondence on her desk. Bless his heart, Alec had date stamped each envelope. Sorting them into two piles, she started on the immediate attention required pile, after listing the new residents and their condition on a spreadsheet.
An hour later she filed the paid invoices, noted the action taken on required correspondence, and prioritized the rest of the items. Snapping her fingers, she pulled out a new employee packet and made sure all the relevant forms were in place. Then she wrote Alec’s name on a bright orange sticky, stuck it to the packet with instructions. The office phone rang. Pepper picked it up as Lathen strode through the door, Tonk and Ember at his heels covered in snow. She frowned at the three of them as the dog and wolf shook snow all over the floor. Holding up her index finger, she pointed to the paper towel roll. For the second time that morning, Lathen knelt and mopped up the floor.
A breathless Jodie said, “Oh, I’m so glad you’re back. Is Lathen coming over this morning?
“Jodie, he just walked into the office, and we were heading your way. Need to talk with him?”
“Just a quickie,” Jodie replied.
“He’s taken, you know.” Pepper snickered before handing the phone to Lathen, who’d heard Jodie’s last comment and shook his head.
“No, Jodie, her mind went straight into the gutter. But I know what you meant. What can I do for you?” He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. “I’ll stop by the hardware store on our way there. Hopefully, I can get you a temporary fix until the part comes in. You did order the part?”
Pepper signed out of the computer, stood, and put on her parka. She flicked the overhead lights off.
“Be there within fifteen or twenty minutes.” Lathen hung up the phone and blew out a breath. “A smaller oven went out this morning. I wonder if she has a power surge problem.”
“But didn’t someone tell her she needed a part that was three weeks out?”
“Yeah, but a surge couldn’t have…better take my voltage tester and… I’ll be right back.” He jogged through the door into the supply area and returned holding a black plastic case and hand full of wires with clips on the end. “All set.” He strode past Pepper who was tying a brightly colored scarf around her neck and whistled for the dog and wolf.
They walked up to the cabin and let Ember and Tonk inside.
“You two stay here and keep an eye on things while we’re gone,” Lathen instructed the canines. Ember trotted to the front window, plopped down, and groaned as her tail swiped the ground once.
“She doesn’t think much of your command.” Pepper leaned down, ruffled the fur around Ember’s ears, then Tonks. “Won’t be gone long.” Tonk stretched out, gave Lathen a sideways glance, and put his head on his paws.
“They played hard in the snow when we checked on the animals, probably sleep until we get back,” Lathen commented.
“I know they’d rather be outside, but I like the added security with them inside the cabin, when we are gone. That way we know no one will mess around inside.”
“Yes, this is such a high crime area. Not,” Lathen teased, lifting her into the pickup, leaning across her to fasten the seat belt.
Smiling to herself, she settled into the seat, tingles ran up and down her body from the heat of him pressed against her when he lifted her into the truck. She enjoyed the rise he got after such activities.
Ice crystals danced on the breeze when Lathen pa
rked behind the bakery. Lobster Cove was teaming with activity. Shoppers with bags of brightly colored packages scurried down the sidewalk on their lunch hour. Pepper hopped out of the truck and drew in a breath. The town had transformed into a winter wonderland. Evergreen garland and bright red bows adorned the street lamps.
Inside the bakery window was a whole town made of gingerbread. When Lathen pulled the door open, the most delicious aromas wafted out making her mouth water. Regardless of the cold cereal she’d wolfed down a couple hours ago, her stomach gurgled and growled. Snowflakes hung from the ceiling, sparkling in the sunlight. Jodie grinned from behind pastry cases, a green elf hat with pointed ears and bells at the tip askew atop her head.
Pepper waved at the woman. “I’ll take one of everything.”
“Shouldn’t come to the bakery hungry.” Jodie chuckled and turned her attention to Lathen. “I am so glad you are here. The small ovens are working again, but the big one still won’t heat.”
Before Jodie could follow Lathen into the back, Pepper called out. “If you would be so kind as to get me one of those oooey gooey cinnamon rolls, I’d be forever grateful.”
“Of course, want a hot chocolate with that?”
“Sure.” Pepper bobbed her head.
“Yeah, I want what she’s having, as soon as I troubleshoot your appliances,” Lathen said. “Only I’ll take a coffee. Please.”
Pepper took the plate Jodie handed her and sat at one of two small tables near the front window. Jodie brought over a steaming mug of hot chocolate with a large swirl of whip cream on top. She pulled out a chair and sat on the edge. “Bet your parents were glad to have you home for Thanksgiving.”
“They were.”
“You ok?”
“Uh, oh—yeah, just got a lot on my mind. Didn’t expect to have a full house this winter. Don’t get me wrong, I love it and all the creatures are responding well to treatment and causing no problems. But I got behind being gone…” She waved a hand in dismissal, blew out a breath. “I’m fine, really.”
“Are you trying to do it all by yourself? You type A’s are your own worst enemy. Why don’t you call Kelly at Wedded Bliss? She’d be happy to help out. Take over what you haven’t completed yet.”
Pepper chewed on her bottom lip for a beat. “I guess I could do that. I can’t decide whether to have the reception at the community center, which I’ve already reserved, or bring in temporary accommodations at the Center. The ceremony will be held by the pond, we’ve special arrangements for heat there. But…”
Jodie raised an eyebrow. “Couldn’t you use the same—uh—special arrangements for additional space for the reception on site?”
“Could be there is a limit to…well…what I’m comfortable with…even Christmas magic has its limits.”
“I don’t pretend to know how that all works, but if you want to use the community center, give Kelly a call. She’ll take care of the decorations and whatever else you need. You can take care of things at the Center and relax, enjoy your wedding. It’s one of the most important days in your life; you’ll remember it always.”
“Family and friends are coming in early to help.”
“No… Family and friends are here to share your day, talk about plans, be with you… Do you have the decorations for the reception?”
“No… I have my dress, someone very special made it for me, and it’s perfect. The rehearsal dinner and reception food are all arranged, Love Caters All has it under control. I wanted the rehearsal dinner at my cabin, so need decorations there too. But maybe The Cliffside would be a better idea.
“My mom is a decorating fiend, but if I turn her loose—we don’t necessarily see eye to eye. So I’ll just avoid the whole situation, by doing it myself.” Pepper sipped at her drink and nibbled on the outer edge of the cinnamon roll.
The bells above the bakery door rang as another customer rushed in. Jodie pushed up from her chair. “Good morning Ms. Rose, what can I do for you.”
Lathen poked his head around the corner. “I’ve got another hour or so here, and I’ll have everything working. Good thing I brought an extra surge protector. If you want to take the truck and go back to the center, I’ll call you when I’m done.”
“No, I’m going to do a little shopping, check out the rest of the decorations in town, by then the Christmas lights should be on.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He winked at her and disappeared into the back.
Several customers filled the bakery. Pepper stopped and visited with them on her way out the door. She zipped her parka and wrapped the scarf around her neck, pulled her knit cap out of her pocket, slipped it on. The air had a bite to it but sparkled with moisture adding to the Christmas ambiance.
The white fluffy clouds from this morning had joined forces, sunlight streamed through only a few breaks in the now ominous storm clouds as a few snowflakes fell. Several inches of snow were forecast for the coming days. It would be a white Christmas, which somehow lifted her spirits.
At the gazebo in town square she fingered the white lights on the strings around the structure. Huge red bows adorned the edge of the roof every couple of feet with streamers and pine boughs at the supports. Across the square the smaller trees were strung with multicolored light strands. Red, blue, and silver balls decorated the main tree in the center of town square. A fiber optic star sat atop the majestic pine. Christmas carols filled the air from speakers positioned throughout the square.
Protected from the elements inside the gazebo, a cheerful flier pinned to the bulletin board announced the Christmas festivities for December. A huge celebration was planned for the tree lighting ceremony next week, a potluck in the church basement would follow. Caroling would take place the Wednesday before Christmas in the town square. “Everyone was welcome,” another notice stated with a number to call to coordinate main dishes.
She pulled out her phone, typed in the number for the potluck coordinator, it went to voice mail and she left a message. Then she scrolled to the Wedded Bliss’ number and touched the green icon.
Kelly’s cheerful voice answered on the second ring. “Hello.”
“Hi Kelly, it’s Pepper McKay.”
“Oh, hi. How was your Thanksgiving in Colorado and your parents?”
How did the whole town…a small town, of course… “Great!”
“Glad to hear it. Now what can I do for you?”
“I need a little help with the wedding decorations. Thought I could pull it off by myself, but with the storm and injured animals at the Center—well…I can’t do it all.”
“Thought you might be calling after I heard. Tell me what you have in mind, and I’ll make it happen.”
“I’m not really sure. Simple but fun…make sense?” Pepper described the decorations at Amy and Elijah’s wedding and atmosphere she wanted to create at the rehearsal dinner and reception. Evergreens and purple roses, small lanterns that kind of thing.
“Got it… I’ll put something together and give you a call to review them,” Kelly said.
“Thanks.” Pepper felt as if a huge weight lifted from her shoulders.
“No problem. It’s what I do.”
After she disconnected the call, Pepper walked over to the main tree and saw slips of paper rolled up and tucked into several of the odd shaped ornaments. What was that all about?
A man strode by her, stopped, gave her a once over glance, and moved on. A shiver shot up her spine that had nothing to do with the cold. The magic signature was undefined. He looked a lot like Benjamin Bonchard only his hair was much lighter, build taller and thin. Mr. Bonchard had tried to steal the McKay magic last Halloween. Aunt Ashling’s coven had spell bound him for his efforts with threats of worse if he continued on his dark path.
A strong arm whipped around her waist, the air whooshed out as she squealed. She balled up her gloved fist as a large warm hand wrapped around her wrist. “I’ve seen you defend yourself. Not going to chance it.” A deep voice chuckled behind her.
“Lathen—I’m going to…”
He spun her around and covered her cold lips with his warm ones. Werewolves run several degrees warmer than most of the population, one of the things she loved about him. She relaxed into him. Their parkas making a wisping sound as the material rubbed against each other. “That’s better,” he murmured against her lips.
All at once the lights in the square blinked on. Low positioned red and green laser light decorations sparkled over the snow-covered ground and onto the gazebo, complementing the white lights. From the other direction, a blue laser sprinkled tiny snowflakes across the building. Evening fell quickly in December.
“This is absolutely beautiful.” She breathed against his chilled cheek and whirled out of his hold taking in all the lighted decorations not visible earlier then pointed toward the bulletin board. “I’ve been reading the town’s holiday events. Lobster Cove really embraces Christmas.”
“Told you,” Lathen said smugly. “Even some of the boats docked in the harbor are decked out with colored lights.”
“Christmas was just another day, too much to do and no funds to do it with at Salem’s Sanctuary. This year will be soooo different.” Pepper reached for his hand and twined her fingers through his.
“Did your folks celebrate Christmas—Oh, witches don’t believe?” A brown paper bag in hand, he reached in and handed her a lobster burger. “There’s fries in the bag.”
She took her glove off and held the warm burger in her hand, took a bite then peered into the bag, and snatched a couple french fries. “Irish witches do—we have enough mortals in our family that Christmas is a tradition, even if beliefs are different. It’s just that I wasn’t in a position to have reason to celebrate after becoming an adult. Made bad choices in men. Loved my work, but the pay was—lacking though the rewards made up for it.”
“I see.” Lathen scrubbed a hand over his chin. “So things are going be a lot different for you, as well as Gwen this year.”
The warmth in his voice made her smile. Yes indeed, things would be different. “Yep.”
He set the bag on a picnic table, reached in, grabbed several fries, and stuffed them in his mouth. “Mmmmm…I love warm fries. Not so good when they get cold.” Shifting his eyes to hers, he frowned and swallowed. “I overheard you talking with Jodie. Everything okay? Or is there something you need me to do? We’ll get this wedding worked out and enjoy our time with family.”
