“Love you, Drake,” Anna called before hanging up.
Wow. So many emotions, thoughts, questions, and feelings from one phone call. It was obvious that Drake came from a different family background than hers–he’d gotten the parents she’d always dreamed of having while she’d gotten the Dad who didn’t want her. Drake put his hands on her lower back and pushed her toward the stairs. She fought every step of the way.
He grunted. “Will you hurry?”
“Hurry what?” She braced her foot against the first step to keep from being shoved all the way up them to her bedroom door where he no doubt would lock her away while he rode off into the sunrise to save the day.
“Get dressed so we can go to the shelter.” He motioned for her to go.
Her mouth fell open. Wait. What? That wasn’t how the script went. He was supposed to get her out of the way. She was always in the way–wasn’t she? “You’re–you’re taking me with you?”
“Of course.” He looked at her like she was crazy to think otherwise.
“Because Felix is my reindeer?” She spoke with as much question in her voice as she felt. This didn’t make sense. Men didn’t stick around. They didn’t take her along. “I won’t be too much trouble?” It’d been a long time since she’d allowed those words to haunt her.
Grandma nearly spit out her cocoa. She coughed, and Judy handed her a napkin.
Drake glanced from Grandma, wiping her chin to Clove. He picked up that there was more going on with Clove at this moment than just the Felix situation. He reached for her trembling hands and held them carefully, but firmly, in his own. The warmth that radiated through her at his touch melted the stiff rods that kept her shoulders tight.
“We’ll talk about all of whatever this is that’s creeping up on you, but I need you to know that you’re not trouble–not to me. You’re a huge asset—one I need right now to help me make sure Felix is safe and healthy and happy where he is. I want you with me, Clove. Please come.”
She nodded as his words sank in. He needed her to help Felix. She wasn’t a pest. Hewantedher. She almost didn’t trust those words. A voice whispered, “He doesn’t mean that.” She tried to shove it away and managed to grab onto his hands and prove to herself that he was solid. He was real.
Even though this was taking more time than Drake probably wanted it to–he didn’t show any signs of frustration with her.Shewas important to him. “Where did you come from?” she asked, half in awe and half thinking he must be crazy.
He flashed a lopsided, cocky grin. “North Dakota.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll be down in two jingles of a bell.”
His delighted laughter at her Christmas reference followed her up the steps.
Was it possible that Drake is a man who would stick around? She didn’t think men like that existed. Then again, she didn't believe in flying reindeer until Felix. Maybe men like Drake were as rare as flying reindeer, and she was just lucky enough to find both a flying reindeer and an honorable guy in her lifetime.
Or, she was set up for another giant disappointment that would leave her gutted and heartbroken on Christmas.
She shivered. Now wasn’t the time to contemplate her love life. It didn’t matter what happened to her. She had to save Felix.
Then she’d figure Drake out one way or another.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Drake waited while Sheriff Hoffman, the bad cop of Windy Plains, spread the straw over the concrete floor behind the Animal Shelter building. They had several stalls that look like they hadn’t ever been used before. The building acted as a wind block and there wasn’t a roof.
“You’ll need at least another bale.” Drake tried to keep his tone light. When they’d arrived, the school bus had just pulled up, and the Mayor was having a heyday making up some story about Santa losing a reindeer and it showing up in town.
There wasn’t anything Drake or Clove could do but play along for the kids’ sake. Colter was the bravest of all the kids, walking right up to Felix and hugging his leg. The Sheriff about swallowed his tongue with fear–for a man who also did animal control, he wasn’t comfortable with animals. It was probably one of those duties he didn’t think he’d have to actually do while in the office.
Hoffman sneered at Drake’s advice. “Is that right,wrangler?” He said wrangler the same way someone would say manure when they stepped into a fresh pile.
“Yep. Reindeer prefer soft beds. In the wild, they’ll smash pine boughs under their heavy—and sometimes deadly—feet for a nap.” He leaned over to Clove, who stood next to him and whispered out of the corner of his mouth. “I totally made that up.”
“He’ll never know.” Clove snickered behind her hand. She’d gone to a dark place when Felix walked into the trailer. Wherever it was—orwhenever it was—it had done a number on her. He suspected she’d experienced some kind of trauma that she hadn’t dealt with yet, and Felix leaving had thrown her right back into that moment.
He wished she’d talk to him about it, but knew that this wasn’t the time. Not when she was in the throes of the emotions or even coming off of the rollercoaster ride they’d taken her on. His heart almost broke when she’d asked if she would be too much trouble to bring along. The raw despair staring up at him from her baby blue eyes was grisly to behold.
On top of all that, he had the Mayor to worry about. The man had an agenda that was bigger than a reindeer, though Drake hadn’t been able to figure it out. Where was the path he’d dragged them all onto going?
The Sheriff held Felix’s lead rope and tentatively reached out to stroke Felix’s neck. Drake mentioned that he’d win a friend if he dropped a compliment now and again. As much as he struggled with these guys, he wanted Felix to be cared for properly. That’s one of the reasons he kept his voice even.
