Rory stepped inside and shut the door behind him. “Uh-oh, looks like the honeymoon is over.” His eyes swept over the couch and Drake’s ruffled appearance. “You expecting her soon?”
Drake sensed something was going on that was bigger than his domestic state. “Why do you ask?”
“Well,” Rory rocked back on his heels. “I gotta collaborate on an old lady’s story about you getting hitched.”
Drake groaned.
“Or I gotta haul you in for trespassing on government property and stealing an animal.” He frowned. “I’m really hoping you had a fight with your wife and that’s why you slept on the couch last night.”
“I wish that too.” He rubbed his palms down his pant legs. Clove wouldn’t talk to him and he had no hope of making it look like they’d run off as a happy couple who were stupidly in love. “Rory, you gotta believe me. I didn’t steal anything.”
“I do. But I’m an officer of the law and I have to do my duty.” He stepped forward and took Drake under the arm. “I’m really sorry about this.” He slapped a handcuff on one wrist.
Drake sighed as he turned, not fighting his arrest. “Do you mind if we stop for breakfast? My mom’s making cinnamon rolls.” That might buy him some time too. . . he wasn’t sure what he would do, but surely someone would think of something.
“That’s tempting. Sorry. Think you could call her to bring you some? You get one phone call after all.” Rory motioned for him to go outside first. He opened the door and Drake stepped into the blinding sunlight bouncing off the snow.
Snowflake, who was out for her morning walk, stopped and then turned and sprinted back to Forest’s house.I’ll get help.
“Skittish little thing, isn’t she?” Rory opened the back door to his four-wheel drive. “Do you normally let her wander?”
Drake mumbled something. He wasn’t even sure what, as he ducked into the backseat of the police car. Rory slammed the door, and he turned to see Snowflake scrape her antlers across Forest’s front door. Mitzi wouldn’t be happy about that she’d just finished repainting it Christmas red. The door swung open and Snowflake bit the front of Forest’s bathrobe and pulled him onto the porch.
Rory put the key in, and they pulled away. “I’m sure we’ll have this all wrapped up real quick.” He slapped his leg. “Get it? Wrapped up? Christmas?”
Drake dropped his eyes to the back of the seat in front of him. Without Clove, his world fell apart pretty quick. Christmas Eve and he was headed to jail.
Ho Ho Ho and all that jazz.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE
Clove’s eyes popped open, and she stared at her surroundings, trying to make sense of them. The blanket was too soft, her back didn’t ache, and the light was muted as if by . . . curtains!
Her surroundings and circumstances crashed down on her all at once and she suddenly felt the pressure in her sinuses from crying herself to sleep last night and the crusty tears that dried on her cheeks and lashes. She rubbed her eyes in a way that would make people who cared about wrinkles cringe. She didn’t need to care anymore because she was going to die alone.
Apparently a good night's sleep hadn’t brightened her outlook.
She glanced at the clock and gasped. “Ten!” Throwing off the covers, she scrambled for her clothes, only to come up empty-handed. “Holy berries and pumpkin pie!” They were supposed to leave at seven, so Anna and Abner had time to make the return trip. It was Christmas Eve, for crying out loud. Why hadn’t anyone woken her up?
A sense of unimportance washed over her again as she realized they must have forgotten her in the holiday rush.
She took a step and the pajama bottoms she’d borrowed from Anna fell to the floor. “Whoops!” She scooped them back up, gathering the extra material in her fist. Anna had insisted on washing everything—and she meant everything—for her last night. If she dropped her pants in front of someone, she would reveal all her secrets.
There was nothing to do except swallow her shame at being forgotten and go in search of her belongings—and hope she didn’t drop her drawers along the way.
She cracked open the door and listened. If she remembered right, the laundry room was off the mudroom, which was off the kitchen, which was through the family room. Just a hop, skip and a jump past the Christmas tree and probably the whole family. Although, at this late hour, they would be out working and not gathered around the table having breakfast.
Sniff. Sniff.
Was that cream cheese frosting? Her stomach growled. Yep. It only did that for cream cheese.
She shored up her courage and slipped into the hallway.
“Clove.”
“Yip!” She hugged the fistful of fabric all the tighter and spun to find Pax leaning against the wall, waiting. His hair was a medium brown with a bit of red tossed in and his eyes were a steel gray. He had the same straight nose and chiseled jaw as Drake. “You scared me!” She shook her finger at him.
He blushed. “Sorry.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he stood there awkwardly. “I didn’t mean to.”
