An Everlasting Christmas

by Mandy M. Roth

  “And if he is?” she asked sternly.

  Wil bit his tongue as he opened the door and retrieved the package. It had some weight to it. He brought it in and past Jolene, going right for her kitchen table. He set it there and stared at it as if he was expecting it to explode.

  As his thoughts went to the black bag he’d left on the back porch, he debated on going and retrieving the artifact. He’d intended to surprise Jolene with it and do something special for her. That was before he knew she had someone leaving her gifts.

  Was the gift romantic?

  The thought caused heat to flare through Wil, making him feel flushed and overheated. He yanked his wool sweater over his head and took a deep breath, hoping to settle the flash of nervous energy that had rushed over him. Just as he thought he’d been successful, Jolene hobbled into the kitchen, smiling wide as she looked at the present.

  “I have to admit, I thought the gifts might be from you,” she said.

  No. They most certainly were not from him, but he intended to find out who they were from. It should take only a small amount of detective work, seeing as he was fairly positive Marty was behind them. That no-good dirty scoundrel was moving in on Wil’s girl—and there was no way Wil was going to take it lying down.

  Jolene stared him up and down. “Planning to supervise as I open it?”

  “Yes.” He wasn’t budging until he figured out what was going on.

  “I highly doubt its anything nefarious,” she returned, tossing the word he’d used to describe Marty’s possible intentions right back at him.

  While he understood her ire with him, Wil had been around long enough to know the innocuous could quickly turn into the dangerous. “You never know.”

  She rolled her eyes and huffed slightly as she moved up alongside him, leaning on him as she undid the bow. Wil liked the feel of her against him and found himself wrapping an arm around her. Having her close also helped to push down some of the need to hunt Marty and give him the scare of his life.

  As she opened the box, she gasped. “Oh my word. I’ve been wanting one of these for the Mustang. They’re hard to find since its original to the ’65 model.”

  She pulled out some car part that Wil couldn’t identify because he was hardly a car man. Relief washed over him that it wasn’t something dangerous—like a supernatural artifact or something romantic. In truth, he’d have preferred a magical artifact to romantic items. Handling the supernatural was easy for him. Competing for Jolene’s hand and affection didn’t come so effortlessly.

  As noted by the fact he wasn’t doing so well in that department.

  The relief was short-lived when he saw the excitement in Jolene’s eyes. Whoever had gotten her the gift apparently knew what would make her smile.

  If it was Marty, he’d choke the man. No one was going to get in the way of Wil and his woman. Not this time around. Especially not since Wil had come to the realization of just who Jolene was to him.

  He didn’t understand that years ago. He hadn’t thought it was possible for hunters to be a mate to a supernatural or have a destined mate at all. It wasn’t until his granddaughter ended up mates with a local wolf-shifter that Wil began to put the pieces of his past together.

  “Do we know who it’s from?” asked Wil, cracking his knuckles, the need to seek out Marty great.

  Jolene shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s a mystery, just like the other presents I’ve found in the last few days. There isn’t a card or anything. They all look alike, wrapped in white with a red bow. If it’s not you, then who could it be? Who would even know I’ve been searching for this part? You don’t think it’s Sigmund, do you?”

  He wanted the answers to those questions as much as she did. Maybe more. And he didn’t think it was Sigmund. Her nephew would have signed his gifts.

  “Looks like you have a Secret Santa,” said Wil, tension building in his shoulders. He didn’t like knowing someone had gotten that close to Jolene’s place while he was there without him sensing them. Sure, the present seemed nice enough, but what if their intentions really were nefarious?

  Jolene nudged him. “It’s harmless and thoughtful. I’ve been searching for this part for years.”

  Wil nodded, and kissed Jolene’s temple.

  They both froze at his action.

  It had felt so natural that he’d not given it any thought.

  Clearing his throat, he stepped back from her. “I should go.”

  “Why? We both know you’re going to sit in your SUV watching my house all night, hoping to catch a glimpse of my Secret Santa. Your vehicle will be buried in snow and I’ll worry you’ll catch your death in the cold. Might as well take the guest bedroom for the night.”

  “Jo.”

  “Besides, you can help me up the stairs then.” She put the car part back in the box and left it on the table before heading in the direction of the stairs. “I’ve got a hot date with a bubble bath, some peppermint tea, cookies, and a book. I’m willing to share the tea and cookies with you but the bath I’ll be taking alone.”

  His eyes widened at the thought of being in the house while she took a bubble bath. “I should go. The SUV is the best place for me tonight.”

  “Why is that?” she asked.

  “It will be good and cold.”

  “Men are very strange creatures,” she said. “Shut the lights off please—if you stay or go.”

  He hesitated a fraction of a second before his impulses won out. “I’m staying. Hold tight. I’ll lock up and shut off the light. Then I’m carrying you up the stairs. No arguing.”

  She shook her head. “You don’t need to lock up. It’s Everlasting and I’ll have a hunter sleeping over.”

  “That may be so, Jo, but I’m not risking you,” he said, turning and kissing her temple once again. This time the act didn’t take him by surprise and she didn’t gasp. She leaned against him.

  That was a step in the right direction, and he’d take any forward progress he could get. And then he’d hunt down Marty.

  Chapter Four

  Wil poured Jolene a cup of coffee and leaned against the kitchen counter, watching as she sat at the table, eating the pancakes he’d gotten up early to make. He tended to rise before most people, but not Jolene. He’d awoke to find her trying to shovel snow off the front walk-path. He, of course, hurried down and took over the task, lecturing her on being out there doing that herself with a hurt ankle of all things.

  She hadn’t appeared appreciative of his concern.

  If anything, she’d looked annoyed, pointing out she’d been alone most of her long life before Sigmund came into it, and she’d been by herself again for just over a year. He didn’t like hearing that, even though it wasn’t anything he didn’t already know. Still, having it verbalized struck him in the gut, bothering him to the point he nearly went to the neighbors’ house, woke them and insisted they let him buy their house. That would put him very close to Jolene. He could protect her better then and care for her as a mate should.

  Correction, he thought. Mates should be together, in the same house, not living next door to one another.

  Secretly, he’d hoped her invite to sleep over had been more than it was.

  It hadn’t been.

  She’d directed him to one of the guest rooms and then had gone off to her own room. The woman had the nerve to take an extra-long bubble bath, as if she knew she was teasing him. He could have sworn he saw satisfaction in her eyes when she’d strolled past him on the way to the large shared bathroom. She’d then shut the door, turned on Christmas music, and proceeded to spend an hour and half in the tub.

  Who in the world took a bath for that length of time?

  Was she trying to kill him?

  If so, she was doing a great job.

  And if she didn’t manage to end him by leaving him in a state of longing, she’d do it with her murderous glares whenever he foolishly opened his mouth and jealousy fell out.

  He knew deep down that Marty wa
s the man leaving Jolene gifts. Presents that made her smile and that she loved. And he’d seen the way Marty acted around her when they were out and about in town. The man had even given her flowers once—at least that was what Wil had heard through the rumor mill (no doubt started by Geraldine Shaw). Not just any flowers either. Two dozen roses.

  The dreaded newcomer was not only competing for Jolene’s affection, he was winning by a landslide. So far, the best Wil had been able to gain was the threat of being stabbed and stuck in the guest room for the night. Which, knowing Jolene the way he did, was sort of a form of endearment. Still, he needed to seriously step up his game (as his granddaughter liked to refer to it all). He needed to be romantic.

  Jolene liked that in a man.

  He’d seen the book she’d been reading while bathing when he went into the bathroom first thing in the morning. It was something called a paranormal romance. Whatever that was. All he knew was the man on the front cover seemed to have misplaced his shirt in the middle of a snowstorm because he was standing in the woods, at night, shirtless.

  Who would do that?

  And since it was a paranormal romance, did that mean Jolene wanted a fellow supernatural? A shifter male? Not a hunter?

  Marty was a shifter.

  He grit his teeth and clenched his fists.

  Correction, the man who was about to be a missing person was a shifter.

  The guy on the front of the romance book had hair to his waist. That was far too feminine for Wil’s taste but if Jolene preferred that, he’d do it.

  Maybe.

  That was a big ask.

  A really big ask.

  Offing Marty would be far less work.

  But Jolene was worth it, and he had already started wearing his hair longer, like he used to years ago. Nowhere near his butt, though, because that was just ridiculous. The idea of walking around town looking like he was about to star in a shampoo commercial would certainly gain him additional whispers. People would stop crossing the street when they saw him coming. After all, who would be scared of a guy with hair he could sit on? That would mess with his scary-hunter vibe in a big way.

  But if that was what it took. He’d do it.

  Begrudgingly.

  “The food is delicious,” said Jolene, glancing up at him with a coy smile from her seat at the kitchen table. The darn Mustang part was still on the table, in its box, near her. He wanted to toss it out the back door and lodge it in a snowdrift. “A girl could get used to this.”

  She liked that he’d cooked for her?

  “Really?”

  Jolene gave a quick nod and then sipped the coffee he’d handed her.

  She was in a pair of faded jeans, thick socks—which also had kittens knitted on them—and a matching brown wool sweater. The sweater did not have kittens on it, but he was guessing she’d have still worn it if it did.

  He liked that about her. Knowing there was a whimsical, softer side under all her bluster. Wil just wished he could channel his softer side around her more. That he could show her exactly what she meant to him. How important she was to him. How she was his world.

  She looked amazing. She always did.

  Someone knocked on the front door and Wil went on high alert. It was very early for anyone to come calling. Jolene made a move to stand. He waved a hand in the air. “I’ve got it,” he said, really hoping it was Marty. “Sit. Enjoy your breakfast.”

  “Who are you trying to fool? We both know you’re rushing to get to the door because you’re worried Marty is there.”

  “He normally show up this early?” asked Wil, a bite to his words that he didn’t intend to have fall out.

  “Green isn’t a great color on you, Wil,” she said, sipping her coffee while giving him a look as if daring him to say otherwise.

  Grumbling under his breath, he stormed toward the front door and tossed it open, fully expecting to see his rival.

  When he found his granddaughter and her best friend Kelsey standing there, he paled. He knew exactly what it looked like having him answering Jolene’s door at the crack of dawn.

  And while the two women seemed very on board with something more happening between Wil and Jolene, he wasn’t sure how he felt about his granddaughter thinking he’d gotten down and dirty with anyone.

  “Grandpa?” Penelope stared at him with wide eyes. She then smiled. “Really? Yay!”

  He shook his head. “No,” he said so fast, he wasn’t sure if she caught it.

  “No?” she echoed, clearly catching it. “Then I don’t understand why you’re here so early.”

  Kelsey glanced at her. “Or here at all. Didn’t Jolene tell us once he doesn’t ever come to her house?”

  Penelope nodded.

  He glanced away, wanting off the topic of his love life. “Why are the two of you here so early?”

  Kelsey stared up at him, as she held a bouquet of roses. “Uh, we’re here to see if Jolene wants to go have coffee and scones with us this morning. We’re going to put an order in for Christmas cupcakes for the party when we’re there. Jolene is always great at knowing what will be perfect. I can’t wait for the party, can you? Oh, these were on the porch when we got here.”

  Wil opened the storm door and stepped back as his granddaughter and her friend entered. He knew the girls had been planning a joint Christmas party, but he didn’t know any details beyond that. They’d just told him when and where to show up—like they always did.

  Penelope eyed him suspiciously. “It’s very early in the morning. And is that your SUV over there? All plowed in? Meaning it’s been there all night?”

  Wil groaned.

  “He slept over!” yelled Jolene from the kitchen. “No hanky-panky happened. Mostly he just grumbled and growled a lot. You know, typical Wil.”

  Penelope grinned. “Grandpa, you slept over here last night?”

  He cleared his throat. The last thing he wanted to do was continue down the path this conversation was on. “Hugh home with Prudence?”

  Kelsey smiled wide. “Smooth subject change.”

  The young women were close in age and both worked at his antiques shop. They were a lot alike personality wise and hit it off instantly the moment they’d met. They’d also had babies within weeks of one another. In addition, they could meddle with the best of them.

  Wil inclined his head to Kelsey. “Jake home with the baby?”

  “He is. He swears he has everything under control,” said Kelsey before snorting. “That means when I get back he’ll look as if he’s been through a war, and so will the house. Sheriff Bull stopped by right before I left.”

  Wil laughed at the idea of Deputy Jake Majoy being alone with his newborn and his boss. The poor guy didn’t stand a chance. “You’ll be lucky if the house is still standing when you get back.”

  “Don’t I know it.” Kelsey glanced at Penelope and then the flowers in her hands. “I should take these to Jolene. They’re beautiful, don’t you think?”

  Wil noticed a card in them. He bit his lower lip before doing the unthinkable and snatching the card from the holder. He opened it before the girls could protest.

  What he found confused him. The only thing in the card were the words “with love.”

  Unable to stop himself, Wil turned and rushed into the kitchen, leaving the girls at the door. “You’re in love with Marty?”

  Jolene spit her coffee and grabbed a napkin, her expression less than friendly as she looked up at him. “What on earth are you going on about now?”

  Kelsey entered behind him, holding out the flowers. “These. He opened the card.”

  “Of course he did,” Jolene said with a smirk. “Did he tell you he slept over because he was on the hunt for my Secret Santa? It had little to do with the snowfall and a lot to do with green being his new favorite color.”

  Penelope laughed. “No. Do tell. But leave out any details that I won’t be able to un-see in my brain. I don’t want to think about Grandpa getting busy.”

 
Jolene licked her lower lip, clearly fighting a smile. “He’s always been something of a charmer with the ladies.”

  She thought he had charm?

  Wil’s emotions conflicted. On one hand, he was pleased she thought he had charm. On the other hand, he basically wanted to find Marty and make sure he was never seen again.

  Penelope’s eyes widened. “Stop. I don’t want to know about that.”

  “I can totally see it,” said Kelsey. “Especially with the way he is around you, Jolene. Erm, I mean, never mind.”

  Wil couldn’t be upset with the young woman. He knew she only had his best interests at heart. And she wasn’t wrong. He was different around Jolene. It had always been that way. It more than likely always would be that way as well. He just wished he was suave like Marty.

  Jolene stood, looking as if her ankle was feeling much better today. She took the flowers from Kelsey. “These are beautiful. I wonder who they’re from.”

  Penelope beamed. “You have a secret admirer. How romantic.”

  Jolene’s cheeks pinked up. “I’m sure it’s not that.”

  “Why not?” asked Kelsey. “You’re smokin’ hot.”

  Jolene’s face reddened more. “I’m really not.”

  Wil had to disagree. She was.

  Penelope went to Jolene and hugged her. “Yes. You are. Ask Grandpa.”

  Jolene spun abruptly with the roses and went to the cabinet under the kitchen sink. She pulled out a teal ceramic vase. She put the new flowers in it and added water before setting the vase next to the one on the table. The table was fast filling up with tokens of love. The only thing he’d contributed to it were the pancakes.

  “Wait a second,” said Wil, pointing to the other flowers. “Who are those from?”

  “Marty,” said Penelope and Kelsey at the same time before they giggled like schoolgirls.

  Penelope looped her arm through Jolene’s. “Tell me all about your dinner date at Curt’s restaurant. We heard Marty was quite the dapper gentleman.”

  She’d gone on a date to a fancy restaurant with Marty? An official date? As in, he’d not only been to dinner at Jolene’s house, but he’d also taken her out on the town again, and to eat?