“We can drive around, but I don’t think we’re going to see anything,” she told him. “It looks like the storm has lessened in intensity and slowed down.”
“Let’s just drive a little. It’s still early enough in the storm that it won’t be much of an issue,” Logan said. “My truck handles well in the snow and I already said I would take you.”
Maya looked at the map on her phone again. There wasn’t going to be any tornado but there was a chance there would lightening during the snowstorm. That was very rare and if she could get that on video it would make the trip profitable. There were no other professionals in the area. If she got the video, she might be the only one selling. She’s also never seen lightening during a blizzard before. Not as great as a winter tornado but still one thing to check off her bucket list.
She zipped her coat again. “Okay. I’ll get my camera and we can go.”
“Mom and Dad are closing the station and going home. The whole town has lost power,” Tate said. “Be careful and come back soon. It’s getting hairy out there.”
“We won’t be long,” Logan said.
“We can text you updates every half hour,” Maya suggested. “That way you’ll know we’re fine. And if we don’t send anything for more than thirty minutes, you’ll know we’re in trouble.”
“Great idea!” Logan said.
“I love that idea,” Tate agreed.
“Where’s my bag?” she asked the twins.
“Upstairs and to your left. It’s the last room and the only one with bags in it,” Logan said. “You can’t miss it.”
She nodded and went in search of her things. She didn’t want to put Logan in any danger. She didn’t want his brother and parents spending the day worrying about them. The Wizard family had already been incredibly kind to her. Her trip would have likely been a total disaster without them. Even if she didn’t get any good pictures or video, she had a place to stay during the blizzard. It was better than spending the time driving alone.
When she got upstairs, her room was easy enough to find but things were a little off. There were scratches on the floor and it looked like some droplets of blood near the door. Maybe the commotion she heard earlier wasn’t just the house settling, She would ask Logan about it while they were driving. She got her camera and came bag downstairs.
Logan was waiting at the front door. “Ready?”
Maya held up her camera. “All set.”
When they went outside, the snow was already covering her feet. It had only been snowing for a little more than half an hour, but it looked like three inches had come down already. It was snowing hard enough that she couldn’t see the houses next door or across the street and could barely see door they had just walked out of. She was glad she’d taken Logan up on his offer to drive her around. This was a lot more snow than she’d ever seen. If it kept up for a few more hours, there was going to be more than a foot of snow on the ground.
Logan let her into the car and turned on the heat. “Let me clean off the windshield and we can go.”
Maya shivered as he scrapped the ice off the front and back windows. The car heated up quickly and she was soon warm again. She took off her hat and shoved it in her pocket, then checked the maps and weather sites while Logan was still outside. She was compulsive when she was chasing. Nothing could have changed in that short amount of time, but she had to be sure. Seconds mattered when it came down to getting the perfect shot.
When she checked the message boards, there were a lot posters talking about how they wished they could get to the area. Maya pumped her fist in the air. She was going to get an exclusive! From the looks of things, the closest local weather teams from the news weren’t even coming to Emerald. They were all reporting from the bigger cities. So far, things were all lining up for her. It was a Christmas miracle as far as Maya was concerned.
Logan got into the driver’s seat and tossed the scraper into the backseat. “Where to?”
“Let’s try to go east, toward the highway.” She buckled her seat belt. “If there’s anything to see, it would be there right now. We can drive out and look. If there’s nothing. We’ll come back to the Inn and wait for the storm to pass. Maybe by then, we’ll have power again.”
“I hope it comes back soon,” Logan said as he eased the truck out of the parking lot.
Maya grabbed the dashboard as they fishtailed hard. “Me too. It’s going to be freezing without the heat.”
“We have a fireplace and lots of wood,” Logan said. “I’m worried about our neighbors who don’t. There are a few seniors on the street. We’re going to have to host a warming party if the power doesn’t come back on in an hour or two.”
“That’s very nice of you.”
“It’s nothing. They’d do the same for us if we needed a warm place to stay. You must not live in a small town.”
“I don’t. And I don’t really talk to my neighbors.”
“Why not?”
She shrugged. “Not interested, I guess. That makes me sound horrible, but I just prefer to keep to myself.”
“I can understand that. But don’t you ever wonder who you live next to? I mean, we don’t hang out with our neighbors every day, but it’s nice knowing they aren’t crazies.”
“I’m sure I live near a few weirdos. I probably am one of the weirdos, actually.” She laughed. “I almost never go outside, and when I do it’s during a storm. I have a really high fence too, so they almost never see me.”
“You have to leave to get groceries. Do you at least wave then?”
“I get most of my stuff delivered. But I do wave! I do have manners.”
Logan laughed. “As long as you wave, I think you’re doing good.”
Maya nodded. “Hey, when I went to get my bags, I saw what looked like a few drops of blood on the floor. Did something happen?”
“Tate must have gotten a nose bleed. Happens.”
“What about all the scratches?”
“Old house. It has a lot of character. Don’t worry. We’re not up to no good. I don’t want you thinking this is some kind of Christmas horror movie in the making.”
“Well you are big, scary shifters that run a bed and breakfast in a small town. I think that’s the start of a pretty decent B-horror movie for the holidays.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s the premise of a few dozen horror movies.” He chuckled. “I’m going to use that for marketing around Halloween next year.”
“Happy I was able to give something back.” Maya smiled.
Thunder rumbled in the distance. Logan leaned forward to get a better look at the sky. “This is crazy I can see my breath, and there’s thunder.”
“It is. This is what makes storms like this so dangerous. Nobody thinks there’ll be a tornado in the winter. People are completely unprepared.”
“I didn’t think a tornado during the winter was even possible.”
“It’s rare,” Maya said. “They don’t happen often, but when they do it can be devastating. Like I said, people aren’t prepared.”
“And I bet video of them is even more valuable.”
She nodded. “It would have brought in a nice paycheck, but that isn’t the most important part to me. First, I would love to see a snow tornado. It’s on my bucket list of weather phenomena. I’d like to see before I die. Second, if I spot it first, I can warn people, maybe save some lives.”
Logan smiled at her. “A bucket list?”
“Yeah. If you don’t have one, you should make one up tonight.” Maya got out her camera and started taking video of the sky as they drove. “It’s a great way to figure out where your next vacation’s going to be or find something to do when you’re really bored. And as a shifter, I bet you’ll have time to do whatever you put your mind too.”
“Great tip,” Logan said. “So, I’m curious, what does your family think of your adventurous job?”
“I don’t talk to my family,” Maya said.
“At all? Like, none of them?�
� Logan asked surprised.
She shook her head. “Nope. They aren’t nice people and they never have anything good to add to my life.”
“That can’t be too much fun.”
She shrugged. “I don’t even notice anymore. As soon as I turned eighteen, I moved out of my house and cut off all contact. The only person I like was my grandpa, and he died when I was twelve. I still talk to my aunts, uncles, and cousins but it’s very sporadic. But my life is one hundred percent better now. You don’t have to feel sorry for me.”
“I couldn’t imagine not talking to my family.” Logan shuddered. “I don’t feel sorry for you but I do hope that one day you find a family of your own.”
“You have a twin brother. I mean, it would be strange if you didn’t talk with him. And your parents seem really nice. One day, I’ll have a family of my own. There’s someone out there for everyone right?”
Logan looked at her. “Yeah. There is.”
The way he was looking at her made Maya’s heart race. He couldn’t be talking about himself could he? They were just getting to know each other better. The intensity of his stare made her uncomfortable. She needed to change the subject.
She saw a sign for a road ahead. “Turn here. We should be able to get a good view this way.”
“Are you sure?” Logan asked. “This road isn’t even paved. It’s going to be tough to get out of there.”
He eased the truck to a stop and put his turn signal on. Maya looked at the snowed-over dirt road and then looked at the sky. There were no other cars on the road and the lightening was almost overhead.
“I think I can see well enough from here,” she said.
Maya got out of the car to get a better shot. The sky was so beautiful. Even if no news organizations or stock photo sites wanted to buy the video, she was glad she had it. This was something she’d be able to look back on for the rest of her life.
Getting out of the car also gave her room to breathe. Things were getting a heavy in the truck with Logan. The cold air was enough to wake her up and ground her. He hadn’t been talking about himself. She was imagining the connection. He was so good-looking she was searching for any kind of connection between them. He had been nothing but a gentleman to her since they’d met and all she could do was think about getting in his or his brothers pants. She needed to get a grip and get her mind out of the gutter. He wasn’t interested in her like that. He was probably looking for a beautiful shifter to settle down with, not someone like her.
Logan got out of the car as she was taking video and kicked around in the snow.
“It’s a good thing nobody’s on the road.” He looked up and down the two-lane highway. “We could never do this even on a normal winter day. Usually there’s a regular stream of cars going by this way.”
“Everyone’s staying home, like they should be. I think we may as well head back too. I think I’ve got my shot.”
“That’s it? We’re in the clear?”
“I think the storm came in too slowly. It didn’t stay hot enough for much to spark off. But this storm isn’t nothing. You’re lucky to see this thunder and lightning.”
“That’s too bad about the tornado,” Logan said. He wasn’t able to keep the relief out of his voice. “I’m glad you got to cross this off your bucket list.”
She couldn’t help but think of another item on her bucket list as she got in the car and buckled her seat belt. Have a one-night stand. She’d somehow never managed to cross that one off. There was just no keeping a cool head around Logan. As soon as she got in the truck with him again, she could smell his manly cologne and it drove her wild. It was going to be a very long drive back to the inn.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you,” she said. “Thanks for taking me. It would have been a nightmare to try to do this in my little economy car.”
“It’s nothing. I’m glad to help you. And it’s not everyday I get to spend time getting to know a beautiful woman.”
Oh boy. He wasn’t going to make this easy for her. Maybe she should just go for it. He had just called her beautiful. He had to be flirting. Maya remember that his father had called her pretty and hadn’t let her pay for her chips and brownie. Dale was very much in love with his wife and had not been flirting with her. Maybe the men in his family were just easy with their compliments. She would be incredibly embarrassed if she made a move and turned out to be wrong. She was going to be stuck with him and Tate at the Wizard Inn until the storm passed. She didn’t want to make it awkward.
Logan turned the car around carefully and headed back to town. “Are you going to get a truck in the future? With your job, it seems like it would be a real good investment.”
She nodded. “I’m going to get a big truck next year. And I’m going to write it off on my taxes as a business expense.”
“Good call. Very smart move for your business and your safety.”
They drove in comfortable silence until Logan switched on the radio. Christmas carols filled the cab. Hearing the holiday songs reminded Maya that she had no plans for the big holiday. If the snow didn’t let up, she might not even be able to get home until after the holiday. She hated driving in traffic, and if she left on Christmas Eve, she would probably hit a lot of it. But did she have to rush home?
It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to be stuck in Emerald for the holiday. The worst that could happen would be being forced into a Wizard family dinner. She could see the super-sweet Marietta pestering her until she agreed to come eat with them. And as much as she liked spending the day alone, it wouldn’t kill her to eat with some nice people.
It would be much easier to wait out the storm and the traffic. She could get on the road after Christmas and have a leisurely drive back to Milwaukee. It wasn’t like there was anyone or anything waiting for her at home. She hadn’t even put up a tree or any decorations. There were no presents to pass out of any parties to attend.
“I think I’m going to extend my stay at the Wizard Inn,” she told Logan.
“Sounds good. Better to wait out the storm. Stay as long as you like.”
He smiled at her so sweetly that she felt her chest tighten. He was so kind and so handsome. This was one of those rare moments she was acutely aware of how alone she was.
It would be nice to have someone like Logan in her life. She knew it was probably just because she was away from home and that she was having to spend time so close to him, but she let herself bask in the thought. Better to enjoy it while she could. Everything seemed nicer when you were away from home and your normal responsibilities.
She knew Logan had flaws too, and spending a lifetime in Emerald wouldn’t be as fun as spending one day with him. Still, a girl could dream. And Logan would surely qualify as the man of her dreams. She was going to make the most of her time at the Wizard Inn. So what if Logan and his family was just being nice, she was going to bask in the attention from the handsome shifter. She would put all her worries on hold until after Christmas.
Chapter Four
Tate was alone in the dark. The power still hadn’t come back on, and his brother was still out with their mate. He’d been getting updates from Logan and Maya and all was well with them. He had checked on their neighbors and called his parents to make sure they had enough wood for the fireplace. There was nothing for him to do but think and shovel snow.
It was after eight in the morning, but there were no cars on the road. He had already taken the snow blower out once and he’d need to do it one more time before the hour was up. The only way he’d be able to keep all the snow off the sidewalks was if he did it often. He wasn’t just doing his sidewalk, either. He did the entire block. He didn’t want one of his neighbors hurting themselves shoveling when he could do it easily.
Tate didn’t usually do much work around the inn since he worked at the gas station. They had just enough customers to stay open and they liked it that way. Logan was able to do most of the daily work himself and Tate stepped in to
help with major projects. Between the gas station and the Inn, they made a very comfortable living and still had lots of free time. Tate knew how he wanted to fill his free hours. He wanted to spend time doing things with Logan, their mate, and their cubs. They had been looking for a mate for more than decade and now Maya was right there.
All the hard work he and Logan did was going to pay off. They were going to have a successful business and a great home life. As long as they could convince Maya to stay with them, it would all be perfect. Thinking about it was getting him nowhere. He would have to wait and see if Logan could sweet talk her while they were out driving. To keep his mind off his mate, his brother, and their future, he took the snow blower out and did another lap around the block.
He knew Logan would appreciate not having to attempt to maneuver the blower over six inches of snow. Tate figured it was as good an apology as he could give his brother. He didn’t feel bad about what he’d done but if he didn’t apologize, Logan would stay mad. Tate still thought his idea was their best option. If they bit Maya, they wouldn’t have to worry about losing her. She would understand how much they loved her already and wouldn’t think it was strange.
When he finished with the snow, it was back worrying about this mate. Tate had listened to the story of his parents’ courtship over and over, and he was going to heed their warning. When you found your mate, you had to do whatever it took to keep her. Logan’s way was madness. He was hoping to convince the human woman that she was better off with not one but two shifters. That was a pretty tough sell. There had been a lot of anti-shifter stuff in the media and on the internet over the last few months. When that jewelry family had turned out to be dragon shifters, it had really thrown people for a loop. Shifters had become front-page news again.
He knew that most humans had no problem with shifters living next door to them, but they wouldn’t be so excited to find out one was dating their daughter. What if Maya had a family like that? He didn’t want to take that chance. Maybe he was too cynical, but this was too important to leave to human whims.
Shifter Wonderland: Twelve BBW Paranormal Holiday Shape Shifter Romances Page 33