Little Drummer Bear
(North Pole, Book 3)
Ruby Shae
Chapter One
Wade Sullivan placed the drumsticks on the padded seat he’d been sitting in for the last hour, and followed the rest of the band off the tiny stage in the club. The four men gathered around a tall, round table marked RESERVED, and everyone sank into a high-backed bar stool except for him.
A waitress placed four glasses of water in front of them.
“Do you guys want any drinks or food?” she asked.
“Thanks Min. Mozzarella sticks and a beer. Bottle, please,” said Jim, the lead singer.
“Onion rings and beer,” Trey, the keyboardist, joined in. “Whatever’s on tap.”
“Nothing for me,” Joel, the guitarist, grunted.
Interesting.
“Hey, Mindy,” Wade smiled. “I’ll have a coke, and a bacon cheeseburger.”
“You got it,” she smiled back, avoiding Joel. “I’ll be back soon.”
“What’s going on there?” Wade asked.
“Nothing,” Joel said, scooting his chair away from the table. “Look, I have to go. Text me about practice next week.”
“Will do,” Jim said.
Wade watched the man hurry out of the club without looking back.
“That was weird.”
“Yeah,” Jim agreed. “I wish he would just confess and get it over with.”
“Seriously,” Trey said. “He’s driving me crazy.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Wade asked. “Is something going on between him and Mindy?”
They both laughed.
“Where have you been, Sullivan?” Jim said. “He’s been acting crazy since the Halloween party. I don’t know all the details, but I do know he finally got up the nerve to asked her out, and she flat-out rejected him.”
“Damn, that sucks. I wonder why she said no. They’re obviously attracted to each other.”
“That I don’t know,” Jim said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Mindy returned with their drinks, and frowned at Joel’s vacant seat.
“Your food will be out soon,” she said.
She granted them a small smile, but Wade could tell it was forced.
“Okay, so next week we’ll add in some Christmas songs. Does anyone need to schedule an extra practice?” Jim asked.
“You’re kidding right?” Trey chastised.
“Dude,” Wade said. “That’s just wrong.”
“Yeah, I know,” Jim said. “I’ll text you all when the schedule comes out.”
“Sounds good,” Wade agreed.
The speakers lit up with a popular dance tune, and Mindy brought out their food.
His band, The Flurry, only played the club every Wednesday during the dinner rush, and they’d been playing together for so long, they didn’t need to practice unless they added a new cover track to their set. Still, they practiced every week if their schedules permitted.
The club, The North Star, had in-house instruments for any group to use, and the owner allowed bands to practice in the early afternoon. Once the doors opened, bands played while the kitchen was open from six to eight, and then a DJ came out at ten for the after-hours crowd.
Wade loved playing the drums, but the band was a hobby.
Being an enforcer at the North Pole was his job.
As a polar bear shifter, his main priority was to protect Santa’s Village, and he was damn good at it. Polar bear shifters ran patrols outside the protective, hidden walls of the Village and distracted determined explorers who wandered too close to the entrance of their home, and the secrets hidden there.
He finished his meal, said goodbye to his friends, and handed Mindy a generous tip on his way out. Aside from free food and drinks, they didn’t get paid for playing in the club, but Mindy still had to wait on them. She deserved to be compensated.
When he got out on the street, he couldn’t help but smile. Santa’s Village was full of magic all year around, and he loved the warm, joyful feeling.
The buildings had been built in circular rings to hide the frozen tundra of the outside world, and though the rings were miles long and deep, the inhabitable snow and ice could still be seen from several rooftops. The magic that surrounded them mirrored the glass of a snow globe, except no one but the residents could see in.
That’s why his job was so important. He had to protect the Pole, and the secret tunnel leading in and out of the Village.
He crossed the road, and cursed the fact that he hadn’t brought a golf cart. He rarely used them, but he had an early shift the next day, and he was suddenly extremely tired. He could take one from the street, but he didn’t want to leave someone else stranded, so he lengthened his stride and started to walk home with purpose.
His thoughts drifted to Joel and Mindy. Mindy was human, and new to the Pole, but he was certain the two were destined mates. Why weren’t they together? What happened between them? Would they be forever alone?
The thoughts made him unhappy.
Not for his friends, although he believed they were meant to be together, but for himself. He was thirty-two years old, and deep down, he’d always believed he’d be mated by now. Instead, he didn’t even have a girlfriend.
He knew everyone in Santa’s Village, and he’d never felt more than friendship for any women in the Pole. If he wanted to meet someone new, he’d have to start venturing out of the arctic, and he knew it would take a miracle for that to happen.
“Smalls! Hey Wade!”
He smiled at the use of his informal nickname and turned to see Santa and another shifter, a wolf, walking toward him.
The wolf’s name was Stuart, and he was part of a semi-popular touring band in the outside world. They never played in Santa’s Village, except to practice, but they wrote their own music and regularly played in clubs, bars and other venues in the states. They were passionate and proactive when it came to looking for their big break.
“Hey Stuart, Santa,” he bowed his head out of respect for the man in red. “What’s up?”
“I’m in a bit of a bind,” Stuart said. “We’ve got a great gig lined up for the next three weeks, but Johnny sprained his arm snowboarding yesterday and he can’t play for a month. Do you think you could help us out and fill in for him?”
“I’d love to,” said Wade, “but I’d have to check with Quinn. We usually run split shifts during the month of December.”
“Don’t worry about Quinn,” Santa said. “I’ll let him know how important this is, and you’ll get the time off you need.”
“Thank you, Santa.”
“You’re welcome, son,” Santa said. “It’s important that you leave the Village periodically, and you haven’t taken a vacation in a long time. This will be good for you.”
“You’re right, sir,” Wade said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Santa laughed. “You two work out the details, and I’ll go talk to that grumpy bear right now.”
All three men laughed as Santa walked away. Now that he had Chloe, Quinn wasn’t nearly as grumpy as he’d been in the past, but unfortunately, the nickname had stuck.
“The performances start next week, and they’re the next three Fridays, including Christmas Eve,” Stuart said. “We usually practice Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday nights, but if you can only make Tuesday-Thursday, that would work, too. You pick up material fast, so I doubt there will be an issue.”
“Thanks Stuart. I’ll give Santa a few minutes, and then I’ll head over and talk to Quinn myself. As soon as I know something, I’ll text you.”
“Great. Thanks man. I really appreciate this.”
“No problem. I’m happy to help.”
They parted ways, and instead of going home, Wade went to the lodge. He knew Quinn would have to obey any orders Santa issued, but the man still deserved respect. Together, they could work out a schedule that made them both happy.
As he thought about his trip to th
e outside world, fatigue was the farthest thing from his mind. Santa was spot-on, he did need a vacation.
Filling in for Johnny on the drums was a step in the right direction.
***
Danica North moved from table to table and tried not to look at the stage.
The new band, Arctic Storm, consisted of three good looking men and one drop-dead gorgeous drummer.
Wade Sullivan.
Too bad she didn’t date musicians. Not that he would want anything to do with her anyway. He’d been friendly and sweet all evening, but they all were in the beginning. Men built like him, rock star or otherwise, didn’t go for curvy women like her, and if they did, it wasn’t for anything meaningful.
Damn!
She just looked again!
He smiled as he beat the sticks against the drums, and it felt like his midnight blue eyes were looking right at her. She knew they weren’t, though, and she forced herself to look away for the millionth time.
She’d seen enough live bands perform to know how they worked a crowd, especially if the men were hot. By the end of the night, all of the women would be in love with the band, and all of the men would want to be them.
A band that knew how to properly work a crowd was a club-owner’s dream, and these guys kept the drinks flowing and a long line around the building. She was pretty sure Arctic Storm would be asked to extend their contract when the first three weeks were over.
She looked up at the stage again and mentally cursed.
Why did he have to be a musician? Why did he have to play here?
Two years ago, she’d sworn off men and never looked back.
Until now.
What would it feel like to be pressed up against his hard, muscled body? To have his hands caress her form the way he did the sticks?
He wasn’t a small man. In fact, he towered over everyone.
Earlier, when the group arrived to check in and set up their instruments, she’d been sitting at the bar talking with her best friend and boss, Stephanie. Stephanie was six months pregnant, and she and her husband Scott owned the club. The couple had been high school sweethearts, and Dani had always been their grateful third wheel.
The drummer was bigger and wider than the other three men, but when she stood to shake his hand, she realized he was nearly a foot taller than her five-foot, eight-inch frame.
For the first time in her life, she didn’t feel…big.
For those precious few minutes, her curves weren’t a source of shame, and she didn’t feel the need to hide or distance herself from a man in order to seem smaller.
She was just Dani…and it felt wonderful.
So wonderful that she confidently smiled up at him, but nearly melted when he smiled back. His storybook midnight blue eyes seemed to sparkle around the edges, and his short, spikey, almost white hair reminded her of fresh fallen snow. In fact, all four men had the same hair-color, and though she couldn’t see the other men’s eyes, she guessed contacts and hair dye were a big part of their image.
The six exchanged introductions, and chatted briefly, but, of course, all good things must come to an end. Her humiliation came in the form of Kira, another waitress in the club.
“Damn Danica,” Kira said from behind her. “Your ass is way too big for that stool.”
The four men looked in her direction and she immediately stood, scraping the legs of the chair against the hardwood floor. Kira walked around her in a dramatically wide half-circle, and then stood in the center of the group.
“Hello, boys,” she purred, and she instantly had all of their attention.
“I’m going to get ready,” Dani leaned over, and whispered to her friend.
“Dani, wait,” Steph said, but she didn’t listen.
Thin and beautiful, Kira had long black hair, perfectly manicured nails, and expertly applied makeup. She could work a crowd better than anyone, and the men loved her. Now that she had the attention of the band, the jokes would come next, and Dani really didn’t want to know what the giant stud thought about her fat ass.
She was almost to the door of the employee’s locker room when she heard Stephanie’s soft slippers hurriedly behind her.
“Go into my office,” Steph whispered.
How the pregnant woman had caught up to her so fast was a mystery, but Dani did as her friend said. When they were both inside the office, Steph locked the door and turned to face her.
“Oh my god, did you see the way he looked at you?” Steph squealed.
“What are you talking about?” Dani asked.
“You’re joking right?” her friend chastised. “That drummer only had eyes for you.”
“You’re crazy,” Dani said, sitting at one of the desks.
The little room had two desks facing opposite walls, and a tiny bistro table in the opposite corner. When they worked together, the couple could turn their chairs toward the center of the room and pull the table between them. It was goofy, but romantic, and she envied the love her friends had for each other.
“I’m pregnant, but not crazy. He wants you.”
“Even if that were true, which it’s not,” Dani said, holding out her hand to stop her friend from interrupting, “his head was easily turned when Kira showed up. Besides, he’s a musician. I don’t date musicians.”
“Reluctantly,” Steph said. “He looked at her out of obligation, and not all musicians are assholes.”
“Most of them are.”
“Who cares?” Steph asked. “We’re talking about this one, and he was watching you. You should have seen the look on his face when he watched you walk away.”
“Oh, god. He was looking at my fat ass?”
“Stop it,” Steph said. “There is nothing wrong with your ass. In fact, the only one who has a problem with it is Kira. I wonder why that is, hmmm?”
Both women laughed at the funny voice Steph used to emphasize the last word.
“I’ll talk to Scott,” Steph said, all her laughter gone. “I’ll convince him to fire her.”
“You can’t,” Dani said. “She’s good at her job, and she’s family.”
Although the actual relation was questionable. Scott’s mother nagged him to hire her because she was someone’s, sister’s, cousin twice removed… No one really believed the family story.
“You’re family,” Steph barked, “and she’s a bitch.”
“She’s only a bitch to me and you know it,” Dani reasoned. “Everyone else loves her, and she makes you guys a lot of money.”
“I don’t care,” Steph pouted. “I love you, and I hate to see you hurting.”
“I’ll be okay,” Dani said. “I usually just ignore her anyway.”
“Okay, but you have to come to Christmas dinner with us. I hate the thought of you being alone on the holiday.”
She usually spent Christmas with her friends, but this year they were going to Scott’s parent’s house. As far as she was concerned, she’d spent enough time with Scott’s parents in high school to last her a lifetime. With the baby on the way, soon there would be no escaping them. Spending the holiday alone seemed like a wise decision.
“Um, no,” she laughed. “Scott’s parents are weird.”
“You’re right,” Steph laughed. “His whole stinkin’ family is weird.”
They both laughed, and Dani got up to get ready for her shift.
“Oh, by the way,” Steph said, as she was closing the door. “You’re their waitress tonight.”
Damn traitor!
Chapter Two
Wade finished the beats of the last song, and followed the rest of the band off the stage and into the dressing room. He grabbed his hand towel and wiped the sweat from his brow. The lights in the club were a lot brighter than where he played in Santa’s Village, and the amount of people in the room kept the air hot and stuffy.
“You were great, Smalls,” Stuart said. “For a minute I forgot it wasn’t Johnny back there.”
“Thanks, man,” Wade said. “I’m hap
py to help out, but I don’t know how you guys do this all the time. It’s like a sauna out there.”
“You get used to it,” one of the other guys laughed. “Just be thankful you’re not wearing leather pants.”
“You’re taking your shirt off in the next set, aren’t you?” Wade asked.
“You know it.” The guy winked and they all laughed.
Someone knocked on the door, and Wade got up to answer it. The curvy, honey-haired waitress was their server, and he couldn’t wait to talk to her again. A few words of small talk hadn’t been enough, especially considering she was his mate. Santa’s insistence that he help the band made perfect sense now, and he wasn’t about to waste the opportunity.
He opened the door and had to suppress a growl. The other waitress, Kira, stood on the other side, and he refused to hide his disappointment.
“I thought Dani was taking care of us tonight?” he asked, blocking her entrance.
“Yeah, she got held up,” Kira said, sticking her hip out. “It’s me or nothing.”
“Fine.”
He let her in, gave her his drink order, and watched her flirt with the other three men. She was pretty, but she wasn’t his type. He wanted a woman with curves, but more specifically, he wanted Dani.
Luckily, he’d always been gifted when it came to music, because he’d spent most of the night watching his mate move through the crowd. Her curvy body was encased in a pair of jeans that hugged her ass in all the right places, and a t-shirt that molded around her large, soft breasts.
Her light brown hair was layered with blond highlights, and the combination reminded him of golden honey. Though she had it pulled back in a pony-tail, long spiral curls fell to the middle of her back, and her light brown eyes looked gold in certain light.
He wondered what it would be like to hold her soft body against him, and to kiss her perfect lips. Unfortunately, he hadn’t seen her smile, yet, but he planned to rectify that situation as soon as possible.
Like when she came to take their drink order.
Shifter Wonderland: Twelve BBW Paranormal Holiday Shape Shifter Romances Page 54