Winter Magic (2 page)

“That doesn’t sound good.” Lost in her head, Fawn hadn’t heard or scented Tinks entering the house.

“Kalum was here,” she muttered from behind her hands.

“Ah, I thought I saw his truck on the way up here. So, what did he want?” her friend asked.

“Brought me his books and—”

“What’s in the box? Where did it come from?” Tinks grabbed it and twisted it back and forth in her hand.

“Kalum brought it in for me then proceeded to ask me out,” she said, snatching the box back.

“Well, open it.”

“It could be a bomb or something,” she said, shaking the package gently.

“Yeah, I’m not hearing any ticking. Open it,” Tinks prodded, sitting down in the chair across from her. Today, her best friend wore a floor-length skirt with tiers of ruffled eyelet material along with a fitted lambskin coat. Sprigs of baby’s breath had been strategically placed in her twisted braid. Where she found it, Fawn didn’t know. The tips of her tan cowboy boots peeked out from under her skirt when she drew her legs up to her chest.

“Don’t you ever get cold?” The bracelets on her friend’s wrist tinkled as she moved. “I swear you never deviate in your clothing choice.

“Nope.” Tinks grinned. “You’re deflecting and delaying the inevitable. Open the package.”

Fawn cocked a brow. “If it gets you to shut up, fine.” Throwing caution to the wind, she pulled the little tab out then lifted the lid. A neatly folded piece of cream-colored parchment paper sat on top. She laid it on her desk and gasped. Underneath lay a small, clear globe.

She grabbed the yellow ribbon attached to it and took it out. The globe held a tableau of a pine tree, two small wooden deer, and a creek edged with rocks. Dabs of painted-on snow decorated the tree and rocks while miniature Styrofoam balls lay around the animal’s feet. The intricate details served to show how much time and effort the artist put into the decoration.

“What’s the letter say?” Tinks held her hand out for the ornament.

Fawn handed her the sphere and opened the letter. Instead a handwritten note, it was typed.

Magic is in the air. Breathe it in.

Now, make a wish.

“Well who’s it from?” her friend prodded.

Fawn scrunched up her nose and shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s not signed.” She dropped the note on the desk. “Who would bring me a gift?”

“A Wolf on a mission? A person who admires you from afar? Or someone who hates that you’re alone and wants to bring you out of your shell-hell?” Her friend shrugged. “You never know.”

“I don’t think anyone knows I’m
alive
let alone wants me to get out in the world.” She grabbed the ornament and studied it. “This isn’t something you give someone without knowing a person.”

“Maybe it’s Kalum,” Tinks said.

“What?” Fawn laughed. “There’s no way. His flirting borders on obnoxious irritation mixed with torturous smoldering. He’s trying to get under my skin. That’s all.” Or so she told herself after every meeting.

“If you say so.” Her friend stood and walked around the desk. “Have lunch with me today. We’ll have greasy burgers from Gee’s.”

“Okay, you’re on. I’ll see you at noon.”

Tinks nodded and headed for the door. “You know, this could be a good thing—the gift. Maybe now you’ll find your reason to live.”

The sun touched the horizon, changing the night sky to an early morning pink. A blanket of snow covered the ground. Steam rose from the backs of Kalum’s cattle as he made the rounds feeding those who didn’t come into the barn overnight. The six feeders nearest him were filled with grain and round bales of hay. All he had left to do was wait for Chris to arrive and vaccinate the cows.

The previous morning played out in his mind and he paused. Did Fawn really believe he didn’t notice her reaction to him? Or her sweet honeysuckle scent permeating the air, tempting him with every breath he took? He could practically taste her arousal. He salivated at the idea of stripping her bare and licking her to climax. His groin tightened and his shaft pressed against the front of his jeans. He spent more time adjusting himself at forty—thanks to her—than he had as a teenager.

What was worse, he knew he affected her. Knew she creamed herself whenever he growled her nickname. He also knew she feared him. Feared her reaction to him. To his desires. To his plans. He knew about the abuse Fawn had suffered at the hands of their old Alpha, Magnum, and about her scars, the broken bones, and the nightmares. When Drew took over, she started doing a little “challenge” thing every day. Trying something new was what she called it. She might not realize it, but she’d made significant progress in a few short months. Kalum was proud of her.

However, it didn’t negate her inability to trust anyone, especially him. Skittish as a newborn calf, she shied away from his advances, hiding behind an emotional wall she built around herself. He didn’t take it to heart though. His family had been gone a long time and only returned to the old homestead on the outskirts of Los Lobos recently. He’d started a full-court press a few weeks after returning, making sure he put himself into positions where they’d run into each other outside of her home office.

So far, he spent more time nodding and saying “ma’am” or “sugar” than he did making a physical connection with the woman he already called mate. That was where his little project came into play. When Drew announced the Solstice activities, Kalum knew his chance had finally arrived to win Fawn over. But how? His sister recommended he try asking her out or bringing her lunch, since she seemed to work all the time. His brother suggested banging the hell out of her and marking her. Why he asked Graham anything, he didn’t know. The charismatic playboy didn’t believe in settling down or mating. However, his sister sent him to a site called Pinterest. She told him about all these handmade gifts even a layman could make. The minute he opened the site and typed in what he was looking for, a plan took root. By the time he finished presenting her with his handmade gifts, he hoped she’d agreed to accompany him to the festivities. If he was lucky enough to mate her, well, he considered it a bonus.

The sound of gravel crunching under tires along with the rattle of a diesel engine rumbling down the small path had him glancing up. The winter sunshine glinted off the windshield of Chris’s black dually truck parked behind Kalum’s truck. Wearing insulated coveralls and a tan Stetson, his six foot four inch friend—and vet—towered over the door of his pickup. He crossed the distance in a few strides and they shook hands.

“Glad you could make it out early today. I’ve got some stuff to do later on,” Kalum said.

“Not a problem. How many are we doing today?” Chris asked, leaning against the truck.

“Thirty. Graham is going to push them to the chutes then we’ll work on them one at a time.”

“Sounds good.”

His brother rode over the ridge in the distance, their Border collie, Kip, happily trotting alongside. As a kid, it had seemed strange having a cattle ranch, knowing they were Wolves, but his dad had told him a little secret.

If you show the cattle you mean no harm, they’ll always trust you. The minute you break their trust is the minute you shut down the farm and try something else.

“You’re staying for breakfast, right? Lily is already in the kitchen cooking away on it.”

“I could grab a bite,” Chris answered. “Is she making her famous gravy and biscuits?”

“For you, the girl would make anything,” he replied. “Come on, we’ll take your truck. Looks like Graham’s in position to start moving the herd.”

They got into the dually and waited as Kip yipped and started running for the cows. Graham followed her and began moving them slowly but surely toward the chutes. Chris inched his way through the pasture, maintaining a distance from both Graham and the cattle so not to spook them. “Have you implemented your plan yet?”

“Yep. Gave her the first gift yesterday.”

“Does she know it’s from you?” Chris stopped momentarily while Kalum’s brother wrangled a straggler.

“No. I am doing this anonymously. I don’t want her to know till the final step.”

“You know,” Chris stated, “this could blow up in your face.”

“I’ve thought about that scenario at least a hundred times. If it happens, it happens. But, I have a good feeling about this.” Chris stopped the truck a few feet from the round pen Graham was closing. “Besides,” he said, getting out of the vehicle, “what I have planned for day four is going to blow her mind. There’s no way she’ll be able to say no.”

“If you say so, man.”

With the last of the cattle vaccinated, they were back in the truck and headed for the house. The sky had gone from a cobalt blue to cloudy. In the span of an hour the clouds had grown heavier, turning a light shade of purple. Large, thick snowflakes floated to the ground piling up quickly. The tracks leading out to the pasture were slowly disappearing under the onslaught of snow.

“Come on,” Kalum said as he got out. “Don’t need to be caught outside in this shit. I hope you don’t have any more appointments this morning.”

“Nope.” Chris followed him up the walkway to the front door. “I knew it was coming and canceled everything except tending to your cows.”

Kalum stepped into the house and pulled off his heavy jacket then hung up his hat. “Coffee?”

“Yes.” His friend pulled off his gloves and jacket on their way into the kitchen. “Good morning, Lily.”

Kalum’s sister’s turned the bacon in the pan with a pair of tongs. “Chris.”

“Coffee ready?” Kalum asked.

“Yeah, in the pot,” she said. “Where’s Graham?”

“On his way.”

“Good,” she said. “Breakfast is almost done. Sit.”

“Kalum said you made me gravy and biscuits this morning,” Chris said, dropping his jacket on the back of a chair before sitting.

“I might have made some biscuits,” she hedged.

“And some gravy?”

“Kalum needs to keep his big mouth shut.” Lily turned from the stove and pointed the tongs at Chris. “I didn’t make it for you. I made it for my brothers.”

“What did you make for us?” Graham stepped through the back door. Kip yipped then trotted over to Chris and sat down.

“Biscuits and gravy. Your sister is under the impression I’m not supposed to have any.” Mirth filled Chris’s eyes. “I’m inclined to believe she’s lying.”

Graham snorted. “That’s because you eat it all.”

“I can’t help it. Your sister is a great cook.” He shrugged. “Come on, doll, my stomach is touching my backbone here.”

Lily chuckled and shook her head. “You don’t look like you’ve ever missed a meal.”

Kalum noticed something dim in his friend’s eyes. He knew a little bit about Chris’s childhood, but he didn’t talk about it much. When their parents left, Chris’s stayed. Not more than a few years later, Chris left Miss Fern and Henry behind to go to school and get away from the shit Magnum was doing. Kalum still didn’t understand why the elder pack members remained the whole time. “Well, you need to hurry it up with the food. I’m so hungry, I could eat an elk.”

“You were always the exaggerator, Kalum.” She brought Chris a loaded plate despite her threats. “And you always tried to get more than your share.”

“That’s because I was always hungry.”

“And Mom always slapped your hands with a wooden spoon if you went back for seconds before everyone else was fed.” Graham walked over to the stove and grabbed his biscuits and some of the sausage gravy. “I think you should do the same, Lily.”

“I might have to,” she teased. “So, how did it go with the cattle this morning?” She fed Kip a piece of bacon then joined everyone at the table. “Any problems?”

“Nothing,” Chris said. “Thankfully the weather held off till we were on the way back.” He watched Lily pick up her cup and take a sip of coffee. Even Graham sat up a bit more at the way their friend eyed their sister.

“That’s good,” she replied. “Are you planning to join the pack for the run?”

“I was thinking about it.”

“Well, we know Kalum will be there, more than likely pining away for Fawn,” Graham quipped.

“Or, if my plans work, I’ll be with my mate,” Kalum drawled. “Unlike you who sneaks off to Rapid City every weekend.”

“Variety is the spice of life.” Graham shrugged.

Lily rolled her eyes. “You’re such a pig.”

“Better to get some than nothing at all, little sis,” Graham replied.

“Spoken like a true Wolf,” she snarked.

“You mean to tell me,” Chris said, narrowing his eyes, “in all the time you’ve been home, you’ve not gone out and had sex?”

“Not once,” she answered quickly. “I don’t have the same
urges
as you, obviously.” She lifted her cup and took another sip of her coffee. “Besides, what is it good for? A quick itch scratched, and….”

“Among other things, sure.” Chris didn’t take his gaze off her, and Kalum had a gut feeling he knew why.

“Anyway,” Kalum said, trying to break the heady wave of dominant power racing through the space. “It should be fun this…festival. I heard the human mates have been acting like a bunch of kids in a candy store.”

“Me, too,” Lily said, dragging her attention away from Chris. “I heard Betty and Ginger talking about it. Something about a surprise for Kole, I think.”

“Well, I’d better be going.” Chris wiped his mouth with his napkin then took his plate to the sink. “If you need anything, Kalum….”

“Yeah, I’ll call,” he answered.

“See you around, doll.” Chris walked to the back door. “Graham.”

“Chris.” Graham nodded. With a
snick
of the door closing, he turned to their sister. “You know he has a thing for you, right?”

“Sucks to be him.” Lily sighed before standing up and heading out of the kitchen.

***

By midday, Kalum finally had a chance to grab the laptop from Lily’s office and carry it into the kitchen. Between him and Graham, they’d shoveled the walkway a couple of times, and he’d checked on the cattle periodically. The connection to the Internet was a bit slow due to the snow, but he wouldn’t be on for long. The informative YouTube channel he needed for the recipe he was about to create sat ready, and he had all the fixings in front of him. He hit play on his laptop and went to work. Layering each ingredient in the jar, he shifted the contents, settling them until all that was left to do was add the regular-sized marshmallows on top.