Chapter 6
Thomas
Coming home to my girls was always the best part of my day.
“Honey, I’m home,” I yelled with a cheesy grin.
Hanging out with the guys had been just what I needed. And if Cammie would just cooperate and go to sleep at a reasonable time tonight in her own crib, then today just might be pretty close to perfect.
The fact that Lily had laid her down to nap gave me newfound hope for maybe a bit more than just a quickie.
“Lil?”
“In the kitchen,” she yelled back.
As I approached, my nose picked up a burning smell. My heart started to race and my wolf went on full alert.
Danger. My girls were in danger.
I ran into the kitchen as smoke billowed from the oven. Lily was frantically trying to fan it with a dishtowel.
I looked all around but didn’t see any signs of Cammie.
“Where’s the baby?” I yelled, trying to calm down my hysterics.
“She’s fine,” Lily said in a irritated tone.
She coughed and my wolf nearly leapt from my skin.
Mate!
“I know,” I said aloud.
“You know what?”
“Nothing.” I had to get her out of there and away from the smoke.
I picked her up and carried her through the house kicking and screaming. As soon as she stopped fanning the smoke, the smoke alarm sound. We both cringed at the ear-piercing noise.
The baby started crying from the opposite side of the house.
“That’s what I was trying to avoid happening,” Lily complained.
I dropped her off in the nursery and opened a window. Closing the door behind me I left Lily to address Cammie as I ran to handle the mess in the kitchen.
Much to my surprise nothing was actually on fire. I turned off the stove and carefully removed some very burnt brown objects. I had no idea what Lily was attempting to make, but they were completely unrecognizable at this point.
I dropped the cookie sheet into the sink and turned on the water. There was another burst of smoke rising. I covered my nose with my shirt, unable to stand the stench of it and waved the dish towel she’d been using to keep the mess at bay towards the smoke detector until at last, it stopped.
I opened several windows and the back door. Another check to ensure there was no permanent damage, and that the crisis was over, and then I ran back to the nursery.
Lily was sitting in the rocking chair with tears streaming down her cheeks as she nursed Cammie to calm her.
I dropped to my knees before them and checked them both thoroughly until my wolf and I were equally certain they were okay.
“What happened, Slugger?” I finally asked.
She sniffed and dabbed at her already puffy red eyes. “I burnt the gingerbread. How am I supposed to surprise everyone with enough to hold a contest this weekend if I can’t even make one batch for us without setting the house on fire.”
I had no idea what she was talking about, but I pulled her out of the chair and down to the floor right onto my lap as I held them both. My wolf finally began to calm down.
“I don’t even like gingerbread,” I confessed.
Lily stared at me for a moment and then she started to laugh through her tears.
“I just want this Christmas to be perfect.”
“I know, sweetheart. We don’t need fancy gingerbread houses to make that happen.”
“But…”
“I have an idea,” I said cutting her off before she could finish whatever she was about to say. “Why don’t we let the house air out for a bit. It’s still early so how about dinner at the Tavern and then maybe the three of us could go and pick out our Christmas tree instead?”
She sniffed once more but there was a smile on her face. “Do you mean it?”
“Yeah, Slugger. I think tonight’s the perfect night for it.”
“I’m sorry about the oven.”
“It’s fine. Not the first thing you’ve burnt in it, certainly won’t be the last.” I chuckled.
She elbowed me in the chest. “Watch it, douchebag.”
I knew she was saying it in a weird loving way, but the stab that shot through me at the old nickname she’d chosen for me before our mating was still painful.
It was why I’d dubbed her slugger to begin with, because it felt like she took a Louisville slugger to my heart every time she said it.
Not that she knew that’s where her nickname came from, and I certainly wasn’t going to explain it to her.
“Come on Slugger. Let’s go.”
The evening turned out to be a good one. There was lots of buzz around the Tavern as people discussed decorations for the town and the upcoming Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
I raised an eye towards Lily until she explained and told me all about the meeting she’d had with her new Christmas committee.
She pouted a bit here and there as she told me what her plans had been versus what they’d agreed to and how she had taken it upon herself to try to do some of them anyway.
“Can we agree to wait on the gingerbread and let the professionals handle it?” I asked after she’d explained Peyton and Kate had volunteered to do it if we postponed that part until the Christmas Eve run.
“Fine,” she said.
We were halfway through our meal when Luke and Sydney walked in. He nodded as soon as he saw us and I waved them over to join.
“Where’s Hunter?” Lily asked.
“Jess and Tim got in this afternoon. They’re home for the holidays,” Sydney explained.
“And officially on baby duty.” Luke grinned.
“Must be nice,” I mumbled.
“That’s great they are home so soon,” Lily said, completely ignoring my comment, even though I knew damn well she’d heard me.
“They both lucked out with finals towards the beginning of the week, so they were able to drive back a few days earlier than expected. It was a nice surprise,” Syd told us.
Sydney and her little sister, Jessie, had grown closer over the last few years.
I was happy for them. Jessie had always been a great kid and she was a ballsy one too.
I smiled remembering how she had challenged Lily as Pack Mother shortly after we had mated, thinking she could hand the spot over to Sydney if she had won.
It was a fight to the death though and I knew my mate would have been devastated to battle her.
There was no doubt in my mind that Lily would have taken her.
People often underestimated my girl simply because she was gorgeous, liked to wear the latest fashions, and appeared unassuming.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Lily was stronger and more stubborn than anyone I knew.
She was fair though and had a solid head on her shoulders.
If that hadn’t been the case, she never would have given me the time of day, even with the mating call between us.
Milly stopped by to talk to the girls, something about store decorations.
“What are you guys up to?” I finally asked.
“We’re decking the whole town this year,” Milly explained excitedly. “The whole town is coming together for it. Now, did you talk to him about the sleigh?”
“Not yet,” Lily admitted.
“The sleigh?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know.
“Clara says there is a horse drawn wagon in one of the barns, and a couple of sleighs should we get snow this Christmas.”
“Okay, but what do you plan to do with them?”
“Since all the businesses are stepping up and decorating this year, and the town is getting a big ole Christmas tree, Ruby is also seeing that the barn will be all lit up and festive too. Pack Mother thought it would be fun to offer carriage or sleigh rides around the territory,” Milly told me.
“Pack Mother thought of it, huh?” I turned to my mate.
She sighed. “I wanted a parade, but it’s not going to happen so this was Clara’s alternative suggestion and it’s a great one. What do you think? Can we use them?”
“Of course. Though I have no idea what sort of condition they’re going to be in. They may be more work than they’re worth. I haven’t seen those things since we were kids. Dalton Draper would probably be the best person to ask about them.”
“Great, we’ll get right on it first thing in the morning,” Lily said as Sydney and Milly nodded in agreement.