Chapter 5
The week before the week of Christmas is crazy busy. I didn’t dare say anything to my family about the Academy graduation for fear I wouldn’t pass one of the final exams.
So the look on my mom’s face when I tell her Thursday night that she has plans Saturday afternoon is priceless.
“You’re really doing this?” she asks, sounding slightly panicked.
“Yep,” I respond cheerfully. And that’s when I also realize I don’t have a way to contact Howler to invite him too.
I know he said after Christmas, but he was a huge help in getting me over the finish line, so I’d really like him to be there.
I haven’t said a word to anybody about being offered a job with the Snowberry Police Department starting in January.
I thought I’d start at least looking to see what apartments might be available this weekend.
I do know where Howler lives and works, though, I remind myself as I do the dishes after dinner.
I debate the two options and then decide I’ll drive out to London Towing in the morning.
It’s probably less stalkerish than showing up at his apartment.
Because maybe he didn’t really mean it about asking me out after Christmas.
My knees are shaking slightly when I get out of my car in the morning. The auto shop is quiet, the doors down, and just some gentle tapping and noises indicating it’s open.
“Can I help you?” the young woman behind the counter asks hesitantly when I pull open the door to the office.
“Is Howler here? I need to speak to him for a minute, if I can.”
Her eyes open wide. “Howler? Um, sure. Just a sec.” She disappears into the back and a few seconds later Howler appears, wiping his hands with a greasy rag.
I swear there’s a brief flash of something before his eyes go flat. “Ariel?”
He almost sounds shocked, like he hasn’t seen me in ten years. “Um, hi. You, uh, never gave me your phone number, so, uh. Anyway, I’m graduating on Saturday, and I wanted to invite you…” My voice trails off as he’s already shaking his head no.
He glances over at the woman behind the counter before ushering me outside with an eye roll. “Ariel, I can’t…Baby, you need to forget you know me and concentrate on being the cop you want to be.”
My hands go to my hips without thought. “No. I can’t force you to date me, but I’m definitely not going to forget you. And I’m definitely not going to just walk away from you when you call me baby without thinking about it. That’s not a man who’s not interested.”
He sighs ruefully and wipes his hand over his bald head. “Ariel. Associating with me could put you in danger. I’m not willing to do that.”
I stare at him suspiciously. “What on earth are you talking about? You aren’t a bad guy, you rescue kittens!”
His lips twitch. “But sometimes in a manner that society frowns on. I’m okay with that, but I won’t see you hurt because of it.” He places both giant hands on my shoulders and physically turns me away so I’m facing the parking lot. “Just go, Ariel. You’ll do fine.”
I turn back around. “No. Not until you explain what the heck you’re talking about.”
He shakes his head. “Do you even know how to swear? Hell, don’t answer that.
Someone explained to me what would happen if you and I…
were seen together. They could give you dangerous assignments on the force, baby.
Try to convince you to quit or, worse, get you injured. I’m not going to let that happen.”
Howler sounds genuinely convinced of this. I pat his bare chest, partly as an excuse to touch him finally. “That’s nonsense. And I can prove it to you if you’ll come to dinner with my family tonight.”
“Your family,” he echoes slowly as if tasting the words.
I nod. “Yes. Mom, Dad, Uncle Gary, Aunt Susan. Family.”
He glances down at his bare chest with a speaking glance, and I just giggle. “You’ll be the most interesting guest ever. Actually, I think you might raise some money for the shelter. Aunt Susan does a lot of charity work.”
Howler still looks hesitant, so I stretch up on my tiptoes and grab his ear. “Don’t make me get violent. Promise to come?”
I can feel the tenseness in him as I’m pressed up against his side, my calves straining to hold the position. A long minute later, Howler picks me up so we’re eye to eye. “Candy Cane, if things were different…”
The resigned look in his eyes is my undoing.
He’s given up before we’ve even started anything.
I twist his ear a little harder, his eyes water, but he doesn’t let go of me.
I don’t want him to. “You don’t know what you don’t know, Howell James Beecham.
Be at 1532 Carlyle Street at seven or I will hunt you down. ”
With that, I let go of his ear and push out of his grip. I guess maybe if he doesn’t have it in him to do this one thing for me, then he might not be the guy for me after all. It’s going to take a certain amount of backbone and resilience to put up with me and my family on a daily basis.
“What the fuck am I doing?” I mutter to myself as Tameiko flies down the rural highway.
I ignore the middle-finger salute from the asshole traveling in the other direction.
I’m used to people judging me and my ride prematurely.
Hell, I use it to my advantage half the time.
But Candy Cane… she’s a different story.
And the fact that I’m headed to an address in the wealthy outer suburbs of Snowberry simply because she asked spells trouble.
I grimace as I park two houses down from the number Ariel gave me due to the volume of cars parked along the curb.
Do I need to mention they’re all Mercedes and Lexus and similar?
The house is white, with four columns holding up the overhang and second-floor balcony.
Every inch is bedazzled with holiday greenery and tiny white lights.
I grab an old towel from the small saddlebag and wipe off the excess water from my back and chest.
Ariel doesn’t seem like the type to deliberately humiliate me, but I doubt I’ll be allowed past the front door.
I underestimated my girl. She’s peeking at me from the front window by the ginormous Christmas tree.
The instant my foot hits the first step, she’s opening the door with a big grin.
I stop in my tracks. She’s not in shapeless pajamas or a boxy uniform.
A short, sleeveless, tight red satin dress hugs her perfect curves.
Her dark hair is arranged in long curls pulled back slightly on one side.
Diamond studs sparkle in her small ears.
“Well, are you coming? You made it this far,” she teases. I shake my head to clear it and cautiously approach.
“I’m here. Candy Cane. But you… you’re fucking gorgeous. I don’t belong…”
She interrupts with a fierce little growl before I can finish the sentence. “That’s enough of that kind of talk. Come on. There are people I want you to meet.”
She bounces inside the house with me in tow. The next thing I know, she’s pulled up a chair beside the Christmas tree, hopped up and is holding on to my left ear. This doesn’t bode well.
“Everyone! Can I have your attention? I have an announcement. Heck. I’ve got lots of announcements,” she calls out cheerfully.
I gulp as all eyes turn to me. I recognize the County Commissioner among the crowd of about thirty people as well as some other county dignitaries.
Worst of all, Cooper is staring right at me with eyebrows raised to his hairline.
“Now I know there’s been lots of discussions about me. Mom, you want me to get married. Uncle Gary wants me to join the FBI…” There’s a brief titter among the crowd but I catch the small smirk on the commissioner’s face. He’s not…hell. Gary Vandersluis is Uncle Gary. I did not see that one coming.
“Well, I’ve found a way to make everyone happy. Most of all, me,” Ariel continues. Eyes widen, and there’s dead silence in the room except for the background music of highbrow Christmas carols. No Elvis here.
“Everyone, this is Howler. Thanks to him, I graduate from the Academy tomorrow. And—“ she lets the anticipation build. “I’ve accepted a job with the Snowberry Police Department! Don’t worry though, Mom. I’ve also decided to marry Howler.
He’s hearing that for the first time too, but I’ll convince him.
” She pretends to twist my ear while saying that.
Her mother looks faint, and I can see why.
“Ariel,” I growl under my breath. She pats my shoulder in an attempt to be reassuring.
“Uncle Gary,” she calls out, “Howler is worried that if he goes out with me, it will somehow put me in danger with police management. Would you please reassure him about that?”
Uncle Gary looks like he’s about to have a fit. But it turns out his red face wasn’t a sign of holding back rage, just laughter. He bursts out in a big guffaw before thundering, “They wouldn’t dare. They’ll train her up for hostage negotiation if they know what’s good for them.”
I glance up to see Ariel beaming with delight. She still hasn’t let go of my ear. Then Cooper steps forward. “You slept with him, tidbit?” he asks calmly. She glares at him. “How is that any of your business?”
I clear my throat next to her desperately. She glances down at me, confused. I shake my head. Cooper growls. “You threw away all that land for this airhead?” he shouts in disbelief.
Ariel’s grip on my ear disappears. Now she has Cooper in her clutches.
“Oh, I see. The bet is with you, is it? No, I did not sleep with him. In fact, I haven’t seen him any more naked than he is right now. Don’t you dare call me a liar, Cooper West.”
There are chuckles and gasps throughout the room. I realize I have yet to say a word. “Coop, you treat my girl with respect. Same as I do. You aren’t off the hook for the land, but you’ll apologize to Ariel now.”
His eyes widen, but he does it. “Sorry, tidbit. Congratulations on your er, engagement.” He smirks and walks away. I swing Ariel off the chair. “You’re planning to marry me?” I echo, holding back the grin.
She nods, her little chin out at a defiant angle. “When I know what I want, I go after it.”