Chapter 2 #2
“This place is nice,” Keena said abruptly. Her words sounded strained as if she had to force them out. Brice blinked, surprised at the compliment. The woman looked as if she would rather be anywhere else but here.
“Thanks,” Brice said.
“Brice is amazing. You should come back when you’re not working,” Alanis said. Keena made a sound at the back of her throat.
Brice tried not to overthink the awkward handshake. Not everyone liked to be touched. Not everyone liked meeting strangers and from the way Alanis had greeted Keena, they knew each other.
“You’re one of the enforcers?” Brice asked.
“Yeah,” Keena said, looking everywhere but at Brice.
“I thought so.” Brice tucked her hands into jeans pockets to stop herself from fidgeting. “When I spoke with Rue at the welcome dinner, she said she’d send someone to stop by to make sure I don’t accidentally set the building on fire.”
The corner of Keena’s mouth twitched. It wasn’t a smile, but it was close enough to make Brice feel oddly happy. What would this woman look like if she actually relaxed and smiled?
“She likes to make sure everyone is safe and secure here,” Keena said.
“That’s nice,” Brice laughed, “and as you can see everyone is doing fine.” As if on cue, one of the little boys in the children’s section let out a shout of happiness about finding a book with a dragon on the cover.
Nandi laughed at something a customer said while the espresso machine hissed. A fresh log in the fireplace popped.
Keena’s eyes moved over the room again. Brice was sure nothing ever got past this woman. Brice couldn’t read her expression, but for one fleeting second it appeared that the hard edges of her face softened into something almost melancholy.
“I should get back out on patrol,” Keena said.
“Already? Do you want a cup of coffee? Cookies? I have some chocolate muffins that I just took out of the oven. I can go grab them if you want—” Brice was suddenly desperate for Keena to stay longer.
“No, thank you. I just stopped by to check in,” Keena said.
“Oh, okay. Right. Of course.” Brice forced a small laugh. “I don’t want to hold you up from your job.”
A customer flagged Alanis' attention. She patted Keena on the shoulder as she brushed past her.
“Try not to scare the customers before you leave,” Alanis said.
Keena muttered something under breath as Alanis went over to the customer leaving Brice and Keena standing awkwardly beside the coffee bar.
For a woman who hadn’t spoken much since she entered, Keena somehow filled the entire room with her presence. Brice could feel her like heat against her skin and it was impossible to ignore.
Up close she smelled incredible, like cold winter and cedar with something darker and rich. It made Brice think of being snuggled in a cabin with a woodburning fireplace and the sensation of calloused palms sliding along her skin.
She blinked.
She should not be having thoughts like that about a woman who looked like she was one second from bolting out of the door.
“So…” Brice said. She just didn’t know how to remain silent. “Do all enforcers look intimidating or did Rue send me the scariest one on purpose?”
For one second, she thought she might have gone too far with her joke. Keena just stared at her. Then a huff of laughter escaped the enforcer’s full lips.
It was quiet and brief, gone before Brice could fully hear it. But that small laugh transformed Keena’s face in a way that made Brice’s stomach flip. She wanted to hear the sound again. She wanted to make this woman laugh and smile.
“I’m not scary,” Keena said.
Brice arched an eyebrow. “Oh, yes you are.”
She shrugged. “I’m just standing in a bookstore checking in on everyone.”
“But yet somehow I’m here trying to think if I’ve committed any crimes,” Brice admitted.
That earned her a real reaction. A tiny shake of Keena’s head as if Brice had amused her in some way. She hoped she had. If this was a way to get to know the enforcer, then she’d be as silly as she needed to be to earn another laugh.
“I’m Keena,” Keena said. She turned slightly toward the door and glanced over at it. Oh, yeah, the enforcer was ready to go. Brice wondered if it was the bookstore that made her uncomfortable or if it was her.
“I heard. Alanis ruined the mysterious stranger reveal when she called out your name when you first entered,” Brice smiled.
Something flickered in Keena’s eyes again. Whatever it was, was gone too quickly for Brice to diagnose.
“Well, you seem fine,” Keena said briskly. All business. “If you need anything feel free to call down to the pack main office or Rue if you have her number.”
Brice opened her mouth to say something, anything really to get the enforcer to stay, but Keena had already turned. She moved fast too, like someone fleeing a burning building instead of a cozy bookstore with fresh sugar cookies up for the offering.
“Wait!” Brice called out. Keena stopped but didn’t turn around. Brice grabbed the tray of cookies and held them up. “Do you want one for the road?”
Brice held her breath as she waited for Keena to answer. The wolf shifter glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes dropped to the cookies before they snapped up to Brice’s face.
“No,” Keena said.
And then she was gone.
The bell over the door jingled once again and cold air rushed in before the door swung shut. Brice stared at the door for a moment.
“Well, that was weird,” she murmured.
“Yup, that sounds about right,” Alanis said. Brice had forgotten with Alanis’ shifter hearing she could probably hear her whisper across the room. Alanis made her way back to Brice’s side with a book in her hand. She sat it down on the counter.
“What was that about?” Brice asked. She was completely flabbergasted about the way Keena had bolted from the store. Had she done something to offend her? Did she smell? She lowered her head and took a sniff. Nope, she didn’t stink. So what was it?
“Keena?” Alanis chuckled.
“Yeah. Did I insult her? Was it the handshake? Is there an etiquette rule I missed where I’m not supposed to be nice to the law enforcement?”
Alanis shrugged. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“She practically ran away from me,” Brice said. She sat the tray of cookies back down. She reached up and brushed a wayward strand of hair from her eyes.
“That’s just how she is.”
“You say that as if it explains something.” Brice turned fully toward her. Alanis shrugged again and chuckled.
“Keena’s… Keena. She keeps to herself. Especially around this time of year.”
Brice caught the shift in the tone of her voice. Her curiosity was officially piqued. There was an encrypted message layered into her words.
“Because of Christmas?” Brice asked.
“Let’s just say…” Alanis hesitated before continuing. “Holidays aren’t easy for her.”
Brice softened and she thought of the hint of sadness she’d glimpsed in Keena’s face as she had looked around the shop, and the way she’d reacted to her simple touch or the tension that seemed to radiate from her the second she'd walked in.
“Oh,” Brice said quietly.
“Don’t take it personally. Honestly, I’m surprised she even came in here at all. The alpha must have asked her personally.” Alanis’ smile was sympathetic. “Rue always wants to make sure everyone here is good.”
“By sending an enforcer?”
“Keena isn’t just any enforcer, she’s the grumpiest enforcer in town.” Alanis winked then snagged the book and went over to the register where the woman she’d been helping arrived at the counter.
Brice gazed back at the door. Outside the snow continued to fall lazily. A sense of disappointment settled in Brice’s chest. She hardly knew the woman and yet she couldn’t stop thinking of the look in Keena’s eyes when their hands had touched. Or the brief laugh she’d allowed to escape.
She glanced over at the cookies. Did Keena even like sugar cookies? Or coffee? Surely she had to like coffee. It was winter in New Hampshire and Keena looked like an enforcer carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Coffee made everything better.
That was a woman who definitely needed caffeine. Maybe she could offer her something warm and sweet the next time.
Was there even going to be a next time?
Yes.
Yes, there would be.
Brice went back around the counter and finished putting the cookies in the case, then placed her sign next to them.
Freshly baked today!
As noon approached, the store picked up with customers. Even while dealing with the rush, serving up coffee and snacks, she couldn’t help but think of the brown-skinned enforcer. Brice smiled to herself as she wiped down the counter and reached for the milk pitcher next to the espresso machine.
If the universe felt generous enough to drop a gorgeous, brooding wolf shifter on her doorstep in the middle of the holiday season, then Brice intended to make the most of it.
Next time Keena came by—she refused to believe there wouldn’t be a next time—she’d have something waiting for her. Maybe she was a chocolate chip woman…or oatmeal raisin… Whatever she liked best, Brice would make sure she’d have them ready along with a good hot drink.
No one should be grumpy in December. Not in a town like Evergreen Hollow.
Not with all of the snow that had fallen, or the Christmas lights to light up the dark sky or the wonderful people who made a new girl feel welcomed.
Brice had moved here to build a new life. She had her bookstore, the fresh start she had desired, and a town that felt like home.
Something good was coming her way again.
She felt it deep in her bones.
And if that something happened to be a tall, grumpy woman with amber eyes and broad shoulders, then Brice was certainly not going to complain.