Chapter 12
Indio rolled to his back with a grumbling sigh and stared at the dark ceiling of his bedroom in his house underneath the park.
He’d left Reagan’s around midnight, promising to be back by four, with the intention of both of them getting a little sleep and packing up for the trip to visit his folks.
But his brain would not shut off and let him rest; he kept replaying everything that had happened between them.
She loved him!
Now that he had her love, he could tell her the truth about shifters and share his shift with her. He’d hoped the time away visiting his family would turn the corner for them romantically, but that had happened after that explosive, incredible tumble in the sheets.
He’d told Alistair the news when he got to the elephants’ private living area, and his uncle had been thrilled for him.
He’d figure out a way to share his shift with her at the circus.
He couldn’t think of a better place than under the big top once the fairgrounds were free of human patrons and they were alone.
He checked the time on his phone, and decided it was close enough.
Are you up, sweetheart? he texted Reagan as he got dressed.
She replied immediately. Yeah, I can’t sleep. I miss you too much and I’m so excited for the trip.
Same! I’m on the way, see you soon.
Drive safe!
He finished dressing and grabbed his bag, sent a goodbye text to his uncle, and headed topside.
When he pulled up in front of her house, Reagan was on the porch, a small suitcase at her feet and a big smile on her face.
He joined her on the porch and kissed her, then picked up her bag and put it in the SUV he’d borrowed from the park’s employee vehicles.
“Did you sleep at all?” he asked as he backed out of her driveway.
“I dozed a little bit. You?”
“I couldn’t sleep at all. I laid down to rest, but I kept thinking about how I wish I’d still been in bed with you.”
“The bed was very cold without you.”
According to the GPS, they’d arrive at the Sweetwater Pines fairgrounds in South Carolina around lunchtime, depending on how often they stopped along the way.
The circus had been stopping at the annual holiday festival in Sweetwater Pines for years, part of the kick-off event, which began Friday evening with a big show.
The festival continued on through the following weekend, but the circus would leave on Tuesday to continue their nomadic travels in a town farther south.
“We should listen to Christmas music,” she said, leaning on his shoulder with a yawn.
“Sure. Open my music app and pick a playlist.”
She used his phone, and after a few minutes, the soft strains of a classic Christmas song came through the speakers.
She put his phone back in the cup holder and said, “My childhood Christmases were always amazing. Big meal, house decorated from floor to ceiling, presents spilling out from under the huge tree,” she said with a soft voice.
“But when my grandma died, that next Christmas? We didn’t even have a tree.
My mom got me a gift, but it was something that I already had and didn’t need.
We didn’t even have Christmas dinner, we ordered food in.
It was so strange. My mom always acted like she’d been the engineer of all my childhood holiday memories, but I realized she’d just taken credit for my grandma’s hard work.
After that first Christmas without my grandma, when I moved into her house, I held a Christmas for just me and my friends, with a big meal and a real tree, and all the fun stuff that I missed without my grandma. ”
“I’m sure they enjoyed it,” he said. “It sounds wonderful.”
“I would take over a plate for my mom and a gift, and we’d watch an old movie, but there was something dissatisfying about the whole thing.
I missed the wonder of it all. Waking up to thoughtful presents shared with people I loved, the house smelling like cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate, and sitting around the table and just talking and laughing.
I want that again.” She tilted her head and he could feel her looking at him, so he glanced down at her.
“For us?” he asked, turning his attention back to the road.
“Yeah. For our family.”
His heart swelled. “I want that too, sweetheart. We can make our own traditions and start when we get back home. A real tree, a big meal, lots of gifts, and whatever else you’d like to do.”
“Where’s home?” she asked.
“Um, what?”
“My place? I haven’t been to yours. I mean, we said we loved each other last night, and I haven’t seen where you sleep.”
Well hell.
“I’ll fix that when we get back to New Jersey,” he said.
“I’d like to see where you live.”
“I’m sorry if you felt like I hadn’t shared that part of my life with you.”
“It’s okay. Just one of the hundreds of things coursing through my mind at any given time,” she said. “So tell me about your Christmases growing up, since you lived on the road.”
“Well, when I was little, I used to ask my parents how Santa could find us when we were always traveling, and also never had a chimney in the trailer,” he said, thinking back to his youth.
“My mom said Santa could find anyone anywhere, I just had to focus on being good. Which of course I was. A total angel, you know.”
“Uh oh,” she said with a laugh. “I think I’m going to hear some stories about you being a hellion as a kid.”
“I promise our kid will not be a hellion.” He told her about waking up in various places in the country over the years on Christmas morning, with his parents and extended family making sure everyone had an amazing day.
No matter where they were, magic was in the air, along with the scent of his mom’s honey ham and his dad’s insistence that they watch his favorite movie together after they opened gifts.
Some of his favorite memories were around Christmas, and he was looking forward to making new memories with Reagan.
He realized she’d fallen asleep, and he gently kissed the top of her head and smiled.
A month ago, when he’d met her and she’d run off, he’d thought he’d lost everything.
But now, with her leaning against him, breathing deeply in sleep, and carrying his baby, he knew the wait was worth it.
He had everything he needed, wrapped up in a beautiful, sweet package.
They reached the Sweetwater Pines Fairgrounds a little after one p.m. and were both thankful to see sunshine and warmer temperatures than they’d left behind in New Jersey. Although it wasn’t hot by any stretch, the sixty-degree weather felt downright balmy.
He parked behind his parents’ trailer and got out, meeting Reagan at the front of the vehicle.
The fairgrounds were decorated for the holidays with string lights high on poles around the perimeter and down each aisle and large trees decorated with twinkling lights and tinsel.
The place already smelled like popcorn and sugar, mixed with pine and sweet, fresh air.
“Oh, it’s amazing,” Reagan said, pressing her hand to her chest.
“It’ll look even better when the sun goes down, and all the lights come on. A true winter wonderland.”
She beamed at him.
“Is that my favorite son?” his mom called out.
Indio turned and smiled. “I’m your only son.”
She grinned as she stepped out of the trailer. “Favorite. Only. Same thing.”
He snorted and took Reagan’s hand, leading her to his mom. After giving her a hug, he said, “Reagan, this is my mom, Amara. Mom, this is my soulmate, Reagan.”
Amara smiled sweetly and gave Reagan a hug. “Oh, you’re gorgeous! And I’m so happy to meet you. Congratulations on your baby too. And welcome to the family!”
“Thank you for having me,” Reagan said.
His dad stepped from the trailer and introduced himself. “It’s so nice to meet you, I’m Rohan. Welcome to the circus and the family.”
“Thank you,” Reagan said.
“I’m on my way to the main tent, I’ll see you both later.”
His dad walked away. His mom said, “You must be starving. Are you starving? Lunch is over and the staff is back to work on final setup and running through routines, but I saved a tray of barbecue pulled pork and mac and cheese for you.”
Indio said, “My mom’s the head chef. Everyone eats all the meals in one tent, and you can get pretty much anything you want, you just have to ask.”
Reagan’s stomach rumbled loudly and her cheeks pinked. “I’m definitely hungry. We stopped for breakfast and snacks, but that seems like ages ago.”
Amara hooked her arm through Reagan’s and said, “What are you craving? Tell me everything! I had the strangest cravings with Indio. For an entire month, I ate only butter pecan ice cream and ham and cheese sandwiches made with French toast.”
He smiled as he followed his mom and Reagan to the food tent. There were a few people in the tent, including one of his cousins.
“Sweetheart, this is Lily,” he said, giving her a hug. “She’s a costumer and rides elephants on occasion in the shows. And she’s been a pain in my butt since we were kids.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Reagan said.
“You’re the pain in the butt, Indio,” Lily said. She looked at Reagan. “So you’re the soulmate, huh?”
“Young lady, you behave,” Amara said, pointing a spatula at her.
“I am behaving,” Lily said. “I’m just trying to make sure Reagan’s not allergic to sequins, cotton candy, or family drama, since we have all those things in spades.”
Reagan blinked a few times, then smiled at the teasing. “I’m used to all those things, I’ve worked retail at Christmas.”
“Ah, battle-tested! You’ll do just fine here,” Lily said. She gestured to where Amara stood by the buffet line. “If you’re hungry, you better hurry. The clowns are never full, and they’ll be here to devour anything Amara makes like locusts.”
The clowns were a trio of wolf brothers, who’d joined the circus after their alpha was killed and their pack disbanded. Indio looked around and saw them peeking in.
“We better listen to Lily, sweetheart, the guys are circling the tent like sharks.”
They walked over to his mom and picked up plates.
There were hard rolls to make sandwiches, extra sauce for the pulled pork, and toppings for the mac and cheese.
Indio made two sandwiches for himself with a side of mac and cheese, while Reagan put the pork on top of the mac and cheese and covered it with a layer of ranch dressing.
“You know what would be cool?” Reagan asked as she crisscrossed more ranch over the pork.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Fruit snacks.”
“On it,” his mom said, hustling off and wiping her hands on her half-apron.
“Oh, shoot, I didn’t mean to make her leave,” Reagan said.
“I told you, she loves to feed the people she cares about,” he said. “She’s happier than a puppy with a bag full of treats.”
By the time they’d picked drinks and sat at one of the long tables, his mom returned with an unopened box of fruit snacks and Reagan thanked her with a hug.
“Cravings are weird,” Reagan said as she carefully balanced two fruit snacks on a forkful of mac and cheese pulled pork.
“Now I’ve seen everything,” Lily said. “I’m off to mend a costume for tonight. Welcome to the family, Reagan.”
“Thank you,” Reagan said.
His mom set a jar of peanut butter and a knife in front of them and Reagan let out a happy gasp. “How did you know?”
“Because I ate a jar of peanut butter a week when I was pregnant and I thought you might like some too.” His mom winked at Indio and walked away after Reagan thanked her and happily opened the jar and dunked a fruit snack inside.
“Yum,” she said, popping it into her mouth.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “After we’re done eating, we’ll go find my dad in the main tent and I’ll introduce you around to everyone. The fairgrounds open at four to the public, so it’ll get crowded fast.”
“We’re watching the show tonight?” she asked.
“Of course. Mom and Dad reserved front row seats for us.”
“I can’t wait.” She smiled at him as she took another bite of mac and cheese. “Where are we staying while we’re here?”
“Are you sleepy?” he asked. “We’ll stay in one of the empty trailers. There are a couple they keep for storage, but Mom and Dad emptied it for us to use.”
“I’m not sleepy.” She wiggled her brows at him. “I’m looking for a repeat.”
His elephant perked up immediately and so did parts south.
He leaned in a little closer and whispered, “Eat faster, sweetheart. I’m ready for my favorite dessert.”