Chapter 11

“Oh no,” Laurel said, sounding shocked out of her sleep, lifting her head, and looking at CJ. She grimaced. “I can’t believe we fell asleep on the couch last night.” She tried to get off him, and he shook his head.

“Creating snow wolves takes a lot out of a body.”

She smiled.

He glanced at his phone and answered. “Eric. I’ll get back to you in a minute.” He wanted to get a cup of coffee before he had to deal with whatever his brother needed to discuss with him.

“My sister.” Laurel sat up on the couch as she answered her call. “Hey, Ellie, what’s up?” She pushed her hair behind her ear and leaned back against the couch, looking pleasantly dreamy.

He couldn’t believe he’d fallen asleep on the couch with her and had held her in his arms all night long. He smiled a little. This was more like the way he had wanted to end last night’s date.

“Coffee?” he mouthed. The time to just walk out of her home like none of this had happened had passed. And Laurel seemed unwilling to send him on his way. For which he was glad.

She nodded, then closed her eyes. But they popped right open, and he stayed to see what the matter was. “What? Okay, no, I haven’t seen it.” She looked up at CJ. “What do you mean, is he still here?” Laurel’s face flushed a little red. “We’re having coffee and breakfast before the hotel opening. Thanks. I’ll tell him.” She closed her eyes and groaned.

“What’s wrong?” But he suspected someone had already told her sisters that he’d stayed the night with her.

“Well, the good news is we won the snow sculpture contest.”

He smiled. “That’s great news. We get to have a steak dinner on the house at Silver Town Tavern. And the bad news?”

She turned her phone toward CJ and showed him the screen. The picture Brett had featured online for everyone to see was the one where CJ was kissing her on the nose, and she was smiling up at him as they stood behind the wolf sculpture, the hotel lights glittering in the background.

He smiled.

“That’s not all of it,” she warned.

His smile faded. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“Ellie got word that your vehicle has been parked outside the hotel all night long. The picture of you kissing me was shared online, which would have been innocent enough, except that she got word about the scene on the slopes too—like a couple dozen shots of us kissing as I was sitting on your lap—and then this other business showed we were still together late last night. Since you never moved your vehicle—”

“It’s assumed we stayed together.”

“That we mated each other.”

He smiled again. “Cream in your coffee. Right?” He headed for the kitchen. “Word in a pack spreads quickly.”

“We’re not mated!”

“We could remedy that,” he said, teasing her.

“I’m getting a shower. I can’t believe this!” She left the couch and headed upstairs.

“We were tired. Perfectly innocent of any wrongdoing. Do you want me to fix us breakfast?”

“Cheese omelets. And ham. Hash browns too, if you can make them right. I already told my sister you were here for breakfast, so it’s too late for you to sneak off now.”

“I never sneak.”

She chuckled. “I will never live this down.”

Worried that he might have caused her sisters some concern over the matter, he frowned. “Your sisters aren’t upset, are they?”

“No, I’d say ‘shocked’ would be a better word.”

“Good.” For that, he was glad. He didn’t want them to be upset with him. If he was going to make this work with Laurel, he knew he had to have their approval. CJ’s phone rang again. Eric. “Got to take the call from my brother this time before he drives over here to see if something’s wrong.”

“Great.” But she didn’t say it in a way that meant it was a cheerful “great.” She disappeared into a bedroom upstairs.

“Yeah, Eric, what’s up?” Though CJ was certain his oldest brother’s call had all to do with him and Laurel.

“Darien called me early this morning to ask about you and Laurel.”

CJ grinned. Talk about the word going viral in the pack. “Because of the picture of us?” He figured it was more like his staying overnight.

“And your truck was parked outside the hotel all night.”

Pulling a couple of large baking potatoes out of the fridge, CJ hated to break the news to him but did anyway. “We’re not mated.” He searched in a number of drawers and found a potato peeler and a grater.

Eric didn’t say anything for a moment, and CJ realized he really must have believed they were and wanted to hear firsthand.

“Not even close,” CJ added. He started to peel a potato.

“Well, hell, Brother, why not? Will you let Darien know? Lelandi’s all ready to celebrate the big event and just wanted confirmation first. And next time, be more discreet, will you? Or maybe that was the plan.”

“No, it wasn’t in the plans. But sometimes life just happens.” Though if it had worked out that way, CJ wouldn’t have objected. “I’ve got to go.”

“Yeah, you’re roping off Main Street for the party and in charge of crowd control, right?”

“Uh, yeah, after I have breakfast with Laurel.”

A pause followed. “So…you’re still there. Good show.” As if that meant CJ and Laurel still had time to mate. “Let me know first when it happens.”

“When we have breakfast?” CJ wasn’t about to take it for granted that Laurel and he would become mated wolves.

“When you become mated wolves. Talk later.” Eric hung up on him.

Smiling, CJ finished peeling the second potato and began shredding them.

His phone jingled. He looked at the caller ID. Brett. CJ was certain that each of his brothers would get in touch with him now. He’d thought Eric would just tell Brett and Sarandon the news instead.

Before Brett could say anything, CJ set him straight. “No, we’re not mated. And why did you pick that particular picture out of all the ones you took to share online with the local residents?”

“Are you kidding? The pack members loved it! Not only was it a winner as far as the wolf sculpture with the newly renovated hotel decorated for Christmas as a backdrop, but there the two of you were looking as cute as could be—romance in the making. It was the perfect Christmas shot of two wolves in courtship. And the snow wolf howling in front of you, telling the pack the news? Nothing could have been better.”

“What if posting the picture had upset Laurel?”

“Ha. She was looking up at you with such an adorable expression, no way could she object to it. I’ve been fielding questions all morning for you though. Anyway, I just had to hear it for myself. No mating yet.”

“No, and you can share that. I’m sure she’d be glad for it.”

“But it’s happening, right?”

“No, at least not for now.” Even though he’d met her months ago, he hadn’t really begun to know her until more recently. Sure, he knew she was good at organizing, had her own way of doing things—as evidenced by the way she turned their snowman into a wolf—and was very take-charge. She was very tender and passionate and family oriented, and had a great sense of humor, which was especially good around him. Once she’d let her hair down, she was playful. He prized her for all of it.

“Okay, check with you later. But if you mate, let me know pronto.”

“Eric wants to know first.”

Brett laughed. “Make it a conference call.”

CJ’s phone beeped, letting him know he had another call coming in. The sheriff. “Got another call. Peter’s calling.”

“Probably wondering why you’re not at work.”

“I am. I’m supposed to be helping Laurel and her sisters out today. Only they’re not here. Talk later.” CJ answered the call. “Yeah, Peter. I’ll be out in just a few minutes.”

“Take your time. I’ve got enough people on it: volunteers and Trevor is coordinating efforts. If anyone learned I was impeding a mating between you and the she-wolf and didn’t convince the sisters to stay here with our pack, I’d be out of a job.”