Page 25 of Rock Chick Bonus Tracks

Roxie let out a loud sigh.

“Nip this shit in the bud, son,” Herb advised as Hank took control of the tree. “She’ll have you runnin’ all over hell’s half acre for her if you don’t.”

“It’s fine,” Hank assured and started out the door, catching Tex grinning like a maniac.

Right.

Even if it wasn’t already, that made it worth it right there.

Tex was happy his family was in town for the holiday.

Yep.

Totally worth it.

“Oh, and while you’re out there…” Trish called, head now in the fridge as Hank was halfway out the door with the tree, “…can you help Herb and Tex with our bags and the packages? We mailed them early to Tex. They’re wrapped and everything, so we’re all set to start Christmas without delay!” She peered around the fridge door to Luke, “You go too, Lucas. We’ve got a lot to bring in.”

Luke touched his finger to his forehead and flicked it out in a salute before heading toward the front door.

He was still smirking.

“Hell’s half acre,” Herb grumbled, following Hank out the door. “That’s where I live. That’s my life.”

Hank mentally called bullshit.

Herb doted on his wife.

He bitched a lot, but it hadn’t escaped Hank, he gave in.

Every time.

Hank woke without woman or dog.

It was the dead of night.

Christmas was over.

And Roxie wasn’t with him.

He threw the covers back, hauled his ass out of bed, and with a glance through the shadows at the bathroom, the door of which was open, he prowled out of the room.

He stopped dead one step in the kitchen when he saw her.

She was sitting on the counter, curled into herself, arms wrapped around her calves, staring out the window.

Shamus was lying on the tile of the kitchen floor right under her.

Shamus’s head came up when Hank arrived, and he gave a soft woof.

That was when Roxie’s head came around.

His dog’s tags jingled as he loped to Hank, but Hank only gave him a distracted scratch while on the move to his woman.

He slid a hand along her waist to curl his fingers in on the other side, wrapped his other hand around her ankle, and tried real hard to get his heart from jackhammering out of his chest.

Because this was strange.

Roxie was a MacMillan. She was a Logan. Crazy came with the package.

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