Page 72 of Combust
His breath raised pleasant shivers as it brushed her ear and the sensitive skin of her throat.
“Yes,” she replied, simply and truthfully. She stroked the back of his bandaged hand where it cupped her breast. “When I signed up for a mate through ShiftMatch,thisis what I wanted. I love you, Cade Hunter.”
“I love you, too. And I feel like I’ve come home at last.”
Chapter Twenty-One - Home for the Holidays
Downtown Bearpaw Ridge
One week later
It was nearly closing time at Cinnamon + Sugar. Maggie was in the back, helping her mom decorate yet another batch of sugar cookies, when the shopkeeper’s bell tinkled, notifying them that someone had entered the premises.
“More customers? This late in the afternoon?” Mom asked, sounding surprised.
She looked as tired as Maggie felt. They both referred to the period between mid-November and New Year’s as their “holiday death march,” and it seemed to get busier every holiday season.
“I’m on it,” Maggie assured her mom, and put down her piping bag of green royal icing.
She pushed open the swinging door that connected the retail space with the bakery…and froze in shock when she recognized the three people standing at the counter.
“Hi, Maggie, long time no see,” Sophie Langlais-Swanson said, beaming at her. She looked great—with a new, short hairstyle and stylish eyeglasses that flattered her glowing features. Best of all, she looked happy to see Maggie.
“Hey, Maggie-may,” Matt greeted her.
He was standing behind Sophie, inhaling deeply as he looked around the bakery. He was surprisingly tanned for the middle of winter, and his dark hair was sun-lightened to a deep auburn color that almost matched Maggie’s hair.
“Surprise!” added Chris. He was tall and leanly muscular, with blond-streaked light brown hair, green eyes, and a generous mouth.
“What are you do—” Maggie began to ask, and interrupted herself. “I mean, we weren’t expecting you until midnight!”
“We ended up catching an earlier connection out of Denver,” Sophie said. “And rented a car in Missoula. We wanted to surprise you.”
“It’s awonderfulsurprise! I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you,” Maggie told her. She turned her head and shouted, “Mom! Can you come out here for a minute?”
Then she lifted the counter pass-through and landed in Sophie’s soft embrace.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Maggie whispered to her, hugging her friend hard.
“Me, too,” Sophie said, sounding like she meant it.
In the next minute, Maggie found herself in her big brother’s arms, being hugged so tightly that she couldn’t breathe. But she didn’t care, and hugged him back just as tightly.
“Missed you, short stuff,” he said, kissing her cheek.
“Oh my God,” Mom said from behind Maggie. Her face went colorless in shock, throwing her freckles into high relief.“Matt?You’re here already? I can’t believe it!”
“Hi Mom.” Matt released Maggie, then vaulted over the counter to catch Mom in his arms.
Mom rarely cried, but she buried her face against Matt’s Santa sweater, and began weeping with joy. Maggie caught bits and pieces between Mom’s sobs “…best Christmas gift…your dad…so happy…we missed you so much.”
“Heard you got mated,” Chris said to Maggie, swooping in for a hug. “Congrats, Maggie. When are we going to meet your dude?”
The shopkeeper’s bell sounded again, and Cade opened the door. “I brought you supper—”
He halted in the doorway, clearly startled by the tearful reunion unfolding in the café. “Whoa, Nelly. Is this good news or bad news?”
Then he spotted Maggie in Chris’s arms, and his smile vanished.
