Page 40 of Frostbite & Mistletoe
His tone echoed with something primal and possessive. It made her wolf sit up and take notice.
“Why are you doing all this for me?” she asked, searching his face.“Why do you care so much?”
For a moment, his eyes turned amber. Then he smiled up at her.
“Because I know what it’s like to lose everything. And I don’t want that for you.” He glanced toward the kitchen.“Now, I believe you mentioned something about lasagna a couple of days ago. Any chance we can share the leftovers?”
The sudden change of subject caught her off guard, but Kymberlie was grateful for the reprieve from emotional intensity.“It’s in the fridge. I haven’t touched it.”
“Perfect. Then I won’t have to leave to pick up lunch for us,” Gabriel said, heading to the kitchen.“Why don’t you contact your pack alphas while I heat up the lasagna?”
As she watched him move confidently around her kitchen, pulling out the lasagna and salad from the fridge, finding plates in her cupboards and silverware in her drawer, Kymberlie felt something shift inside her. The crushing despair of yesterday afternoon hadn’t disappeared, but it had lightened a little.
Heart pounding, she went to her bedroom and retrieved her phone so that she could write the most difficult email message in the world.
∞∞∞
Later, as they sat at her small dining table eating reheated lasagna that tasted great after letting the flavors meld for two days, Kymberlie strategized her meeting with the pack leadership. Gabriel provided suggestions and feedback.
By the time they were finished with dinner and loading the dishwasher, she felt a touch more confident about meeting with the pack leadership. Her stomach still knotted with anxiety at the thought of facing them, of admitting she needed help, but Gabriel’s steady presence next to her made it seem doable.
I have to at least try, even if they turn me down.
Chapter Eleven
Bearpaw Ridge Fire Station
December 20 (two days later)
Gabriel’s eyes burned from lack of sleep as he stared at the notepad in front of him, a hastily scrawled list of names and phone numbers covering the page. He’d been up half the night thinking about Kymberlie’s situation, drafting plans, and now, fueled by two pots of black coffee and a pile of sheer determination, he was ready to put those plans into action.
The Hair of the Dog might be down, but it wasn’t out—not if he had anything to say about it.
“I’ve got Dad, Uncle Mark, Uncle Evan, and Uncle Ash as a yes for setup,” Maggie said, sliding into the chair across from him at the firehouse kitchen table. She looked as tired as Gabriel felt.“And I’ve left messages for Grandma Elle and Great-Aunt Margaret, asking to borrow decorations.”
Gabriel nodded, crossing another couple of items off his list.“That’s eleven people for setup. Will that be enough to set up in two hours?”
“It will be,” Maggie assured him, reaching for her coffee mug.“We’ll need to move fast, but we can do this.”
The sabertooth inside Gabriel paced restlessly, eager to prove itself worthy of their mate. Kymberlie’s devastated expression still haunted him. He’d worn that expression himself after the Granite Gap disaster.
“Next call,” he murmured, picking up his phone.“Your Grandpa Justin.”
While the phone rang, Gabriel watched Maggie review their growing list of confirmed helpers. In the four months he’d known her, he’d come to respect her efficiency and determination. The Swanson family’s influence in Bearpaw Ridge was just the thing he needed.
The call connected.“Wildcat Springs Texas BBQ, this is Justin speaking. How can I help y’all today?”
“Hey, Justin. It’s Gabriel Egan.” He straightened in his chair.“I’m calling about something that Maggie Swanson and I are putting together to help Kymberlie Tringstad and The Hair of the Dog…”
As he negotiated food quantities and delivery times, Gabriel scribbled notes. Justin cheerfully volunteered to provide catering, and he wouldn’t hear of accepting payment for the food and drinks.
“Perfect. We already have volunteers to help with setup and service.” Gabriel concluded the call and exhaled heavily.“That’s the food and drinks taken care of. Justin’s a good guy, and his donation of food means Kymberlie can use the food and booze she bought for the wedding reception later on, when the club reopens.”
Maggie nodded approvingly.“We Swansons take care of our own here. And that includes our friends and neighbors in the Jacobsen Pack.”
The sentiment struck Gabriel, so different from his experience in Granite Gap, where the sabertooth pride had kept themselves aloof from the other shifters in town.
“Now for the music.” Maggie pulled out her phone again.“I’ll call my cousin Rob. His band Bearly Able to Sing is great, and they have a big following now. If he’s available, it should help draw a crowd.”
