Page 15 of The Twelve Knots of Christmas
I licked my lips and shrugged. “He was nice.” Way more than just nice. Lucian was sin on two legs. Top it off with a big brain and an even bigger heart, it was no wonder I couldn’t get him out of my mind. When we touched… Nope. Not thinking about that. “Very helpful with the infested ash trees.”
“Who was it, dear?” Miss Eloise sat down at the head of the table. Usually Emberlee sat across from me, and my heart squeezed at feeling her absence.
Picking up my glass again, I drank what little water had melted from the ice and then refilled it. “Um, well, funny thing, it was one of the people who work at Silver Tree Farm. Lucian Snow.” I gave a pathetic little laugh as if it were nothing beforetugging at my collar again and hiding my flushed face behind my glass. “Turns out he’s an arborist.”
Lyla’s mouth fell open before she snapped it shut. “Wasn’t he one of the Alphas we met by the barn?”
Miss Eloise’s usual soft brown eyes were focused on me. I couldn’t read her expression, and what was worse was that she was silent. I couldn’t stand the thought of her thinking less of me. She was my family, the mother of the Primrose Pack.
The doorbell rang and played out the first notes of Jingle Bells. Lyla startled and I cringed.
Miss Eloise calmly stood. “I’ll answer the door, but when I get back, we’re going to have a talk, Mariska.”
She exited the room and Lyla grabbed my hand in a near crushing hold. “Oh my God! Did you see that?” She whispered in a tight tone. “I’ve never seen Miss Eloise mad! I can’t believe you were alone with an Alpha!” She shook her head and then suddenly smirked. “But a hot hunk of an Alpha. What was he like? Did he chase you through the fields and attempt to devour you?” She waggled her brows.
“No!” But now I was thinking about it! “Nothing happened. We talked about wind turbines and trees and did our work. That’s it.”
“Mm-hmm.” Lyla snickered and leaned in. “You don’t want a pretty tree this Christmas. You want a sexy arborist.”
My face was getting redder. I could feel it. “No! It’s not like that.”
Miss Eloise returned and the two of us immediately quieted, freezing in our seats. Our pack mother motioned to me. “Get your coat and boots on, Mariska. You have guests on the front porch.”
I frowned, too shocked to get up. Who would come visit me? My family would see me on Christmas day. They didn’t want to spend any more time with me than that.
Lyla’s mind went in the same direction. “If it’s her family, why didn’t you invite them in? There’s plenty of food to share with them.”
“They’re not allowed in. Front porch, Mariska.” Miss Eloise turned and left the room. From the hall, I could hear the closet open and her putting on her own coat.
Lyla and I shared a look and rose simultaneously. Both of us went to fetch our coats, curiosity driving every step. Could it be someone from work? Or a friend from school come to say goodbye before I left for California? Yet they’d be invited in.
Miss Eloise zipped up her jacket. “Lyla, please wait in the kitchen.”
“But—”
“Kitchen.” Miss Eloise gave her a stern look before turning and slipping on her boots.
Lyla mouthed an ‘O. M. G.’ to me and went back to the kitchen.
I pulled on my coat and stuffed my feet into my boots. For a brief second, I thought about asking Miss Eloise who was there, but my mind suddenly went into a nightmare direction. What if it was a police officer with news that my family had been murdered? Or maybe there had been a terrible fire and they were hanging on to life by a thread in the hospital? The holiday season was already depressing enough, but if something horrible happened, I could never look at another twinkling light or jolly old Saint Nick again.
Stuffing my hands into the opposite sleeves like a muff, I hugged myself as I walked to the front door and pushed it open with my elbow. I didn’t see a police car in the drive. Just Miss Eloise’s van and my Jeep. A black truck sat parked in front of the house. An officer didn’t necessarily have to come in his squad car to bring bad news.
Unable to breathe, I turned to where there was a Santa and Mrs. Claus propped up in the rocking chairs on the porch.
Three officers.
I blinked. No. Three Alphas.
Holy shit.
Balthazar, Lucian, and Jasper.
Black pickup. Thinking about bad stuff, my mind hadn’t even gone in that direction.
No wonder Miss Eloise hadn’t invited them in. There were certain places that Alphas were not allowed in, and Omega boarding houses were one of them. Primrose House had always been testosterone free. Not even my ex ever came to the house.
Now there was a pack of Alphas calling on me.
