Free A Peyton Family Christmas by Moira Rogers

A
Peyton Family Christmas A
Southern Arcana Free Story (Set
between Crossroads & Deadlock.)

    â€œ I
didn’t steal the jet.” Nick tightened her grip on the ranch truck’s
cold steering wheel and cast a sidelong glance at her passenger. “I
borrowed it.”
    â€œ Uh-huh.”
Next to her, Kat squinted out through the frosted window. “I
can’t remember the last time I saw this much snow.”
    â€œ A
white Christmas.” Derek had been enjoying it, but it paled next
to how much he wanted to see his baby cousin. “He’s going
to be so glad to see you.”
    â€œ Who,
Derek?” Before Nick could answer, Kat half-laughed. “No,
of course Derek. Luciano and your dad probably aren’t
breathless with anticipation or anything.”
    â€œ We’ve
all missed you.”
    â€œ I
missed you too. I’ve just...been busy.”
    You
didn’t have to be an empath of Kat’s caliber to hear the
lie, but Nick let it slide. “Mahalia’s here, you know.
For the holidays.”
    â€œ Yeah?”
For the first time since Nick had coaxed Kat out of her dim,
cluttered apartment, the girl seemed to brighten a little. “I
thought she’d be back in Boca by now.”
    She
probably would have been if Nick’s father hadn’t asked
her to stay. “My dad is a little worried about Michelle. Well,
he’s worried about Michelle’s worrying, if you know what I mean.”
    â€œ Yeah.
I’ll be able to tell. If she’s worrying too much, I
mean.”
    Again,
you didn’t need to be an empath to know. “She is,
definitely, but there’s no way around it.” It had been
long enough for Nick’s shock to wear off and the grim reality
to set in. “The love of her life is dead, and the only thing
keeping her alive is this charade with Luciano.”
    A
quiet noise of sympathy escaped Kat. “Poor Michelle.”
    Driving
with tears in her eyes was a recipe for disaster, so Nick dashed them
away and shook her head. “You’re going to like Luciano.
He’s a good guy.”
    â€œ He
must be.” Kat’s borrowed winter coat rustled as she
turned a little in the seat. “Have you heard anything about how
Andrew’s doing?”
    According
to Alec, her main source for updates, Andrew had had a rough time of
it, but was doing surprisingly well. “He’s making it. A
strong wolf, which makes it harder in some ways, but he’ll be
all right.”
    â€œ For
sure? There’s nothing else that can go wrong?”
    â€œ No.”
Pretty much everything that could have changed or gone south in
Andrew’s life already had. “He’s going to be fine,
Kat. He’s still himself, and he’s doing a good job of
getting the wolf under control.”
    â€œ Okay.
He’s fine.” Kat sucked in a breath and let it out in a
gusty, tired sigh. “New problem. I, uh, didn’t know I was
coming up here. Obviously.”
    â€œ I
didn’t kidnap you, either,” Nick said automatically, just
in case. “What do you need? Clothes? Contact lens solution?”
    â€œ Presents.”
She sounded honestly concerned. “I don’t have presents
for anyone.”
    It
was so unexpected that Nick blinked. “You’re worried
about stuff ?”
    Out
of the corner of her eye, she caught Kat’s cheeks turning
bright pink. “It’s Christmas. I don’t have anything
to give everyone.”
    â€œ Hey,
you’re here. That’s a million times better than stuff.”
    Kat
wrinkled her nose in a gesture Nick hadn’t seen in months.
“Depends on who you ask.”
    Almost
a joke, and it gave Nick hope. “Ask your cousin in about ten
minutes, because this is it. The ranch.”
    Kat
turned to look out the window again, a little of her old curiosity
bubbling to the surface. “So it’s ten minutes from here
to the main house?”
    â€œ