Free A Very Jaguar Christmas by Terry Spear Page B

your father is back in town.”
    â€œI’m coming over.”
    â€œI don’t need your protection. I’m fine. I’ll call the JAG branch if I have any trouble. Have a good time. I just wanted to let you know in case you got word he was back in town.”
    â€œMom—”
    â€œI’ll handle it. Okay? I guess I shouldn’t have told you.”
    â€œOf course you should. I’ll let you deal with it then. But you call me too if he’s a problem. All right?”
    â€œYou know I will. Have fun with Tammy. Night, dear.”
    â€œNight, Mom.” Ugh. Demetria couldn’t believe her dad was back in the area. After leaving them with no word for the last two years?
    She was still thinking about that when Tammy took a sip of her margarita, turned to her, frowning, and said, “Wait, you did not go to see that movie all by yourself, did you?”
    * * *
    Everett had spent the day playing video games, thinking about Demetria and their time together and wishing things had ended better between them. He was trying to pretend that seeing the movie hadn’t happened.
    Before he retired to bed, he sat in his boxer briefs fighting the third dragon he had to kill before he could get on with the story on an RPG, a role-playing game, when his cell rang. It was two in the morning. Worried something was wrong, he grabbed the phone off his desk and saw that Demetria was calling. He was both concerned and eager to talk with her.
    â€œHello, Demetria? Is everything all right?”
    â€œI can’t believe you took Demetria to see that movie.”
    â€œTammy?” For a moment, he tried to sort out his confusion. His sister was slurring her words, which meant she’d been drinking. Hell. “Where’s David?” As if he was supposed to keep Everett’s sister in check.
    â€œOut training. Nighttime. Maneuvers.”
    â€œAre you home?” She couldn’t be. She had called from Demetria’s house. “You’re at Demetria’s place?” Which was why she knew he and Demetria had gone to see the movie. He was a little slow on the uptake.
    â€œYes, and she told me you took her to see that movie.”
    â€œShe wanted to see it. It was her choice.” Everett took a deep, settling breath. “We didn’t know anything about the movie. I asked if she wanted to leave partway through it, but she said no. What did she say to you?” He hadn’t meant to sound so defensive, but Tammy was clearly on the offensive.
    His sister let out her breath in an exasperated way. “She won’t talk to me about it. She always talks to me about everything. What did you do to her?”
    â€œI didn’t do anything to her.” Except upset her by taking her to see the movie. Everett ran his hands through his hair as he studied the paused game screen, the blue dragon spewing ice instead of fire at his party of highly trained warriors. “Let me talk to Demetria.”
    â€œShe’s sleeping.”
    â€œI am not,” Demetria said in the background, sounding like she was half-asleep.
    â€œDo you want to talk with him?” Tammy asked, paused, then added, “Demetria shook her head.”
    â€œAre you planning on going home tonight? If so, I’m coming to get you.” No way was Everett letting his sister drive home, considering how she sounded.
    â€œNo, I’m staying with Demetria. She needs me.”
    â€œIs she really upset?”
    â€œShe looks like a sleepy big cat.”
    He smiled and wondered what the sleepy big cat was wearing for the slumber party.
    â€œLet him come over. He can wash the dishes.” Demetria’s words were just as slurred as his sister’s.
    Everett’s smile broadened. If he was getting an invitation, he was on his way. Solely to make sure the ladies didn’t get themselves into trouble, of course. But if he could end this on a better note with Demetria, he was all for it.