Gingerbear Christmas (Howls Romance Howliday Special) Read online

  Manny picked up both of her suitcases with the same ease that Clancy had shown earlier even though he was a half foot shorter than his friend. He was likely a shifter himself. With a nod to Angelina to prove his point, he turned to Clancy. “Why didn’t you just put these in your room?”

  Clancy’s complexion turned ruddy, and Haley’s stomach twisted in a knot.

  Again, Angelina stepped in, putting a hand over Manny’s mouth. “Babe, you can be a real dork. I don’t think they discussed sleeping arrangements since they just met each other.” She gave Clancy a gentle smile before she turned back to Haley. “He’s going to put your bags in the guest room and you and I can have a little talk while we put some things away.”

  Clancy cleared his throat and Haley saw him reach up to adjust his collar, pulling it away from his throat. “I… I could help her with that later.”

  “Nonsense.” Angelina waved off his suggestion. “It will give us some time to talk and maybe you can teach Manny some lessons in when to close his mouth so he doesn’t shove his foot all the way in, hmm?”

  Manny opened his mouth to argue and Angelina gave him a shove on his shoulder.

  “You can try to argue with me later, but right now if you don’t take her bags into the room, I will.”

  Manny’s expression turned a little stormy, but a gentle touch of Angelina’s palm against his cheek had him smiling and leaning into her touch.

  “Thanks, Manny.”

  Haley realized that it was a little backwards. Angelina had thanked him before he took her bags into the room, but if the man’s slightly dreamy expression was anything to go by, it worked for the two of them.

  Before Manny came back out of the room, Angelina gave Clancy a little wave and a wink. “Don’t worry, Clancy. I’ll only tell her all the best things about you.”

  Startled, Haley didn’t resist at all as Angelina tugged her into the room and quickly shut the door.

  “Well,” Angelina drew her straight to the bed and sat them down together, “a little time away from the two brutes will do us both some good. There’s enough testosterone in that room to fuel a whole NFL football team, which is all fine and dandy when they’ve got their minds set on romance, but when they’re all protective and growly, not so much.”

  “Growly?” Haley couldn’t help asking the question. Well, half-asking it. “So, Manny is-”

  “A shifter?” Angelina smiled when Haley nodded her answer. “Absolutely. He’s like Clancy in some ways. Manny is a big ol’ growly brown bear through and through. He’s big and brash and takes no prisoners. Now Clancy, I haven’t seen his bear for a while, but the first time I saw him he was quite stunning. I bet you haven’t seen him yet, have you?”

  Haley shook her head, unable to find the words to answer at first. “I just arrived today, and Clancy was telling the truth. After I met him in town, I fell asleep on the drive up here. I don’t even remember coming into the house.”

  Angelina touched her arm and gave a little squeal. “Oh, I would have loved to see him carrying you inside.”

  Hearing it in Angelina’s excited words made the very idea come alive in her head. Clancy must have carried her inside. She certainly wasn’t in any condition to walk inside on her own. The idea that she’d been carried in Clancy’s arms and completely oblivious to it.

  Of all the cruel punishments…

  “But don’t let Manny get under your skin. If you were asleep for some of the day, I’m sure you didn’t have time to talk much.”

  Absolutely true.

  “And I’m sure it’s a bit of an adjustment.”

  Haley shook herself, trying to focus her thoughts. “What adjustment?”

  Angelina smiled and it was a gentle, friendly smile. “Mrs. Behr called me to tell me the news. We were already excited to have you come early and spend the holidays in town. But even better, she told me that Clancy connected to you immediately.”

  Afraid of what Angelina might say, Haley sat silent, hoping for the best.

  “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but how much do you know about shapeshifters and their world?”

  Haley’s weak smile only made Angelina giggle softly. “Their world is the same one we’re in, right?” Her eyes widening, Haley wondered if she’d made a huge mistake. “You’re not a shifter like Manny?” Haley had to ask since Angelina talked about shapeshifters and ‘their’ world.

  “No, I’m just like you.” Angelina sighed and smoothed her hand over her slightly rounded belly. “But the baby will likely be just like his father. A shifter through and through.”

  Haley lifted her hand and set it back down in her lap. “You know it’s a boy?”

  Shrugging, Angelina shifted her hand to the side of her baby bump. “I don’t know exactly, but every time I think about the baby or I talk about him… See? There I go again. It’s always he or him. Manny walks around strutting every time. From the very first time we met, Manny told me he was going to be the father of my babies.”

  “From the first time?” Haley could definitely imagine Manny saying that and she had only just met him. “Sounds like he knew what he wanted.”

  Angelina leaned in closer and managed a soft whisper-like tone. “To tell you the truth, I did too. I took one look at that handsome mug and that perfect body and I was a goner. At least physically. The best part happened when he was being all ‘caveman’ around me. Sure, he grumped and he growled, but really quickly I could tell that it was only because he was actually scared.”

  “Scared?” Haley winced inwardly. She was starting to sound like a parrot. “What do you mean?”

  “You’ll see it with Clancy too. While Manny is a bit more swagger and Clancy’s a quiet type, they’ve both worried that they’d never find their mates.” Shaking her head, Angelina gestured for Haley to pull her smaller suitcase closer so that they could unpack. “Sure, the words roll off my tongue now, but when I first moved to Allaway it was a tough learning curve.

  “And as grumpy as Manny can be, he was really patient explaining things to me so I could understand. Unless you’re a shifter the concepts can take a while, but I can tell you from experience that you’re the person Clancy’s been looking for, literally, all of his life.”

  Haley slid off the edge of the bed and put away a few pieces of clothing into a drawer. She needed a moment or two to process what Angelina was telling her.

  When she turned back around toward the bed, she met Angelina’s soft brown eyes with her own.

  “Would it sound crazy if I told you that I think he’s the man I’ve been waiting for all of mine?”

  Angelina shook her head and held out a few more articles that she’d unpacked from the smaller suitcase.

  “Just before you and Manny knocked on the door, my mind was struggling to understand what my heart had already decided. Even with just the short time that we’ve spent together, I’ve felt more of a connection to him than any other person in my life. Like, I could feel his feelings and he could feel mine.”

  “Oh, I get it.” Angelina assured her, “It gets better the more time you spend together. It gets deeper too. The more skin to skin contact you get with him, the better it’s going to be.”

  “Skin to skin?” Haley lifted her hand to her cheek and she could feel the heat of her blush rising to the surface. “That’s what you and Manny did when you first met?”

  Angelina gave her a sheepish smile. “Not at first. I thought he was a little insufferable with all of his decisions for us. But as he started knocking down my walls, and… peeling off his clothes, I found I could get behind the idea of a lot of skin on skin contact with him. He didn’t push more than I wanted and soon-” She gestured at her belly. “He’d proven his original pronouncement correct. He is the father of my babies.” She laughed. “Well, baby.”

  Haley had to concentrate to keep her hands to herself. It was crazy how much she wanted to touch Angelina’s belly. She’d never really thought that being a mother was in her future, but if what Ang
elina was saying was true, there was more than a good chance that she might be carrying a baby soon. The idea sent chills through Haley’s body. The best kind of chills that left heat in their wake, not cold.

  “How long… I mean, when are you due?”

  There was a momentary pause before Angelina answered. “That’s one of the odd things about this. Being human and carrying a child who could be a shapeshifter, it’s kind of an odd calculation. Anywhere between six to nine months.”

  “That’s,” Haley didn’t know exactly how to say it, “that’s a pretty big window.”

  “You’re telling me!” Angelina hissed in a breath. “Feels like the baby wants to say hello.” She drew her hand back to cover the side of her belly and smiled.

  Haley almost felt like she was intruding on a private moment as a soft, wistful smile touched Angelina’s lips. “You look so happy.”

  Angelina looked up and met Haley’s curious gaze. “I am so happy. I went from being a single girl in need of a job and a place to call home and now I’m a wife, a mother-to-be, and I help Manny’s mom in the diner. It’s less of a job and more of a family business. I can’t complain.”

  Fighting down a rush of jealousy, Haley knew without a doubt that she was happy for Angelina. How could she not be? The problem was she wanted that happiness too.

  If what her new friend was saying was true, she would have it soon. And that was a reason to celebrate.

  “Here, give me your hand.” Angelina reached out her free hand.

  Haley held out her own, gladly, and Angelina placed Haley’s palm at the side of her rounded belly. Haley didn’t know what to expect. She didn’t recall doing anything like this before, but her anxiety quickly became joy as she felt something stir under her hand.

  A bump.

  And then another.

  Tears came to her eyes as she shared a smile with Angelina. “It’s… it’s a miracle.”

  Angelina nodded and gave Haley’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Having you here in Allaway is another miracle, Haley. Believe in what’s happening to you.”

  Haley’s heart beat furiously in her chest, but it didn’t make her feel light-headed like it normally would. It made her feel alive.

  “I really think I am. Thanks for coming to talk to me.”

  “Shhh…” Angelina leaned in closer. “Don’t tell Manny, but when he suggested we come over to see you two, I griped about it and told him to give you two some space. But secretly I thought it was a good idea. I had a feeling I might be able to give you another perspective other than Clancy’s, because he’s got to be fighting his bear right now to give you some time before…”

  Haley looked back at her, wide-eyed and smiling. “Before what?”

  Angelina reached a hand up to her neck and tugged down the neckline of her blouse. “Before you get the best hickey of your life.”

  Haley sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. “I’ve never had one before.”

  Leaning forward, Angelina was nose to nose with Haley when she spoke. “You’re going to love it.”

  5

  Manny had a lot to say while the women were in the guest room. None of it was news to Clancy.

  “And what’s taking you so long?” Manny shook his head. “I expected you to have her-”

  “You can stop right there, Manny. I’m not talking about any of that with you.” Clancy meant it. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about anything involving Haley and… anything intimate.

  Clancy wanted to keep that private.

  Manny grumbled under his breath. “Just make sure you get there sooner rather than later. If I’m going to be up at all hours changing diapers, I want you to suffer too.”

  That surprised Clancy. He really didn’t think of his friend as the diaper changing kind of bear. But maybe, just maybe, he was the diaper changing kind of man. It was good to see Manny changing.

  And Clancy was looking forward to seeing the change that would happen in his life too.

  “So, when are you going to get going?”

  Okay, so that might not have been the most hospitable thing to say to an old friend, but it was heartfelt.

  Just beyond his link, his bear roared his approval. Even though his bear knew Manny as a friend, he didn’t like another man around their mate. Especially when she wasn’t wearing his mark.

  And he would get to work on that, but…

  “Are you saying I’m cramping your style, my old friend?”

  “I’m going to forget you’re my friend if you stay much longer.” Clancy felt he was doing a fairly good job of not killing Manny, but in short order that point was going to be moot. There was only so long that Clancy’s bear was going to tolerate having Manny around.

  Maybe it was because Clancy was still sore about his friend’s untimely visit, or maybe he was just that ‘done’ with sharing his mate with others, but he loosened a tiny bit of his control on his bear and let the large copper colored bruin rush up into his eyes.

  The growl came with it and for once since he’d arrived, Manny exhibited some good common sense.

  Backing up a step or two, Manny gave him a wary side-eyed look. “I think it’s time we should be going home.”

  Clancy’s bear backed down, but not completely. He hovered just behind the surface, ready to rush back in if Manny needed inspiration.

  “Angie? Babe? We gotta go.”

  It did give Clancy a little satisfaction to know that he’d soon be alone with Haley. He wanted her to get to know his friends, but this went beyond the human side of his nature. This was more instinct.

  Animalistic.

  Needy.

  Hungry.

  And it had nothing to do with food.

  The door to the guest bedroom opened up and Angelina appeared first.

  He was usually happy to see Manny’s mate, but this was an unusual circumstance. And Clancy felt a little tremor of nerves shoot up his spine as he waited for Haley to come out of the room.

  When she did, he let go of the pent-up breath he’d been holding.

  Angelina wrapped her arms around Haley in a friendly hug and the women laughed easily with each other.

  Clancy felt his bear ease back even more.

  If Haley accepted his friends and was accepted in return, it would make her life better, happier.

  As they eased back from the hug, Haley gently smoothed her hands over Angelina’s rounded belly and the two women shared an intimate smile.

  Bonding. They were bonding and his bear understood the instinct. Welcomed it.

  Angelina smiled and took Haley’s hands in her own, shifting their position to the top of her belly. The two shared a silent moment that Clancy refused to interrupt, especially when he saw the wistful look on Haley’s face.

  Her features softened from joy to longing and everything inside of him leaned toward his mate. She would be the mother of his children, his cubs if nature saw fit to pass his abilities down to them.

  And Clancy couldn’t wait to see if their children looked more like him or her.

  Yet, before that could happen, he needed to get his friends out of his house.

  Inspiration struck him, hard.

  “I picked up some boards from the hardware store today.”

  Angelina turned to give him a curious look. “Are you building something?” Grinning, she slanted a quick look at Haley before she focused on him. “Adding to the house?”

  Clancy turned his attention to Manny who almost fell over his feet trying to divert the conversation. “Yeah… I mean no. Anyway, Babe, we’ve got to go so I can make sure you’re home safe and sound. Okay, thanks for having us, Clancy. Good man.”

  Before Angelina could muster up a question for her mate, Manny was steering her toward the door.

  “We’ll come by another time,” he assured Angelina.

  Clancy’s bear let loose with a low growl that only Manny’s could hear. Manny took the hint.

  “Or maybe,” Manny blew out a breath as his hand searc
hed blindly for the doorknob behind him, “next time, we’ll have Clancy and his mate over to our place.” The door opened up a second later and Manny all but swept Angelina off of her feet as he walked down the handful of steps to the driveway.

  The wind closed the door tight and Clancy had to reach out a hand to stop Haley from making her way to the door.

  She tilted her head as she looked up at him askance. “Did you…”

  He saw her brow pinch with a measure of frustration.

  “Did you just chase your friends out of here?”

  Perceptive. His mate certainly was perceptive.

  “No. I didn’t chase anyone.”

  The look she gave him said she wasn’t buying his answer.

  “Did you see me chase him?”

  Haley narrowed her eyes at him. “No, but that doesn’t mean anything. What was that thing about? You know, right before Manny rushed out of here. Why was he so nervous about what you’re building?”

  Clancy was just about to answer her when he was distracted. By Haley. The suspicious look in her eyes held his attention. She folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head as she watched him carefully.

  She was fascinating to watch.

  Add to that how quick she was to worry about Manny and Angelina, and she was even more enticing.

  He already knew that he was meant to be with her, but that was biology. Instinct. Gut reaction. However, the more time he spent with her he was actually falling for her. Emotion. Affection. A real bond that went beyond nature. It was Haley. It was him.

  And the life that they were going to build together.

  That was why he wanted to impress her, not just as a shifter, but as a man.

  He held out his hand. “You want to see what I’m making?”

  She didn’t hesitate at all. Haley put her hand in his and smiled. “Absolutely.”

  His woodshop was back behind the garage. Clancy grabbed a woolen coat off of the hook beside the door and helped her put it on. He hoped it wasn’t just his imagination, but he saw her face warm as he settled the coat on her shoulders. Haley lifted her arms up and he saw how the sleeves had swallowed her hands.