“Why the hell would I care if you went away that week?” I stacked the glasses back behind the bar. It wasn’t my job—I owned the place now—but when your staff doesn’t show up, you don’t have much of a choice.

“Because it’s Christmas…” My older brother knocked the top of his now half-empty beer over the concrete counter top.

“And that matters to me because?” I started on a new stack of glasses.

“Because it’s Christmas. Need I say more?”

“I can hold down the fort for a few days.” When you’re the younger brother of the Alpha of your pack, you get pretty good at doing things like that. Being second in command was a far easier job, and I was glad I wasn’t in charge all the time.

“Nah, that’s not the problem. I have plenty of guys here for that.”

“Then what’s the concern exactly?” I had a pretty good idea where the conversation was going, and I wasn’t interested in seeing it through. Maybe a customer would save me from it. Or an employee. Where the hell was Janie? She was running over an hour late.

“It’s Christmas, bro.” He took a swig of his beer.

“I do realize what Christmas is. Birth of—”

“I’m not asking you to define it. I’m asking you to recognize that being alone on one of the most important holidays for families might be difficult.”

“Until last year you didn’t give a damn either.” There had been some positive changes in Ryder since he reunited with Alex, but he was getting too sappy for his own good.

“Yeah, but Alex and Langdon changed everything.” He smiled. Yes. Sappy.

“As will that new baby Alex is carrying.” He was about to become a father of two, and this time he’d be around for the baby stage. He and Alex had a convoluted history—but at least in the end it had all worked out for them.

“Yeah, and you’re part of our family too. I want you to know you’re invited.”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “Not happening.” I’d known the conversation would go in this direction, and I wasn’t having it.

“Why not?” He leaned forward over the bar. “Ever think it might be fun?”

“What could possibly be fun about it?” I draped the dishtowel across my shoulder.

“A weekend at a ski lodge? What isn’t fun about that?”

“A weekend at a ski lodge with you, Langdon, and Alex. I’m not intruding on your family time.”

“It’s not—”

I interrupted him before he could go any further. “Save your breath. Enjoy your trip guilt free. I’m good here.”

“Alex is going to nag you about it too.” He set his nearly empty beer bottle down on the counter.

“I figured as much.” And I would have the same response for her I had for him. No.

“She’s harder to say no to than me.” He made a valid point.

“I know. I’ve had a soft spot for her since I found out who she was.” But that didn’t change my answer.

“Speaking of Alex…”

“Yes?” I needed to tread carefully, I wasn’t entirely sure where he was turning the conversation.

“Have you talked to Nancy lately?”

The mention of Nancy’s name sent waves of awareness through me. “No. Why would I have?” I hadn’t talked to her in months. Not since she ran away after I kissed her.

“Because you two work.” Ryder leaned forward on an elbow.

“We don’t work.” I stepped back and returned to stacking glasses.

“You do.”

“Ok, get out of here.” His talk about the ski vacation was one thing, but now he’d crossed a line. Nancy had felt something in that kiss too. I was sure of it. But she’d made her feelings clear when she fled from me as if I was monster.

“What?” He played innocent.

“Because bugging me about a family vacation wasn’t enough? Now you have to bring up Nancy?”

“You can’t pretend that kiss didn’t happen.”

I was an idiot to have told my brother about it. In my defense, I’d admitted it after more than a few drinks, but I was stronger than that. “It was a kiss. It meant nothing.”

“Bullshit.”

“What kiss?” Janie burst through the door. Like most shifters, she had extremely good hearing.

“No one.” I glared at Ryder. He was treading on very thin ice.

“Aw, come on. You really going to play it that way?” Janie leaned her elbows on the bar in front of me.

“You really going to walk into work over an hour late and nag me?”

“It’s only an hour, and it’s not like you have a lot of business.” She straightened up and slipped behind the bar.

“I’ve spent the last hour drying and stacking glasses, you think that’s in my job description?”

“Come on, that’s not why you have me working here.” She pulled the towel from my shoulder.

Ryder laughed. “Really, Janie? You’re going to go there?”

“It’s true. Your patrons are almost exclusively heterosexual males, and those patrons like these.” She adjusted her low-cut top.

“I did not hire you for that reason.” I wasn’t going to play that game. I treated all my employees with respect—even the ones who showed up late.

“Then why did you hire me?”

“Because you can handle the patrons in here.”

“Sure. Sure.” She grinned.

“And that’s why I’m not firing you for showing up to work so late.”

“If you fire me you won’t find anyone else to work for you. Most of the town hates you guys.”

She wasn’t completely off base. “Not most. Some.”

She laughed. “Don’t think a little self-deprecating humor is going to make me forget about that kiss you were talking about.”

“And on that note, I’m out.” Ryder stood.

“Where are you running to?”

“I promised Alex I’d meet up with her to do some Christmas shopping.”

I shook my head. “Had someone told you you’d ever be willingly shopping, would you have believed it?”

“Had someone told me I’d find a mate like Alex, I probably would have.” He pushed his empty bottle toward me. “Think about the vacation. You could use it.” He headed straight for the door.

“Who’d you kiss?” Janie asked as soon as the door closed behind Ryder. At least she was finishing up the prep work. The crowd would be in soon.

“Why do you care?” I fought back a yawn. I wasn’t ready to admit I hadn’t been sleeping. I was plagued by dreams I wasn’t ready to be having.

“Because I want to know what your type is. I never see you with anyone.”

“I’m your boss. Don’t worry about my type.” I leaned back against the cabinet.

“But I’m worried.” She crossed her arms.

“Why should you be worried about me?” I narrowed my eyes. “You’re single too.”

“I’m single, but that doesn’t mean I ever get lonely.” Her smile left little to the imagination in terms of what she was implying.

I had no interest in knowing anything about her sex life. “I’m not lonely.”

“But your celibate.”

“Janie, shut it,” I snapped. She’d crossed a line, and I hoped she’d get the hint it was time to stop.

“I’m just saying…”

“Don’t say anything.” I scowled, hoping to get the point across that I was being completely serious.

“Then tell me about that kiss.”

I shook my head. “No.” I shouldn’t have even bothered arguing with her, but sometimes it was impossible to resist some bickering.

“Was it a girl?” She arched an eyebrow.

“Yes. It was a girl.”

“So you are admitting to the kiss. That’s progress.” She grinned.

“‘Not progress. You are getting yourself deeper in trouble.”

“Yet you are answering.”

“If I tell you who it was, will you leave me alone?” I knew she wouldn’t give up until I told her, and I’d prefer to have the conversation over well before my customers arrived.

“Yes. I will.”

I didn’t really believe her, but it couldn’t hurt. Nancy hadn’t been back to Forest Ridge since Ryder’s wedding. She was avoiding the place—or really, I knew she was avoiding me. “Alex’s best friend.”

“Wait. The maid of honor in her wedding?” Janie gasped.

I wasn’t sure why she was all that surprised. “You remember Ryder’s wedding?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“You were trashed before they said their vows.” I’d been worried about her at the time.

“I was a little sad to see Ryder off the market. Can you blame me?”

I shook my head. “Yes. Yes I can. But to your credit you didn’t interrupt the ceremony.”

“No. I understood. They work very well together.”

“He’s happy.” No one could deny that, and I preferred his new overly cheery self to the moody mess he was before.

“He is. Almost too happy.” She groaned.

“See that’s why I hired you.”

“Because I’m cynical?”

“No. Because you’re realistic.”

“So about this girl? Where is she? You going to kiss her again?” Janie’s face was animated, and I wondered if her curiosity went beyond annoying me. Maybe she cared just a little.

“Not here and no. We haven’t spoken since the wedding.”

“Then go see her. Maybe that kiss can become more than a kiss this time.” She waggled an eyebrow.

“Next you are going to be telling me I need to get laid.”

“Your words not mine.”

“I am doing fine. And I need to check the books.” I headed to the back before she could ask any more questions.

“Whatever you say, boss,” she called after.

Some would have docked Janie for being late, but she was a good employee most of the time. Plus she put up with my moods. That bought her some leeway.

I tried to focus on the numbers on the spreadsheet, but I couldn’t concentrate. All that Nancy talk wasn’t good for me. That and the lack of sleep weren’t a good combination. Maybe calling her wouldn’t be the worst decision. Or a text. A text was always easier. It was a week before Christmas. That gave me the perfect excuse to reach out to her after so much time.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas. I pressed send and then cringed. Had I really gone there?

I waited for a response. None came.

She wasn’t even going to text back a holiday greeting? It was time to forget about her.

I pocketed my phone and opened the spread sheets again. It wasn’t my fault the girl was anything but interested.