Under The Covers. Crystal Jordan

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СКАЧАТЬ threw up her hands. “He’s like another younger brother to you!”

      “No, he’s not,” Dayna said at the same time Jake blurted out, “No, I’m not.”

      Penny stood on tiptoe and smacked a kiss on his cheek. “Well, you’re like another son to me.”

      “Thank you, Penny.” He stooped down to hug the older woman, shaking his head and chuckling at the irrepressible force of nature that was Penny.

      “Merry Christmas. Have fun!” She scooped up her suitcase, scooted around her daughter, and met her boyfriend in the gravel driveway.

      “She’s really leaving?” Nathan had the kind of dumbfounded expression on his face that Jake had only seen on men right before he’d coldcocked them in a bar fight.

      Dayna’s lips flattened, her eyes swirling with hurt and anger. She pinned her gaze on the floor. “Yes.”

      “Is that normal?”

      “Pretty much,” Jake said and ran a hand over the back of his neck, his gut twisting at the pain on Dayna’s face. She’d just never been able to accept that while her mother was a good person, she was never going to live up to the ideal Dayna had built in her mind. It was a shame for both of them. He met Nathan’s gaze and gave a brittle imitation of a smile. “Like I said, there’s a lot to learn about this family.”

      “Oookay, the snow’s falling faster, so let’s get Nathan started on learning about the family.” Dayna shot Jake a killing glare and stomped on the toe of his boot as she walked past. Lucky for him, they were steel-toed.

      This was going to be a very long holiday.

      2

      Nathan had taken one look at her aunt’s rustic cabin and demanded they stay elsewhere. An hour of phone calls later, and he had been frustrated to find every bed and breakfast, inn, hotel, and motel in a fifty-mile radius was booked. What did he expect? It was the holidays.

      Dayna just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. She escaped the awkward fits and starts of conversation downstairs by retreating to her childhood bedroom. She needed some quiet time. A lead knot had settled in her belly, and she fought the need to throw up. Every one of her worst fears about bringing Nathan here had come to life. She collapsed beside the bed and pressed her shaking fingers to her eyelids. Nathan didn’t just dislike her family, it was hate at first sight. And it was mutual. Aunt Rainbow said his aura was pitch black and his chi was blocked. Her brother hadn’t voiced an opinion yet, which wasn’t a good sign, because Sam normally never stopped talking. Even Toby—her normally sweet-natured nephew—had started crying the moment Nathan had looked at him. How had it all gone so wrong so fast? Bitterness coated her tongue, making her want to vomit even more.

      Her mother had certainly been at her flaky best today. Icy tingles raced over Dayna’s flesh just thinking about it. She was so angry her skin flashed cold and then hot. Her fingers shook, and she clenched them into fists.

      Not again. She couldn’t believe her mother had run off with some guy again. Why did she have to be so irresponsible and selfish? Was it so much to ask that she stay in town for one holiday and meet Nathan? Did Dayna mean so little to her?

      Yes. That was what she’d always feared. Her mother was beautiful and charming but completely wrapped up in her own wants and needs. She was never satisfied with what she had; she always wanted the next best thing. Her mother loved her—she just didn’t love her enough.

      Thank God for Rainbow. Who would have ever thought that a flower child would be the best thing that had ever happened to her? But she was.

      Dayna lurched to her feet. This wasn’t helping. Going over and over it in her mind wouldn’t fix this. When she stepped out into the hall, she looked around for a moment, uncertain where to go. She didn’t really want to deal with her family and Nathan, but she also didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts. She really wanted to have Aunt Rainbow hug her, stroke her hair, and tell her everything would be all right because she’d had a vision that said so.

      A laugh straggled out at that. Dayna pulled in a deep breath, wiped her eyes, and turned for the stairs. Time to face the music and enjoy her holidays as much as possible, no matter how much everyone seemed to dislike each other.

      She met Jake on the stairs; he was carrying a limp Toby against his broad shoulder. “Just laying him down in Sam’s old room.”

      “Okay.” Scooting around him, she ignored the shiver of awareness that went up her spine when she brushed against him on the narrow staircase, trying to beat a hasty retreat. She didn’t want to see the condemnation in his green eyes at Nathan’s behavior. Her head was spinning, and she didn’t think she could handle much more.

      “Dayna.” His voice froze her on the bottom step. She didn’t turn around when he spoke again. “I have to say, you could do better. That guy is an asshole.”

      Well, that was Jake, wasn’t it? Mr. Opinionated. But she wasn’t in the mood. She spun to face him, planting her hands on her hips. Lowering her voice to a hiss that wouldn’t wake Toby, she glared up at him. “You know what, Jake? Shut up. I’m having a shitty day, and you are not helping. So just leave me alone unless you have something to say that will actually help.”

      His dark blond brows rose. “He called Rainbow crazy. She cried. I doubt that’ll help, but you should know.”

      Oh, that was just it. She had had enough. The anger, frustration, and helplessness building inside her since Nathan had insisted they come here for Christmas exploded. She clenched her fists tight and the muscles in her body shook. Grabbing her coat and Nathan’s off the pile on the couch, she stomped into the kitchen where Nathan and Sam sat in silence at the table. Her aunt had disappeared.

      “Nathan,” she snapped. He jerked and stood to face her. She shoved his coat against his chest. “I need to speak with you outside. Now.”

      Wariness flashed in his dark eyes, but he put on his coat and followed her to the front porch. The bitterly cold wind made her skin tighten as she rounded on him. “You know, it was your idea to come here for Christmas. No one forced you.”

      “I know, but—”

      She cut him off. She didn’t want to hear excuses for more uncivil behavior. “Did you actually call my aunt crazy? To her face?”

      After having her mother bail out on her yet again, it pissed her off to have anyone speak ill of her very supportive aunt. Crazy she might be, but she had always been there when Dayna needed her. No way in hell was some guy who didn’t even know Rainbow going to come in and judge her.

      A muscle twitched in Nathan’s jaw. His nostrils flared with annoyance. “I may have mentioned that her ideas were a bit farfetched—”

      “Crazy, Nathan. You called my aunt crazy.”

      His long fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dayna, she thinks the base of Mount Shasta holds an entrance to a magical underground land.”

      Her shoulder jerked in a shrug, her temper completely unappeased. “She’s a little eccentric.”

      The incredulous look on his face just made her anger flare hotter. Now he was looking at Dayna as if she were insane. СКАЧАТЬ