Hot Blooded (Wolf Springs Chronicles) - By Nancy Holder Page 0,45

moment later they were rolling away from the cabin.

“We’re off,” he announced, sounding more excited than she’d ever heard him. Maybe he needed this trip just as much as she did.

“And as an added bonus,” Trick said, “I mixed a playlist.”

“Remember the rule,” her grandfather growled, though the corners of his mouth twitched.

“Don’t mess with the driver,” Trick said. “I think you’ll like what I picked out, though, Doc.”

“Not very likely. Your taste in music hasn’t been good since you were five.”

Trick had brought a portable speaker, which he set up on the dash. He plugged in his phone and a moment later “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” was blaring. It was so unlike his usual choice of music that Katelyn couldn’t help laughing out loud. Her grandfather actually cracked a smile.

Trick moved his leg, maybe by accident, maybe so he could rub it against hers, and something in his face shifted. She thought about unpredictability and his assumption that she was going over to the Fenners to chase Justin. Best to let him think so. Life was too complex. But it hurt in a strange new way and she found herself changing her mind once again and adding two words to her vow to have a normal life: with Trick.

Maybe Mr. Fenner wasn’t the only crazy one.

The drive took a little over four hours, but they finally reached their hotel, got their suitcases, and trooped inside a welcoming Victorian lobby decorated with brass pots of ivy. A couple of minutes later, they were upstairs in their one-bedroom suite with two twin beds in the bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the living room.

Her grandfather tapped the key card against the knuckles on his other hand. “I figured that I’d give you girls the room, but—” he stopped abruptly.

“Don’t worry, Dr. M. I’m all about the couch,” Trick said quickly.

“Sounds great,” her grandfather replied.

Katelyn was a bit weirded out at the thought of sleeping in the same room as her grandfather — it wasn’t like he felt totally like family yet — but he took his suitcase into the bedroom, and she followed.

“I call window,” she said, dropping her bag on the bed nearest lacy white sheers giving way to a view of the street. It was dark, and she could already see stars glittering over the tops of brick buildings and a white marble cupola.

“Fine with me. I always like to sleep closer to the door.” He lowered his voice. “I hope this is okay.”

“Oh, yes. It’s fantastic, Grandpa,” she replied, sounding maybe a little too chirpy in her eagerness to reassure him. “Thank you.”

He gave her a measured look, pleased at the “Grandpa.” “Did I invite the right guy?”

She reddened. So he thought she was hanging out with Justin, too.

“How much do you know about Trick?” she asked instead.

He raised a brow. “Such as?” When she didn’t say anything, he crossed to his suitcase and opened it. She saw that he had packed a suit, and she was touched by all the trouble he’d gone to to make this a weekend to remember.

“I’ve known Trick since the day he was born,” he said. Then he added softly, “And I met Justin the day he risked his life to save a little girl.”

Katelyn remembered that day very well; a little child — just a toddler — had run in front of her grandfather’s truck. Justin had leaped off his motorcycle and grabbed the girl, rolling to the side of the road with her and saving her life. It had been amazing. Fast. Quick. Brave. Werewolf speed, her mind told her. But now Mordecai’s comment gave her pause that her grandfather hadn’t dismissed Justin out of hand. Was it because he thought she might like him better than Trick?

“Let’s go have a nice dinner and turn in,” he suggested. “We’ve got a full day tomorrow and that was a long drive. I’d like to beat Trick about the head for sliding in a few heavy metal nightmares once I was lulled into complacency.”

She laughed and gave him a quick, impulsive hug. He flushed and patted her back in return. The grandfather/granddaughter relationship was growing stronger day by day, but neither felt totally comfortable about it yet. After all, Katelyn hadn’t seen Mordecai for over five years before moving to Wolf Springs to live with him. Soon it was time for dinner; she kept up the pretense that she was still a vegetarian, and then they went back to the