well sealed. Not like normal barns,” Josh said.
“So what do you want for Christmas?” she asked as Josh and Maverick switched cars and took turns sitting in the driver’s seats.
Josh smiled.
“One of the cars? It’s yours.”
He chuckled. “I got what I wanted for Christmas already. You.”
“You’re so sweet. Thanks.”
“What would you like?” Josh asked her.
“Hmm, anything is good for me. You’re my Christmas present too. I really couldn’t ask for more.” Brooke said to Josh. “No Christmas presents for us.”
“Wait, I’m getting one of the cars, right?”
Brooke and Maverick laughed. “Yes. What about for Maverick? I’ll give you guys the truck for the ranch, but you can have the other vintage car.”
“Hot damn. I’m thrilled. You are definitely my favorite sister-in-law.”
“I’m your only sister-in-law.”
“And the best one ever. I’ll take the Ferrari if it’s all right by you,” Josh said to Brooke, letting her sit in the car next. He supposed he should have allowed her to try it out first.
She smiled at him. “It’s yours.”
“Then I get the Corvette,” Maverick said, looking like he was a kid in a toy store.
She left the Ferrari, and Josh gave her a hug and a kiss. Then he had to try out the Corvette.
“Somebody—in the pack, probably—is maintaining the cars and the truck. Would the pack leaders know?” she asked.
“They might. I don’t think word has spread yet that you’ve taken over the shop. When I told Leidolf and Cassie we were mated, the pack members might have gotten word. We can ask at the Christmas party,” Josh said, hands on the steering wheel in the Corvette, envisioning driving with his mate down Route 66, top down, wind in their hair.
Maverick went over and gave her a hug, tears in his eyes. “This is the best Christmas ever, since you came into our lives. And not just because of the cars and the pickup.”
* * *
Brooke hugged Maverick back. “You and your brother made it the same for me.”
The guys moved on to check out the truck. She sat in the driver’s seat of the Corvette and reached up for the visor. She didn’t expect to find anything, but all the movies showed people putting car keys up on their visors, so why not try it? As soon as she pulled the visor down, the keys dropped onto her lap.
Well, that was a surprise. She wondered if the car would even start. Most likely not. But when she tried the keys in the ignition, it started. She pressed the gas pedal, and it vroomed. “Ohmigod, it runs.”
Both the brothers hurried back to her and the car. They opened the hood and checked the engine. She smiled. She could imagine walking naked in front of them and they wouldn’t see a thing but the beautiful vintage car they were drooling over.
“They’re all gassed up, engines clean,” Josh said, checking out the Ferrari. He found keys on the visor for it too.
Maverick went to check the truck and found the keys on the visor for it. “Well, hot damn.”
“I bet whoever has been maintaining the vehicles has been driving them around on the property,” Josh said.
“On the newer paved part of the road.” Brooke took pictures of each of the vehicles to show Adam when they returned home.
“We can haul them out of here with the truck. I just need to get a trailer so they’ll be more secure,” Maverick said. “We have a double-car garage attached to the house and another garage that we use for storage and work vehicles. But we’ll have room for the vehicles. We shouldn’t drive them any distance until we have a mechanic look them over and make sure they’re safe.”
“We can check out the house in the meantime while you get the trailer,” Brooke said.
“See you in a bit.” Maverick drove off in his pickup, and Josh used his lockpick to unlock the house.
The door creaked when he opened it, and the first thing Brooke thought of was oiling the hinges. Inside, the house was dusty and cobwebby, but there was no furniture. She was glad for that because she figured it might need to be replaced anyway.
“It’s in good shape,” Josh said, checking the windows, his voice echoing off the walls. “We need to get some new locks for the house.”
“Right. It looks like it mostly just needs lots of cleaning. It could probably use a fresh coat of paint. Floors look good.” They walked into the kitchen. “Hmm, it could use some updating.” She thought