Page 83 of A Malicious Menagerie
“Wouldn’t you want your family there?” Nan chides Chase. It’s amazing how quickly she embraced him as family. If I thought I couldn’t love this woman more than I already did, her easy acceptance of a werewolf grandson-in-law proved me wrong.
Chase’s eyes soften at the mention of his parents and sisters, turning his golden gaze molten. “Yeah,” he agrees softly. “I want them there.” He snorts. “Even though Mom is the only one who would care all that much about a wedding.”
“I’m excited to meet her,” I tell him honestly. Still, butterflies flutter in my belly with the worry that she might not like me.
As if he can hear my concern in my tone, Chase gifts me a tender grin. “She’s going to love you. Though she’ll probably ask when her grandpups are coming.”
I choke on my spit and have to work hard to keep the car in a straight line while I cough. “Chase!”
“Well?” Nan teases between my hacking coughs. “What’s the answer?”
“Never, if my so-called fiancé doesn’t find his way out of the doghouse.”
“We’ll see,” Chase retorts before flopping back down on the seat.
And if I’m thinking about crawling in that back seat with him… well. At least only his nose can tell what I’m thinking.
37
The Breakdown
As the miles tick by, I start to relax. Nan is settled. Chase is in good spirits. We’re making excellent progress. Everything is going smoothly.
…And the minute I have that thought, the universe decides to throw us a curveball.Jinx.
We’re on a deserted two-lane highway in Montana when white steam starts leaking from under the car’s hood with an ominoushiss. “Shit,” Chase grits out as he guides the failing Cherokee onto the shoulder.
“Language,” Nan chides him from the passenger seat.
“Sorry,” he says distractedly. Once the car is safely stopped, he glances back at me. “Know anything about cars?”
“You’re lucky I even know how to drive one,” I reply wryly. Mom had gotten it in her head that she needed to teach me before she died. I have vivid memories of her instructing me from the passenger seat of her creaky old Toyota with a scarf covering the hair loss from the chemo. The car died not long after she did, and losing that place where I felt close to her made me mourn her loss all over again.
Chase sighs. “Yeah, putting gas in the tank is about as technical as I get. We’re going to need to get it towed.”
I glance doubtfully out the window at the dense forest of evergreens stretching as far as the eye can see. I think we’ve seen maybe two cars in thepast hour. “How are we going to do that?”
“We’re going to have to look for a town. Find a phone.”
As Chase tugs a map from beside the seat, I think wistfully of Old Reliable, lost somewhere in the menagerie. Not that I would have felt comfortable bringing the phone with me. If television has taught me anything, it’s that cell phones can be tracked.
“There’s a town about ten miles up the road.”
Ugh. The thought of pushing Nan’s wheelchair ten miles, even with Chase’s help, feels impossible. “Is there a mechanic?”
“No idea, but we’ll at least be able to call one.” Chase glances at Nan, and I know his thoughts have gone to a similar place to mine. “OrIwill, anyway. You two should stay here. I’ll be quicker as a wolf anyway.”
“What if you’re seen?” I ask anxiously, not happy about splitting up even as I know it’s the better plan.
“I’ll travel through the woods. Don’t worry, I can be sneaky.” He shoots me a reassuring grin.
“You were the one who told me you don’t have a subtle bone in your body,” I remind him dryly.
“Subtle, no. Sneaky, sure.” He’s already pushing open the door, and I quickly follow to join him beside the car, my breath fogging in the November chill. The air smells of pine and an oddly sweet engine fume. I look toward the car’s steaming engine worriedly. “Do you think it’ll catch on fire?”
“It’s steam, not smoke,” Chase points out, but he doesn’t sound very confident. “Maybe you and Darla wait in the trees? It’s cold, though.”
“It’s going to get cold in the car without the engine running anyway,” I point out. “We’ll bundle up.”
