Page 55 of Run, Run Rudolph
He glowered at me while Tamara and I shared a quick, darted look. I saw the hint of a tiny smile playing at her lips. Oh, those lips. I wanted to kiss her again and wasn’t sure why. She’d always been more like a kid sister to me. But that one kiss had turned the tables.
“You know, I should call Mom,” I said lightly, patting my coat as if searching for my phone. “Tell her we’re both okay.”
“No, no,” Kade said quickly, standing. “It’s fine. I’ll call her later.”
“I’m sure she’s worried.” I had my phone out, and caught sight of Tamara’s dancing lips, silently egging me on, just like old times.
“Both of her sons out in this storm? Oh, my,” Tamara said with mock seriousness. “She will be worried.”
She was struggling not to laugh. Was what we were doing unfair? Definitely.
But fun? Also, definitely. And so satisfying as well.
We hadn’t picked on Kade in ages, and I missed it. It might make me a cruel older brother to admit that, as well as how much I enjoyed having her on my side, but I was okay with it.
“I said it’s fine,” Kade said. “What’s wrong with the cat?”
Tamara grew serious, clearly eager to get Kade out of here. Lying wasn’t her thing, but how else were we going to make Kade leave? Tell him the truth?
Let’s see how that would go… Hey, so Tamara hit Rudolph with her car. Santa has a concussion. Oh, and we kissed.
Pretty sure that wouldn’t expedite his exit.
Knowing Kade, he’d find a way to be able to see these Christmas characters. Then he’d try to ride a reindeer, or post a photo of the crashed sleigh on social media. Assuming it could be photographed.
“So,” I announced, “this is where I do my veterinarian thing. You’re off the hook, little bro. You can go home before the storm gets worse.” I placed a hand on Kade’s shoulder and started steering him toward the barn door. I paused, as though coming up with a new idea. “Unless you want to help make a cat barf? I could use someone to hold him. You have gloves, right?”
He shrugged me off. “What’s up with the two of you?”
“Nothing. I’m working.”
Tamara swiftly stood in front of Santa, who was muttering about oats again. “Yeah. Nothing.”
She was a horrible liar. Her face was flushed, and she couldn’t meet Kade’s gaze. I feared we were one small slip-up away from awakening his stubborn streak. He was already close—he obviously suspected something was going on. But if this went much further, it would take him forever to back down.
A weekend, several years ago, Tamara came to a wedding with the family, and Kade had become convinced that the two of us had hidden his tie. Of course, that had been an asinine assumption, seeing as we’d both been avoiding each other at that point.
Kade, of course, had forgotten it at home, but that hadn’t stopped him from accusing us, turning the hotel rooms upside down as well as rummaging through everyone’s bags. It had made the weekend a weary one, even though it had been fun having someone sane to share weary smirks with—Tamara—as Kade lost his mind. I may have also kept him wound up by egging him on a teensy bit. It had just been too easy. And it had seemed to make Tamara smile and forget the stress of meeting every extended family member we had. That alone had made it well worth the lecture I’d received from my mom later on.
“You’re acting weird,” Kade told us.
“You’re acting weird,” Tamara retorted quickly.
“Am not. I worry about you, T.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re out here alone so often. It’s not good for a person.”
“I like it,” she said firmly.
“Yeah, no, of course.” Kade nodded, as if he understood Tamara. He was good at pretending to listen, then convincing her to do whatever he wanted instead. Or at least he used to be. I had a feeling Tamara had outgrown his little tricks. “You’re just alone. A lot.”
“Kade, let her be,” I said, knowing I didn’t need to stand up for Tamara, but feeling the need nevertheless.
“Why’d you come here after hours?” Kade asked me, his tone accusing. “You’re not the only vet around here.”
“She’s family,” I said firmly, and a bit too loud.
