Page 31 of Bad Boy Bachelor Christmas
“Well, my first matter of business will be having a nice hot bath to ease all these new aches and pains.” Working so diligently had taken its physical toll. I was used to a lot of in-class work. In other words, butt-in-seat work. It felt good to move my body and get down in the dirt for once, but I could definitely feel the aftereffects. “Then I might make myself a quick dinner. There’s pasta in the pantry and cream and parmesan in the fridge.”
“Sounds lovely,” Mom said.
“Anyway, I’d better let you guys go. I’m probably going to lose service up ahead for a minute or two. Have a good rest of your evening and we’ll talk soon, okay?”
They wished me a good night and we exchanged I love you’s before Mom hollered into the phone to remind me to send pictures. I ended the call with a smile, dropped my phone in the pocket of my puffy winter coat, and gazed up at the starry night sky. Everything was blacked out by the cliff, but the stars peeking out above it looked romantic and almost other-worldly. I found myself wondering how beautiful it would be if the cliffside was dusted in snow and the night was clear like this. Would the moonlight make the snow on the ground, trees, and cliff glow? Surely it would.
I hoped I got the chance to see it before I went home.
A sharp wind picked up, and the branches on a tree up ahead shifted. At first, it seemed normal to me, and I assumed the wind had caused the rustling sound, but when I realized the lower branches were still moving and all the other trees were perfectly still, I froze in my tracks.
What is that?
My pulse quickened, and I held my breath, waiting.
The branch rustled again, this time way too mysteriously for me to chalk it up to wind, and as I watched, something low to the ground and slinky crept out from beneath the shadow of the tree. Its eyes were on me. I could feel its stare, curious and unafraid, as it stopped between the rows of trees.
Right in the middle of my path.
I swallowed hard.
So this is why North didn’t want me walking around by myself. Noted.
The creature, a canine with slender legs, haphazard fur, and raised hackles, could only be one thing.
A coyote.
I’d seen my fair share in Portland, but they’d never wandered out in front of me like this. More often than not, if a coyote was around, you’d never know it because they had no interest in being seen. If you did see one it was by happenstance, and they were keeping their distance.
But this coyote?
He was brave. Too brave. And I felt watched.
Hunted.
Shit.
With shaking hands, I pulled my phone out of my pocket. No service. “Damn it!” A branch cracking up ahead startled me, and I looked up to find the wild dog had taken a few tentative steps toward me.
Not good.
Not good at all.
Desperate, I turned on the flashlight on my phone and cast the glare of light upon the creature. It shrank back a few steps but didn’t flee. The flashlight caught its glowing eyes, and I found myself wondering if the padding in my jacket would protect me from the worst of the bites. I’d have to protect my neck, and if I could fight it off, I’d have to get back to the main house quickly so they could get me to the hospital for shots and stitches.
Why hadn’t I listened?
“Go away!” I yelled, throwing my arms in the air erratically. “Shoo!”
The coyote backtracked to the tree from which he emerged, then circled back, this time lower to the ground, ears flat against his head, hackles even more raised and bushy.
For a moment, I considered running.
A great blast of sound split the air.
I screamed and covered my ears.
The coyote bolted and vanished into the trees, his paws silent on the frozen ground. My teeth chattered—either from cold or fear, I couldn’t be sure—and I straightened up to turn and find North’s large silhouette emerging from around a large pine. He had a shotgun resting against his shoulder, and his features were drawn in their usual scowl.
