Jingle Bears: A Pacific Northwest Bear Novella: (Shifter Romance) (4 page)

T
he noise rose
to a deafening roar as everyone started talking at once. Effie was passed around from person to person as hugs and kisses were handed out.

“I guess with so many people I didn’t pick it up!” Lilibeth said. There were honest to goodness tears in her eyes. “I’m gonna be a grandma again. I’m so happy for you, Ephrata.”

Effie hated it when she called her that. But seeing her actually showing emotions that weren’t hate and disdain, she felt like all she could do was smile at her.

Stryker had been standing back leaning against the window sill. He wasn’t helping with decorating, because, well he just didn’t do that. Now he was staring hard at his brother. Dax was going to be a dad. True, Stryker was already a father himself. But for some reason his big brother going through it made his heart ache a little. In a good way.

Dax caught Stryker’s gaze, and he made his way over to him. “So, can I call you for advice this time?” Dax asked him.

Stryker stood and sized up his brother. “Yeah, anytime.” He wrapped his arms around his brother and held on much longer than Stryker had ever hugged anyone, outside of Libby and Harley.

“Dude, do you two need a room?” Everett called out.

Stryker gave Dax another squeeze and used the opportunity to flip off Everett.

All the noise made the babies start crying. Once one started, they all got in on it. Twilight had fallen, and there was soft Christmas music playing in the background. The babies were all on the floor surrounded by attentive adults.

Once Connie got Harley into a pair of red and white candy cane striped pajamas, the crazy round of family pictures started. Individual families, brothers, just the girls, and about a million of the kids. Each picture with a miserable looking Conner posing with them. He was finally given a reprieve and allowed to take off the costume when it was time for him and Kenzi to pose with Kingston.

Everyone was sitting around sipping eggnog or in Stryker’s case a beer, chatting occasionally and staring at the huge tree in the corner. It was lit with a million tiny white lights. Its overall theme was white and cream with gold. But tucked in between the green branches were homemade ornaments that the boys had made over the years. Popsicle mangers, puffball snowmen, and even glitter covered pinecones.

It was a family tree. It represented everything that Connie and Edward Rochon had ever wanted. Connie had wanted girls when she and Edward first mated. When she had her third and final boy, she had given up the dream of having a little girl. Then she was blessed with three amazing daughter-in-laws.

Connie stared at her sons, happy in their own families now. She looked at the three women strong enough to hold her sons’ hearts in their hands and protect them.

They all had made her heart grow even bigger by giving her four amazing grandchildren. She hoped there was more to come. If not, she would still be content. Her cup was overflowing.

As she looked around the room, her eyes caught her husband and mate’s eyes. He had the same soft contented look in his gaze. He knew what they had and how special it was.

The family was relaxing, laughing, and eating cookies that Sophie had finally allowed out of the kitchen. Not before she’d perfectly arranged them on decorative trays.

There was another knock on the door, and for a moment everyone stopped talking. They were all looking at one another with confusion.

“We’re all here, right?” Conner asked the assembled group.

“Who knows? Who can keep track anymore?” Cage laughed.

Edward decided he’d answer the door this time. Walking to the front he saw a large shadow on the porch through the beveled glass of the door. There was only one person he knew that would make that big of an outline.

“Cash! Surprised to see you, come on in,” Edward said swinging the door open.

Ducking a bit to make it through the door with his six-foot-seven inch frame, he smiled at his uncle.

Cash Rochon was his brother’s son and had been heading up the running of the lumber mill ever since his dad stepped back to enjoy retirement. Most of the Rochons either worked cutting lumber or processing it. A few had branched out to military and law enforcement, but most stayed close to home and the trees.

“Sorry to bother you, Uncle Ed. Wanted to see if Cage was here, had a few questions for him,” Cash said, his voice a deep tenor that came from not only his massive size but how close he kept his bear to the surface.

“You are never bothering us. Isn’t your mother gonna be mad you aren’t home?” Edward said walking back into the living room.

“No, she expects me tomorrow for dinner. Otherwise, I’m one less mouth to feed tonight,” Cash explained.

Walking around the corner, he saw all the eyes turn to him.

“Sorry to interrupt everyone. Cage got a minute?”

Cage stood up to come over to the hallway that Cash hadn’t moved all the way out of. The two men walked around the corner and had a low conversation.

“Who is that?” Libby asked. “He’s big, like really big. He kinda looks like Paul Bunyon with that beard.”

Laughing, Conner filled her in. “That is our cousin Cash. He’s a Rochon too. Might be the biggest Rochon we have. He’s younger than Cage and older than Wyatt. He’s usually running the mill down in Grays Harbor but has been helping us out at the cut site while we all play daddy for a while.

“Oh, wow that’s nice of him. Who is doing his job?” Libby asked.

“There are about a dozen other cousins with the last name of Rochon. There are at least two dozen more second cousins, only half of them named Rochon. The majority work in the family businesses. Cutting timber, processing timber, and/or trucking timber. Everyone works on the Peninsula,” Conner said with a laugh.

“But Cash would work both jobs if he had to. That boy is all about family. He doesn’t usually take to outsiders. Prefers his own kind so to speak,” Wyatt added.

Libby wasn’t sure what he meant by that, so she raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

“What he means is Cash likes shifters. He understands them. He doesn’t think humans have too much loyalty or that they can be trusted. Although once you join the Rochon family or Hayes family now I’m guessing, you are considered part of his inner circle. Lucky you,” Effie said with a wink.

Effie had gotten to know Cash after her kidnapping. He had been kind enough to sit on her ex-boyfriend until the authorities could arrive. And she meant literally Cash sat on him. The giant bear held down her sleazy ex as he pissed himself.

C
age and Cash
finished talking and walked back into the room.

“Sorry again to disturb you. Night Uncle Ed, Aunt Connie,” Cash said. He had his hat in his hands, twisting it a bit uncomfortably. He pulled the black knit cap on and turned to leave.

“Hold it right there, mister,” Connie said standing up. She had her hands on her hips and a glare in her eyes. “Get your butt over here, pronto,” she said pointing to the spot in front of her.

Cash looked around the room for help and got none. He walked up to his aunt and had to tilt his head way down to make eye contact. His aunt was a foot shorter than him.

“Yes, ma’am?” he said, still looking around the room. His cousins snickered behind their hands. He’d get them for that.

“Where are you going once you walk out that door?” she asked, hands still on her hips.

Cash wasn’t sure if this was a trick question or not, so he answered honestly. “I’m going back to the bunk house at base camp?” he said with a question at the end because he wasn’t sure it was the right answer.

Turns out it was the wrong answer.

“You think you are going to walk out of this house on Christmas Eve, and eat a can of beans, or whatever the hell you guys eat up there when Sophie’s not cooking? Then fold yourself in half to sleep on that tiny cot bed in a drafty portable building?” Connie started to tap her foot. The boys all knew that was never a good sign from any woman.

Again honesty was what Cash understood. So he answered, “Yes, ma’am?” Again questioning his own answer.

He watched Connie’s eyes get squinty at him. She reached up and got a fistful of his heavy work jacket and pulled him closer to her face. Cash had to bend at the waist to angle the way she wanted him to.

“Is your last name Rochon?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am.” This time, he knew that was the right answer.

“Then this is a Rochon/Hayes family Christmas. You will take off your jacket and hang it up in the hallway. You will return here, get a cup of eggnog, the extra alcohol is in the cabinet under the punch bowl and a few dozen cookies and park your ass on any spare space you can find.” Turning to her sons she said, “Don’t think I don’t know how much you’ve all had to drink.” She turned back to Cash.

“After you’ve had your snack, and we are all ready to turn in, you will again park your ass in one of the spare rooms. You will then wake up and celebrate Christmas morning with us and have brunch. Then you may go to your mother’s and celebrate with the rest of your family. Because young man, we are all family. No levels, no private groups, and there is no such thing as interrupting. Got it?” Connie had worked herself up over the idea of her nephew spending Christmas Eve alone.

Cash took a chance and glanced around the room. All he saw was smiling knowing looks and open, welcoming faces. Looking back at his aunt he whispered, “Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a smile that in any normal hot blooded woman would make her panties fall off. Luckily, he was family, and Connie just patted him tenderly on the cheek.

Cash did as he was told and hung up his coat. Grabbed a tiny cup of eggnog, which he had to hold from the bottom because there was no way his big fingers were going to fit through the tiny handle.

He found an empty spot by the fireplace and leaned up against the river rocks that made up the floor to ceiling façade. A large tray of cookies were handed to him, and he looked around where to put them. He gave up and placed the tray on his outstretched legs. Looking down at the tray of cookies, it was an overwhelming display. Picking up a gingersnap, he tossed the cookie in his mouth. Within thirty seconds, there were three tiny humans crawling over him in search of the cookies.

“Which one’s which?” he asked no one in particular.

“Micah is the reindeer. Maizy is the sugar plum fairy digging in your jean pocket. Mallory is untying your shoe.” Edward said helpfully.

Cash had met all the kids when they were born, but he didn’t spend a lot of time around the little ones.

“Conner is hogging Kingston, and Lilibeth has Harley,” Connie supplied.

Cash looked around and although not sure what to do with the children, felt happy to be surrounded by the next generation. He knew that family was everything. Continuing their shifter lines was equally important.

He looked up to see Effie coming over. She squatted next to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She heard Dax growl but ignored him. “Nice to see you, Cash,” she said quietly. Cash had helped Dax come to her rescue. He’d forever have a special place in her heart.

Cash sniffed. Then looked at the kids on his lap. Micah had shifted and was licking icing off a cookie. He sniffed again, and his eyes turned to Effie. Hers were sparkling mischievously. “You’re expecting?” he asked quietly. Effie bit her lower lip and nodded.

Cash felt a lump in his throat. More babies, more shifters. It was a good thing. “That’s good,” he said roughly. “I’m happy for you and Dax.” Cash wanted a family of his own. He wanted babies and a mate to pamper and protect. He’d never even come close to anyone that made him and his bear happy. He hoped that he wasn’t too old. He knew his uncles had all found their mates later in life, outside of Uncle Edward. Maybe there was still hope for him.

“Thank you, sweetie. I wanted you to know since you are going to be our baby’s godfather. If that’s okay with you. Being a bear and all,” she said with a wink.

A few years ago, Cash would never have thought his life or his world would be so tangled up with cougar shifters. But after the families had started mixing it didn’t seem like the big deal past generations had made it out to be.

“I’d be honored,” he said gruffly. This got him another kiss on the cheek. Cash looked for Dax and saw he was watching him and his mate. He got a chin lift and a smile. Obviously Dax and Effie had talked about this before. That made his stomach get tight knowing that he was someone they would bestow such an honor on.

Effie stood back up and grabbed one of the girls that had shifted and had her paw stuck in Cash’s pocket. She nuzzled the little girl and went back over to Dax. She slid into his arms, and they both snuggled the little cub together. Cash knew they were thinking of when it would be their own little one. He envied them.

After a while, everyone started to fade from the long day. Each couple started saying their goodnights. Babies were kissed and soon only Connie, Edward, and Cash were left sitting on the couch all staring at the tree. Effie had fallen asleep on the couch, so Dax had picked her up and quietly made his way back to their room. “I love Christmas,” Connie sighed, leaning her head against Edward.

“I know you do, doll-face,” he replied.

Cash couldn’t help but look at them longingly.

“Your turn is coming, sweetie,” Connie said when she saw his eyes on them.

“I don’t know; maybe I’m too old,” Cash said, turning his gaze back to the tree. He wasn’t really looking at it. Just letting the soft glow lull him into a tired stupor.

“You’re what, forty-nine now?” Edward asked.

“Somewhere around there,” he sighed.

“None of the bears at the last Run catch your attention?” Connie asked.

The Run used to be a way for young shifters to meet each other. Now with the internet and social media it wasn’t as hard. Not that they listed
shifter
under likes and dislikes. But there were ways of figuring it out. The Run now was just like a family reunion. You got to see relatives and friends from other clans. Sometimes there would be new members of a clan that would show up. No one had ever caught his eye. Besides, all the shifters he met were too small. He was a big guy, and he figured he’d need a big boned kinda girl to take him on.

“I can barely get my bear interested in dating anyone. He’s just not interested unless it’s the One,” Cash explained.

“Hard to go against your animal. They are far wiser than we are,” Edward said.

“I know your mate is out there. Don’t give up,” Connie said softly.

Cash took that in. It was nice that someone else still had hope for him. He’d all but given up. His bear hadn’t, but he was pretty darn close. He can’t remember even the last time he had a woman in his bed. It had been years.

“I think I’m going to turn in if you don’t mind,” Cash said, standing up.

“Goodnight dear. No worry about getting up early. We don’t expect the kids until around nine. The babies are still too young to know they should be up at the crack of dawn,” Connie laughed.

“Sounds good, night all,” Cash called. He made his way down the hallway towards Wyatt’s old room. The bed was at least big enough for his ample frame. He stripped down and lay on the firm bed. He relaxed and let his brain wander. It was nice his family wanted him to be mated. It was something that seemed like such an impossibility that he wasn’t sure if they were truly encouraging or pitying him.

He loved his family, his brothers and sisters, his mom and dad. All his aunts and uncles cousins and various mates. He knew it was just a matter of time before one of his siblings found their mate. He looked forward to the Rochon family expanding.