Christmas Cookie Baby by Laura Marie Altom

Author:Laura Marie Altom [Altom, Laura Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SEAL Team: Holiday Heroes, Book One
Publisher: Fulton Court Press
Published: 2017-12-07T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“LET ME OUT of here!” Rose shouted, banging on the delivery truck’s metal door. Outside, a latch clicked into place.

“Good job, boys,” Nugget could be heard saying, his voice muffled but chipper. “Dot? Brody? Did you two put the milk I set out in the cooler for our expectant momma?”

Brody said, “Affirmative.”

“Let me out!” Rose screamed. “Are you people nuts? This is kidnapping! Double kidnapping!”

Colby, drawing Rose onto one of the comfy pillows lining the truck’s floor, said, “Wouldn’t that be a triple kidnapping, or don’t I count?”

“Grr…” In the oddly romantic light of at least fifty green glow sticks, she glared at her baby’s daddy. “Tell them to stop. This isn’t funny.”

“Hey…” He held up his hands in surrender. “See me laughing? I’m just as much a victim as you. And look on the bright side.” He pointed to a heart-shaped basket filled with a bottle of sparkling cider, crackers and Rose’s favorite squirt cheese. “At least they gave us snacks.”

She made a good show of frowning, but couldn’t quite hide the twinkle in her eyes when her gaze landed on the cheese.

The truck engine rumbled to a start. From outside, Nugget hollered, “Don’t you two worry about a thing. Brody and Dot were just pretending to be drunk. They’re both sober as preachers on Judgment Day. They’ll get you where you’re going, nice and safe.”

Rose groaned, spotting boxes of what she guessed were supplies in a corner.

“Okay, hit it!” On Nugget’s command, the truck lurched forward, flinging Rose against Colby’s chest.

He shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder if the area’s isolation isn’t throwing a few people off their rockers.”

“This thought just now occurred to you?” A tooth-jarring pothole left her holding on to Colby for dear life.

“Hey!” Colby shouted toward the truck’s cab. “You two fruitcakes mind slowing down?”

They did, and thankfully, although the ride was still bumpy, the bumps became easier to bear.

A few minutes later, Rose realized she was still clinging to Colby, her arms around his neck, her cheek pressed against his warm, solid chest. She knew she should let go, but didn’t want to. He was not only a safe harbor in this bizarre storm, but a comfortable one.

“Relax. We’re going to be fine.” He stroked her hair. “This is what my so-called friends consider an Alaska-sized therapy session.”

“Yeah, but where are they taking us, and what do they hope to achieve?”

She felt him shrug. “Probably some cabin out in the woods. Most of us have places in the boonies we use to get away.”

At that, she leaned back and sighed. “Like the stress of being around all two hundred or so occupants of this town can be a strain?”

“Try over a thousand occupants. Kodiak Gorge is a happening place.”

“Sorry.”

“You should be.” He tweaked her ear.

“What was that for?”

“Sass. Now, where was I?”

“Explaining why your high-stress lifestyle requires you to get away.”

Shaking his head, he said, “Have you met any of the people who locked us in here?”

She laughed.

“Anyway, I imagine they’re planning to leave us wherever they drop us off until we either bicker each other to death or agree to marry.

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