Shifters of Silver Peak: A Very Shifty Christmas by Georgette St. Clair

Author:Georgette St. Clair [St. Clair, Georgette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-12-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

The sun was climbing in the sky. Morgan had dug out a clearing near the igloo and made a bonfire for Valerie. After a breakfast of chocolate bar and roast rabbit, she was pleasantly full.

She held her hands out in front of the fire as Morgan paced back and forth in the snow, a frown creasing his forehead.

“Stop pacing,” Valerie said. “You’re making me tired just watching you.”

He walked over and sat down next to her, still scowling.

“Why are you looking so stressed?” she asked.

“I’ve never been away from work so long before. There’s a million things I should be doing.” Morgan stared off into the distance, seeing nothing.

“Arthur has been working for your company for twenty years. You’ve left things in good hands. Or paws.”

Morgan continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “I have expense reports to review, city planning officials to meet with, I need to read over the appeal of that zoning decision on the new wing...”

“Morgan,” she said sharply, and he focused on her again as if seeing her for the first time.

“Yes?”

“Obviously I’m terrible company and not interesting enough to hold your attention, but I’d still rather see you focus on something besides work. Even if it’s just for a few minutes.”

“You’re not terrible company,” he said with a puzzled frown. “If you weren’t interesting, why would I call you up after you’ve gone home from work?”

“Because you can’t stop thinking about work, even for a minute.”

“It’s not work I think of when I call you,” he muttered, or at least it sounded like that was what he was saying.

“What?” Valerie said, startled.

“Nothing.” He shook his head and looked away. “I have to keep my focus on work, Valerie. My pack depends on me. My family depends on me. The reason I’ve achieved the level of success that I have is because I devote all my time and energy to the success of the company.”

“No.” she shook her head insistently. “You’ve reached the level of success that you have because you have very good instincts. You always pick the right place to build your hotels; you anticipate where the crowd will be before anyone else can. You’re known for being tough but fair, and scrupulously honest in your dealings. You have an exquisite eye for design and you stay on top of all the latest trends in the hotel business.”

“Well, gawrsh, Valerie.” Morgan affected a gee-shucks tone and pretended to look bashful. “You’re about to turn my head with all that pretty talk.”

“Hold on, I’m not done yet.”

“Of course not.”

“Sometimes, you really get in your own way.”

“How?”

She gave him an annoyed look.

“You know how. You’ve driven off some very talented contractors by being too much of a hardass. You’re frequently rude to people, and you don’t show your appreciation for a job well done.” She let out an exasperated groan. “Oh, for God’s sake, Morgan, you’ve got me doing it. You’ve got me talking about work.”

“What else would we talk about?”

“Really? Out here in the middle of this beautiful wilderness?” She seized his hand.

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