Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 34451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
The Fox stared at him for a long moment. “I can see how that would be upsetting for you.”
“Thank you for acknowledging my feelings,” Duke said dryly.
“We don’t have to hug now, do we?”
“No!” Duke said. “Definitely not.”
“I promise to never take Sunny from you as long as you do not truly harm her. I might threaten it, but I will not do it unless I deem her at real risk from you.”
“That will never happen,” Duke said in a tight voice.
“Then you have nothing to worry about.”
Duke hoped not.
“You are a sensitive thing, aren’t you? I will have to remember that.”
Duke sighed and tried to keep his temper in check. “What are we going to do about what they did tonight?”
“Well, my two won’t be sitting very well tomorrow or the ensuing days. And I heard you plan on grounding Sunny . . .”
Dear Lord.
Did he have to know everything?
“I meant, what are we going to do about that plan of theirs?”
“Ahh. That.”
“I’ll rent the cabin,” Duke found himself blurting out.
“What? Why?”
“So that we can spend a couple of nights over Christmas there. I can’t spare much more time.”
“And why would you want to do that? I didn’t think you wanted to go away on holiday.”
Duke knew he had to tread carefully to not hurt the Fox’s feelings.
Wait. What?
Since when did he care about the Fox’s feelings? Or consider he might have them?
Okay . . . that was a bit of an asshole thought.
“The girls and Brody obviously want this. And we both like to give them what they want? Yes?”
“Yes. I always give them what they want. Except if it puts them in danger.”
“Right. So . . . we’re in agreement?”
“This moment is historic. I don’t believe we’ve ever been in agreement. Except about your need to plant the parsnip—”
“Fox.”
“Right. Agreed. As long as you stop all this sex talk with Sunny. She’s like a sister to me.”
Duke groaned.
Sunny smiled as she slid down the hallway and got back into bed.
It seemed that she was still on Santa’s nice list since her Christmas miracle had just come true.
EPILOGUE
Christmas Eve
It was the night before Christmas, and no one in the log cabin was stirring . . . except for one Foxy Santa.
Dressed all in red, he moved around the house, checking on all the Littles and one Big.
Then, deciding they were all sound asleep, he slipped downstairs past the remains of their night before. The board games strewn on the table, evidence of hot chocolates and eggnog, along with far too much candy and chocolate.
Then he stepped up to the Christmas tree. It was done in figures of unicorns and foxes. Along with the occasional Batman and Spiderman.
Pulling his sack off his shoulder, he drew out gifts for them all, placing them under the tree. Next, he put two very special gifts in two of the stockings.
And there was a third big gift was out in the garage.
Sure, he’d heard Duke say that he wasn’t to get Sunny a gift.
But since when did he ever let anything the big biker had to say sway him?
He was the Fox after all . . .
The next morning, three happy Littles ran down the stairs. Duke followed them, trying to hide his smile.
While the Fox followed. He was excited as Bunny and Pup tipped up their stockings. Only for their faces to fall.
Bunny’s eyes filled with tears and soon they dripped down her face. “We’re on the n-naughty list!”
“What did we do? What did we do?”
Sunny gaped at them both before turning her desperate look at Duke. “Fix this, Daddy! Fix this!”
While Duke just stared at the Fox in shock.
Panic filled him. “You’re not on the naughty list! Read the note!”
Brody pulled a note out of the stocking, reading it. Autumn was too busy staring at the lump of coal sadly.
“Tutu, it says we need to put them in glasses of water,” Brody said.
They all moved to the kitchen, where Sunny helped them get glasses and filled them with water.
The lumps of coal quickly dissolved and Bunny and Pup reached into their glasses.
One of them pulled out a titanium ring in black with an image of a fox on the inside. The other drew out a classic gold ring with a huge solitaire diamond and the same fox engraved on the back.