Page 65 of Santa of the Creek

Are they really that wild? Dean has never said that. “Isn’t your daughter the one that makes cakes?”

JoBeth turns to me. “Do you like cake, Echo?”

Before I can answer Dean slaps a hand over my mouth. “Do not answer that. Never say yes to the offer of cake from JoBeth or Kathy.”

“I can make cakes,” JoBeth says pointedly. “I just don’t get a chance.”

“Kathy makes weapons of mass destruction.”

“They aren’t that bad,” Daniel says.

From the way Dean and JoBeth burst out laughing, I guessed they are indeed, that bad.

"It's a good thing that girl can cook," JoBeth grumbles.

Now I’m confused. Dean chuckles. “Cooking and baking are two different things.”

“I buy takeout,” I confess.

I expect JoBeth to scold me, but instead she says, “It’s hard to get interested in cooking when you work long hours. We tease Kathy but she’s been a blessing since Danny became mayor, and I work for the sheriff. She always makes sure there’s a hot meal on the table if I can’t get home in time.”

“Dean’s a good cook,” Daniel says.

“I know, sir. Uh…Daniel.”

He waves away my apology. “It’s all right. I know it’s hard to separate the man from the job.”

“Even JD and Danny don’t call each other by their first names,” JoBeth says.

It takes me a moment to remember who JD is. Oh, Sheriff JD Morgan. I’m going to have to get used to the casual way they talk about people in authority if I stay with Dean. It just didn’t happen back home.

“I’ll have more time for cooking now I’ve finished being Santa,” Dean says.

He’s still awake…just.

I put an arm around his shoulders as he leans against me.

“I need to go home,” Dean says.

Daniel nods, but he hesitates. “You saw Marty’s parents today.”

Dean wrinkles his nose. “Which little bird told you that?”

“Who didn’t?” Daniel asks drily. “I received five phone calls in the space of five minutes.”

“Someone should have warned Dean,” I growl.

“It’s okay, Echo,” Dean says, leaning into me as if he were trying to comfortme. “Yeah, I saw them. They’re in town for Christmas.”

“Were they civil to you?” Daniel asks. He narrows his eyes at my comment but doesn’t say anything.

Dean shrugs. “As civil as I could expect. They never liked me, you know that. But we exchanged pleasantries and left it at that.”

Daniel shoots me a look, and I nod, understanding the message.You’d better be there when he falls apart.

Except too late, bro. He’s already done that, and I was there to pick up the pieces.

Dean rolls his eyes. “Quit hovering, Danny. It was horrid, but Echo took care of me. Now I’m going home to bed.”