Jingle Bears: A Pacific Northwest Bear Novella: (Shifter Romance) Read Online Free Page B

licking at the sticky sweet icing.
    “Mom,” Cage growled from the couch.
    “Oh hush, you’re not the boss of me. Hell, your father isn’t even the boss of me,” Connie said with a sniff and went back to the kitchen. She should have taken the spoons with her because the twins had shifted back to human and were pummeling poor Micah with them.
    Micah gave the girls a tiny growl, and they broke into peals of laughter.
    There was a knocking on the front door. “I’ll get it,” Wyatt said jumping up.
    He walked into the entry way and pulled open the front door.
    “Got room for two more?” Everett asked.
    “Everett?!” Kenzi squealed from the kitchen. She came running full tilt for her brother and jumped into his arms.
    “What are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t leave the hotel?” Kenzi excitedly asked as she hopped down and scooped her sister-in-law Layla into her arms.
    “It’s good to know the boss,” Layla said with a laugh. Since Layla’s family owned the hotel and casino that she and Everett worked in, it probably wasn’t too hard to get some time off.
    “Come on in, the family’s inside. And I mean all of them,” Wyatt warned.
    Everett shook hands with all the men, minus Edward, who still hadn’t woken from his nap. The girls all excitedly chatted, Layla picked up each baby and snuggled them.
    “Wanna help bake?” Sophie asked Layla.
    “Hmm, not really the baking type. I’m killer at making reservations, though. How about I keep the babies entertained and chat with you ladies since you seem to have everything under control,” Layla suggested wisely. She barely knew how to boil water.
    “So where are the rest of the Hayes boys? Late as usual?” Layla said giving Kenzi a wink.
    “They’ll be along, I think Dax and Effie are flying in, and Stryker and Libby are driving up. They should be here anytime! Layla, you and Everett can stay with Kenzi. Stryker and Libby are going over with Wyatt and Jinger, and Dax and Effie are staying here with us,” Connie gave the run down.
    “Whew, lots of people!” Layla laughed. Getting sucked into the Rochon/Hayes world was surreal. Her pack was big enough, but now her world was positively bulging.
    About a half hour later there was another knock at the door. “That must be Dax,” Wyatt said, jumping up to do door duty again.
    There was silence when he made it to the door; then some quiet conversation could be heard. Wyatt walked back into the room with his eyes big as saucers and a scary looking grin on his face.
    “There is my girl!” A feminine voice came from behind Wyatt. Lilibeth Hayes stepped around the large man and walked straight into the living room towards Kenzi.
    Kenzi was staring, mouth open at her mother, dressed in a burgundy pencil skirt and white silk blouse. Her hair was up in a classic chignon, and she had her best pearls at her neck. Everyone else was in country casual, jeans and long sleeve shirts. It was freaking winter for Pete’s sake, not the tea room at the Four Seasons.
    “Mom! What are you doing here?” Kenzi sputtered. Conner had made his way to behind his mate in a flash. Lilibeth Hayes was not known for her warm and fuzzy demeanor. In fact, she was a horrible mother-in-law. She’d screwed up Dax and Effie’s courtship, she said some not very nice things to Layla when she and Everett were courting. Which Layla being Layla, smacked her down hardcore. Now she was crashing a family Christmas.
    Kenzi was still wrapped in her mother’s hug as Lilibeth spied Conner. “There’s my son-in-law!” Poor Conner was grabbed into her arms and hugged. His eyes went from protective bear to pleading for help to his brothers.
    Cage looked at Kenzi’s dad Sebastian. Her dad just shrugged. “I have no idea. We got back from Vegas and her run-in with Layla, and she sulked for a week. Then she went off to Sedona for a month to some spa. She came back like that,” he said pointing to her.
    “Layla! Darling, it’s so good to