Silver Fox (Silver Shifters 2)

Kisses—crushes (because of course that was what it was)—having to hide your love life from your mom? Imagine even having a love life? Doris was giddy with exhilaration, her mind caroming off one idea to the next. Joey—kisses—the house full of people—Bird’s odd conversation. Be careful? What was that about? Surely not a warning about Joey!

Doris stopped short, and replayed the conversation. No. Whatever it was about, it definitely wasn’t Joey. Bird liked Joey. Bird had been hinting pretty loudly that she’d love to see Doris and Joey as friends. So . . .

Rounding the corner to the pantry, Doris nearly rammed into Vic, who slumped in the pantry door, looking hopeful. She couldn’t help thinking uncharitably of a begging dog, hoping someone would feed it.

Mom was of the generation that assumed women did housework.

Doris felt differently.

Assuming her teacher voice, Doris said, “Since it seems you’ve nothing to do, you can collect the towels and start the wash, or everyone will be dancing naked in the snow to

dry off tomorrow. The laundry is in the basement. Make sure there’s no one in the shower, or the water turns cold when you start the machine.”

“Awwww,” Vic complained dutifully, but sloped off.

Doris turned toward the mud room—and there was Joey!

“There you are,” she began, and shut her mouth so fast her teeth clicked.

But Joey just said, “I was going to look for you, too! I stepped outside for some air, but the snow is coming down again.”

“Without a jacket?” Doris asked.

He laughed. “I got used to colder weather than this when I was young. Southern California has a lot to learn about what cold really is.” His grin faded, and there was that searching, almost wistful look she’d glimpsed a couple of times since his arrival. “There’s a lot I’d like to tell you, but I think we need a bit of uninterrupted—”

Vic reappeared, arms laden, and a grin on his face that made Doris instantly suspicious. She excused herself and followed Vic to the laundry room, which was directly beneath the upstairs bathroom. And from down here, she could hear water running upstairs.

Vic jumped when he saw her.

“I told you to wait until no one was …” Then she remembered what it had been like to be his age, with a sister like Sylvia. “No, let me guess. Your sister in the shower?”

Vic flashed a wicked grin. “It’s called ‘you snooze, you lose.’”

As he spoke he tossed the laundry into the machine, emptied a detergent pod into it, and before Doris could voice a protest, hit START. The water promptly began humming in the pipes.

Sure enough, a muffle scream issued from overhead.

Vic let out a cackle.

“If your sister is anything like mine, you’d better hope she never finds out you’re responsible,” Doris told him, but she was struggling to suppress a smile. “Actually, she’ll probably figure it out anyway.”

“Gotta go, bye,” Vic said hastily. “Hi, Uncle Joey! Bye, Uncle Joey!”

Doris turned to find Joey a few feet away, smiling. “Were we ever that young?” she asked.

“Hard to believe, isn’t it?” he said, smiling his beautiful smile.

Once again, the sense of opportunity hovered between them, but then feet pounded upstairs and Sylvia came quickly down the stairs. “Clean towels, clean towels … Doris! Where is—oh, hi!”

She actually grinned at them, a thousand-watt smile as if she couldn’t think of anything better than finding the two of them alone together. Doris found herself blushing again. She’d blushed more since she met Joey than when she actually was a schoolgirl.

“The towels are in the machine,” Doris said. “There’ll be clean ones soon.”

“Oh good. And … I’m so sorry to interrupt.” She genuinely sounded sorry, too. “But do you think you could handle—well, I was going to say lunch, but as late as it’s already getting, it’s going to be more like dinner than lunch? Mom is completely frazzled and exhausted, and you’re way better at crowd cooking than I am. I promise I’ll take care of the dishes.”

Doris and Joey traded a look. His smile was rueful, but there was a mischievous sense of conspiracy in it that made her chest fizz and her toes curl.

“How about if we make dinner together?”