A Wolfe Brothers Christmas Read online

  Table of Contents

  A Wolfe Brothers’ Christmas

  Blurb

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1—Dumb Idea?

  Chapter 2—Lights Out

  Chapter 3—Rabid Dogs

  Chapter 4—Lost Child

  Chapter 5—Angry Waters

  Chapter 6—Family

  Complete Booklist

  About the Author

  A Wolfe Brothers’ Christmas

  A Game On in Seattle Novella

  By Jami Davenport®

  Copyright © 2018 and 2019 by Cedrona Enterprises

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Jami Davenport. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to others. If you would like to share this book with others, please purchase an additional copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

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  The Seattle Sockeyes®, Seattle Steelheads®, and Seattle Skookums™ are fictional sports teams. Game On in Seattle™ is a series of sports romance novels The names and logos are created for the sole use of the owner and covered under protection of trademark.

  Jami Davenport®, Seattle Sockeyes®, and Seattle Steelheads® are registered trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

  This book is a work of fiction. While references might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning

  This book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. This book is for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-age readers.

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  Blurb

  Spending their first Christmas together in years, the Wolfe brothers fumbling attempts to create good memories go awry.

  Author’s Note

  The events in this novella take place after the ending of Bottom of the Ninth, during the Sockeyes’ third season.

  Originally published in 2018 as part of the Hockey Holidays anthology. This novella is also part of the Madrona Island Christmas anthology.

  If you’d like to read more about the Wolfe Brothers and my other Seattle Sports teams, check out my Game On in Seattle Collection. All the books in this series can be read as standalones, though your reading pleasure will probably be increased by reading them in order. The books listed below feature the Wolfe brothers.

  Melting Ice (Isaac and Avery)

  Blindsided (Tanner and Emma)

  Bottom of the Ninth (Zeke and Paisley)

  Chapter 1—Dumb Idea?

  What had he been thinking?

  Isaac Wolfe looked around the large two-story great room and shook his head. His brothers, Tanner and Zeke, were in a heated argument about the popularity of football vs. baseball or some stupid shit like that. Avery, the love of Isaac’s life and his personal savior, was trying to roll out pie dough. There was more on her face than there was on the kitchen counter. Baking was not her forte. Not that he cared. She had other skills he appreciated greatly. Maybe he could get her upstairs later for a little Christmas Eve cheer.

  Pregnant Emma, Tanner’s wife, was overseeing the cooking. She turned positively green and bolted for the bathroom. Zeke’s wife, Paisley, pulled a burned ham out of the oven and rushed to open the doors and windows as multiple smoke alarms deafened every living thing within a square mile. Zeke and Paisley’s three kids raced around the couch screaming loud enough to drown out the alarms.

  Isaac turned on the ceiling fan, trying to get the smoke out of the house. An excruciating minute passed before silence reigned. Even Tanner and Zeke halted their argument. They glanced around the room wearing twin puzzled expressions. The kids stopped running and said nothing.

  For a blessed ten seconds, all was quiet before chaos returned. The kids took off after Hal, Isaac’s cranky boxer. Emma turned on the mixer. Avery cranked the Christmas music. Paisley chased after the kids and the dog. And, of course, his brothers picked up where they’d left off.

  Isaac sighed. It was going to be a long twenty-four hours.

  This Christmas would be their first one together since the three Wolfe brothers were children. Newly reunited, they’d actually dined at the same table for Thanksgiving dinner, but this was different. For Thanksgiving, they’d been in the Sockeyes team owner’s home surrounded by Isaac’s teammates, which made it easy for them to keep the conversations casual and civil, and avoid each other completely when annoyance set in.

  The Wolfe brothers’ relationship with each other was tenuous at best and combative at the worst. They’d only recently reconciled their differences after years apart. Isaac wasn’t sure they’d truly gotten beyond the hurt and anger that had kept them separated.

  Avery, Emma, and Paisley had dreamed up this holiday together in a waterfront home on Madrona Island in Washington’s San Juan Islands. The home was owned by Isaac’s friend and former teammate, Blake Daniels. He and his new wife were honeymooning in Hawaii and had offered the home to them. It’d seemed like a good idea at the time. Now he wasn’t so sure.

  At three stories and four thousand square feet, it wasn’t big enough. Isaac doubted Bill Gates’ sixty-six-thousand-square-foot mansion would be big enough.

  It was too soon to force the brothers to be together overnight, but none of them had wanted to disappoint their wives by bringing that up. They’d agreed and gritted their teeth while doing it. They would get through this, hopefully only with minor injuries to their bodies and their egos.

  Presents were stacked under the gigantic, two-story tree, testaments to how much money each brother made. Their competitive nature had extended to gift giving. Each package was larger and more elaborately gift-wrapped than the next. As if they could prove what good people they were by the presents they bought.

  Isaac found the entire display as sad as this attempt to be a family was futile.

  But then Isaac had never been the positive one in the family. Avery would chide him for such negative thoughts. After all, who’d have guessed they’d be here together after all those years of estrangement and near hatred of each other?

  Isaac heaved a sigh. He turned away from his brothers and toward the kitchen. Avery hurried toward him and grasped his hand and squeezed it. “Know anywhere we can get a decent meal tonight?” She smiled wryly and pointed at the still smoking and blackened ham.

  He had to smile. She was the love of his life. For her he would step out of his comfort zone and try to be a better man. Isaac didn’t do change well, but he was giving it his best shot. “We could start calling around.”

  She nodded. “We have plenty for dinner tomorrow but this ham was the main dish for tonight’s dinner.”

  “At least the burned smell is covering up Hal�
�s farts. We have to insist the kids stop feeding him table scraps.”

  “It’s pretty rank.” Avery nodded vigorously as both their gazes landed on Hal, the cranky boxer, who was now lying next to Zeke and Paisley’s kids across the room. His snores could be heard loud and clear.

  “I’ll make some calls.” Isaac whipped out his phone and did a quick search for local restaurants, not that the island of two-thousand residents had many to choose from, especially on Christmas Eve.

  Avery stole the phone from him. “Keep your brothers from killing each other. I’ll make the calls.”

  Isaac nodded reluctantly and walked over to Zeke and Tanner—the things he did for love.

  Standing between them, he clapped a hand on each brother’s shoulder. His comradely grin was forced and hurt his face. Tanner stiffened, and Zeke’s face hardened into an unreadable mask. Isaac held back a frustrated sigh. They still had a long way to go, and he honestly wondered at times if they’d ever get there.

  “Baseball players are soft and lazy. Look at all the fat baseball players. You don’t see out-of-shape guys like that in football.” Tanner turned to Isaac. “Or hockey. Right, Isaac?”

  Isaac didn’t want to get involved in this particular debate, which had the potential to turn ugly. He shrugged and said nothing.

  “You guys are grossly overpaid. Your bodies don’t take nearly the toll as athletes’ bodies in contact sports.” Tanner had that same self-righteous smirk he used to taunt the opposing defense and made Isaac’s temper flare. He chanced a quick glance at Avery. She gave him a wink and grinned. He frowned, feeling the weight of this family on his shoulders.

  Zeke pushed Isaac out of the way and stood toe to toe with their middle brother. “You fucking asshole. You don’t have a clue what it takes to play baseball, the grueling schedule, the travelling, the stress to be worth all the money they’re paying you.”

  Tanner clutched his chest in mock sympathy. “Ah, you poor, misunderstood bastard. Isaac knows all about grueling schedules. The NHL plays just as many games and their bodies get punished every damn one, yet they’re the lowest-paid athletes in the major pro sports.”

  Isaac wasn’t sure how he’d gotten dragged into this, but he needed to stop it now. He could see the women casting anxious glances their way.

  “Hey, let’s not argue on Christmas Eve,” he said lamely.

  Zeke snorted and Tanner rolled his eyes.

  “You think you’re so perfect, big brother?” Tanner growled, turning the full force of his irritation with Zeke onto Isaac.

  “Baseball requires fine-tuned athletic ability, sharp eyes, and strategic thinking.” Zeke jabbed his finger into Tanner’s chest. Their middle brother glared at the offending finger. The heat from his gaze alone should’ve burnt a hole in Zeke’s finger.

  “Fucking bullshit,” Tanner exploded, ignoring the chastising looks of the women in the room. “Football is the toughest sport there is. Talk about strategy. Football is like playing chess on a hundred-yard-long chessboard. Baseball players are wusses. Half of you are entitled prima donnas. The other half are lazy asses who make too much money. And let’s not forget hockey. Hockey players have shit for brains and who wants to watch hockey, anyway?”

  “Football players only have to play one game a week and even then they whine about it. Hockey players just skate around and knock guys on their ass while trying to get a piece of rubber past a guy wrapped in so much padding he can’t move worth shit,” Zeke shot back.

  “There’s a reason hockey is the least popular sport in the US. They never score and who wants to watch a bunch of grown men skate around for a few hours with nothing happening?” Tanner said.

  “It’s boring as hell,” Zeke agreed. At least they were agreeing on something.

  They were also baiting him, trying to pull him into their pointless bickering. He should be better than that. Set a good example as the oldest brother. Yeah, he should, but he couldn’t.

  “Hockey players aren’t the brightest guys in pro sports,” Tanner added.

  “They’re about as dumb as they come,” Zeke said.

  Isaac’s blood boiled to a breaking point. When both brothers cast superior smirks his way, he lost it and jumped into the fray. He hadn’t meant to, but his brothers were disrespecting hockey, and he couldn’t let that happen.

  “You’re morons. Both of you. Everyone knows hockey players are the toughest mentally and physically. I’d like to see either of you survive one shift on skates against any of the NHL’s finest.” His voice rose to be heard over his brothers’ indignant retorts.

  Isaac ignored the irritated stares from the women, especially his wife. He was hell-bent on setting his ignorant brothers straight. God, it was times like this when he could see their asshole father too clearly in both of them. Not him, of course.

  Tanner’s face glowed a deep, dark red, and his gaze narrowed until his eyes were just slits. He was pissed. Fuck him. Isaac was pissed, too.

  “Hockey is a fourth-rate sport below the big three. You guys get paid shit.” Zeke smirked, knowing he was making bank compared to his brothers.

  Forgetting Tanner, Isaac turned on his baby brother. “Just ’cause we’re paid shit doesn’t mean we aren’t the best athletes. Hell, baseball players get paid embarrassingly huge amounts of money and are in the worst athletic shape of the bunch. You assholes don’t put your bodies on the line the way hockey players do.” His fisted hands twitched in anticipation of wiping the smirk from Zeke’s face.

  “And you’re bragging about not earning your money?” Tanner snorted with undisguised disgust. “Baseball players are all pansies.”

  “Fuck you both.” Zeke gave them the middle finger.

  And the entire discussion went downhill from there. At least they didn’t come to blows. Not yet, anyway.

  Chapter 2—Lights Out

  Avery, Isaac’s wife, had never been much for cooking or baking, but she gave it a shot under Emma’s watchful eye. Her twin sister, also Tanner’s wife, had been even more domestic than usual. Most likely some nesting instinct brought about by being four months pregnant. Emma insisted they make pies from scratch, including the crust. Both Avery and Paisley, Zeke’s wife, had tried to sneak in some frozen pie crust, but Emma would have none of it.

  As they rolled out the crust on the large kitchen island, they were covered in more flour than the counter. Except Emma. Somehow she managed to stay pristine and flour-free.

  Suddenly there was a bang and the entire room went dark except for the fire blazing in the two-story stone fireplace that dominated one side of the great room.

  “Shit,” Isaac muttered. “Sounds like the island lost a transformer.”

  Zeke pressed his face against the large window. “I don’t see any lights on at any of the neighbors’ houses, so it’s widespread.”

  “And the ham is burnt to a crisp. We don’t have anything for dinner.” Emma sighed. She might be Avery’s twin, but they were total opposites. Emma was the domestic one, while Avery could barely boil water and didn’t care to learn.

  “We could make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” Paisley offered helpfully.

  “On Christmas Eve? What kind of dinner is that?” Avery said.

  “It’s the best we can do. The most important thing is we’re all together.” Leave it to Emma to focus on the positive. Avery loved that about her, even while her sunshine attitude grated on her nerves at times.

  “Let’s get some light in here.” Emma started digging through drawers and cupboards, stacking candles and flashlights on the counter.

  “Guys, don’t just stand around looking pretty. We need more wood to keep this fire going. It’s our only heat source.” Paisley turned her sweet smile on the men, who’d stopped quarreling for the moment.

  Nodding, they filed out the door, fighting over who would man the axe and who would carry in the wood.

  “Do they have to compete at everything they do?” Avery threw her hands up in exasperation. She w
as ready to kick some male butt. She’d heard enough from all three of them tonight.

  “It appears so,” Paisley said with a sigh.

  “It’s getting on my nerves,” Emma admitted.

  With a shake of her head, Paisley carried a large candle to the coffee table where the children were playing board games so they could see what they were doing.

  “I’m going to fix something for dinner. Maybe the guys will be less cranky if they eat.” Emma retreated to the kitchen to scrounge around in the cupboards. The house had a gas range so they could still cook.

  At a loss as to what to do, Avery hovered between the kitchen and the window looking out onto the woodshed. She couldn’t see the men in the darkness and hoped they hadn’t taken an axe to each other. A few minutes later they returned, their arms loaded with wood, and stacked the logs by the fireplace.

  Zeke bent down to stoke the fire, but Tanner elbowed him out of the way. “I’ll do it. You suck at building fires.”

  “What? You fucking asshole. You’re the one who can’t get your hands dirty.” Zeke stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists, and got in Tanner’s face. Isaac pushed between them, looking ready to kick both their asses. Avery had no doubt he could pull it off. Isaac was formidable when he was pissed.

  “Knock it off,” Isaac snarled. Both brothers turned on him and their harsh words echoed off the walls and around the room.

  Avery rushed forward, followed by Emma and Paisley. They grabbed their men’s arms and yanked hard, everyone yelling at once, but it was sweet, quiet Emma who shut them up. She’d found a whistle somewhere, and she blew it hard. The noise interrupted the angry voices.

  “Shut up!” Emma screamed and glared at each one of them, hands on hips, looking formidable, even with her pixie face.