Read Online Home For The Holidays (Dirt Track Dogs #6) by P. Jameson - Free Book Online

chocolate. “Alright, monsters,” she piped up. “I’ve got the goods. And I found a stray.”
    Annie peeked through the darkness and saw her brother trailing Punk, carrying a second drink holder.
    “Hey!” Gracie exclaimed, happily. “It’s you.”
    Aaron gave her an awkward wave.
    “I still don’t know who you are,” she reminded.
    “This is Annie’s brother,” Tana told her, and her gaze whipped around to Annie.
    “Your brother! How amazing! I’ve wanted a brother, but instead all I get is Artie.”
    Annie shot a glance at Tana, and the panther looked away. She was unable to have young of her own, and Annie wondered if it ever wore on her, watching the other mates have babies.
    Gracie turned back to Aaron. “But I still don’t know what to call you. Uncle something…” She tapped a gloved finger against her chin in thought. “If only you were a duck shifter,” Gracie said, her eyes growing excited. “We could call you Uncle Scrooge! Cuz you’re sorta grumpy a little. But don’t worry, I think you just need extra love like Uncle Blishter.”
    Annie grinned at Aaron, who looked about as comfortable as a teenage boy talking about periods.
    “Out of the mouth of babes,” Punk muttered, climbing into the bed and snuggling under the blanket with Artie. “Take a seat, hater. You’re blocking our view.”
    Annie scooted to make room for Aaron, and he passed off the drinks to Destiny.
    The first notes of Jingle Bell Rock filtered across the distance as the band started down main street.
    “It’s starting! It’s starting!” Gracie yelped, and Artie pumped a tiny fist in the air.
    The parade was small, like the town, but they always went overboard decking everything out in twinkling lights, and making it seem magical. And every kid was most excited to see the race cars. The dogs ate it up every year, spending days decorating their cars and filling their racing helmets with candy to toss at the little ones as they inched down the main drag.
    Annie grinned, thinking about the big burly guys getting more excited about going slow in the parade than they did about going fast at the track. Mushes, all of ‘em.
    “How are the feet?” Aaron asked.
    “A little better. Drinking extra water helps, but then it’s like my bladder is the size of a pea.”
    He nodded, and she was aware this small talk was dreadful. They’d been separated too long, each of them changing in ways the other couldn’t understand.
    But she wouldn’t quit trying.
    “I hear the cars!” Artie cried.
    The roar of the engines echoed down the strip and the excitement in the air grew. Ella’s car came first, and she threw out handfuls of candy before coming to a full stop right in front of Tana’s truck.
    “The alpha’s mate races?” Aaron asked.
    “Mm hm.” Annie nodded.
    “She actually wins too,” Punk added in a mock serious tone, her eyes wide and innocent. “Can you believe it?”
    Annie giggle and Aaron rolled his eyes.
    Ella blew a kiss at the young, and then hit the accelerator hard enough to make her wheels squeal. The kids lining the street clapped and cheered as she inched away.
    Drake was next, and then Beast—who threw extra candy at Artie and Gracie. Surge pulled up the middle, and for some reason, his car was decorated as a huge elephant head, Santa hat on top and everything. The hood of the car held a trunk. A giant slinky-looking thing that bounced around every time he hit the brakes. Which was a lot.
    Annie frowned, tossing Tana a look.
    “Don’t ask,” she muttered.
    Blister was the last of the DTD cars, and when Annie saw him, her heart lurched. She swallowed. Would it always be like this with them? So hard to be apart that a mere glimpse both hurt and healed.
    She chewed her lip as she watched him stoically tossing his candy. He didn’t smile like the others. He was afraid of scaring the kids, so he didn’t even look at them. But god, if he did he’d see what she saw. The way they idolized him, it