Make Me Howl by Susan Shay Read Free Book Online

the vet, and I’m Spence the money man? Then you could make my speech for me.”
    “You’d probably get more women that way. But as soon as they got close enough to smell the water buffalo spoors on you, they’d know better.”
    Alarmed, Chase lifted his sleeve to his nose and sniffed. “Is there someth—”
    Spence’s chuckle relieved him. “Sorry, Bud. Just yanking your chain.”
    “Damn brothers.” Chase scowled, but it didn’t affect Spence. “I should ‘thank you’ for that one.”
    Spence folded his arms and leaned against the counter. “Don’t try to get out of this dinner by starting a fight with me. I’ll just drag your butt down there, black eye, split lip and all.”
    “You boys stop it.” Beatrice’s high voice cut through the air. “You sound just like you did when you were four and five. Won’t you ever grow up?”
    “Probably not,” Dad answered as he moved close behind her. “What’s fun about growing up?”
    Their mother’s eyes twinkled just before she kissed his cheek. “I can think of a lot of things.”
    Sam took her hand in his—the habit of a lifetime. Sometimes Chase wondered if they even knew they were holding hands, they did it so automatically. But when Beatrice patted Sam’s hand with her free one, he had the answer. They knew.
    Beatrice glanced at her two eldest sons. “They clean up fairly well, don’t they?”
    Their father shrugged, a mischievous look on his face. “As well as can be expected I guess, considering the material at hand.”
    Beatrice gave him a nudge. “Stop teasing. You’ll give them an inferiority complex.”
    Sam brushed a non-existent wrinkle from his own lapel. “After growing up around a father like me, if they don’t have one now, they never will. Besides, you know a Holliday’s never felt inferior in his life. Especially these two.”
    Clearly bored with her husband’s rambling, Beatrice turned to the door. “Which car are we taking, dear?”
    “How about the Hummer?” After her nod, he glanced at his two sons. “One of you want to drive? We’re going to ride in back…where we can snuggle.”
    When Beatrice swatted Sam’s shoulder, Spence chuckled. “I’ll drive, Dad. I imagine Chase will need to go over his speech on the way.”
    After walking to the multi-car garage, they climbed into the Humvee. As they drove toward the park, Beatrice and Sam chatted together in low voices, leaving Spence free to irritate Chase as he drove. “So tell me more about this mystery woman. What’s she like?”
    Chase shook his head, wishing he’d never mentioned her. “You all are making too big a deal out of a passing remark. She’s just a woman, who happens to be the sister of one of my co-workers. Nothing special.” Not just a serious misdirection; that was a downright lie. He just hoped he wouldn’t get struck dead for it.
    Spence gave a sharp laugh. “Nothing special? Right. Must be why you bought a new tux for tonight. Or got your hair cut for the first time in a couple of months.”
    Chase wished he’d driven by himself. At least he wouldn’t have to go through the third degree. “I got a haircut because I hadn’t had one in a couple of months—”
    “You were beginning to look like a shaggy dog,” his mother interrupted from the backseat.
    “And I bought the tux because my other one was too old.”
    “Funny you just noticed that after the Halloween party,” Spence murmured with a sidelong glance.
    “I hadn’t thought of it until after the party.”
    Sam leaned forward and patted Chase’s shoulder. “Don’t mind them, son. I know it’s hard for you.”
    Chase gritted his teeth. “What do you mean, hard for me?”
    Sam shrugged. “I mean you’re focused on your job, is all. You don’t have time to think about much outside the clinic, or your research.”
    What else is there? he wanted to ask but thought better of it. No use upsetting his mother by talking about his view on life. He had the feeling his father had