Dragon's Call & Other Stories of Magic and Mystery

Christmas Delivery

Jace wandered into the family room where his twin sister, Jasmine, sat with her newest best friend, Lia. He collapsed into the recliner and slumped over his phone watching a video. He ignored the girls so they shrugged and continued their plans.

"You are going to bake chocolate chip cookies and I'm doing snickerdoodles. Too bad we can't do the peanut butter ones with the kisses, I love those," Jasmine said, making notes in a llama notebook.

Jace glanced sideways at the girls as Lia spoke. Her sleek, red hair framed her big eyes and sharp chin and Jace thought she was a little bit hot. His sister was a total stick-in-the-mud loser and so were most of her friends, but this new girl was different. She had a great laugh, for one thing.

"Allergies, though, right? Kid at my last school about died from peanut allergies. It was not great." Lia flipped her hair back and leaned forward to study Jasmine's notes.

"So we agree, no killing anyone. Sounds like a plan," Jasmine laughed and pulled out her phone. "I can get mine baked tonight and be ready for Friday, how about you?"

"Sure, I'll be ready. Do you have the addresses?"

"Yep, they have the church directory online now."

Jasmine scrolled through her phone and Jace lost interest. If they were planning a church activity, count him out; he had better things to do. He was absorbed in Forged by Fire when he realized Jasmine was asking him something. He paused the video and pulled out an earbud.

"Yeah?" he asked and Jasmine repeated her question.

"Want to come with us Friday night? We're taking Christmas cookies to families from church. We're going to be like cookie bandits, dropping the cookies, ringing the doorbell, and running. You'd be useful seeing you're so sneaky and fast and all," Jasmine gave him a pleading look but Jace was already shrugging.

"Nah, can't," he started to say, but Jasmine cut him off.

"C'mon, Jace, you have a license already so you can drive us and we won't have to get Mom to do it."

"Yeah, well, you'd have one, too, if you'd learn to parallel park," Jace said.

Lia interrupted before the twins could start arguing. "We did this back in my old neighborhood, it's kind of fun."

Jace lost himself in that smile for a moment then found himself nodding, "I guess, why not?"

"I'll make the cookies for both of us," Jasmine said, "since we don't want to kill anyone."

"Whatever," Jace said and returned to his video.

Friday night Jace came out to the car wearing his black jeans and black winter coat with a black knit hat, keys jangling in his hand. He eyed the girls, dressed in festive colors of red and green and white and juggling plates of cookies, decorated with ribbon.

"Way to be stealthy," he grunted as he slid behind the wheel, although he thought Lia looked cute in her white ski jacket and red skinny jeans.

"This isn't a CIA mission, Jace, we're delivering cookies. Besides, don't you think black is going to show up in the snow?" Jasmine shot back, sliding into shotgun position next to him.

"Yeah, well, I'm just driving, doesn't matter what I wear." Jace had been hoping Lia would sit up front, next to him, but he didn't say anything. If Jasmine figured out he liked her friend, she'd make a big deal out of it.

"Oh, that's not fair," Lia said as she leaned forward from the back seat. "You're going to miss out on most of the fun."

"Getaway driver, remember?" Jace inhaled Lia's perfume and forgot what he was saying for an instant.