Page 37 of Deck the Hauls

I could help Dana with a task she hated. It wouldn’t exactly be hard for me, but hopefully it would make the experience more enjoyable for her.

Dana sat the large metal cage on the chopping block and looked at me. “I appreciate the offer, but you shouldn’t spend your day off working. You should be resting.”

“I’ll be bored otherwise. I’d much rather be doing something Christmassy.” With you.

And if I gave myself time to dwell, I’d probably spend it thinking about Cat’s revelations—something I’d been trying to block out. Rebecca wanted to move fast, but I didn’t.

Dana zipped up her jacket. “Okay. I’d love that, thanks.”

“Excellent.” I clapped my hands, grinning, and pointed to the cage. A single apple and half a pumpkin were inside. “What’s that?”

“It’s another trap,” Dana said. “I was just about to take it out to the firs and check on the other one. I’ve been trying to check it every couple of hours, so if it does catch something it’s not trapped in there for too long.”

Warmth bloomed in my chest. Despite the mysterious animal destroying her trees, Dana still cared about its welfare.

“Want some company?” I asked. “I could do with a walk after being cooped up in the barn all day filming.”

“Sure.” Dana picked up the trap.

We strolled amongst the firs, the afternoon light casting long shadows on the ground. The apple and pumpkin rolled around in the cage.

“Has the mysterious critter caused any more damage?” I asked, glancing at Dana. She looked so at home, walking in the woods. And her butt looked incredible in those pants. I swallowed and dragged my eyes away.

“I found another damaged tree this morning,” Dana said. “This one, just up here.” She pointed to a medium-sized tree. She stopped just before we reached it. “Let’s leave the trap here.” She placed the cage between two trees and stared at it, before bending over and shifting it slightly. She set the trap door open and pushed the apple and pumpkin to the back. She stood and turned to me. “There we go. The other trap is this way.” Dana nodded her head further into the firs.

We walked side by side through the rows of trees that stretched out in all directions. How did Dana know exactly where to go? All the firs looked identical. Without Dana, the forest would have been intimidating. But with her next to me, I could relax and enjoy deep breaths of the pine-scented air. Enjoy the stillness, punctuated by the crunch of fir needles under our shoes and the occasional trill of a bird. I could get used to this. Surrounded by nature and fresh air. I glanced at Dana again. I could definitely get used to this.

“It’s just down here.” Dana pointed to a fir twenty feet away.

Our pace slowed as we approached the cage.

“I think there’s something in it,” Dana murmured.

I took another step forward and blinked. The cage was moving.

I caught a flash of black. And then a black and white striped, furry tail. Oh god.

“Um, I think that’s a skunk,” I said.

Dana inched closer to the cage. “Shit, I think you’re right.”

“Do skunks eat trees?” I asked. While my character had cared for an injured skunk in an episode of Animal Rescue Hospital, the veterinary knowledge I’d picked up didn’t extend to skunks’ snacking habits.

Dana shook her head. “No. They dig holes; they don’t eat trees. We should let it go.” She took another step forward. The skunk lunged toward us and hissed, sending the cage rattling.

We both jumped.

Damn, its claws looked sharp. I swallowed. They must have filed down the claws on the skunk I’d filmed with. I definitely didn’t remember them looking so vicious.

“Why don’t you stand back just in case it gets aggressive? I’ll open the door and then we’ll both run in the opposite direction,” Dana suggested.

Behind her, I noticed that the skunk was stomping its feet.

It arched its back.

Then it lifted its magnificent tail, long black and white hair spreading out on each side like some kind of fancy feather duster.

Oh no.