Bearly Together

by Chant, Zoe

  “They’re very practical,” Tawny teased, handing her a carrot stick. Shelley took it automatically, then didn’t know what to do with it.

  “How’s school going, Dean?” Damien asked.

  “Fine,” Dean said, sounding embarrassed. “Lots of math.”

  “He says fine,” Shelley added with a snort. “He’s top of all his correspondence classes, he’s finished two of them early, and his mentor says he wishes his other students had half his work ethic. He’s already saying that Dean can test out of some of the engineering intro classes.” They had decided to close the shop rather than rebuild it, and the insurance settlement had been generous enough to cover several semesters of school.

  Dean actually blushed, which Shelley found utterly adorable. She vowed to make him do so again as soon as possible. Without thinking, she put the carrot she was holding into her mouth, only realizing as she bit down that it was a carrot.

  She didn’t like carrots.

  Flavor burst into her mouth and Shelley chewed in wonder. “This is good,” she admitted when she caught Tawny watching her.

  “It’s from my garden,” Tawny said, pleased. “They’re better than what you get at the store.”

  “I didn’t think I liked carrots,” Shelley said, still surprised by the delicious crunch.

  “Maybe you just didn’t have the right carrots,” Tawny suggested.

  There was a pounding on the steps as two boys making far more noise than their size indicated stomped up to the porch.

  “Can we eat now?” Aaron asked, eyeing the table... particularly the end of the table with the cookies and pie.

  “I’m so hungry,” Trevor agreed. “Can we start with dessert?”

  “Did you find all the eggs?” Shaun asked. “No food until you’ve found them all.”

  They held up their battered baskets, which both appeared to have been involved in some kind of duel or possibly had been run over in the road. “We found nine of them.”

  “Eight,” Aaron corrected.

  “No, I have five,” Trevor argued. “You have four. That’s nine.”

  As they counted them over, Shelley asked Shaun in an aside, “What happens if they don’t find them all?”

  “We hope we don’t find them with the lawnmower in a few weeks after they’ve ripened in the sun,” Shaun replied with a knowing wince.

  “That’s probably enough eggs to earn some lunch,” Tawny said peacefully, and noone waited for further invitation.

  Settling into one of the Shaun’s lawnchairs with a plate of food in the spring sunshine, Shelley thought that her whole life was like Tawny’s carrots—something she’d thought she’d never like, and now something that she gleefully loaded onto her plate.

  Aaron took a seat next to her, nearly upsetting his plate onto the lawn as he wiggled into his chair. “I like my new costume,” he said around a mouthful of ham. “You’re the best second mom ever!”

  “That beats being second best,” Shelley teased him. And, because she was a responsible adult, she added, “You’re not supposed to talk with your mouth full.” But she did it with her own mouth full, and winked at him.

  “Oops,” Aaron said, grinning so widely that a piece of ham fell out onto his lap.

  “Your family puts out a great spread,” Dean said, settling into the lawnchair on her other side while Shelley and Aaron giggled about his runaway ham.

  Shelley’s lion purred in contentment. This was, in every way, exactly where she belonged.

  She had her mate, she had her family.

  It didn’t matter that her life wasn’t the way she had planned, or that everything wasn’t in neat, tidy boxes.

  Kids were messy, and that was fine.

  Life was messy, and that was fine, too.

  They hadn’t decided what to do when Dean had exhausted the parts of school that worked long-distance, and for some reason, it didn’t bother Shelley not to have a plan. He might put the rest of the degree off until Aaron was out of elementary school. The hardware store was open again, but Dean hadn’t reopened the shop.

  She was a mess, sometimes, if less than before, and even that was fine.

  She knew that whatever happened, wherever home ended up being, she’d found the people—and the dog—she would be there with.

  “You good?” Dean asked with a sideways look.

  Shelley smiled at him. “So good,” she said sincerely. She leaned sideways in her lawn chair and Dean scooted to meet her with a kiss.

  “Ewwww,” said Aaron on her other side, but when Shelley sat back down into her chair, he impulsively put his plate down and threw his arms around her. She folded her arms around him and pressed her cheek to his.

  “Am I good?” he asked cheerfully.

  “So good,” Shelley repeated.

  Bingo, hearing the word good, came nosing into the action, all wiggling tail and hopeful ears.

  “You’re good, too,” Shelley assured him.

  And as far as he was concerned, that was all that mattered.

  Note from Zoe Chant

  I hope you enjoyed Shelley and Dean’s story! Green Valley is such a fun place to visit, and I’m already thinking about the next stories I’ll tell here. Do you have a favorite character you’d like to see find a mate?

  I always appreciate knowing what you thought – you can leave a review at Amazon or Goodreads or Bookbub (I read them all, and they help other readers find me, too!) or email me at zoechantebooks@gmail.com.

  If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. You can also visit my webpage, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter. You are also invited to join my VIP Readers Group on Facebook, where I show off new covers first, and you can get sneak previews, chances at free books, and I’ll answer questions you might have.

  The cover of Bearly Together was designed by Ellen Million – visit her page to find coloring pages of some of my characters, including Gizelle (from Shifting Sands), Hugh (from Fire and Rescue), and more!

  Start the series with savings!

  Escape to Adventure and Romance at Shifting Sands Resort

  Shifting Sands Resort is a (clothing optional!) luxury resort for shifters only. Come to find love and tasty treats of all kinds—but prepare for heart-pounding adventure and layers of puzzling secrets. Warm up to the eclectic staff and get to know some of the resort regulars as tough shifters meet their fated mates.

  Combining sizzling romance with laugh-out-loud humor and plenty of mystery, the Shifting Sands Resort series is a must-read for fans of T. S. Joyce, Terry Bolryder, and Lisa Ladew.

  Now you can save 30% on the first three books with this convenient box set. Relax on the sands with a tropical drink and a taste of adventure. Includes Tropical Tiger Spy, Tropical Wounded Wolf, and Tropical Bartender Bear. No cliffhangers!

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  More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant

  Dancing Bearfoot. (Green Valley Shifters # 1). A single dad from the city + his daughter's BBW teacher + a surprise snow storm = a steamy story that will melt your heart.

  Bodyguard Bear. (Protection, Inc. # 1). A BBW witness to a murder + the sexy bear shifter bodyguard sworn to protect her with his life + firefights and fiery passion = one hot thrill ride!

  Bearista. (Bodyguard Shifters # 1). A tough bear shifter bodyguard undercover in a coffee shop + a curvy barista with an adorable 5-year-old + a deadly shifter assassin = a scorching thrill ride of a romance!

  Firefighter Dragon. (Fire & Rescue Shifters # 1). A curvy archaeologist with the find of a lifetime + a firefighter dragon shifter battling his instincts + a priceless artifact coveted by a ruthless rival = one blazing hot romance!

  Royal Guard Lion A curvy American shocked to learn that she's a lost princess + a warrior lion shifter sworn to protect her + a hidden shifter kingdom in desperate need of a leader = a sizzling romance fit for a queen!

  Find many more at Zoe's Amazon page!

  Zoe Chant on A
udio

  Dancing Bearfoot – Audiobook - A single dad from the city + his daughter's BBW teacher + a surprise snow storm = a steamy story that will melt your heart.

  Kodiak Moment – Audiobook - A workaholic wildlife photographer + a loner bear shifter + Alaskan wilderness = one warming and sensual story.

  Hero Bear - Audiobook - A wounded Marine who lost his bear + a BBW physical therapist with a secret + a small town full of gossips = a hot and healing romance!

  Zoe Chant, writing under other names

  Rails; A Novel of Torn World by Elva Birch. License Master Bai knows better than to dream about his Head of Files, Ressa. A gritty and glamorous steampunk-flavored novel of murder, sex, unrequited love, drugs, prostitution, blackmail, and betrayal.

  Laura’s Wolf (Werewolf Marines # 1), by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine Roy Farrell, scarred in body and mind, thinks he has no future. Curvy con artist Laura Kaplan, running from danger and her own guilt, is desperate to escape her past. Together, they have all that they need to heal. A full-length novel.

  Mated to the Meerkat, by Lia Silver. Jasmine Jones, a curvy tabloid reporter, meets her match in notorious paparazzi and secret meerkat Chance Marcotte. A romantic comedy novelette.

  Handcuffed to the Bear (Shifter Agents # 1), by Lauren Esker. A bear-shifter ex-mercenary and a curvy lynx shifter searching for her best friend's killer are handcuffed together and hunted in the wilderness. Can they learn to rely on each other before their pasts, and their pursuers, catch up with them? A full-length novel.

  Keeping Her Pride (Ladies of the Pack # 1), by Lauren Esker. Down-and-out lioness shifter Debi Fallon never meant to fall in love with a human. Sexy architect and single dad Fletcher Briggs has his hands full with his adorable 4-year-old... who turns into a tiny, deadly snake. Can two ambitious people overcome their pride and prejudice enough to realize the only thing missing from their lives is each other?

  Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, by Lauren Esker. Curvy farm girl Julie Capshaw was warned away from the wolf shifters next door, but Damon Wolfe is the motorcycle-riding, smoking hot alpha of her dreams. Can the big bad wolf and his sheep shifter find their own happy ending? A full-length novel.

  The Christmas Tree Bear, by Rosie Lynne. Bear shifter Willis Barnett meets his fated match in Charlotte Caldwell when she hopes to earn extra money as Santa Helper’s on Willis’ family farm turned Christmas Tree Town for the holidays. A romantic comedy novella.

  The Strength of the Pack, by Jorrie Spencer. Seth Kolski, a werewolf, hides his heritage and passes for normal. Until he meets Jamie. A full-length novel.

  Taming the Beast, by Honey Dover. Beauty is a paranormal investigator hired to deal with a man cursed to become a monstrous beast. Helping him recover his humanity will change her life. A novelette.

  Claimed by the Wolf, by Candi Jackson. Zenobia Jones ends up pregnant after a night with a billionaire—and lands herself in a war between werewolf packs. A full-length novel.

  The Right Bear's Arms, by Nora Eli. After a sizzling one night stand with bear shifter Jake, curvy Katie realizes her perfect man is everything she's tried to avoid. If they can both stop running from their pasts, they may find a destined future together. A novelette.

  Discovering the Dragon, by Sofia Stone. When reporter Chloe Martin investigates Lancaster Gold, she finds herself tangled up with the oldest son—Isaac Lancaster, billionaire dragon shifter. A novelette.