by Milly Taiden
He ignored her and walked to the couches on the far side of the lobby.
She gaped at him while he sat and pulled out his cell phone. With a huff, she spun around and stalked over to the bellman who stood just inside the lobby doors.
“Excuse me, sir. May I ask you a few questions?”
The middle-aged man turned with a smile. “Of course. How can I help you?”
Summer glanced down at his name tag. “Thank you, Barry. I’m a Private Investigator and I’m looking into the break-in at Gerri Wilder’s apartment. Do you know anything about it?”
Summer assumed there were a couple of people that worked the door at the apartment complex, but they probably gossiped. At least, she hoped they did.
“Yes, ma’am, I heard about it. I wasn’t on duty that night, though.” Barry shuffled his feet and looked around the room.
“I just had a few questions about the policies here. Can anyone visit a resident or do they have to be let in after certain hours?” This morning Barry had opened the door and asked her which apartment she was visiting. All she had said was Gerri’s name. He didn’t ask her to sign in or verify her destination.
“After eight p.m., we have to buzz the door open. We aren’t security, though.”
“Understood. Do you have a visitors’ log or video cameras?” She glanced at the man from the elevator, but he hadn’t moved from the couch. She could feel his eyes on her back.
“No, ma’am, we don’t keep track of who comes and goes unless someone calls ahead to let us know they’re getting visitor.” He sighed and looked down at the floor. “We don’t do that here. The owner says the residents like their privacy and don’t want their guests on video. I’m sorry.” Barry shuffled away and opened the door for a young couple walking in.
“Hey, Barry, I’ve got one more question for you.” She walked closer and lowered her voice. “Do you know that man over there, the one sitting on the couch?”
“Yes, ma’am. He comes to visit Mrs. Wilder every week. He’s usually here about twenty minutes then leaves.” Barry glanced at the man and then back to her.
“Thank you. Do you happen to know his name?”
“No, sorry. But he’s coming over here, so you can ask him.” Barry smirked and stepped away.
Summer spun around to find the man standing right behind her.
“Princess, are you asking about me?” His husky voice sent the nerve endings in her body tingling.
“Part of my job. Why do you visit Gerri Wilder every week? Trying to get something from her maybe? Are you with the person who broke into her apartment?” Summer fired rapid questions at him, hoping to catch some sign of guilt. Maybe a small smile, an evasive look, or even shock.
“You think I broke into her apartment and what? Gerri Wilder is a shifter. If I broke in, she would know. I do visit her weekly. She knows my scent and would know it was me. You don’t know much about shifters, do you?”
He stepped closer and Summer’s mouth dried up. His scent was amazing, and she was having trouble focusing on his words. “Please tell me your name.”
“Quinn Teddy.” He leaned in closer and inhaled.
“Did you just sniff me? What kind of shifter are you?” She hoped it wasn’t rude to ask, but she had to know more about this man.
He laughed and she swore she heard a rumble. “Yes, I did. I’m a bear.”
“Wait, you’re a bear and your last name is Teddy? Oh, what a cruel joke fate played on you. Quinn the teddy bear. Holy shit and you’re a bear. A classic teddy bear!” Summer could feel the tears streaming down her face, but she couldn’t control her laughter.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying this. Now, tell me your name.”
“Summer Delgado.”
“Well, Summer. I’ve got somewhere to be, but I will be in touch.”
Quinn walked back to the elevators. Summer stared at his ass in his tight blue jeans. If he looked that good in them, she could imagine how sweet he would look out of them. Now she just had to rule him out as a suspect for the break-in. As a shifter, Gerri could scent him, but that didn’t mean a human wasn’t doing his dirty work.
The elevator dinged and Quinn stepped inside, turning and leaning against the wall. He stared at her and gave her a smirk as the doors shut.
Chapter Four
The elevator doors shut, and Quinn closed his eyes and banged his head against the wall. He hadn’t meant to be rude to his mate, but the elevator doors opened, and he smelled her before he saw her. It was a punch to the gut. He meant to get off on the floor to see Gerri. But the beautiful Summer hadn’t been paying attention and walked right into him. His response was instant, and he regretted it. Seeing the fire in her eyes was worth it.
He wondered how long it would take her to question why he sat in the lobby watching her, just to get in the elevator and go back up. He looked like a damn idiot. He groaned out loud. He should forget he met her and go back to his den. He had too much to deal with, and a grumpy mate was not on his to-do list. Especially as a bear. He was supposed to be the grumpy one, dammit.
The elevator dinged and he realized he was back on Gerri’s floor. He stepped off as soon as the doors opened and glanced down the hall to see Gerri standing in her hallway waiting on him.
“You’re late, bear. That’s a first for you.”
“Somehow, I think you know exactly why I’m late this week.” Quinn’s suspicions were confirmed when she smirked.
“Come inside, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.” Gerri stepped back and waved him into the living room.
Quinn was just about out of social niceties, but he would do what he must. Gerri had something he wanted, and one day, she would give in. “You mean other than my mate? I know you somehow set it up so we would meet today.”
“My dear boy, how could I make it that you would be arriving just as she left, hmmm? Before you answer that question, I’d like to introduce you to my old friend Barbara Wolfe. She’s from Blue Creek.” Gerri sat on the sofa with a grin.
Quinn tried to hide his shock at the newest development. “As for the how, I’m sure you set her appointment just before mine. You knew I would run into her here either as I was leaving or arriving. You’re a crafty lady.”
He turned to smile at Mrs. Wolfe. “Hello, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m surprised to see you here today. I was going to reach out to you and your husband next week.”
“Have you given up on me then, boy? Moving on to greener pastures already, I see.” Gerri leaned forward and nudged the plate of scones closer to him. “Do sit and have a cup of tea with a scone. One of your favorites, if memory serves.”
“Hush, Gerri, I want to know what this handsome man wants with me.” Barbara waggled her eyebrows at him, and Quinn didn’t know what to do.
“Stop scaring him, Barbara. I can tell you what he wants. He owns the Beary Comfortable Bed and Breakfasts. I’ve told you about them. Well, he wants to open one in Blue Creek. But, of course, you have your hands in a lot of pies…so he needs your permission.
“As for what he wants from me, he has a terrible sweet tooth and wants my recipe for the scones. What I’m not sure of, is it for him or the B & B.” Gerri sat back with her tea in her hand, looking at him.
Geez, if he didn’t know better, he would think these women were cougars. “Uh, yes, that’s exactly right. I’ve come once a week for the last six months trying to get Gerri to give me the recipe. I’ve offered to pay her. I’ve offered anything she wanted. All she asked was to meet with her once a week and eventually she would agree.” Quinn shifted in his seat and grabbed a scone. “I wasn’t sure of her motive, but now I’m thinking it was to meet my mate.”
“Maybe it was, or maybe I liked the eye candy while you attempted to schmooze me.” Gerri laughed and glanced at Barbara. “I’m sorry, you’re too easy to tease. Anyway, I will give you the recipe and a few others to use if you help me when the time comes.”
Barbara leaned forward and rested he
r elbow on her crossed legs. “Recipes for an unknown favor. I like it.”
Quinn took a deep breath. He was a bit overwhelmed with these two women. “Agreed, Mrs. Wilder. Mrs. Wolfe, may I contact you or your husband at a later time to discuss opening a new location in Blue Creek?” Quinn stood and waited for her response.
“Of course, anytime.” Barbara stood and reached out. He shook her hand and turned to Gerri. “I have a meeting I need to run to. I’ll be in touch.”
Quinn practically ran out the door to get away. At least, he thought, he finally got the recipes he wanted or would soon. He even got to talk to Barbara Wolfe about Blue Creek. And of course, he met his mate...
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out with a frown. Everyone knew he was in a meeting. Who could be calling? Caller ID revealed it was Donovan, his beta. He hit Accept and started speaking right away.
“Hey, man, I’ve got good news finally,” Quinn said.
Through the phone, he heard a sigh. “Good, because I’ve got some bad news. Today is not a good day for your dad. Are you on your way back?”
Quinn stepped into the elevator as soon as the doors opened. He jammed his thumb on the Ground button and then the Close Door button. “Yes, I’m on the elevator. Give me a second in case the call drops.”
He anxiously tapped his foot while staring at the numbers as they descended to the first floor. “Come on, dammit,” he muttered to himself. As soon as the doors opened, Quinn stepped out. “You still there, Donovan?”
“Yeah, man. Listen, your dad went into town today. He swears he saw your mom and brother. He chased them.”
Quinn growled and slammed his way out of the apartment complex lobby.
Donovan started speaking again. “Quinn, he’s home. He’s safe, so don’t rush here. I’m staying since the housekeeper is at the B & B. Your dad’s just ranting and pacing the house. I won’t let him leave until you’re here.” Donovan’s voice lowered as if he pulled the phone away from his face. “Quinn’s on his way.”
“He’s asking for you, but he’s okay. He chased the woman and man but couldn’t catch up to them. Then they disappeared. He searched around for a while, apparently.”
Quinn jumped into his Jeep and started it before responding. “He was fine when I left this morning. I should have told him to wait until I got back before going into town. Each year he declines more. It’s not natural for a shifter to be away from his mate this long.”
Quinn could hear Donovan moving around the house. He assumed his beta was keeping an eye on his dad for him. “He swears someone is keeping them away from you guys. He says she wouldn’t have left on her own. Your brother may not even know you guys exist, though. I’ve always wondered how she explained his presence. I mean, you can only get pregnant by your mate, right? So how did she explain it?”
Quinn closed his eyes for a moment. “I’ve asked myself that and a million other questions many times over the years. Listen, I’ll be there shortly. Stay with him, please.” Donovan grunted and hung up.
He tossed his phone onto the seat next to him and his thoughts wandered. Why did she take his brother and not him? Was he a bad baby? Cried too much? What made her choose his sibling? Why would she leave in the first place? Shifters mated for life, so how could she stay away?
She had to be declining much like his dad. He often thought about what he would do when he met her for the first time. Would he hug her, scream at her, or just stand there? He’d played out each scenario in his mind many times. No matter how old he got, the anger, pain, and hurt were always just under the surface. His dad swore many times he had seen her out and about, but he never got close enough to her to talk or find his brother.
He pulled up in front of his house and realized he didn’t actually remember the drive there. He threw the Jeep into Park and jumped out, rushing inside to talk with his dad.
Chapter Five
Summer stared at the elevator for a few minutes after the doors closed, partly because she wanted to see what floor Quinn stopped on. She wasn’t surprised to see it pause on Gerri Wilder’s floor. She would find out what he was doing there each week and if he was connected to the break-in. But in the meantime, she had a lunch date with her sister and good news to share.
“Excuse me, ma’am. If you would like, I could talk to the others on duty to see if they have any information to share with you regarding Gerri Wilder and her visitors, authorized or not.”
Summer spun around and smiled at Barry the doorman. “I would really appreciate that, Barry. Let me give you my card.”
Summer swallowed a chuckle when Barry blushed. She refrained from making any comments when she handed him a business card and simply waved on her way out of the lobby. As she walked to her car, her phone rang. Absently digging into her bag, she pulled it out and glanced down to see who was calling. “I’m not late, yet, dammit.”
Summer stuck the phone between her shoulder and ear and dug around in her bag again for her keys. She scanned the area as she walked, looking for anyone suspicious.
Winter’s chuckle sounded warm in her ear, and Summer ground out, “I’m on my way. I will be on time, dammit.”
This caused Winter to laugh harder on the other end of the line. “I know, sis. I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t forgotten or gotten caught up in a case. You tend to lose track of time.”
Summer huffed. “Well, Ms. Punctual, are you already at the restaurant?”
“Of course, I ordered chips and queso. Do you want your usual drink?”
Summer was thankful for her sister. She was always in her corner and helped keep her sane and on track. “Sure. By the way…I’ve got some good news to share with you. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” Summer hung up before Winter could scoff at her. She climbed into her car for the short drive to their favorite restaurant.
Twenty minutes later, Summer pushed through the doors of the restaurant and scanned the room for her sister. Winter’s frosty blue eyes laughed at her from a booth by the bar.
“I knew you would be late. You’re never on time.”
Summer huffed and plopped in the booth seat across from her sister. “I still say you’re just early all the time. Thanks for the ordering for me.”
Winter laughed and pulled a salsa topped chip from the bowl that sat between them. “Don’t make me wait. What’s your good news?”
Summer took a sip of her sweet tea and thought about how much she should tell Winter. She wouldn’t appreciate Summer trying to set her up. A little white lie on how she came to be in Gerri Wilder’s apartment wouldn’t hurt…right?
“You’ve heard of Gerri Wilder?” Summer paused to gauge Winter’s reaction.
She choked on the bite of chip she had just taken. “Of course! Everyone has. She throws the best parties. Everyone wants an invite.”
Summer laughed, scooping her own chip filled with queso to her mouth. “Uh-huh. Well, beyond her parties, she’s known for the Paranormal Dating Agency—you know, matchmaking shifters with shifter and shifters with humans.”
Winter froze with her own glass of iced tea partway to her mouth. “Are you telling me you met with the matchmaker? Are you being set up?”
It was Summer’s turn to choke. “No! I was just saying that’s how most people know who she is. Not because of parties.”
Winter shrugged and looked up apologetically. “Occupational hazard.”
Summer started to speak again when the waiter approached to take their orders. “Hello, what can I get for you ladies?” His name tag read Wolff and Summer stared at him a little too hard. Since meeting Quinn, she’d had shifters on the mind. Was he one or was his name just a name?
“Um, hi. I’ll have a cheeseburger with the works and side of fries, please.” Summer smiled as his eyes trailed over her sister. Winter was oblivious, of course.
“I’ll have the cheese quesadilla with a side of fries, please.” Wolff dragged his eyes away from Winter and walked away, glancing back as he went.
>
“He was checking you out, Win.” Summer loved her twin, but she was clueless when it came to men and flirting.
Winter snorted. “He was probably trying to figure out where I’m planning to put all that food. I mean we have an appetizer and now I want a quesadilla with fries. Men never expect women to have real appetites. We’re expected to eat rabbit food and pretend we’re not ravenous.”
Summer interrupted before Win could get too far into her rant. This was a frequent topic, and Summer knew it by heart already. “So, I had a meeting with the Gerri Wilder today. A human broke into her office and she hired me to look into it.”
“Holy shit, sis, that’s huge! Business could really take off for you if she gives you a good recommendation.” Summer nodded. The thought had entered her mind, too. But it wasn’t the main reason she took the job.
“So, while I was having tea with Gerri and her friend Barbara, a discussion came up for a party. I mentioned you and she wants to hire you to plan it.”
Winter’s complexion paled and she sat gaping at Summer. “Say something, Win. You’re not mad, are you?”
Winter closed her mouth and stared for a minute. Wolff delivered their food and Winter didn’t even notice.
“Mad? No, shocked...fuck, yeah, I am.” Winter absently picked up her quesadilla and nibbled on the end.
“Gerri said to come by in person, but maybe call her to set a time to meet. She mentioned you would have to work closely with a security company. I assume because of the shifter alphas, but could be because she plans to invite important people. Which could give your business a boost!”
Winter nodded and Summer sighed, picking up her own food. Win needed a few minutes to process. Her thoughts wandered to Quinn. That was one fine man, but he was acting suspicious. She had to find out why he visited Gerri Wilder weekly. Once she ruled him out, maybe she could see about that fine tight ass of his. Not to mention that panty-melting smirk he gave her.
