“It’s nice to meet you,” said Pamela as she shook Lisa’s hand.
“How are you doing?” asked Mary. She took Lisa’s hand and held it between her hands.
“I’m doing well, Mrs. Anderson,” said Lisa.
“Call me Mary.”
“And call me Pamela.” The older woman’s eyes twinkled. “If you go around call us Mrs. Anderson, you’ll end up having several people answering. It’ll get a bit confusing.”
“Okay Miss Pamela, Miss Mary.” Lisa didn’t feel right about just calling the ladies by their first names so she added the title, hoping it sounded respectful.
“I like that,” said Pamela.
“David, you’ve never brought anyone with you before. Is there any particular reason you brought Lisa with you?” Mary raised her eyebrows.
“Lisa’s my mate.”
Both of the Anderson women clapped their hands and immediately started talking at once.
A sharp cry caught David’s attention. He looked up to see April Davenport glaring at Lisa. Her eyes were narrowed into tiny slits as her nostrils flared. April looked at him for a couple of seconds before she whirl around and stiffly walked back into the house.
Want mate now! His bear growled again.
Not much longer. We just have to make Lisa understand. David gave a low growl.
Lisa followed David’s eyes to the blonde retreating into the house. She didn’t see the woman’s face but the super thing figure sauntering into the house made Lisa feel like a huge cow. “Is everything okay?” she asked David.
“Yeah, just fine,” David said without looking at her.
Lisa plaster a smile on her face as Pamela and Mary led her into the house. She wanted to look at David, but she was afraid of what she would see. There was definitely something going on between David and the blonde. Lisa wasn’t sure if she wanted to yank out the woman’s long hair or go home and hide in her bedroom.
For the next hour, Lisa didn’t get a chance to speak to David. Mary, his mom, kept up a steady conversation with her as she introduced Lisa to everyone gathered at the ranch. At one point, Lisa saw David across the room several guys and the blonde, who she now knew was April Davenport and Ben’s stepmom’s sister, draped around his arm. The two were talking, but April suddenly looked over at Lisa. The woman’s lips curled up in a sneer. She turned back to David and put her arm around his neck and kissed his lips.
Lisa’s heart cracked, but she was determined not to let anyone see, though she wondered how much the bears surrounding her actually saw. From the pity filled glances she was getting, they saw a lot more than she wanted them to see.
“Hey, what’s up Miss Mathers.” Ben sat down on the couch next to Lisa.
“Hello, Ben, how are you doing?” she asked. Lisa smiled at him, and then looked back at the plate of food she was holding. She wasn’t hungry, but it gave her something to do with her hands.
“Are you okay? You look upset.” Ben glanced from Lisa to David. He, like the rest of the family, saw how David was avoiding Lisa and how April was clinging to him even though he had pushed her away several times.
“I’m fine, and you?” Lisa tried pushing the conversation away from her.
“I’m sorry about my Aunt April. She’s been chasing Uncle David for years. He doesn’t even like her.”
Lisa looked at Ben. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about. You can’t control other people’s actions or be responsible for what they do or don’t do.”
“But Uncle David brought you here. He shouldn’t be spending his time with Aunt April. You’re his mate, not her.” Ben frowned.
Lisa glanced over at David just in time to see April push her long blonde hair out of her face, then reach up and stroke David’s cheek. Lisa set her plate on the table and put her hands in her lap, hoping to hide the fact her right hand was curled into a fist. She took several breaths and let them out slowly as she counted to ten.
It didn’t help.
The urge to walk up to April, grab her by her long blonde hair, and drag her away from David was almost over-powering. But she knew making a scene like that would not leave a good impression on David’s family, especially since she was Ben’s English teacher.
“Ben, take Miss Mather’s plate to the kitchen. It’s obvious she’s done eating.”
“But—”
“Just get up and do it. I don’t understand why you have to be so stubborn. Just do what I tell you to do.”
Ben glared at his stepmom as he slowly got up and took Lisa’s plate to the kitchen.
“I’m Tina Anderson, Ben’s mother,” said the blonde replica of April. She plopped down on the couch next to Lisa. “Since you’re Ben’s teacher, I thought it would be a good idea if we have a little talk.” She cleared her throat.
“Nice to meet you,” said Lisa as she held out her hand.
Tina ignored Lisa’s hand. “We need to get a few things straight.”
“Excuse me?” Lisa stared at the woman.
“You are not family. You are not wanted here. All you’re doing is embarrassing yourself and the family. Oh, they won’t say anything to you because they have too much class.” Tina blinked several times as she smiled.
Lisa got the distinct feeling she was looking into the eyes of a snake. There was no warmth in their depths, just cold hardness. Her heart went out to Ben. How could his father put up with this woman? There wasn’t anything warm in her.
“It would be best if you left, that way the family can celebrate David and April’s mating like was originally planned before you showed up.”
Lisa felt her heart shatter. David was mating with April? She looked over at David and April. He was laughing. She looked at the woman sitting next to her. “If that’s true, then why did David bring me here today?”
“Why did he go straight to April’s house after fucking you last night? I bet when he got the phone call, he claimed someone had broken into his office and he had to go meet the police.”
Lisa felt her face heat up.
“You’re not the first woman he’s done that to. I just hope you realize it didn’t mean anything, at least not to David. You were just an easy lay. Besides, you not exactly his type, if you know what I mean,” said Tina.
Lisa’s eyes burned. She blinked several times to keep the tears from falling. She knew David wasn’t telling her something, but why did he bring her here to meet his family if he was mating someone else?
“He brought you here to show April she didn’t have anything to worry about. What? Did he say you were special, that you were his mate?” Tina laughed. “The man doesn’t choose his mate. The bear does. The man can say anything he wants, but in the end, it’s the bear that picks their mate. The man has no choice in that.”
“And you thought you should tell me this because?” Lisa tried to keep her voice emotion free.
“Because, even though you’re obviously no competition for April, you’re upsetting her, and I don’t like it when people upset my baby sister or try to take away what’s obviously hers.” She leaned closer. “David doesn’t want a fat slob like you. You’re a joke. You’re just his way of showing April you don’t matter to him.”
“I think you need to leave me alone.” Lisa’s voice shook. She had never felt this angry and hurt.
“No, I think you need to leave.” Tina leaned closer to Lisa and tipped her wine glass over, pouring the entire glass down the front of Lisa’s sweater.
Lisa jumped up.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that,” cooed Tina.
“Lisa, what happened?” Miss Pamela rushed over. She looked from Lisa’s wine soaked sweater to Tina’s empty glass. “Tina, what did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything. The huge cow should be more careful with her drink.” Tina put the wine glass on the table. “Obviously she can’t hold her liquor.”
“Tina Anderson, you need to watch your mouth. What you just said is unspeakably rude. And there are no words for your
actions,” said Miss Pamela, David’s grandmother. Her hands were propped on her hips. “You need to apologize to Lisa.”
“I’m not apologizing to her. I haven’t done anything to apologize for.” Tina stood up.
Lisa glanced around the room. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and were looking at them. April, who had her arms wrapped around David’s, was pointing at her and laughing.
“I insist,” said Miss Pamela.
“It’s okay,” said Lisa. “I know I wasn’t drinking the alcohol, and it’s just a sweater. It will wash out.”
“Let’s get you to the bathroom and get the wine rinsed out.” David’s mom handed a towel to Lisa.
Lisa shook her head. “I think it is best I go home. It was a mistake for me to come here.”
“Lisa, what are you talking about?” David pushed his way past Tina, and tried putting his arms around her, but Lisa stepped away from him. “Lisa?”
She shook her head. “I wish I could say I understand and that it is okay, but I can’t. You should have told me the truth instead of bringing me here to prove a point to everyone. I don’t appreciate being used like that. I have feelings too.”
“What are you talking about?” David rubbed the back of his neck. “What’s wrong?”
Lisa shook her head. “Miss Pamela, I’m sorry to ask, but is there someone who can drive me home?”
“I’ll take you home,” said David.
Lisa shook her head. “You need to stay here and take care of your real mate.”
David frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m saying I’m going home and you need to stay here and take care of the mate your bear chose for you. I wish you had told me before you brought me here.”
“Lisa, my bear hasn’t—”
“David? Honey, just let someone take her home. It’s bad enough she’s caused such a huge disturbance, but at least she realizes who your true mate is.” April wrapped her arms around David and pressed her body against him. She looked down her nose at Lisa.
“I’m sorry, but I have to leave,” The lump in Lisa’s throat made it hard to talk.”
“Lisa?” pleaded David.
Lisa shook her head but refused to look at him. She didn’t want to see April wrapped around him, nor did she want David to see the tears she hadn’t shed yet.
“I’ll take you home.” Todd Anderson, the sheriff and David’s cousin stepped forward.
“Thank you, Sheriff.”
“Lisa, don’t go.” David shook April’s arms off of him.
Lisa closed her eyes. Her shoulders were slumped. “I have to go. I can’t stay. I shouldn’t have come with you, but you shouldn’t have lied to me.” Before anyone could stop her, she ran out of the house.
“Good riddance to that—”
“Shut up, Tina,” said Jason, her husband and David’s brother. “I think you’ve done enough.”
“What did you tell Lisa?” David glared at Tina.
“I didn’t tell her anything she couldn’t see for herself,” said Tina.
“And what does that mean?” asked David. His voice was low and lethal. He was barely containing his bear.
“I only pointed out the obvious.” Tina shrugged her shoulders. “I didn’t say anything that you weren’t thinking.”
David’s eyes turned silver. For the first time in years, he was losing control of his bear.
“David, get control and figure out what’s going on.” Sheriff Todd Anderson nodded his head toward Tina and her sister. “I’ll make sure Lisa gets home safe.”
David could only nod and watch his cousin leave.
CHAPTER 4
Lisa spent the rest of Sunday hiding in her bedroom. At some point the phone finally quit ringing. She half expected someone to start banging on the door. In some way she wanted David to come looking for her, but she knew he wouldn’t. He had his mate—the one his bear had chosen for him.
She pulled a pillow over her head and cried until she finally fell to sleep.
The next morning Lisa dragged herself out of bed when the alarm clock went off. She didn’t even remember turning it on last night. She shuffled into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth, so she could get dressed for school, but one look in the mirror told her she couldn’t go today. The way she looked, she would scare the kids. Her face was puffy with red splotches everywhere. No amount of makeup was going to cover it.
After a quick call to the principal and a fib about having a stomach bug, Lisa climbed back into bed. It wasn’t just how she looked, it was how she felt. The thought of her students, especially Ben, seeing her this way was unacceptable. They were bright kids. It wouldn’t take them long to figure out what was going on with her, besides Ben knew exactly what was wrong. He had witnessed the whole scene.
Lisa wondered how long it would take for the whole story to get around town. What would people think? Would she have to resign her position at school? Lisa groaned. If she had to quit her job, she would have to sell her house, and then what would she do?
She loved her house. She liked her job and the community. But could she stay here with everyone knowing what had happened?
Lisa curled into the pillow and pulled the blanket over her head. Her brain refused to process any more information. She slipped into the dark void of sleep.
David was still angry at Tina for what she had said to Lisa and at April for her behavior. He was also still angry at himself for being polite and not forcing April away from him, but he was even angrier at the fact he had let his mate suffer and run away from him because of it.
His inattention to her was inexcusable.
What had he been thinking?
He banged his head against his bedroom wall. He knew what he had done wrong. He had been more worried about Lisa’s reaction when she found out what his bear’s bite would do to her. That, combined with his fears of her not surviving the transformation are what kept him away from her.
Want mate! His bear took a swipe at his rib cage.
Yeah, I want her too.
Go get her.
It’s not that simple.
His bear growled at him.
Don’t growl at me.
Want my mate. Want her now!
David sighed. He wanted his mate too! He wanted Lisa in his arms, in his bed, in his life. But he had screwed up royally.
He had called her house several times last night, but she refused to answer the phone. Could he really blame her, especially after his behavior?
Go to mate!
She won’t answer the phone. David shook his head.
You fix. Take her food. Make her happy. Mate must be happy.
You’re right. We need to make her happy.
Know I right.
David looked at his cell phone. Ben’s call at lunch ripped his heart. Lisa didn’t go to work today. She had called in sick, and according to Ben, she never missed work. This too was because of him.
David picked up his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found the one he was looking for and touched the number and waited for someone to answer.
“The Blue Plate, this is Joy. How can I help you?”
“Hey Joy, this is David.”
“David, what can I get for you?”
“I need a nice meal for two that I can take over to Lisa’s house. I hate to say it, but I don’t know what she likes.” It irked him not knowing something as simple as what Lisa liked to eat. It also told him he had a lot to do to fix this.
“Don’t worry David. Lisa often stops by the restaurant. I have a great idea for a nice meal for the two of you. Give me about thirty minutes and I’ll have everything ready for you.”
“Thanks Joy. I owe you one.”
“Yeah, you do. I hope this helps with Lisa.”
“Thanks.” David ended the call. He had a few more things to take care of before he could go to Lisa’s place.
Lisa’s stomach growled again, but she just didn’t have the desi
re to get out of bed and go to the kitchen and make something to eat or to even get dressed and go get something from the diner. She looked around her bedroom. It was growing darker. She rubbed her eyes.
There was no way around it.
She was going to work tomorrow.
She had no excuse for staying home.
Lisa pushed the covers off, rolled into a sitting position and looked around her bedroom. The clothes she had worn yesterday were laid in a pile by the bathroom door. She knew the hamper in the bathroom was full. No more excuses. She had to get up and at least do the laundry.
The doorbell chimed causing Lisa to groan. She didn’t need any visitors, not that she had anyone to visit her, and she seriously doubted it was David. After she refused to answer any of his phone calls last night, he finally got the hint and quit calling, and today, there hadn’t been one phone call.
The doorbell chimed again.
Maybe if she ignored it, whoever was at the front door would go away. That was a good solution, she told herself. Just ignore the door and whoever it was will go away.
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
Lisa sighed and rolled her eyes. Whoever was outside was not taking no for an answer. “Would you just go away,” she whispered, afraid by some freaky chance whoever it was would hear her.
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
“No matter how much I wish, I guess you’re not going away.” Lisa got out of bed and grabbed her terrycloth bathrobe. It wasn’t the sexiest looking garment she owned, but it was warm and comfortable and she didn’t have anyone she was trying to impress.
The doorbell chimed again. Several knocks followed.
“I’m coming! You don’t have to beat on the door. I heard you the first time!” She yelled as she stomped across the living room. “You had better have a really good reason to be bothering me because I’m not in the mood for company.” Lisa unlocked the door and opened it.
“I’ve got several good reasons for bothering you,” said David. He stared at Lisa. Even with her puffy, red face, and her terrycloth robe, she looked beautiful.
Lisa's Bear Page 4
