by Anya Nowlan
Bluecollar Bear
Black Oak Bears
Anya Nowlan
Contents
A Little Taste…
Copyright
1. Tory
2. Pierce
3. Tory
4. Pierce
5. Tory
6. Pierce
7. Tory
8. Pierce
9. Tory
10. Pierce
11. Tory
12. Pierce
13. Tory
14. Pierce
15. Tory
16. Pierce
17. Tory
18. Pierce
19. Tory
20. Pierce
Epilogue
Rancher Bear Excerpt
Want More?
About the Author
Thank you for reading!
A Little Taste…
As they walked in through the doors, Pierce had to admit, he would have never pegged the airy, pastel space as having been anything else than what it was now. A cheerful young lady who Pierce knew to be from around town, but whose name he couldn’t recall, was sitting behind the reception desk.
“Oh, hey,” she called out. “The wedding party, I presume?”
“Hey, Sally,” Joanne chirped, reading the woman’s nametag. “Yeah, that’s us.”
“All right, let me lead the way,” Sally replied, getting out from behind the desk.
Pierce and the others followed her to a room marked Studio Three. Sally opened the door, popping her head in first.
“Tory?” Sally said. “Your group is here.”
With that, Sally gestured everyone inside, telling them to have a great time before disappearing back the way they came. Pierce filed in last, hands in his pockets, already dreading what was to come.
The hardwood floors gleamed, the mirrors on the walls shone, but none of that was what caught Pierce’s attention. Opposite their group, clad in a flowy, knee-length skirt and a simple, elegant blouse stood their new teacher.
And she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Glossy brown hair in a tight bun, her clear green gaze assessed everyone in the room. Pierce’s bear growled, low and possessive, blood starting to pump fast in his veins.
Ah, hell. I’m in trouble.
Copyright © 2017 Anya Nowlan
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Bluecollar Bear
Black Oak Bears
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be used, reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means by anyone but the purchaser for their own personal use. This book may not be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of Anya Nowlan. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material is prohibited without the express written permission of the author.
Cover © Jack of Covers
One
Tory
Slamming the door behind her, Tory marched out of David’s office, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She could hear the man call out after her, but she didn’t stop. What was there left to say?
Nothing, if you didn’t take into account her growing urge to curse the man out. But that would hardly be the professional thing to do, would it?
Luckily, David didn’t chase after her, so Tory made her way through the winding hallways of Sarandon Dance Academy, looking for people she actually wanted to see, and not yell at.
Ass, she thought, thanking her lucky stars that David had given up on the pursuit.
She didn’t feel like she could refrain from telling him in violent detail what she thought of him right about now.
She found two of her troupe-mates down at the rehearsal area, busy stretching and trying to look like they just hadn’t been trying to eavesdrop on her conversation with the boss.
Mirrors lined two walls of the large space, with a dance barre off to one side. The walls had recently been painted a garish pink, despite Tory’s objections. What were they, a kids’ ballet studio?
Not that the décor was any of her business now.
Caroline, a petite redhead with freckles that made her look ten years younger than she actually was, spoke up first.
“Hey,” she said, trying to sound cheerful. “How did it go?”
The man behind her dropped his warm-up, turning his attention to Tory. They must have guessed at the answer already, either from the look on Tory’s face or from the loud conversation that had to have echoed out from the paper-thin walls of David’s office.
But, judging by the hesitant smiles, they were still holding out hope. Tory didn’t have that luxury.
“You must have heard the shouting,” she replied, leaning on the doorframe.
“So… not good?” Caroline hesitantly asked.
“No, not good,” Tory confirmed.
The smiles dropped. Tory noticed Caroline quickly glance at her right leg, and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. Clad in dark jeans, she knew her scars weren’t visible, but that didn’t mean everyone didn’t know they were there.
Blake, a lanky, dark-haired man who tended to solve all life’s problems with copious amounts of red wine, exchanged a meaningful look with Caroline before turning to Tory.
“So… More time off?” he asked.
“You could say that,” Tory shrugged. “If by ‘more’ you mean all.”
Wait. Does that make sense?
“Of the time. All of the time off,” she quickly added, shaking her head. “Ah, hell, I fucked that up. But you get the point. Just imagine I said something really smart, and pithy.”
Blake looked stunned, and he was rarely at a loss for words. Caroline, however, didn’t waste any time running the length of the room and wrapping her arms around Tory.
“Oof,” Tory complained, having more trouble steadying herself than she would have liked to admit.
“Sorry, sorry,” Caroline chirped, letting her go. “It’s just… David is an idiot to fire you. You’re an awesome dancer. If he just gave you a little more time…”
“Time,” Tory scoffed. “David’s already busy looking for my replacement. My time is officially up.”
She hadn’t meant to sound so bitter, but the wound was so fresh, she could hardly help it. And anyway, she was way too proud to ever beg David for more time, or for him to keep her spot open. She didn’t need any charity. Especially not from a snake in the grass like him.
Temper flaring, Tory ground her teeth. There was no need to ruin Blake and Caroline’s day with her foul mood. So, with great effort, she managed to conjure up a smile that she hoped didn’t look totally demented.
“It’s fine,” she shrugged. “I’ll land on my feet.”
“You always do,” Blake grinned. “Haven’t seen you stumble once.”
“And don’t you forget it,” Tory grinned back.
Tucking a strand of golden-brown hair back into the loose bun resting at the nape of her neck, Tory tried to hold onto the smile on her face, but couldn’t quite manage. Was this really her last time in this space that had been her second home for so long?
She was going to miss it. Garish pink walls and all.
“So,” Caroline said, cutting through the silence that had fallen over the room. “We having drinks tonight or what? We have to celebrate the fact that you don’t ever have to see David’s fa
ce again.”
Tory couldn’t help but laugh.
“You know, when you put it like that…” she said.
Inside, the pain of being cast aside still throbbed, like a fresh bruise. She was reminded of a Barbie doll she had once. It had been her favorite toy for all of two months after Christmas.
But then the dog had gotten to it, chewing off an arm and a leg, slobbering all over the doll’s fabulous fake hair. So into the trash it went.
All right, Tory, she sighed to herself. That comparison is a little dramatic, even for you.
“I bet you’re not even worried,” Blake smiled, walking over to throw a graceful arm over her shoulders. “You probably already have a plan to take over the world or something. I just ask you be kind to us commoners once you have the planet under your thumb.”
Tory rolled her eyes. Blake always did have the habit of overestimating her. Usually, it was sweet. But in her current position, it just made her feel even more worthless. Truth was, she had no plan. Some stupid part of her had still hoped her meeting with David would go well. That some miracle would happen. That her knee would stop aching, and the brace around her ankle would suddenly be unnecessary.
“Don’t put her on the spot, Blake,” Caroline chided. “Give the girl a chance to breathe.”
Blake suddenly looked sheepish. With one final squeeze, he let go of her shoulders.
Seeing concern cloud over her friends’ faces, Tory suddenly felt compelled to lie.
“Don’t worry about me, guys,” she said, twisting her face into a carefree smile. “I’m taking this as a chance to start fresh. You know, turn a new leaf, see where life takes me. I’m thinking it could be like an adventure.”
Ugh. Now I sound like a greeting card. A bad one, at that.
Truth was, dancing was something that all three of them loved more than anything, and didn’t know how to live without. That was just how it went. Once you were bitten by the bug, there was no turning back.
Fortunately, both Caroline and Blake seemed to be buying her little motivational speech, if their eager nods were anything to go on.
“I like adventures,” Blake said.
“I’d hardly call swiping right on Tinder all day long adventurous,” Caroline teased.
Smiling to herself, Tory watched her two friends get into an argument over who was actually more bold and courageous. She was glad to have the attention off her. Because there was no adventure waiting for her.
At least not that she knew of.
Two
Pierce
“Is this strictly mandatory?” Pierce sighed, standing on a street corner in the middle of Black Oak, his hands shoved into his pockets.
It was a sunny Sunday morning, the first real warm day of spring. Usually, that would have meant nursing a hangover, going for a hike, or maybe a hot date. As it were, Pierce was actually anxious to get back to the office.
It surprised him as much as it surprised everyone else in his life.
Will stood opposite him, rolling his eyes. Having met in first grade, they had been inseparable for most of their childhood, and beyond that. They had even been mistaken for brothers once or twice.
They were both built the same – tall and broad – with brown hair and brown eyes, so it wasn’t exactly a stretch. Will had a kinder face, though. Pierce had a sharpness to his features that he had inherited from his father.
But he’d rather not think of the old man.
“It’s just a dance lesson, Pierce,” Will said. “You’ll survive.”
“You can’t be sure of that,” Pierce replied.
“Now you’re just being dramatic,” Will laughed.
“Or you’re not being dramatic enough,” Pierce argued. “Look at these feet,” he glanced down. “Both lefts.”
“And that’s exactly why you need this lesson,” Will countered, drawing a circle with his finger.
Pierce was about to argue further when he spotted the bride-to-be walking up behind Will, trying to sneak up on the man. Her shoulder-length blonde curls bobbing, Joanne tiptoed closer to Will.
“You know I could smell you from across the street, right?” Will commented, not even turning around when she was still a good couple of feet out.
Joanne’s face fell, a pout on her glossy lips.
“Damn,” she sighed, walking over so Will could tuck her into his side. “I keep thinking one of these days I might actually get to surprise you.”
“Sneaking up on a shifter?” Pierce arched a brow at her. “Good luck with that.”
“A girl can try,” Joanne smiled at him.
“Pierce was just complaining about how he’s going to die of a dance-related injury,” Will chimed in, kissing the top of Joanne’s head.
By god they were mushy. Always hanging off each other, grinning like a couple of schoolkids. It would have been annoying, if Pierce wasn’t so happy for them. Finding your mate was a big deal, and Will had definitely found his.
That didn’t mean Pierce couldn’t still complain, though.
“This is cruel and unusual,” he said, turning his gaze to Joanne.
She just cocked her head at him, impassive.
“You know what’s cruel and unusual?” she countered. “Having a bunch of bears stomping on my bridesmaids’ feet.”
“Hey,” Will objected. “Not all bears are clumsy oafs who can’t dance.”
“Really?” Joanne drew out, turning her face up at her fiancé. “Name one of your friends that can actually waltz. Without injuring everyone in a five-foot radius.”
“Uhh,” Will muttered, his brow furrowing.
“Exactly,” Joanne huffed.
“All right, I get it,” Pierce said, throwing his hands up in defeat. “The dance class is not optional. I’ll keep my complaining to a minimum. At least when you’re around, Jo.”
“Thank you,” Joanne replied, giving him a smile. “Now where is everyone? I thought we agreed on a quarter to two?”
“Gage texted me and said he’ll meet us at the dance studio,” Pierce said. “Something about a cow giving birth?”
“Say no more,” Joanne quickly replied. “And I mean that. No further explanations necessary,” she scrunched up her face.
“What about your brother?” Will asked.
“Oh, Jason’s just parking the car. He’ll be here any minute,” Joanne replied.
“That leaves your bridesmaids,” Pierce commented.
“They know better than to be late,” Joanne frowned, checking her watch. “Well, they still have two minutes so…”
“And which one of them is going to be my dance partner today? Whoever it is, I hope you’ve given them enough warning,” Pierce said.
From the slightly panicked look on Joanne’s face, he could tell something was off. Will exchanged a glance with his bride-to-be, looking like he wasn’t sure what to say.
“Wait, I thought you were bringing Bonnie along?” Joanne asked, her gaze flicking between Pierce and Will. “She’s your date to the wedding, isn’t she?”
Pierce shuffled on his feet. Of course Joanne would ask about Bonnie. Why wouldn’t she? Hadn’t he loudly proclaimed how he was done with one-night stands and actually had a girlfriend to bring to the wedding?
Stupid, he sighed to himself. When will I learn to keep my mouth shut?
“You know, Bonnie and I kind of had a difference of opinion,” Pierce hedged, earning a knowing look from Will.
“Oh, no,” the man groaned.
Joanne blinked at Pierce, as she slowly put the pieces together.
“You broke up,” she stated, sounding so unsurprised that Pierce was almost offended.
“I forgot to mention that, didn’t I?” he replied.
Groaning, Joanne crossed her arms in front of her. She was a tiny woman, especially next to Will, but Pierce knew well enough – the little spitfire of a woman could be scary when she wanted to. And with the wedding fast approaching, beware anyone that threatened Joanne’s special day.
/>
“I for one am shocked it lasted as long as it did,” Will shrugged. “Bonnie seemed a little too… intense for you.”
Now that’s an understatement, Pierce scoffed to himself.
The first weeks they had dated, everything had been nice enough. There was no great passion or adoration on Pierce’s part, but Bonnie seemed like a sweet girl and they got along well.
But as weeks had turned into months, Bonnie’s expectations grew. Especially after he invited her to be his date for the wedding. Suddenly, there was talk of them being the next ones to tie the knot, and Pierce had known he couldn’t let it go further.
Shifters knew almost immediately, instinctively when they met their mate. It was a primal reaction, a pull they could feel in their bones. There was none of that with Bonnie, and the last thing Pierce wanted was to lead her on.
They both deserved better than that.
Bonnie had taken the break-up very personally. Out of the blue, all sorts of unfortunate things started happening. Like Pierce’s car getting keyed. Then there were the incessant phone calls, from people calling to ask if his Pokémon card collection was still for sale or if his couch was still available for purchase…
But after a few weeks, things died down. And now, Pierce was just glad to have all that behind him.
“Well, you’re still going to have to learn to dance. We’ll just switch partners or something during the class, I’m sure we can work it out,” Joanne resolved. “Ooh,” she squealed a moment later, looking past Pierce like his relationship troubles were suddenly the furthest thing from her mind.
Glancing behind him, Pierce could see Cindy and Tina, Joanne’s bridesmaids, approaching, followed by Joanne’s brother, Jason. Joanne ran to greet them, leaving Will and Pierce to lazily catch up.
Rushed footsteps behind them signaled the arrival of Gage, and the burly man fell into step beside them, wiping sweat off his brow.
“You made it,” Will remarked, clapping the man on the shoulder.
