by R. E. Butler
Aaron stood up and headed to the bedroom door. Grant said, “If her tires get slashed again, I don’t know if I’m going to be so easy-going about her living on her own, away from us. We could always offer her one of the empty bedrooms, if she feels like living together is too fast.”
Aaron said, “That works for me. Hopefully whoever slashed her tires really was just some random punk, and we won’t see anymore from him or her.”
Aaron said goodnight and closed the door. Grant yawned again and stripped, climbing under his cold covers. As he clicked the light off, his phone beeped with a text from Sam.
Home safe. Bed’s cold. Miss you already. XOXO Sam
Grant smiled, his whole body warming at her sweet sentiment. Returning her text, he wrote: Bed’s cold and empty here, too. Miss you more. XOXO Grant
The next morning, Grant rolled over and automatically reached for Sam. When his hand pressed against the pillow and not her silky skin, he groaned unhappily. Waking up without her was frustrating.
Mornings were a flurry of activity at the boarding house. Not only did six kids have to get off to school, but the adults were always coming and going at different hours as well. Grant got all the kids up. James was working the early shift with Aaron, so Grant took the responsibility of making sure all the kids were fed and off to school. Since Henry was in high school and there was no bus from Ashland to the shared regional high school, someone always took Henry and picked him up. Today it would be Grant’s job to make sure he got to and from school safely and on time.
Tristan, the resident breakfast-maker-extraordinaire, was busy filling plates with scrambled eggs as the kids sat at the island, swinging their legs, rubbing their eyes, and yawning.
Tristan said, “Coffee’s ready, Grant. Do you want eggs, too?”
“Thanks, that would be great.”
Grant talked to his kids as he stood at the island and ate scrambled eggs, home fries, and several slices of toast.
Nathan, who had Aaron’s blue eyes, took a drink of orange juice and said, “Next time we go camping, can Sam come with us?”
“Well, kiddo, I don’t know if she’s a camping kind of woman or not. You can ask her, okay?” Grant nodded encouragingly at his nephew.
Nathan nodded seriously. “If she doesn’t like bugs, you can tell her that there aren’t any bugs in the winter.”
Ben said, “There are spiders, though. There were some in the corners of the cabin, and Micah had a fit when he saw the one on the ceiling in the bathroom.”
Tristan laughed when Grant looked at him questioningly. “Micah hates spiders. He made James get it out of the bathroom and walk it far away into the woods before he let it go.” After a pause he continued, “He doesn’t want them dead, but he just doesn’t like them anywhere around him.”
Grant thought that was really sweet, in a wussy kind of way.
“What was the best part of the trip?” Grant asked the kids.
Henry finished his eggs and picked up his plate. “When Uncle James tried to light the fireplace and forgot to open the flue. The whole cabin filled with smoke until he realized what he’d done.”
“That sounds like my brother,” Grant laughed.
Owen declared the s’mores were the best part. Brian said it was finding the constellations and learning their names, courtesy of Wesley, who enjoyed astronomy. Ben said it was losing his tooth and getting twenty bucks. Nathan said it was when the adults played rock-paper-scissors for who got the only bed. Kevin said it was when they hunted animals using their lion senses. Even though they didn’t catch any animals, they did learn how to listen for them and watch for their movements.
“It sounds like you had a really great time. I’m so glad you enjoyed yourselves,” Grant said, finishing his breakfast.
“Next time, maybe we can just go as a family,” Kevin said.
“What do you mean? You were with your family,” Grant said, confused.
Kevin tilted his head, looking far older than his ten years. “No, Dad, I mean maybe next time it can just be our new family. Us, you, Uncle Aaron, and Sam.”
Grant looked at the faces of his and Aaron’s kids and saw hope in their eyes. It filled him with joy to know they wanted Sam to be part of their family, as much as he and Aaron did.
“I think that would be really wonderful, too, Son.” He ruffled his son’s hair and sent the kids off to get ready for school.
“Your kids are really great. I can’t believe they conspired to set Aaron up with Sam, and then it happened that you met her first. Maybe they should start a mountain lion dating service,” Tristan said.
Grant chuckled, thanked him for breakfast, and went upstairs to get dressed. He first watched the boys get on the bus and then drove Henry to school. On the way, Henry seemed quieter than usual.
“Something up, Henry?” Grant turned down the volume of the music so they could talk.
“Do you really think that there is a mate for every lion male? Or one for two to share?”
“I hope so. I think we were meant to have mates. I don’t know why the females are the way they are, and our people suffered for so long because of it, but things are different now. If you want to have a mate when you get older, you can have one. We’re free, and freedom means making your own decisions.”
Grant pulled in front of the high school, and Henry put his hand on the door. “I like being free.” He smiled, shouldered his bag, and got out.
“I like it, too.”
Grant drove to his older brother Rhett’s farm. He checked in at the main house with his sister-in-law, Lisa, who was human. Rhett had left their home in King more than ten years ago because his heart had been broken by one of the mountain lion females. It had been a shock for the males in the pride when he took off, and it had hurt their brothers as well because no one had ever left like that. It had been especially difficult for James, who was closest with Rhett.
“Morning, Grant,” Lisa said, turning from the kitchen counter with a carafe. “Coffee?”
“Sure, thanks, Lisa.” Grant took the travel mug she filled, fixed it, and said, “I wanted to ask you a question about women.”
Her brow arched with a smile. “Well, I’m a bit of an expert, so ask away.”
They sat at the table together. “You know that Aaron and I are mates to Sam, the music teacher?”
“Rhett told me. I think it’s really wonderful that you found someone to share. How’s it going?”
“Really great. But it’s only been a bit over a week, and we would like her to move in with us. We’re afraid that it might be too fast for her because she’s human.”
Callie walked into the kitchen with Ethan, the two of them carrying three children. Twins Evan and Elliot toddled in holding Ethan’s hands, and Callie balanced Cameron on her hip. After greeting the little ones and telling Ethan he would meet him in the barn in a few minutes, he turned back to Lisa.
Lisa filled Callie in on Grant’s request as Callie settled the kids in high chairs for breakfast.
“I forget how nervous you guys can be about women,” Callie mused as she put bread in the toaster.
“It’s not as if we have a lot of experience, at least not with women who actually care,” Grant said.
“I know,” Callie said and looked at him with a sad smile. “It’s not a bad thing. It’s endearing and sweet.”
Lisa nodded as she fixed bowls of applesauce for the kids. It had become a morning ritual for Callie to bring her kids to Lisa’s for breakfast so the women could visit and Callie could get some help. Her husbands were always there to help her, but Callie enjoyed having a woman to visit with, and so did Lisa.
“There’s a lot to be said about taking your time,” Lisa said, thoughtfully, “but there’s nothing wrong with being honest with Sam. From what James told Rhett, it’s pretty clear that she cares for the both of you, so you shouldn’t worry about being honest.”
“Lisa’s right,” Callie said as she joined the table with a plate of toas
t. “She might be more upset if she found out later that you were keeping your feelings from her. If you tell her how you feel now and let her make the decision about when you all move in together, then you know you’re not pushing her.”
Grant stood and picked up his mug. “Thank you, ladies.”
Lisa and Callie smiled at him and wished him a good day at work.
Feeling better after the discussion, Grant drove his truck to the barn. Ray and Wesley were already there, along with Ethan and Rhett. Ray and Wesley headed out to repair a place in the fence that had broken when a tree branch, laden with snow, snapped from the tree and crashed through the fence rails. Ethan went to collect eggs from the henhouse. Grant and Rhett turned their attention to the utility barn they were finishing. When Ethan, Eryx, and Callie moved into the apple barn on Rhett’s farm and converted it into a home, Rhett had stored the tools and equipment from the apple barn in the main barn, which was now overflowing. The utility barn would allow Rhett to move equipment out of the main barn.
“How was your weekend with Sam?” Rhett asked as he walked with Grant to the new barn.
“Too short.”
“I know the feeling.” Rhett held open the door, and they walked inside the unfinished barn.
“How long did you wait to ask Lisa to move in with you?”
Rhett put his travel mug down on a wooden crate and picked up a tool belt. As he buckled it around his hips, he said with a smile, “The night of our first date. My cat was going so crazy when I walked her up to her apartment that I felt like he was trying to claw his way out of my body. She told me it was too soon. A few days later, she woke me up knocking on the front door, crying. Her family had disowned her for going out with me, and her sister, who she was living with at the time, had the locks changed on her place and had put all her things out on the stoop. It wasn’t the way I wanted it to happen, but she learned quickly that she could count on me. She stayed in the guest room for a few weeks, and we continued to date, and then when the time was right, she moved into my bedroom. I have zero regrets with the way things went between us, but I do regret her losing her family because of me. With Callie here, and now with you guys in town, it’s better for her, but I know it’s not quite the same.”
Grant nodded, buckling his tool belt. He would hate for Sam to lose her family because of them, but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. She was an only child and very close to her parents, and based on what she’d told them, her parents were wonderful, loving people. He smiled as he thought about his boys actually having real grandparents. They’d been so focused on finding a mom that they hadn’t even considered how awesome human grandparents were. They’d be in heaven, if the relationship worked out.
Turning his mind to sweeter thoughts, Grant got to work and concentrated on remembering how amazing it had been to wake up with Sam in his arms this weekend and how he couldn’t wait to do it again.
Chapter 7
Aaron’s phone buzzed as he was clocking out for the day on Monday. Owen’s worried voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Dad?”
“Owen? Are you alright? Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay, Dad. We all are. But something’s wrong with Sam.”
He relaxed only marginally. His kids were okay, but his mate was not. “Where are you?”
“We just got home. Uncle Grant isn’t home. He picked up Henry from school and went right back to work on Uncle Rhett’s farm. Uncle Alek is here with us. But on the way out of the school, Dad, we all heard Sam crying in her classroom. The door was closed. We couldn’t wait for her to see what was wrong because you and Uncle Grant made us promise not to miss the bus again, but she was really crying. We’re worried. Can you check on her?”
“I’ll go right now, kiddo. Thanks for calling me, and thank you for doing the responsible thing and getting on the bus like you’re supposed to.” He walked quickly to his car.
“I didn’t want to, Dad, but I knew that it was the right thing to do.”
Aaron’s heart swelled at his son’s mature behavior. He knew that it must have been difficult for the boys to follow their fathers’ orders not to miss the bus on purpose again, and he only hoped that whatever had upset Sam wasn’t too serious.
He said goodbye to his son and raced to the school. As he pulled up next to Sam’s car, he saw her exit the building with a tall, African-American woman. They were smiling.
He opened his door and stepped out, and Sam looked at him in surprise. “Aaron! What are you doing here?”
He stopped in front of her, glanced at the woman with her, and then turned his attention back to his mate. “Owen called. Are you okay?”
Sam blinked slowly in confusion. “Owen? What?”
Aaron took her hand and squeezed it. “Owen said he heard you crying through your classroom door. He and the kids were really worried, and he asked me to come and check on you.”
Her mouth parted in surprise. “Oh! That’s incredibly sweet.” She glanced at the woman with a smile. “What did I tell you?”
The woman chuckled and shook her head. “I thought bears were protective, but I think the cats have us licked. No pun intended.”
Sam said, “Aaron Fallon, this is Louisa Babcock, Superintendant. Louisa, this is my mate, Aaron.”
Louisa extended her hand, and Aaron shook it. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Fallon. I can tell by your uniform that you’re one of the town’s proud police officers. Sam is very, very lucky, indeed.” She turned her wrist and looked at her watch. “I have to run, Sam. I’ll call you next week, and we’ll have lunch, okay?”
“Sounds great, Louisa. Thank you so much … for everything.”
Aaron felt like he was being ignored. His cat was prowling in his mind to ensure that Sam was okay because she clearly hadn’t been okay earlier. Her eyes were red from crying. Clearing his throat, he said, “Sam?”
“Oh! Sorry! Where’s Grant? I want to tell you both at the same time.”
Feeling disgruntled that she hadn’t told him what happened immediately, he led the way. Within a few minutes, they were pulling into the long driveway that led back to the barn.
His mind was racing, trying to figure out what had happened. Had someone messed with her? Had she been fired? Had her lousy ex hurt her feelings? She was happy now, but she clearly hadn’t been, so what was up?
He got out of his car and stomped over to hers, opening the driver’s door as soon as she turned off the ignition and unlocked it.
“Why are you upset?” she asked as he wrapped his hand around her elbow and pulled her gently from the car.
“You were crying.”
“But I’m not now.” She pointed out.
He stopped and turned to face her. “But you were. My protective instincts are going nuts. You made me wait until we were with Grant, and I’m just a little testy.”
“A little?” She snorted with a laugh. “I’ll tell you as soon as we see Grant.”
He huffed and spun, pulling her with him into the new barn that Grant and Rhett had built. Henry was sitting on a wooden crate with a text book open on his lap, and Rhett was talking to Grant as they worked.
Grant stopped immediately and looked at them. “Is everything okay?”
“We need to talk,” Aaron said, pulling Sam into his arms and trying to force his cat to calm down.
Sam laughed. “You make it sound so dire. Something happened today, and apparently the kids heard me crying in my classroom. Aaron came rushing to my rescue. Do you have time to talk?”
“Of course,” Grant said. He unbuckled his tool belt and walked over to them.
“Come on, Henry, let’s go see if Aunt Lisa has any hot apple cider,” Rhett said.
“Sweet, maybe she can help me with my English homework, too.” Henry slapped the book shut and followed Rhett out of the barn. When the door was shut, Sam stepped away from him and faced both of them.
“After lunch, I have two classes and then a free period at the end of the day on Monda
ys. Well, during my seventh period class, one of the lunch aides showed up and said that Mark wanted to see me in his office. She said she would watch over the kids during the class and that they would have study hall instead. I was confused, of course, because Mark’s never called me out of class like that before. So I walked down to the office, and Mark’s in there, along with the vice principal, two teachers, and the head of the PTA. I sat down across from the desk, and Mark said that he’d received numerous complaints from parents and community members that I was living in an immoral way. I had no idea what he was talking about, of course, so I asked what he meant. The head of the PTA said that it had become public knowledge that I was in an inappropriate ménage relationship with two non-human men, and parents and community members were demanding my immediate termination.”
Sam paused and looked at them. Aaron felt his mouth fall open. Sam had been accused of being immoral? For being with him and Grant? He snarled in rage.
Sam grabbed his hand and squeezed tightly. “Let me finish. Mark said that I was to take a leave of absence for two weeks while they decided what to do with me. I was, of course, shocked and upset. I managed to make it back to my classroom without crying, and since the bell had rung, my classroom was empty. I shut the door and just cried. I sat in my room crying, and even when I knew that school had ended, I just couldn’t bring myself to go into the office and gather my things. And then my door opened and in walked Superintendant Babcock. She was positively furious. She told me to get back to the office so she could sort out the mess.
“She told Mark that the PTA had no authority to fire a teacher, and that Mark was unable to do that by himself as well, since he was only the temporary principal until a full-time replacement could be found. Well, he was so pissed off that he turned as red as a beet, but didn’t say anything more. Then Louisa proceeded to tell the head of the PTA that there was nothing immoral about dating a were or two weres or a whole group of them, because weres were different from humans, and there was nothing immoral or wrong about being with the person or people who you were meant to be with. She reminded the group that the entire police force of Ashland are mountain lions, the fire department in Bracks is almost entirely bear, and the cook at Lily’s restaurant is wolf. And then she said that her own wife was a bear and that she’d be damned if anyone called me immoral for entering into a loving and monogamous relationship! Can you believe it?”
