Knox (BBW Bear Shifter Moonshiner Romance) (120 Proof Honey)

by Becca Fanning

  Valerie considered her options. Drive on back into town alone and possibly get lost or…

  The “or” sounded way better.

  “Okay,” she said.

  They left the rental on the side of the road, Kyle assuring her that it would be perfectly safe, and he drove them off through the trees.

  Valerie sat in the front of Kyle’s big truck and listened to the radio. He seemed to have the most eclectic taste in music ever. They had listened to Yellow Submarine by the Beatles, something from Taylor Swift, Hello Dolly by Louis Armstrong and then something loud by someone called Linkin Park (she was pretty sure they were not from Santa Monica), which Kyle quickly skipped over.

  But bar the jarring array of music, the drive was really pleasant. The colorful trees with their fall leaves gave way to spruces and pines as they rose up a series of small hills. Then they dipped down the other side on what, to Valerie looked like an animal track, charged through a dry river bed and almost collided with a massive boulder. But at the last second Kyle wrenched the wheel and they skirted around it into what had to be a parking lot. There were other cars there, standing between the tree trunks that were all hung with faerie lights.

  “This is Honey’s,” Kyle said smiling, indicating what to Valerie looked like a hedge. “Best place anywhere.”

  At first she thought he was joking, but then she stepped out of the truck and saw it.

  “That’s a caravan stuck in a hedge,” Valerie said pointing.

  “Yeah it is, but don’t let that fool you,” Kyle said ushering her up the steps and in through the bright red door.

  On the other side was a room that was open to the sky, except around the very edge where a small roof was held up with wooden poles. In the center of the space was a dug out section of blackened earth, where some men were clearing away what looked like ashes and half burnt logs. Others were bringing more wood.

  “Well, it’s certainly rustic,” Valerie said looking around.

  All the tables and chairs were log made and sturdy, but then judging by the size of the men around the place, they would have to be. Every last one of them was tall and broad shouldered whether their hair was grey or not. They all looked a bit like Kyle too and smiled when they saw him.

  Kyle spotted two old men in a corner playing chess. He lifted a hand and waved.

  “That’s my grandpa,’ he said, “Let’s go say hi.”

  So Valerie tagged along while Kyle went to the old man and greeted him. Kyle’s grandfather was slightly wrinkled. His skin had taken on a leathery look, as skin does when its owner has spent a lifetime outdoors. His hair was snow white and still thick and curly and hung around his shoulders. He was strong and alert and thinking hard. His opponent was just as white haired, big and strong as he was and the two were in a fierce battle over the chess board. It looked as though the other man was winning.

  “You ol’ son-of-a-gun!” Kyle’s grandpa exclaimed. “I want a rematch! I’ll swear you cheated, Paul Barkley!”

  “I did no such thing, you old goat!” Paul Barkley shouted in reply, “You’re just so old you forgot how to play good.”

  Then the two of them laughed and shook hands.

  “Hi Grandpa, sorry you lost,” Kyle said smiling at him.

  “Oh, you look sorry,” but he was smiling as he said it, “Kyle my boy! What are you doing here at this time of day? Don’t you work anymore?”

  “Between jobs Grandpa,” Kyle said, “Anyway good thing I was, I found a young lady wondering in the woods. She had a little accident and lucky I was there to save her.”

  “That a fact?” Grandpa asked and stood up, “Hello young lady, my name is Marcus Pierce and I’m this rude young man’s grandpa.” He offered a long fingered hand to Valerie.

  Taking it and firmly shaking it Valerie said, “I’m Valerie Rousseau and I’m pleased to meet you.”

  “Rousseau huh? Where you from, if you don’t mind my asking?” Marcus asked.

  Valerie explained her circumstances, coming from New Orleans but actually being based in New York. “But work keeps me flying around the country a lot,” she finished.

  “And what do you do?” Marcus asked indicating that she should take a seat. She and Kyle pulled up chairs and sat with Marcus and Paul.

  “The company I work for is a conglomerate and they tend to like investing in areas, property, minerals, wildlife conservation, all those kinds of things,” Valerie said.

  “Uh huh?” Paul said eyeing her. “And what is your company’s interest out here?”

  “They don’t tell me a lot,” Valerie lied but for some reason Paul’s suspicious looks were making her nervous, “They give me a grid reference and say go check it out. So I do. Of course, around here the GPS goes on the fritz and next thing I’m lost.”

  “And then I show up, knight in soft flannel that I am,” Kyle joked his smile broad, “And rescue her.”

  “Yeah, he showed up just in time, this bear was outside my car. It was sniffing my windows,” Valerie said. “I’ve never been so scared in all my life!”

  “Scared of bears huh?” Paul asked.

  “Well there’s a lot of ‘em here,” Marcus said. “We like to have nature free and untouched around here.”

  “Damn straight!” Paul said.

  Just then the waitress, a pretty girl with long blonde hair and golden eyes came over to ask them what they wanted to drink.

  It took a long time, most of the meal and a few drinks afterwards to get Paul to be civil to her. But in the end he said she could see Kyle again if she wanted to. Marcus told him it wasn’t up to him, and the two old men had a friendly squabble.

  Valerie had a great time. Kyle was fabulous company. He told jokes, kept the conversation light and away from any topics that might make her tell more lies than she already had. She found herself liking these strange men. And now she began to wonder just what Petersen-Snow wanted with Sun Valley. The brief had been brief to say the least. They wanted photos, they wanted reports on local industry and farming. They wanted to know about the people, what they did for a living and how many were employed. If she didn’t know better she would say that they wanted to take over the whole town. But that was ridiculous. The company never did that. They usually bought up a struggling business or two that were in line with their current global vision, or if they needed a PR boost, they would adopt a school or a wildlife preserve, and send out the media en mass to cover the event.

  But this felt different. Valerie hoped it would all be for the best.

  And so their evening ended. She had a lot of prep work to get done back in her room and since she hadn’t checked in yet, it was a good idea if she left Honey’s.

  The ride back was fun. Kyle spoke at length about his grandpa. How he had raised him in the forest and the mountains. How his grandpa was such a great guy. Valerie could see it and she smiled.

  Back in her rental she followed Kyle all the way into town. He drove her right up to Grandma’s Inn and then even carried her bag, which had wheels, into the tiny reception for her.

  “So I guess this is goodnight?” he said. He was a little jittery and eventually took her hand in his. “I have thoroughly enjoyed this evening. Perhaps we should do it again while you’re in town?”

  Valerie grinned. He was so much fun, so light and she thought she might be interested in getting to know him a little, no, a lot better. Well she had that vacation time, and staying here for a bit and then going home would also work for her. She nodded.

  “I would love to,” she said.

  Then Kyle let go of her hand and walked out the door. He turned on the threshold and looked back at her, smiled, waved and was gone.

  She sighed.

  “Yup,” the lady behind the reception counter said. She was a little thing with grey hair and milky blue eyes. “That Kyle is one handsome man. I knew his daddy Reuben, what a catch that one was too.”

  “You don’t say,” Valerie said taking the offered key.

  “Oh,
still makes my toes curl just to think of him.”

  Valerie thanked her hostess and made her way to her room.

  Grandma’s Inn was quaint. It put Valerie in mind of a Beatrix Potter house with doilies and frills on the tables, and embroidery on the cushions. The room she was staying in was small, neat and homey with knickknacks and a tiny heart shaped chocolate on her pillow. In the en suite bathroom, small lavender scented soaps, and shower gel in the smallest bottles imaginable, greeted her. She had a whole collection of hotel stuff that she travelled with. Never being in one place long enough to buy actual groceries beyond the essentials, it was great to have handy little bottles of mouth wash, shampoo and conditioner, and one use tubes of toothpaste.

  Valerie flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a while. Then she pulled her laptop out of its bag and began to go over her notes. Tomorrow would be a busy day.

  She fell asleep with her computer next to her on the bed and dreamt of Kyle and a bear.

  The morning sunlight glinted through the leaves on the tree outside her window. As Valerie opened her eyes she stared at it and thought of home. As a child she had played in the trees that grew all around her plantation home. These thoughts of homesickness weren’t helping her she realized. She needed to get up and get ready. After all she had a meeting with some council members. What they were the council of she wasn’t entirely sure, but if Petersen -Snow wanted to do anything in Sun Valley, these people had made it abundantly clear that she had to go through them.

  The meeting was in a conference room in the city hall. It was a squat building with the obligatory columns out front and three floors, but it was a block of concrete that some inept architect had tried to fancy up. Valerie hated buildings like that, but she made her way inside anyway, toting her laptop bag on her shoulder. She was dressed in light grey slacks and a peach blouse with a thin jacket to keep out the chill. The wind was blowing today and it was a little fresh for her taste.

  Looking professional was important, but for the life of her, Valerie had not been able to tame her wild, dark curls this morning and now they blew about her face until she was safely inside where the wind couldn’t get her.

  The conference room was on the first floor right at the back of the building and she got lost along the way, and had to ask directions twice. So she stepped through the door a little after ten to find a whole host of people sitting around the oval table.

  On one side, sat men with grey hair, beards and matching grey suits. On the other sat grey and white haired men, in jeans and flannel shirts. There were eight of them in total, four suits and four flannels.

  “Morning,” Valerie said a little nervously. “I’m…”

  “You are late young lady, is what you are,” a suit said standing up, “Introductions; you must be Miss Valerie Rousseau, your office has been in constant contact with mine. These good gentlemen are Mr. Archibald Wilson, Mr. Peter Law, Mr. Jerome Wilde and I am Jeff Headley.” Each man stood and nodded to her in turn. They were so alike it was scary. Same look in the eyes no matter if they were brown, green or blue, same beards almost as well. Valerie felt a Stepford moment coming on.

  Then Jeff indicated the other side of the table, “And here we have Mr. Jordan Ewes, Mr. Clancy Jones, Mr. Paul Barkley and finally Mr. Marcus Pierce.”

  As he said the last two names Valerie felt her stomach sink into her over-priced shoes. Well there was no denying or hiding from it, the last two men were the same old men she’d had dinner with the night before.

  Oh, boy!

  “So, to business,” Jeff Headley said, “Sit down young lady.” She sat in the first chair she could reach. Mr. Headley had the tone of one who would broach no argument.

  “Miss Rousseau’s company, what was the name again dear?” he asked leaning towards her. Although there was a lot of wood between them she could feel his condescension rippling across the space towards her.

  “Petersen-Snow,” Valerie offered, “I have…”

  “Yes, I’m sure you do,” Mr. Headley drawled, “But all in good time.”

  Valerie developed an instant, bone deep dislike of this pompous ass. But he was one of the people she’d been sent to schmooze. She couldn’t do that with her boot up is prerogative. So she sat back and let him prattle.

  “As I was saying, Miss Rousseau’s company has taken a liking to Sun Valley. They want to buy the place and since the amount to purchase the land, outstanding since 1876, has not been paid in full…”

  “We will need to see your ledgers, Jeff,” Marcus said softly. His eyes moved from Jeff Headley to Valerie and his look was pure venom.

  Valerie wished the ground would swallow her whole. Of course her company wanted to buy the place, she had known that, but it had only been a blip on a map when she’d started this whole process for them. And now it was an actual place with real people who had history and lives and futures. They were proud of their land, their heritage which seemed so connected to the land. Valerie knew about that. Being from New Orleans with the story of witches and supernatural beings tying their magic to the land, she had grown up knowing her own anchor was the soil she was born on. That was why she longed for it so. Her family went back generation on generation on that land, and she didn’t want to take Kyle’s equivalent away from him.

  But this was her job.

  She came to when raised voices tore into her shame and sadness.

  “We have been working for you people, at a reduced wage for over a hundred years Jeff! I think we’ve earned our land!” Paul was yelling. He was on his feet, his face red, his big hands fisted and resting knuckles first on the table, like he intended to punch it to pieces and was just lining up the shot.

  “Now Paul, the ledgers are precise,” Jeff said raising his hands. Valerie saw the abject fear hiding behind his blustering façade. “You are welcome to go through them along with your attorney.”

  The room exploded in rage, both sides of the table yelling and calling each other names. And then Paul’s voice rose above everyone else’s and he was yelling at her. He shook an accusatory finger at her, spittal flying as he ranted, “And you! You hussy! You tricked his grandson into showing you the whole place! And now you want to take it from us!”

  Valerie was close to tears. The tension in the room was insane and she just wanted to run. She tried to defend herself, to tell them that she didn’t want any of that, that she was just a pawn. Valerie Rousseau made no decisions in the company. She was a glorified pencil pusher with frequent flyer miles. She didn’t want any of this.

  God, that vacation time was looking real good around now. In fact, unemployment was looking good too, and that was crazy.

  In a rush of emotion Valerie picked up her bag and stormed out of the room. She could be fired for this but who cared, really?

  She blundered down the hallway, needing to find her way out when suddenly she bumped into someone, and something hot spilled all over her arm.

  Valerie looked up into Kyle’s golden eyes.

  “Hey, stranger,” he said smiling instantly when he recognized her. “Sorry about the coffee.”

  Valerie shook her head and looked away, “It’s fine, Kyle. Oh God, what are you doing here?”

  “Here with Marcus, he’s got some big meeting,” Kyle said vaguely.

  Just then the door opened behind her and Marcus and Paul spilled out followed by the others.

  “Get away from her!” Marcus roared at Kyle. “She’s poison!”

  “She’s gonna take Sun Valley from us,” Paul ranted and Valerie knew she was done for.

  She grabbed her laptop bag in her arms and fled down the hallway leaving a confused Kyle behind her.