Cowboy Bear Blues: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Cowboy Brother Bear Book 1)

by Harmony Raines

  “You should, because he was the one who built this ranch.”

  “So this belonged to your great-uncle?” she asked with a frown.

  “Yes. My grandfather inherited the Homestead, and his brother got a small ranch, so he had something of his own. Only there was still unrest. It seemed his brother didn’t want the rancher’s life. And so he gambled it away, lost it to your Uncle Freddy.”

  “Oh!” Lynn took a big breath of air. “Now I see where the feud started. Your grandfather thought Uncle Freddy hustled the farm off your family.”

  “Exactly. My grandfather could not see how much his brother wanted to leave Black Bear Ford. He wasn’t allowed to sell, and so he gambled; if he had won, he would have had a ticket out of here, he’d have taken his winnings and left anyway, he’d have just walked away from the farm. Your Uncle Freddy wanted a farm, but didn’t have enough money, but he did have enough to tempt my great-uncle. They both gambled everything they had, winner takes all. There might have been liquor involved, but both men stood by the result.”

  “What happened to him? When he lost the farm.”

  Adam shook his head. “He argued with his brother, a terrible argument, and then he left, he disappeared. It’s the great family mystery.”

  “No one knew if he was dead or alive?” Lynn asked.

  “No. My father tried to find him when his dad got sick; he wanted them to be reunited. But it never happened.”

  “That’s so sad,” Lynn said, and then fell silent. From the comments she had made earlier, he assumed there were some difficulties with her own family. And they might also revolve around the farm. Any other man might delve into those problems and use them to his advantage, use them to make her sell. Ranching had taught him one thing: the right leverage, in the right place, could move a boulder of incredible weight without breaking a sweat.

  But Adam was not his father, and he had no intention of causing pain to Lynn. She was his to cherish. He would go against all his father’s schemes and plans if he had to, rather than using Lynn’s position with her family to his advantage.

  As she gazed out over the fields, the sun shining around her like a halo, he promised he would never let property get between him and his mate, or him and his family. When Jordan arrived tomorrow, Adam was going to lay down his plans, and hope his brothers were of the same mind.

  United, they could stand against their father. Divided… Well, if they divided, Adam might be asking Lynn for a place to stay sooner than he’d expected.

  Chapter Seven – Lynn

  Talk of Adam’s father and grandfather reminded her of her own parents. She loved them. That was true and always would be, and as soon as she could, as soon as she felt confident they would see what she was trying to achieve, Lynn was going to ask them to come over and stay for a night or two. It was time they all acted like adults and learned that they all wanted different things out of life, but that did not mean they could not be happy, and be a family.

  “Tell me where your brother fits into all of this? You said he didn’t want the farm. So that makes you the sole heir? Your brothers get cut out?” Lynn asked.

  “Yes. He went away to join the army. Jon and Sam, my younger brothers and I, stayed here and worked hard. With no regrets. We love the place, and we were raised knowing it would go to Jordan.”

  “And now things have changed? For you?” Lynn asked. Other people’s families, especially where siblings were involved, had always fascinated her.

  Growing up, any visits to her friends’ houses were a great joy. Not because she didn’t like her home life; before they moved into a hotel, her parents had been great, if a little pushy. But other people’s houses opened a window into sibling rivalries and sibling relationships. It was like watching real-life TV. They talked, they gossiped, they fought, over everything from toys to food, to who got the TV remote. Lynn loved it.

  “Yes. And it’s not sitting right with me.” He got up. “Shall we walk?”

  “Sure.” He held his hand out to her and she took it, the sensation of belonging flooding her veins as his large hand folded around hers and he pulled her to her feet. It took her a moment to get her balance. There was something about the nearness of Adam that made her knees go weak, and her breathing quicken. “Thanks.”

  “My pleasure.” He looked at the picnic blanket, trying to avoid her gaze. If Lynn didn’t know better, she would believe she was making his big ol’ cowboy go weak at the knees too. Coughing to clear his throat, he said, “Let’s walk off some of this food.”

  “That sounds like a plan.” Then she did something daring, but which made Adam’s breath catch in his throat. Lynn reached out for his hand and, without a word, took it. “Lead the way.”

  “I’m sure it hasn’t changed that much since you were here last,” Adam said.

  “Yes and no. Everything is overgrown.” She leaned on his shoulder, wanting to feel him, solid, a thing of substance. “I wish I’d come back here when Uncle Freddy was alive. I could have helped him. Could have kept the place together.”

  “You were busy with your own life,” Adam said. “Don’t live with regrets. Your uncle was happy for the most part.”

  “It was good of you to come and see him. Since there was the feud,” Lynn said. “Tell me the rest of your story. Of why it doesn’t sit well with you, that you get to inherit.”

  “I know why the eldest inherits. But I don’t agree with it. I want my brothers to have an equal share.”

  “I didn’t think Jordan wanted a share; you can’t force it back on him. From my experience, it’s better for people to have a choice, to be able to walk away with no repercussions, no feelings of letting anyone down,” Lynn said, surprised at the strength of her outburst. “Sorry. I’m putting my opinions and experiences on to you.”

  “No. I agree with you. I want to propose we run the Homestead as a business, that we all have shares in it, and get paid a dividend. On top of that, if Jon, Sam, and I work the ranch, and Jordan chooses not to, then we get paid a salary. The more you put in, the more you get out.”

  “That is a brilliant idea,” Lynn said, taking in the scents of the honeysuckle growing rampant over a wall that was in need of repair. “I should have brought my list.”

  “Forget about lists and repairs for one evening. I’ll come over in the next few days and we’ll walk the property with a note pad. You can make all the lists you like, and I’ll give you my advice.”

  “And in return, I’ll give you my advice about your brothers. Not that I’m any kind of expert, I’m an only child. But … I am an expert at doing what you want to do, and not what your parents want you to do, or in this case your father.” She stopped and took his other hand, so that he faced her. “Do what your heart says is right.”

  “I’m always one for trusting my heart,” he said, his words holding a meaning she couldn’t quite fathom. If she had to guess, Lynn would say he meant her, that he wanted to trust his heart with her. But they didn’t know each other. If she were cynical, she would say the whole thing, from the takeout food to the discussion on his family was staged, set up for her to open herself up to him. Lynn could not believe a man like Adam was not sincere. He couldn’t make up all this about his family … could he?

  “What are we doing, Adam?” she asked, her mouth voicing the words in her head.

  “We are getting to know each other,” he said.

  “This isn’t some ploy to get under my skin and make me sell you the ranch?”

  Adam dropped her right hand and placed it on her cheek, smoothing his thumb over her lips. “No. I wouldn’t do that. Not to you. Not to anyone. I want us to be friends, I want us to be more than friends.”

  “We’ve only just met,” she said.

  “Have you ever met someone for the first time and known it was the right thing?”

  “No,” she said honestly. Was she being honest? This morning when he walked into her life, she’d acknowledged an attraction to Adam. That wasn’t the same a
s knowing he was right, knowing he was the person she wanted to spend her life with.

  “Then I guess I’m lucky,” he said, and bent his head and kissed her lightly on the lips.

  Lynn jerked back, as if his lips had stung her. “I’m… I’m not sure…”

  “Sorry,” Adam said quickly, but he didn’t let her go. “I know it sounds corny, but I’ve never met anyone like you. I know we have a connection.”

  “Adam, I’m going to be honest. I’ve been living under my parents’ thumb all my life. All my adult life, at least. I’m free, I want to build my business, and do my own thing.”

  “I understand.” He still held her hand, and she still liked him holding her hand. She could have pulled away from him, if she really wanted to, she could have slipped her hand out of his. Was her freedom that important to her, or was she scared, scared of being in a position of having someone else try to enforce their wants on her? Or was she on the brink of throwing away a relationship with Adam because of her parents? If so, it meant she still was not free of them. They were ruling her life, her judgment tainted by them.

  “No. You don’t.” She took his other hand in hers, realizing she had led him on, had instigated a deepening of their relationship when she took his hands in hers. Now she was backtracking. And he’d let her, despite the deep need in his eyes. “You’re a good man, Adam.”

  “But…” His voice was laced with bitter disappointment.

  “I need a little time. I want to take things slowly, to enjoy the journey.”

  “Then we take it slow.” He smiled, and her heart ached for him. As did her body.

  “So you’ll give me a day or two?” she joked, dragging her hand through her hair. “My furniture arrives in two days. I need to get myself settled in, and then … let’s see what happens.”

  “As long as it’s not a no, I can live with that,” he said, putting his hand over her shoulder, and turning her so that they continued their walk through the long meadow grass. “I come from a long line of men who might not be able to keep their brothers happy, but they sure do know when they find their woman.”

  “You are all romantics who believe in love at first sight?” she asked, incredulous.

  “Yes. You could put it that way.” He pointed into the trees that edged the meadow. “Did you see the owl?”

  “Yes. Oh, wow.” She ducked down, trying to see where the beautiful big owl had flown to, but it had disappeared amongst the branches. “Do you ever think of leaving here?”

  “Not a chance. This is where my heart is.”

  “I’m glad,” she said. “Because I think mine belongs here too.”

  Whether it belonged here with Adam’s, she would have to wait and see. She was also going to have to take a chance. Which might take more courage than telling her parents she didn’t want to be part of their business. Because giving her heart away was new and scary, but the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to taste love, and build a future with someone. Someone who understood her.

  Would that be Adam?

  Chapter Eight – Adam

  Last night had been amazing. This morning threatened to be less so.

  Jordan was due to arrive with his mate, Skyla, something that had sent his usually calm and patient mother into a meltdown.

  “Mom. Mom, come and sit down, here’s a cup of tea. And a cookie. You need to breathe, or you’ll make yourself sick.” Jon sounded concerned as Adam entered the kitchen, where their mom was rushing around, checking that she’d done all the necessary preparations for lunch.

  “Thank you, Jon. And thank you, Adam, for seeing to the bedroom. I could have sworn I made the bed up yesterday.” Judy sat down, looking exhausted.

  “You probably did, and then stripped it again.”

  “I’m not that bad, Jon,” she said. “But you might be right. I couldn’t decide whether to go with the lemon and white, or the floral bedspread.”

  “It looks fine. Remember, this is Jordan, not a stranger coming to stay. He doesn’t care what color his bedspread is.”

  “But it’s the first time he’s bringing his mate home.” Her face went pale. “I know we met at the wedding, but apart from that, I don’t know Skyla.”

  “She seemed about as normal as you could expect. For a woman who has to put up with Jordan.” Jon grinned, and was about to launch into one of those do you remember when stories, when Judy stopped him.

  “No. No embarrassing stories. No telling tales about when you were kids. We want her to like us,” Judy said.

  “Then let her get to know us, warts and all,” Jon said.

  “No warts. Absolutely no warts,” Judy insisted.

  “Shame, I have a cool story that includes warts,” Adam broke in, and grinned as his mom swatted him with the nearest dishcloth.

  “Please, this means a lot to me. After his accident, I didn’t think he’d ever come home. I thought it would be too painful.” Her eyes misted up, and Jon and Adam both hugged her, remembering those dark days when no one thought Jordan would walk again.

  “He’s back to normal now. Thanks to Skyla. So don’t worry if she’s going to like us, because she has to, we’re part of Jordan’s life, and so is she. I’m sure she is equally as nervous,” Adam said.

  “Yes, as our mates will be, whenever we meet them,” Jon said.

  Adam fell silent, and his mom picked up on it right away. “Adam?”

  “What? I didn’t say anything,” he said defensively.

  “Exactly, is there something you need to tell us?” she asked.

  Judy Williams was a bear shifter herself. And she had a mother’s instinct unlike no other. Adam would have to lie, and lie very convincingly, if he wasn’t going to tell them about Lynn. But he didn’t want to lie; she wasn’t some dirty secret.

  “I may have met someone,” Adam said evasively.

  “Oh my. The Hawkins girl?” Judy asked, her tea and cookies forgotten, along with the impending arrival of her oldest son and his mate.

  “Yes.”

  “Holy cow!” Jon said. “Does Dad know?”

  “Nope. I’m not sure how he’s going to take it,” Adam admitted.

  “You mean you’re not sure if he’s going to insist on taking back the Hawkins place when you marry her?” Jon said, voicing his concerns bluntly.

  “Exactly.”

  “Does she know? About the feud?” Judy asked, picking up her cookie and nibbling on it.

  “She didn’t. But she does now, I told her,” Adam said,

  “Good. Be honest with her from the start. And don’t tell your father. Not yet,” Judy said quickly.

  “I don’t plan on it. Not least until things are settled here,” Adam said.

  “Settled here?” Jon asked. “Don’t tell me you are going to pass on your inheritance too?”

  “Not exactly,” Adam said.

  “Adam, what are you up to?” Judy asked.

  Adam lifted his head, and listened. “They are here.”

  “Oh my. Do I look all right?” Judy asked.

  “As always, you look beautiful, Mom. Skyla will love you. Jordan will be glad to be home. And everything will be perfect.”

  “Thank you. I think I’m a little nervous, because… He’s not my boy anymore.” She smiled wistfully. “I remember when…”

  “Now who’s reminiscing,” Jon said. He hugged Judy tightly. “We will always be your boys. Even when we have mates. I say that as someone who doesn’t have a mate, but I’m sure that is the truth.”

  “It is. Mom, we love you, and Dad. Finding our mates is simply another part of our lives. And then you’ll have grandkids and more memories to share,” Adam said.

  “Grandkids. Does that mean you and the Hawkins girl have already…?” Jon asked.

  “Jon!” It was Jon’s turn to get the look, followed by a dig in the ribs. “That is none of our business. Adam will take his time.”

  “Yes, I will. Especially since she wants to take things slow.” They were leaving
the kitchen and walking through the house toward the front door, where their father was waiting.

  “Who wants to take things slow?” he asked. His father must have the best hearing out of the whole family.

  “Adam. When he takes on the ranch,” Jon said, trying to cover their words, and then realizing what he’d said. He grinned, and tried to make it into a joke. “He wants to slow the pace down. I’m not going to complain, he’s not a hard taskmaster like you are, Dad.”

  “Well, he’d better get hard, it’s a tough role.”

  “Which you do very well, dear,” Judy said. “Now, can we drop the subject of cattle, at least until we’ve had lunch. Where’s Samuel? He said he’d be here.”

  “He’s been out in the forests. That boy spends more time as a bear than he does as a man,” Russell said.

  “I thought after lunch, we could go for a ride, take Skyla out to see the ranch,” Adam suggested, trying to stop his mom fretting about Samuel, who just liked to do his own thing. Adam had no problem with that—it was his choice, as long as he came home and did his chores, as far as Adam was concerned.

  “So that she can see what you are taking from her husband?” Jon asked.

  Adam swung a scowl his way. “No, that is not what I meant. I just thought it would be good for us to get Jordan back on a horse.”

  “Not afraid he’ll want to take back his decision about inheriting?” his dad asked.

  We’re counting on it, Adam’s bear said.

  “This is his home, Dad, always will be. I want to make sure we are all happy with whomever takes on the responsibility of the Homestead,” Adam said.

  “I thought we had that settled,” his dad said. “Are you backing out?”

  “No. But…”

  “But nothing,” Judy said. “Your brother is home, and we are going to behave like a family, and put all talk of the ranch to one side, at least through lunch.” She fussed over her hair; her nerves had returned. “Please. For me.”

  “Of course, Judy,” Russell said quietly. “You look perfect. Everything will be perfect.”