“The shift?” Lynn asked. Somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind, she remembered a whispered story told to her at bedtime by her uncle. It told the story of two people who fell in love and lived under the moon, able to turn from man to bear, from woman to wolf. Long ago, when she had stayed here, she’d heard the bear and the wolf in the distance, just as she had the first night she had moved here.
“When humans have another side, and shift from one to the other. Bear to man…”
“And woman to wolf.” She nodded. “Uncle Freddy told me that story.”
“And do you know it’s based in truth?” Adam’s face was so serious, so still, and the air in the room seemed to evaporate, and the temperature rose, making her cheeks turn pink.
She shook off the intense energy that sprung up between them. There were some things she could believe in, like love at first sight, but people turning into animals? Not today. “If you are trying to frighten me off with these stories of werewolves, then you are going to have to do better than that.”
“I’m not trying to frighten you off.” His face clouded, and he struggled with something, with words he wanted to say. Twice he opened his mouth, fighting to speak, only to close it again.
“Let’s go,” she said, not wanting to carry on this conversation anymore. “I have not ridden a horse for so long, I’m excited to try it again. And if I fall off, and you laugh, you know I will not speak to you again.”
“I won’t laugh.” He took her hand and held it sandwiched between his. “If you fall off, I will catch you. I will always catch you.”
“Why?” she asked, wanting to get lost in the passion in his eyes.
“Because, and I know you don’t see it and don’t feel it, but we are meant to be together.”
“I’m beginning to see that you believe that.”
“I don’t just believe it. I know it.” He looked down at the tiles. “I am the bear. Moonstruck.” He looked straight at her, his eyes honest, true, so that her heart stopped beating for one long moment when he said, “By you.”
“Adam. This is too soon. We don’t even know each other.”
“I know you.” He placed his hand on her heart. “I can hear your heart beat, and mine wants to beat in time with it forever. I wish you could feel the same.” He let her hand drop. “But until you do, I’m willing to take it slow.”
She lifted her hand he had held and held it against her. “I’m not sure I should come with you.”
“Yes, you should.” He smiled, bright, the intensity of before passed. “No strings. Just come and meet my family. Help me persuade them to take on the ranch in equal shares. Tell them how you feel about this place and making new beginnings. Please.”
“That’s all?” she asked. “You’re not trying to lure me into something … odd?”
“Nothing. No luring.”
“Then I’ll come. Only because I need to know if you are like this with everyone.”
“Like what?” he asked, suddenly self-conscious.
“Intense. All this talk of wolves and bears. And shifting.” She turned on her heel and walked out of the house. “I’d like to know if it’s peculiar to you, or if it’s a thing with people in this area. You know, you are making Pete look like a positive catch.”
“No Pete. You are mine. I’ll make you see it.” He grinned at her as she stood defiantly with hands on hips. “OK, I’ll show you, and let you make up your own mind.”
“Better.” She opened the door of his truck and got in, before he could help her. “Maybe you are just a lonely old cowboy who needs to learn how to treat a woman.”
“I’m willing to let you teach me,” he said.
“Why is it, no matter what I say, you twist it around and make it sound so…” She searched for the word. “Naughty?”
He chuckled. “I haven’t been naughty for such a long time.”
“There you go again,” she said, but felt better; he’d lightened up, his mood shifting to happy, not brooding.
“You bring out the worst in me. And the best in me,” he said. Turning the key in the ignition, he started the engine. “You’ve made me look at myself differently. I see what you’ve given up, what you are willing to do to make this place work. And I want to do that too. I want to run the ranch, but I want it to be fair. I want to go to bed at night knowing that my brothers are being treated fairly.”
“OK, maybe you aren’t naughty, maybe you are nice.”
“Nice, you make me sound like a pair of warm socks.”
“I like warm socks,” she answered. “I like warm socks a lot.”
Chapter Ten – Adam
“You’ll love the Homestead,” Adam said as they pulled around the back of the ranch house.
“Wow, I didn’t realize it was so big,” Lynn said.
“There’s the ranch house, and the bunk house, although we only have four cattle hands. We get other seasonal drifters coming through, but we run it between us pretty much.” He pointed toward a group of barns. “We have three barns. One for the horses; the others are for feed, and if we need to bring the herds in.”
“You enjoy the work?” Lynn asked.
“I do. It’s easier this time of year. But when the calves are born, it’s long, hard work. There’s nothing better than going to bed at night with an ache in your arms to remind you how hard you’ve worked and what you’ve achieved.”
“I can relate.” She lifted her arms and said, “I have aching muscles where I never knew I even had muscles. Who needs a gym when you have a dilapidated house to clean?”
“But you get the sense of satisfaction.” He nodded at her.
“I do.” She sat up in her seat as he parked the truck in front of the horse barn. “Wow, is this a welcoming committee?”
“They are dying to meet you,” Adam said.
“And this isn’t creepy at all,” she murmured.
“I’m sorry, I asked them to be more discreet…” He turned to face her. “Look, I don’t bring women home. Like, not at all. So you are a bit of an oddity.”
“An oddity,” she repeated.
He groaned. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He took a breath, trying to figure out why he kept saying the wrong thing. “I mean they are happy I found someone I wanted to bring home.”
“I still think I’m out of place. This is a family decision,” Lynn said, looking at him as if she was about to open the door and bolt back home. He couldn’t have that, he needed her to be here with him. He wanted her to be with him.
“Too late,” Adam said, opening the truck door and climbing out. “And anyway, you deserve a break from cleaning. Come for a ride, and then we can go back to your place. I promise you won’t regret it.”
“OK.” Lynn opened the truck door, and Jon, Jordan, and Skyla pretended to be busy brushing the horses, while Adam brought Lynn over to meet them.
“Guys, this is Lynn. Lynn, these are my brothers, Jon and Samuel.”
“Hi, Jon,” Lynn said. “Sam.” She lifted her hand to wave at Samuel, who nodded and then went back to brushing his horse.
“Excuse Samuel, a man of few words,” Jon said.
“Whereas Jon likes to talk. A lot,” Adam said.
“My brother thinks he’s funny. But it’s probably true. Good to finally meet you, Lynn,” Jon said, saluting her.
“And this is Jordan and Skyla. My older brother and his wife.”
“Hi, Lynn.” Jordan grinned, making Lynn feel like an exhibit in a zoo. Then Skyla stepped forward and looped her arm under Lynn’s.
“Come on. I think this is your horse,” Skyla said, leading her into the barn. “Don’t worry, this is all new to me too. I’ve only been married to Jordan for a couple of months, and this is the first time we’ve come to visit the family.”
“I’m not used to big families,” Lynn said.
“Me neither. So we will get through this together. I thought one man was enough, but these four together are a bit of a handful.”
Lyn
n turned around and looked at Adam and his brothers, her expression unreadable. Silently, he thanked Skyla for making friends with Lynn. If he’d thought it through, he would have realized how unusual this was for Lynn. A man she had just met had asked her to come on a horse ride, with a family she did not know, as moral support for a decision he had to make.
It said a lot about Lynn’s character that she had come. He wanted to let himself hope it was because she liked him, Adam, and could see herself as part of his life. But he couldn’t. Not yet.
“Hey, Adam, get in there.” Jordan nudged him forward, and Adam woke up from his daydreaming to realize this was his chance to make Lynn feel as if she were part of the family, rather than a woman caught up in a family feud.
He stumbled forward, all fingers and thumbs and two left feet, his usual cool confidence lost. This was his domain, the ranch was what he lived and breathed; if he was ever going to show Lynn his true self, this was it.
“Thanks, Skyla.” He flashed his sister-in-law a smile, then he said to Lynn, “This is Honey.” He stroked the big golden-colored horse, whom he had picked out especially for his mate.
“Honey, she’s beautiful,” Lynn said. “I forget how much I used to love being around horses. Do you think I’d be able to have one on my ranch?”
“Yes, although they don’t like to be alone, you’d have to have a couple. Maybe a riding horse and an old pony to keep it company.”
“I like that idea. I could give an old pony a home.” Her face lit up and Adam found himself grinning. That kind of sentimentality didn’t belong on the Williams Homestead, but it could survive and thrive on the Hawkins Ranch.
“When you are settled, I’ll help you choose the right horse. I might even be persuaded to part with Honey here. She’s getting too old for ranch work, and could do with a quieter life.” That wasn’t strictly true, Honey could still do a fine job herding cattle, but if his woman was going to have a horse, Adam would take it upon himself to make sure she had one that was safe and knew how to look after her rider.
“Do you think your dad would let you?” Lynn asked.
“It’s not all up to him,” he answered honestly.
“No?” Lynn asked. “Even when the woman you want to sell your horse to is the one who has something he wants?”
“He’ll get over it,” Adam said confidently.
“Hey, are we going to ride, or are we going to stand around flirting all day?” Jon asked, already saddling his own horse.
“We are good to go,” Adam asked. “Want to help me?”
“Sure,” Lynn said.
Adam tacked his own horse up first, a big black horse called Midnight, whom he had bought and broken in himself. Midnight was one of the few things on the Homestead that actually belonged to Adam. Everything else was part of the ranch. That had never struck him before, but now it did, it was like a worm in his brain. He began to understand why Jordan had left, why he had struck out on his own.
“How does it feel, having the ranch as your own?” he asked Lynn as they did the cinch-up on Honey’s saddle.
“Good. This morning was tough, I’ll admit. There is so much to do, it’s overwhelming. I didn’t expect the wiring to be in such bad condition.”
“You have no power at all?” Jon called over.
“No.” Lynn raised her voice to reply. “I turned it off at the fuse box. I was scared the ranch would burn down, since some of the wires are exposed.”
“Hey, Adam, there’s a spare backup generator over in the storeroom. Lynn could use it until she’s had an electrician in,” Jon said.
“No, it’s OK. I can manage,” Lynn insisted.
“Jon’s right, we don’t need it. It’s an old one, a backup to a backup, if you know what I mean,” Adam said, wishing he’d thought of it.
“I’m not so sure. I mean with your dad and this feud. I don’t want to get you into trouble,” Lynn said.
“Our father’s not that bad,” Jordan said.
Jon huffed. “He’s calmed down now, but you weren’t here. He got himself in a state over the Hawkins Ranch.”
“We don’t need to talk about that now, Jon,” Adam warned.
“Sorry, Lynn,” Jon said.
“Don’t be. I’m glad I know. Is he going to hate me for not selling?” Lynn asked.
“Not hate, and his anger isn’t directed at you,” Jon said, mounting his horse and then waiting for everyone else.
“It’s more aimed at your Uncle Freddy,” Adam said.
“Why?” Lynn asked.
“We looked after him. When he was ill, and my dad figured in return he might let him have the ranch back.” Jon quickly added, “That isn’t why we helped Freddy. We would do the same for any neighbor, and Dad didn’t expect to be given the farm in return. He offered Freddy a fair price and the chance to stay there until he died, but he wouldn’t sell.”
“I don’t understand why. He knew how much the ranch meant to your family, you deserved it, more than me,” Lynn said. “You were more like family to him. I hardly knew him.”
“We’ll never know,” Adam said. “But I for one, am glad you are here.”
They shared a moment, their eyes connecting, and he felt hope surge in his heart that fate had stepped in and brought Lynn here. If he accepted that, then he could accept that his dad would come around, that Lynn would come around, and everything would be OK. Eventually.
“Come on, Merry wants to be on his way,” Jon said, with a wink at Adam. “Or do you two want to spend some time in the hay barn, rather than riding with us?”
Adam shook his head at his brother. Although the hay barn was a tempting proposition, he was here to talk to Jon and Jordan about their collective futures, and that’s what he planned to do. “We’re all set.” Adam checked Honey over and then said to Lynn, “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Her eyes shone and she looked excited. “I am.”
“Then let’s get you onboard.”
“Hear that, Honey, we’re going to go for a ride, and I am trusting you to look after me,” Lynn said, stroking Honey’s soft golden coat. Honey looked around, her eyes soft and calm. “She is beautiful.”
“She is,” Adam said, letting his eyes linger on Lynn’s face.
“I meant Honey,” Lynn said, and Jon burst out laughing.
“My brother is not exactly subtle, is he?” Jon said.
“It’s a good thing you are already on your horse, or I may be tempted to dunk you in the water trough,” Adam said.
“Jordan was right, you two are like a couple of big kids,” Skyla said. She was sat astride her horse; Jordan was by her side, his face showing his amusement.
“Just as I remember,” Jordan said.
“And you are an adult now?” Adam asked, swinging himself up into the saddle, and wincing inwardly at his words. Seeing Jordan today, his body whole, his legs working, it was easy to forget everything he had gone through, and the mental scars that he must carry with him.
“Oh no. Jordan has regressed, thanks to the guys he works with. Dylan, his boss, is the biggest kid of them all. Especially since he had kids of his own.”
“Wait till you have kids. I can just imagine Jordan playing with action figures. Like we used to when we were kids,” Jon said.
Jordan and Skyla exchanged a look, and Adam felt his heart beat harder in his chest. He didn’t have to ask; Adam knew Skyla was pregnant.
They rode away from the Homestead, down along the lower pasture, where the cattle grazing around them took no notice of the riders. Samuel rode out in front, while the rest of them formed a tight group, the horses jostling each other, eager to go faster. The nervous look Jordan cast over to Skyla as her horse swished his tail at Midnight said it all. The first of the next generation of Williamses was on its way. It made what Adam wanted to do even more important. It was time they discussed the future.
“I thought we’d head across toward the falls,” Adam said.
“The falls? That sounds inviting,�
�� Skyla said.
“It is, we used to go there and swim when we were done after a hard day in the saddle,” Jordan said.
“I don’t know about a swim, but I think I’m going to need a soak in a hot bath after this,” Skyla said. “How do you ride all day?”
Jordan laughed. “I might be joining you. I think my butt got soft.”
Lynn giggled. “This outdoor life is harder than it looks.”
“It is,” Skyla agreed. “And there was I thinking you cowboys have to easy.”
“Might not be easy, but I would not trade it for anything,” Jon said, urging his horse forward as they climbed the steep slope into the upper pasture.
“Which is what I want to talk to you all about,” Adam said, catching Lynn’s eye. She smiled encouragingly. “When we get to the falls, there’s something I’d like to talk over with you all.”
“Something you don’t want to talk about in front of Dad?” Jordan asked.
“No, I wanted your opinions before I discuss it with him,” Adam said.
“Well, you are in charge of the Homestead,” Jordan said. “Whatever it is, you have my full backing, as long as it doesn’t involve selling any of the land off.”
“It doesn’t involve selling, but it does involving restructuring,” Adam hinted.
“Then we’ll listen.” Jordan urged his horse on. “You know, we always used to race to the falls.”
“Then let’s do it,” Adam said. “Ladies, if it’s OK with you, we’ll see you there. Don’t worry, Honey knows the way.”
“Then go,” Lynn said, holding her reins tighter as Honey was enthused with energy. “Quiet, girl, we’re just going to walk with Skyla.”
“Are you sure you’ll be OK?” Jordan asked his wife.
“I am. Jesse here is not interested in going any faster than a walk, and neither am I,” Skyla said, patting her painted horse.
With that, the three cowboys urged their horses faster into a gallop, and raced up the hill, passing Samuel, who then encouraged his horse to go faster, racing to catch the others. The four brothers disappeared into the distance, leaving Skyla and Lynn behind.
Cowboy Bear Blues: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Cowboy Brother Bear Book 1) Page 7
