Mending the Bear

by Vanessa Devereaux

  “Do you eat here often?” Eve asked him as he opened the door for her.

  “A couple of times a week. The food is some of the best around.”

  The place was busier than he’d expected. He immediately recognized a few fellow shifters. Aiden and Charlotte Renner and their daughter Bridgit sat at table by the window and waved to him as he led Eve inside. He waved back.

  Hannah walked out to greet them. “Hi Ian, and nice to see you again, Eve. How’s the ankle?”

  “Feeling a lot better,” Eve said.

  “Good to hear, and table for two?”

  Ian nodded as Hannah led them over to a table at the back of the café. She placed the menus down in front of them. “I know you’ll want a beer,” she said to Ian. “How about you, Eve?”

  “Ice tea sounds good.”

  “Chicken Cesar salad is the special of the day.” She left and Ian opened up the menu.

  “The salad sounds good,” Eve said.

  “If you’re a rabbit.” He already knew what he wanted and closed the menu. Hannah returned with their drinks.

  “Have you decided on anything yet?” she asked.

  “The chicken Cesar salad for me,” Eve said.

  “Meatloaf sandwich for me, and I’ll have the sweet potato fries,” said Ian. “And I’m guessing Eve will be trying one or two.”

  He winked at her. Hannah winked at Eve. “It’s amazing how many couples have their first date in my café. Well, that’s assuming this is your first one.”

  “It’s not a date,” Eve said.

  He was slightly irritated at the speed at which she’d jumped in there and corrected Hannah. What was so bad about going on a date with him? Hannah smiled and walked away.

  “Are you saying you wouldn’t date me or what?” Ian asked.

  “I’m not in the market for dating. I’ve been divorced for less than a year and this is my me time,” Eve said.

  He could understand that. If it wasn’t that he was doing this to try and win back his mate, he certainly wouldn’t be going on a date.

  “And if you were, how would I fare?” he asked.

  “I was right. You do have an inflated ego.”

  “Better than have a deflated one.”

  She laughed, almost choking on her iced tea she’d just sipped through a straw. “You would fare every well.”

  “Good, glad to hear that. I was worried that maybe it was the whole motorcycle thing.”

  “Yes, that’s an issue. I mean if we were dating.”

  “And sex?” he asked.

  This time she did actually choke on her tea. Ian reached around the table and patted her back.

  “Sorry, I should have phrased that better for more clarity. At what point when you’re dating do you have sex with a guy?”

  Hannah chose that moment to bring their meals to the table.

  “There you go guys, and let me know if you need anything else.”

  Eve waited until Hannah was out of earshot to respond to him. “Do you always ask your dinner companions about their sex lives?”

  “Makes for interesting conversation, don’t you think? And the answer is what?” Ian asked, picking up his sandwich and raising his left eyebrow.

  “Three,” said Eve. “Has to be at least three dates until I’ll get horizontal with anyone. How about you?”

  “I’m a guy, so it’s one, and I don’t care what position we do it in.” He looked across the table to Eve. She was almost as red as the dried cranberries in the salad.

  Aiden and Charlotte chose that moment to walk over to them with little Bridgit in tow. Seemed like she’d only been born a short while ago and how she’d grown so fast, he didn’t know.

  “Hi Ian,’ Charlotte said.

  “How you guys doing? Oh, and by the way this is Dr. Eve Barclay, the new vet in town.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” Eve said. “And who is this cutie?” she asked, looking at Bridgit.

  “This is Bridgit who will be turning two on Saturday,” Charlotte said.

  “Two, wow, that’s exciting,” said Eve. “Are you having a party?”

  Bridgit nodded.

  “Who’s coming to the party?” Aiden asked her.

  She pointed to her parents.

  “Who else?” asked Charlotte.

  “Gramps and Kat.”

  “And we’re heading to the party store to buy balloons and hats, isn’t that right, Bridgit?” Charlotte asked.

  The little girl nodded.

  “Enjoy your meal and the rest of the evening,” Aiden said.

  “Cute little girl,” Eve said after they’d left. “You have nieces or nephews?”

  “Nope, both my brothers are still single,” Ian said. “How about you?”

  “Three nieces and two nephews.”

  “Can I get you two any dessert?” Hannah asked, returning to the table.

  “I think I’ll have a slice of chocolate cake to go,” Ian said.

  “Not for me,” Eve said.

  “I hope you’ll stop back with Ian for salmon night on Monday,” Hannah said, clearing away their plates. “He hasn’t missed one since we started the event.”

  “Salmon night?” Eve asked when Hannah walked away.

  “Every Monday Hannah serves salmon as the special of the day. It’s a huge hit with us.”

  “With you?”

  He’d never been this one to one with a human before and he was going to have to watch himself.

  “Us regulars,” he said.

  “I do like salmon, well, not so much when I slip on it.”

  He winked at her and took the bill off the table.

  “I can pay for my half,” Eve said.

  “That would be insulting to me because this is a date.” He raised his hand, knowing what she was going to say next.

  “Date number two is when I bring you here for the salmon night, so be ready around six on Monday evening. Then all we’ll need is another date and I can get you horizontal.”

  Chapter Seven

  She’d always been a sound sleeper. Even when her marriage had broken up and she was going through the worst time of her entire life, she’d managed to get at least six hours of shut eye every night. However, tonight she found herself sitting at the kitchen table cradling a mug of warm milk.

  She took a sip and pulled a face. Her mother had often made it for her and her siblings whenever one of them was sick. She’d hated it as a child and hated it even more now. Skin was forming on the top of it so she got up, walked to the cupboard, and pulled out a package of hot chocolate. She dumped that into the mug before the milk got too cold to dissolve it, and she was left with a lumpy, tepid beverage. She gave it a stir and then walked back to her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. She yawned. She was tired, but her mind was racing with images of Ian.

  Had the meal at the Starlight Café been an actual date?

  If it had been, it hadn’t ended in a kiss. They’d just left the café, saying goodnight to one another, him getting on his bike, her getting in her car, and then they’d headed off in opposite directions.

  There had been a kiss before the date. She put her fingers to her lips. He’d asked her on another date, well, that was assuming the one tonight had been for real. She was doing lots of assuming since she’d met Ian.

  She took another sip of the hot chocolate.

  And then there was his remark about them getting horizontal. She wasn’t sure that she was ready to date and get back to the whole having sex thing and she knew why. A guy could sleep with a woman and not get emotionally involved and attached. It was a physical thing and nothing else. Just fuck, have some fun, and that’s that.

  For a woman, for Eve, it was totally different. She’d never slept with a guy without getting involved and emotionally attached to him, and she wasn’t sure if that’s what she wanted right now. As she kept reminding herself, the period of her life right now, was her me time. A time she’d never had before because she’d married young, and a time she
might never have again, should she find another man who’d she’d fall in love with. Hopefully, this time the relationship would last forever.

  But just like a man, a woman did have physical needs. She wanted to get horizontal with him all right. But what if she got hurt again? She’d imagine that he had lots of women to choose from and she wasn’t foolish enough to think he’d be exclusive to her. When guys broke up with someone, they usually went a little crazy and slept with lots of women.

  Did all this mean she’d turn down the opportunity to sleep with him should it arise?

  Maybe, maybe not.

  She set the mug down on the table by the bed, snapped off the light, and got back under the covers. He sure was cute and her hormones were doing strange things to her mind and body. She put her hand under the blankets, quickly finding her clit. She hadn’t even done any self-pleasuring lately. He’d stirred something up inside her. She spread her legs, going to work on the nub that now stood erect screaming for attention. She saw Ian in her mind’s eye, naked in front of her. Yeah, he had the biggest dick she’d ever seen and he was about to slid it into her.

  She cried out, almost not realizing that the image had brought about one of the best orgasms she’d had in forever.

  She bit her lip. Just what would the real thing be like?

  Chapter Eight

  Eve couldn’t believe the number of pets and their owners who were sitting in the waiting area when she arrived at work on Monday morning. She’d only been officially opened a week and she’d worried that maybe business would be slow or that fur baby owners had gone elsewhere when Ally Herbert had closed down her husband’s practice after he’d been shot and killed.

  She’d worried needlessly because maybe her problem would now be she’d have too many patients for a one vet practice to oversee. She might even have to think about hiring more staff if this kept up.

  Chloe was talking to a couple of the ladies who were waiting with dogs.

  “Eve, this is your first patient, Barney and his owner, Lilly Renner.”

  “Renner, I met two other Renners the other night at the Starlight Café,” Eve said.

  “My brother and sister-in-law. They did mention they’d seen you dinning with Ian.”

  “And hello Barney, it’s nice to meet you.” She offered the Pomeranian her hand to smell and then gently stroked his head. “You two want to come through to the examination room.”

  Lilly led Barney to the back room and lifted him onto the table.

  Eve pulled up his information on the screen. Six years old and he needed his booster vaccinations.

  “So any concerns with Barney or any changes in his behavior or eating habits? Eve asked as she pulled out her stethoscope.

  “No, he seems to be doing just fine. At first, he was a little jealous of our new baby, but now he guards him like he’s a Great Dane and not a lap dog.”

  “It does take a dog some time to adjust to the new family dynamics.”

  She paused while she listened to his heart and lungs. Next she looked into his ears, then his eyes, and finally his teeth. “Okay, Barney you look great, but now comes the bit all my patients hate. It’s time to take your temperature.”

  Eve lifted his tail and stuck the thermometer in, making the little dog growl until she removed it.

  “There all done little guy and you’re in top notch health. I’ll just go get the vaccines and we’ll be all done.”

  While she was outside the examination rooms, Eve glanced at Chloe talking to yet more people who’d come into the office. She was definitely going to need to hire more staff.

  She filled the syringes and went back to find Lilly talking to Barney.

  “Do you have any other children besides the baby?” asked Eve.

  “Yes, Kaitlin who’s just started kindergarten.”

  “Is she the Kat that Bridgit mentioned?”

  “Yes, and I’m guessing it was about the birthday party.”

  Eve gave Barney both shots without him even realizing it. She’d always been good with needles since she was in vet school.

  “Those two are getting overly excited about that,” Lilly said.

  “That’s what being two and five years old is all about. Well, Barney, you did great and here’s a treat,” Eve said, pulling a small rawhide bone from the dish on the countertop.

  “Okay Barney, let’s get going and relieve papa bear of his babysitting duties.”

  Eve walked them to the front.

  “You’re next patient is Shane who needs his puppy shots. And this is Lucy Ahern, another friend of mine.”

  “Okay Lucy and Shane, through to the back we go.”

  ****

  “You look tired,” said Chloe as she and Eve sat eating their lunch in the backroom.

  “Yeah, and it’s only Monday at 1 p.m. How did my practice grow so fast?”

  “Connections,” Chloe said. “Ian’s been spreading the word, Hannah too, and not to mention Brady Walsh.”

  “I’m hearing a lot about Brady Walsh,” Eve said.

  “Probably because he’s building most of the new construction going on around town.”

  “Ah, the new townhouse construction where I turn onto the main road to get to my place.”

  “Lucy’s been designing the interior and they’re wonderful if you’re thinking about buying instead of renting. Ash and I live in one of the houses on the other side of the townhouse lot because we needed a yard for when Sophie gets older. In fact, I’d love for you to come to dinner one night so you can take a look for yourself.”

  Eve smiled. If Chloe didn’t make it as a vet, which she was pretty sure she would, she’d make one hell of a salesperson. “I’d love to do that. So do you all know one another in Kalispell or what? I knew it was a smaller community, but I wasn’t aware it was that small.”

  Chloe didn’t respond. “Most of the people have grown up here and they’re close knit,” she finally said. “They were really kind to me when I first came here.”

  “So you’re not from Kalispell?”

  Chloe shook her head. “From Texas.”

  “And what brought you here?”

  “It’s sort of a long story, and how about I tell you some other time?”

  Eve saw Chloe put the rest of her sandwich away before she stood. “I better get back to the reception area because your afternoon patients will be arriving.” She began to walk away.

  “Chloe?”

  “Yes?” she said, turning around.

  “Would you like to train to be my assistant? I’m going to need a few with this many patients.”

  “I’d love that.”

  “Okay, how about you start doing some training with me next week?”

  “That’s great. Thank you so much, Eve.”

  ****

  “You’re the talk of the shifter community,” Liam said. “But this time for a different reason. You want to hand me that spanner?”

  Ian reached into the tray, pulled out what Liam needed and handed it to him.

  “I’m sure it’s me and Eve eating at Starlight,” Ian said.

  “That would be it. So what do you think of dating a human?”

  Ian knew he was treading on dangerous territory here because he didn’t want to insult either him or Lucy.

  “She seems intelligent. Easy to tease.”

  “Oh yeah, humans, well, at least the females are fun to use their own words and viewpoints against them.”

  “Do you think Danny would have married Hannah had he lived?”

  Liam stopped working and looked over at him. “I think he would have done the right thing and made a family for her and Sam.”

  “Danny was a great guy. I still miss him like crazy.”

  “Yeah, you and me both.”

  He could see tears forming in Liam’s eyes. Ian could imagine what it must have been like to lose him and how he’d feel if something like that happened to Cade or Trey.

  “Speaking of which, I think you should get to k
now Sam better. He’s getting to be so much like Danny in looks and personality it’s uncanny. How about the three of us going running together one of these days?”

  “I’d like that.”

  “I’ll warn you Sam is also a strong bear like Danny was and I can’t keep up with him most of the time. I must be getting old or something.”

  Ian laughed. “Are you going to Salmon Night at Starlight?”

  “Not this week, it’s Lucy’s brother’s birthday and we’re treating him to a night out in Missoula with his kids. I did hear you have a date for the night.”

  Could a bear keep anything a secret? Probably not. Could a bear keep his paws off of a hot date? Probably not. Sex with a human. Guess Liam was the right person to ask about that.

  “Anything I should know about human women in the sex department?”

  Liam stopped working again and wiped his hand across his forehead, leaving a grease track in its center.

  “You’re going to do the deed?”

  Ian shrugged. “I might. Now I don’t have a mate I’ve been jerking off like you wouldn’t believe.”

  “You’ll need condoms.”

  “Rubber prisons,” Ian said. He knew it was the only thing that shifters hated about human partners.

  “You have to wear them,” Liam said.

  Guess he’d be buying some on his way to pick up Eve just in case things progressed to that stage.

  “Anything else?”

  “I think you need to experience it without me giving you any preconceived notions,” Liam said.

  ****

  Eve had tried not to think about her dinner date with Ian, but it was impossible. As the hands of the clock made their way close to the number six, butterflies made their appearance in her stomach. She’d worked later than she’d planned and had asked Ian to pick her up at the practice so she didn’t have to go all the way home.

  She’d changed out of her dog hair laden pants and put on a black skirt and red blouse. Her cell phone rang just as she was applying her lip gloss.

  “Hello,” Eve said.

  “Are you ready for our second date?”

  She wasn’t going to argue with him about this not being yet another date.

  “I will be in about five minutes.”