“No.” Kylie glanced toward the Chance brothers as they reached the house and began greeting the other arrivals. “You have to look after you and your own needs, too. If you are happy, they are happy.”
“I am happy,” Joanna confirmed.
Kylie looked her in the eyes. “But you can allow yourself to be happier.” Her eyes drifted toward Luke and Marcus. “Not all men are bad. Not all men let you down.”
Joanna turned her attention to Tabitha who stood silently watching the exchange. “You’re right. We shouldn’t shut ourselves off from love.”
“Are you coming?” Reece’s voice jerked her back to reality.
“Yes, we are.” Joanna let Kylie’s words sink in. Maybe she was right. Julian had let them down, but it didn’t mean every man would let them down. The children had been let down by their mother. Disappointment could come from anywhere or any person in life.
Remembering her own childhood, she realized how much of a disappointment she had been to her mother and father. She was the child they thought they needed, but she could never be happy enough or shine brightly enough for them.
Her kids would never know how that felt. They would never be a disappointment to Joanna.
But more than that it was, perhaps, Joanna’s duty to show them how to make new relationships. Was she giving herself the go-ahead to be open to Marcus’s advances?
She was so indecisive it was unreal. But this was the first relationship she would make where it wasn’t just about her. Of course, that was if Marcus was looking for a relationship. One thing was for sure, she was not about to bet her heart on a one-night stand.
Chapter Six – Marcus
“There we have it, folks. We don’t have many rules, but we do expect you to observe them since they are for your safety and the safety of the people around you. Here at Chance Heights Activity Center, we want you all to enjoy yourselves and leave with happy memories.” Marcus surveyed all the happy faces looking up at him. At least most of the faces were happy.
You can’t make everyone happy with one speech, his bear told him.
Doesn’t mean I can’t try, Marcus replied.
There is only one face we really need to be happy, his bear added before he walked off and lay down in the corner of Marcus’s mind.
Marcus didn’t need to ask who his bear was referring to. She was there in the crowd, her face like a beacon guiding him home. “Any questions?” He paused, a couple of people asked for clarification on some of the rules, but generally everyone was anxious to get on with the evening meal, which consisted of hot dogs and campfire potatoes followed by toasting marshmallows over the campfire.
The first night was always about getting to know each other and forging the first of those tentative friendships which would blossom and grow throughout the days ahead.
“Thanks, Marcus.” Sage stepped forward after the questions petered out. “We’ll all be available for any questions throughout this evening and the week ahead. Please don’t hesitate to come say hi and ask us anything you want. That’s what we’re here for.”
“Food is ready,” Nana called from the barn.
With a murmur of thanks, the families all drifted off toward the barn where long tables were laid out with food and drink, which was mainly self-service. This was the part of the day Marcus liked the most, where everyone began to relax and unwind after a busy day of traveling. Children who had arrived excited had burned off their excess energy and were ready to eat and sleep, so they were recharged for the next day’s activities.
“Good speech as always,” Sage told her brother as they entered the barn.
“Thanks.” Marcus held the door open for her. Sage ducked under his arm and immediately scanned the room. “Don’t. Please.”
“What? I was just going to say hello.” Sage grinned at him, her eyes full of mischief. “Don’t tell me that’s another thing you think a pregnant woman incapable of.”
“You know it’s not. In fact, you know I think you are more than capable of anything. I can’t help it if I worry about you.” Marcus sought out Joanna, who was with Reece and Winnie. They had filled their plates with food and were seated at the furthest tables with Kylie, Chuck, and their kids. He sighed with satisfaction to see Tabitha sitting next to Reece. They were eating and talking like old friends. Although Tabitha had not extended her conversation to the members of her own family, but it was a start.
“Why don’t you get some food and go and sit with them?” Sage asked kindly. “The rest of us can mingle.”
“No, I’m here for everyone, not just Joanna.” Although his attention would not settle elsewhere. His whole body was attuned to his mate, every nerve, every fiber of his being.
“No, you’re not,” Sage told him bluntly. She placed a hand on his arm. “I’ve been where you are now. I remember it vividly. Let yourself enjoy it, Marcus. You’ve worked hard to make this week special for everyone here. This is your reward. For tonight, let the rest of us carry the load.”
Marcus looked down at his beautiful sister with her swollen belly and wondered why he ever doubted she would make the best decisions for her own and her baby’s welfare. “You are one of the wisest people I know, Joanna.” He bent his head and kissed her cheek. “I love you and am so damn proud of you.”
Sage batted him away, her eyes misted with tears. “Go on, before you make me cry.” She wiped her finger under her eyes. “I know Joanna is one of the luckiest women alive. And as soon as she knows you are her mate I intend to tell her just that.”
“Thanks, sis.” A grin covered his face. “I hope Patrick knows he’s one of the luckiest men alive.”
She snorted as she laughed and covered her mouth with her hand. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“Are you talking about me?” Patrick asked as he joined them, his arm snaking around Sage’s waist as he placed his hand protectively over her swollen belly.
“Marcus was saying that you are one of the luckiest men alive.”
Patrick inhaled her scent and as he breathed out he said, “I am.”
Sage turned around to face her husband. “You did not say that last night when I asked you to go get some ice cream.”
“Oh, that’s not fair. It was midnight and you wanted cookie dough ice cream from that place in Reamington. I love you, but I am not driving a round trip of over an hour to a store that would be closed when I got there.” He winked at Marcus. “I nearly ended up on the sofa.”
“If we had a dog house, he would have been in it.” She chuckled. “Of course in the light of day, I can see how unreasonable it was to ask you to go there and get the owner to open the store especially for me. So I forgive you.” She ran her hand over her baby bump. “I only hope our child will.”
Patrick threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, he will.”
“She will,” Sage challenged.
“He or she will.” Patrick kissed Sage on the forehead. “Come on, we have a job to do and I do not want you up late tonight. I’ve kept quiet, but you look tired.”
“An early night sounds perfect,” Sage admitted as she rubbed the small of her back. “I might have to lean on you guys more than I expected.”
“Lean away.” Patrick took her hand and they headed for the tables laden with food. Marcus took a quick look in Joanna’s direction and then did the same. He planned to take Sage’s advice and spend the evening getting to know his mate and her kids. It wouldn’t get her out of his system, nothing could ever do that, but it would settle his jagged nerves.
After filling his plate and talking with a couple of the other families, he made his way over to the table where Joanna sat with Chuck and Kylie and their kids. They all looked happy and although Tabitha still had a sullen expression on her face, she was talking to Reece.
“Hi there. Mind if I join you?” Marcus asked and noted Kylie shooting a quick glance at Joanna. If he wasn’t mistaken, heat flashed across Joanna’s cheeks before she composed herself once more.
&nbs
p; “Of course not,” Chuck answered, oblivious to the exchange between the two women.
“Sure.” Joanna looked up at him and shuffled along the bench to make room for him.
Marcus hooked his leg over the bench and sat down. “Are you settled in?”
“Yes,” Reece answered with a mouthful of food.
“Chew and swallow,” Joanna advised.
Reece gulped as he swallowed his food. “Sorry.”
Joanna covered a smile. “I don’t want you to choke on your food and miss all the fun.”
“Do bears come out at night?” Winnie asked quickly, her brows knitted together as if she had been giving it a lot of thought.
“Bears aren’t nocturnal. They are active day or night.” Marcus took a bite of his hot dog. It was good. Really good. Nana cooked the best food he’d ever tasted.
“Good, huh?” Joanna studied his face as he ate.
“So good.” His stomach grumbled in agreement, begging for more food.
“If we went onto the mountain in the dark, would we see a real bear tonight?” Winnie asked obsessively.
“We might. Or we might not,” Marcus answered. “Tomorrow the activities are based around the center. But the day after we go onto the mountain. We can take the binoculars and try to spot some of the wild animals.” Marcus was mentally running through all the bear shifters he knew who he could ask to shift and show themselves to Winnie.
He’d never done anything like that before, but he was willing to try for Winnie. Not just because she was his mate’s daughter, but because it meant so much to her.
“What other wildlife do you see on the mountain?” Joanna asked, trying to shift the conversation away from bears.
“Wolves, occasionally cougars.” He watched Winnie’s face light up and figured he might have to call in a few favors from his shifter friends. “Rabbits, a wide variety of birds. There are eagles on some of the ridges.”
Winnie sighed. “I’d love to live here and see them all.” Her face grew serious. “Maybe I could get a job as a mountain ranger when I grow up.”
“Maybe you could,” Joanna agreed. “What do you want to do when you’re older, Stu?”
Stu stuffed his hot dog into his mouth and chomped on it before answering. “I want to be a pilot.”
“Oh, so you can poop on people from a great height?” Winnie asked excitedly.
“Winnie.” Joanna’s eyes went wide. “Sorry, we were talking about it on the trip here.”
“I want to fly so I can poop on Jennifer Stanley’s head,” Winnie told everyone at the table.
“Jennifer Stanley has been picking on Winnie,” Joanna explained.
“I offered to deal with it.” Reece puffed out his chest and Joanna groaned.
Marcus chuckled. “I’ve done that plenty of times. My brother and sister are mine to protect. But the real way to protect them is by empowering them to protect themselves.”
Reece looked down at his plate and then looked at Winnie. “You want me to teach Winnie how to fight?”
“Not exactly. And not with fists. Maybe we could focus on that throughout this week?” Marcus looked at Joanna. “If that’s okay with your mom.”
“Sure it is. I’m all for empowerment.” Joanna visibly relaxed.
“Can we join in, too?” Jude asked. “I get picked on in some classes.”
“Sure. We tend to group two families together with one team member. Why don’t you two families work together this week?” Marcus asked.
Smooth, his bear told him with a chuckle.
It wasn’t premeditated, Marcus insisted. And it wasn’t but he had to admit, it was a smooth move.
“That would be fantastic,” Kylie agreed.
“Thanks, Marcus,” Chuck added with a grin. “We could all do with some lessons in being more assertive.”
“Even you?” Reece asked.
“Even me.” Chuck grinned good-naturedly as he caught Kylie’s eye.
She laughed, her eyes twinkling. “Oh, so you’re implying I bully you?”
“I never said a word,” Chuck laughed and went back to his food.
Kylie shook her head. “I like to organize and make the decisions.” She shrugged. “Maybe these lessons will be good for me, too.”
“Did you say your family has lived here for a long time?” Joanna asked as she finished her food. Some of the other guests were starting to drift outside after their meal. And the children were itching to go, too. Even Tabitha, who had been silent since he joined the table, was eying up the door. Was she anxious to get to the bonfire or looking for an escape route?
“Yes, for generations. My ancestor, Chin Shan, was given this house as payment for a job he did for a local landowner. He changed his name to Lee Chance and there has been a member of the Chance family living here ever since.” Marcus had only recently learned of Chin Shan involvement in putting an Ancient Slumber spell on two dragon shifters four hundred years ago. Those dragons had awoken and found their mates. Luckily, they were not interested in exacting revenge on Chin Sen descendants.
“You can trace your family back that far? That’s amazing. I’ve been trying to make a family tree for our family, but I’ve only succeeded in going back a couple of hundred years,” Kylie said.
“You should speak to Nana. She made ours. It was her way of trying to make us feel as if we belonged…since our parents were no longer alive.” A lump stuck in his throat at the thought of his parents and the loss he’d carried since they died.
“Did it?” Tabitha asked quietly.
“It did. In some way. Although finding out the truth about our ancestor probably anchored us more.” He looked at Tabitha as he spoke. The young girl looked thoughtful as she listened to his words.
“Can we go outside?” Stu asked. He looked concerned and Marcus wondered if it was the conversation about families that bothered him.
“Sure.” Chuck stood up and the two families cleared the table while Marcus wolfed down the rest of his food. Although he needn’t have worried, they all waited for him as if he were one of their group. Or one of the family.
“Do you mind talking about your family?” Joanna asked as they left the barn and went outside. A smile from Nana told him it was okay that he wasn’t staying behind to help with the dishes.
“You mean about my parents?” Marcus looked up at the clear sky, it was going to be a wonderful evening and not just because his mate was standing by his side. He loved these summer nights, the heat of the day had dissipated, leaving a cool breeze that tickled his skin.
“Yes. It must be difficult even after all this time.” Joanna hugged herself and he longed to put his arms around her and draw her close. He would lend her his body heat just as he would lend her anything else she desired.
“It still hurts, yes. But I hope by being open about that pain we can help others who are going through a similar experience.” He ran his hand through his hair and gave her a boyish grin. “I loved my mom and dad, I’m not afraid to admit it.”
“That’s good to hear. So many people don’t get to experience that kind of love.” Joanna looked off into the distance.
“Are you talking from experience?” he asked.
She gave him a lopsided grin. “Am I so easy to read?”
“Not really.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “But I have experience in this department, remember? A lot of kids come here with unhappy family lives. You learn how to get them to open up.”
“You don’t need to use any of your mind-fu trickery on me to get me to talk. I’m quite open about my own childhood. Going through the adoption process made me more willing to open up and analyze my own parents and the way they raised me.” They had nearly reached the bonfire where hot chocolate was available along with marshmallows to roast.
“It’s only when we begin to look out our lives objectively and realize that our own behavior is subjective that we really grow and are open to change.” Marcus headed for the hot chocolate. “I’m sorry, I sound li
ke a shrink or something. Full disclosure, I have no training, I simply go on what I’ve witnessed.”
“And instinct.” Joanna narrowed her eyes. “You live your life instinctively, don’t you?”
“Instinct does play a big role in my life.” He pressed his lips together as he poured two cups of hot chocolate and passed one to Joanna. Marcus wished he could say more. He wished he could tell her just how instinctively he lived his life thanks to his bear shifting abilities.
“Maybe if my instincts had been better I would have seen through my first husband long ago and not ended up a single parent.” She laughed ironically. “Although if I had, I wouldn’t have two wonderful children, would I?”
“Fate.” He shrugged when she aimed a piercing glance at him. “You don’t believe in fate?”
“No.” She frowned. “I mean I never thought about it. But no. I don’t think it’s a good way to live your life. Believing that some outside force is in control is just…”
“I get it. But maybe if you see fate in action, you might believe.” Marcus was not going to force his views on Joanna now. She had to witness fate for herself. Which meant he had to tell her about shifters and how she was his fated mate.
How was he supposed to do that? Maybe Marcus also had to trust in fate. When it was time, he would know how. Or live the rest of his life heartbroken and alone.
No pressure then, his bear said.
No. No pressure at all.
Chapter Seven – Joanna
“Okay, team.” Marcus clapped his hands together to get their attention. His enthusiasm shone through, lifting all their spirits. “Our mission is simple. We have to get everyone across the river without getting wet.”
The two families exchanged skeptical looks. All they had were planks of wood. Luckily, they were all dressed in either shorts and T-shirts or swimwear, which meant if they fell in the water all they would get was injured pride and freezing cold.
“I believe you can do this,” Marcus continued. “Let’s try it on dry land.”
“What do we need to do?” Reece asked, his voice positive as he circled the equipment.
Second Chance Bear Page 5
