by Rayna Tyler
My human side wasn’t doing much better. There was a tightness in my chest, an unwanted tension rippling through my body and conflicting with my easy-going nature. I’d come close to turning around two or three times and heading back to Mitch’s place. Not having a good enough excuse to explain my return or risking Leah thinking I was a stalker were the only things that stopped me.
“Let’s get you inside.” I scooped Bear off the seat and headed for the porch. Before my fist connected with the door’s wooden surface, Mandy had it open and was reaching for the dog. “How’s my poor baby doing?” She cuddled him close to her chest and nuzzled the fur at the base of his neck. The animal made pathetic whimpers, milking her attention for everything it was worth.
“Come on in.” Mandy moved into the space between the living room and the small kitchen so I could enter. “Did Mitch have any problems removing the quills?”
“No.” Though I was pretty sure the dog might disagree. “Mitch said he’d be fine.” I dug into the pocket of my pants, pulled out the bottle of antibiotic tablets he’d given me, and set it on the half wall sectioning off the kitchen.
“Thank you.” Mandy set Bear on the floor, then gave me a quick hug, her arms too short to circle my thick waist. “I really appreciate you taking care of him for us. Between dealing with the contractor and the wedding being less than two months away, I’m going nuts.”
My mother always taught me to be respectful to females, no matter how trivial their needs. Any other time, I would hang around for a few minutes and listen to Mandy vent. I was anxious to resolve my dilemma about Leah and figured my mother would agree that this was one of those times when being abrupt could be overlooked. “Is Nick around?”
“Yeah.” Mandy drew the word out, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “He’s out back working on one of his projects. Why?”
Nick was quite the craftsman. In his spare time, he constructed furniture by hand and had even sold a few pieces to some of the locals. Once their new house was finished, he’d have a large shop where he could do his work. Until then, he used a small shed behind their cabin.
“No reason. Talk to you later.” I escaped out the door before she could question me further. Rather than use the stairs, I jumped off the porch, shortening the distance to the shed. I peeked inside and found Nick manually sanding a large rectangular piece of wood. He’d worked up a sweat and had taken off his shirt, so the only clothes he wore was an old pair of worn jeans.
He hadn’t bothered to put on a pair of shoes, which I suspected had something to do with his animal’s nature. He was half wild wolf, a breed notorious for being antisocial with a tendency to go feral. Neither quality applied to Nick, not since he’d come to live at the resort and taken Mandy as his mate.
“Hey, Nick.” I wedged through the narrow opening to get inside.
“What’s up, Bryson?” Nick asked, then laid the sander down on the strip of wood. “Did Bear survive his visit with the doc?”
“He’ll live.” For the second time today, I struggled with what to say, how to tell him about Leah and ask him for help. I wanted our conversation to remain confidential and glanced toward the door, worried that Mandy might make a surprise appearance.
“Is there a problem? You seem a little nervous,” Nick said.
Besides needing help, and lots of it, what do I have to be nervous about? “I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to go somewhere and talk.” My bear, dominant creature that he was, didn’t see the problem, nor was he interested in getting assistance from another male. He was all about going back to Mitch’s and claiming our mate. Simple.
“You mean somewhere where Mandy can’t overhear us?” He grinned, then grabbed his T-shirt off the bench near the door.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind.” I blew out a relieved breath, glad I hadn’t needed to say anything negative about his mate and risk pissing him off.
“Not a problem. I needed a reason to take a break anyway. And if I’ve smelled correctly, Berkley did some baking this morning.” He leaned over and pulled on his shoes. “Let’s take a ride up to the lodge and help ourselves to a snack while we chat.”
“I could definitely eat.” All the mate-related stress had given me an appetite. Berkley was the best cook around, and when it came to baking, she was even better than my mother. Not that I would ever say it out loud, risk hurting my mother’s feelings, or give her a reason to box my ears.
Chapter Two
LEAH
“I’m fine, Mom, really.” It wasn’t a complete lie. I didn’t have nightmares anymore, the ones where I woke up in the middle of the night afraid some unwanted fiend who looked a lot like Caleb was in my room. I’d also stopped watching over my shoulder wherever I went and considered it making progress.
I tucked my cell phone underneath my chin and reached into the crisper drawer inside the refrigerator. I pulled out a tomato, a bag of chopped lettuce, and a package of sliced meat. After setting everything on the counter of the center island in the kitchen, I went back to holding the phone against my ear.
Dora Jacobson was a worrier, not that I blamed her. I’d given up my apartment, moved from California, and was living with my brother, all because Caleb, my ex-boyfriend, refused to accept that I’d broken it off with him and wouldn’t quit stalking me.
“Is Mitch around? Maybe your brother can spare a moment out of his busy schedule to talk to me.” It was hard to miss the exasperation in her voice. My brother had been evading her calls ever since I’d arrived. I assumed it had something to do with her pressuring him to find me dates. She was a firm believer that getting back in the saddle, on the bike, or mounting whatever you’d fallen off of would fix everything. She was also convinced that my life would be better if my brother hooked me up with one of his friends.
For Mitch, being supportive was one thing, playing matchmaker was another. Other than responding to my mother’s calls with a text to let her know we were fine, he always managed to be out of the house during our scheduled weekly call.
“He had an emergency.” I gave her the usual excuse, knowing I’d have no problem getting my brother to buy me a pint of double chocolate ice cream for covering for him again.
“He always has an emergency,” she whined. “Don’t the people there believe in bringing their pets in during office hours?”
“What can I tell you? We live in a wilderness area, and animals get hurt. It’s not like they can schedule their problems.” I inhaled a calming breath. “You know Mitch is the only vet on the mountain.”
“I do, but it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to speak with my son once in a while. Find out how he’s doing and whether or not there’s a woman in his life.”
My mother is obsessed. It was a good thing she couldn’t see me shake my head and roll my eyes.
“Please tell him to call me as soon as he gets back.”
“You know I will.” I was happy to tell him whatever she wanted me to, but knowing my stubborn brother, it wouldn’t matter.
“How’s it going there? Do you still like working for Mitch?” My mother changing the subject meant temporary appeasement.
I knew she thought taking a job in my brother’s office might cause problems between us. Instead, it was the opposite. Mitch had a laid-back attitude, made a good boss, and was surprisingly easy to live with. Being behind a desk and working with animals wasn’t the same as dealing with a multitude of customers in a busy clothing boutique. It was, however, satisfying and a lot less stressful.
There were times when I missed my old life, missed my friends, missed the constant activity that came along with living in a city. Moving here had been a huge change, one that took some time to get used to. But the more time I spent getting to know Mitch’s clients, the more I realized how much I enjoyed the interaction and being around animals.
“Things are good, and the job is going great.” This call was the same as all the other late-Sunday-morning calls we’d had since I’d arrived in Ashbury. My
mother and I had always been close. I knew she worried about me and hated me being so far away.
I wished things were different, that I could magically undo ever meeting Caleb, but I couldn’t. And I’d learned from experience that dwelling on wishes wasn’t going to change anything. I’d survived without a father, made it through my awkward teenage years without too many incidents and had convinced myself that I’d make it through this chapter in my life just fine.
At least it was the perception I clung to and was currently working to achieve.
Up until I’d met Caleb, I hadn’t been doing too badly in relationships either. When I’d first met him, he’d been charming and fun to be around. After two months of dating, things gradually changed. He became possessive, even tried to manage the time I spent with my friends. After that came the unfounded jealousy where even a simple hello from another guy would set him off. It didn’t take long for me to realize he wasn’t someone I wanted to build a future with, and I ended the relationship. After a couple of weeks passed without hearing from him, I believed he’d moved on. At least I’d thought so until I started getting phone calls at all hours.
When I ignored Caleb’s calls, he’d shown up where I worked, making a scene if I didn’t talk to him. It had finally gotten so bad that I’d had to get a restraining order, not that it did any good. He still found a way to stalk me, to let me know he wasn’t giving up on getting back together.
Thankfully, Mitch had come up with a solution, a way to take back my life. The job hadn’t been part of the plan, more of an unexpected bonus. Natalie, his full-time assistant, had gotten married shortly after I arrived. She came to work a few days later and announced that she’d be quitting to stay at home and start a family.
“So.” I could hear my mother tapping her nails on a hard surface. “Have you met any interesting men yet?”
And there it was, the question I dreaded answering every time she called. My experience with Caleb had disrupted my life, left me feeling vulnerable and afraid to take a chance on getting involved with anyone else. I knew my mother meant well, but I wished she’d give me a break and go back to bothering Mitch about finding a woman to settle down with.
“Yes, Mom. They are lined up around the corner and down the mountainside just to get a chance to take me out.” I wasn’t what you’d call glamorously attractive. I enjoyed eating and had a well-rounded figure. Most guys were interested in taller, leaner women, the ones who didn’t eat sweets and survived on vegetables and salads. I would never be any of those things and didn’t bother trying.
“No need to be sarcastic. You know I worry about you, especially after...”
After what happened with Caleb. I heard her choked sob and knew she was on the verge of crying. “I’m sorry, Mom. Everything is fine. I’m fine. You need to stop worrying.” I pushed away the unpleasant thoughts of what Caleb had cost me and strolled over to the patio door. Viewing the beautiful landscape of trees and wildflowers lining Mitch’s property always had a calming effect.
“Sweetie, you know that not all men are like him, right? There are still some good ones out there,” she said.
I instantly thought of Bryson and his flustered expression when he’d brought Bear into the office the day before. I smiled—not for the first time since meeting him—and wondered if he was one of the guys she mentioned. “I know,” I said, hoping my mother was right.
Maybe it was time to stop living in fear, to start doing something different with my life, to stop wondering if every guy I met was going to turn out like Caleb. Maybe it was time to take Mitch’s advice, to get out and do some sightseeing, or stop by the resort and have lunch at the lodge.
My brother had been protective of me since we were kids and wouldn’t have recommended the trip if he didn’t think it was safe. He also wouldn’t have teased me about Bryson—an attraction I had yet to admit—if he had any reservations about the man’s character.
I returned to the counter and stared at the contents I’d retrieved from the fridge. A sandwich for lunch didn’t sound as appealing as a plate of lasagna. A plate of lasagna with the possibility of seeing Bryson.
LEAH
I glanced around the lobby in the resort’s lodge and understood what Mitch meant when he’d said I’d enjoy the place’s rustic charm. Next to the lobby was a gathering room for the guests. I could see portions of the mountainside through a bay window lining one wall. The remainder of the room was finished with a log cabin interior. Off to the right was a huge fireplace with a stone-covered mantel.
When my gaze landed on the long line of people waiting to get into the restaurant, all the courage I’d gathered before making the drive faded. This was a bad idea. What had I been thinking coming here by myself? I should have waited for Mitch and made him come with me. At least then I wouldn’t feel so alone and out of place.
The last time Mandy and Berkley had come by Mitch’s office, they’d given me an open invitation to visit. I didn’t want to interrupt them while they were working, so I didn’t bother to ask the young woman behind the reservation desk to call them. I turned to leave, took three steps, then stopped when I heard a male voice calling my name.
After searching for the source, I spotted Bryson emerging from a hallway on the opposite side of the large room, and my stomach fluttered. His uniform was clean and well-pressed, a duplicate to the one I’d seen him wearing the day before. He clipped a radio on his thick leather belt as he ambled toward me. His shocked expression transformed into a hesitant smile. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s my day off, so I thought I’d do some exploring.”
Bryson was nervously glancing around, and I couldn’t decide if he was glad to see me or wished I would leave. In case it was the latter, I rushed to give him an excuse. “I came here for lunch. Mitch mentioned something about Berkley being an awesome cook and that the restaurant was a great place to eat.”
“Mitch was right. Did he bring you...or are you here with someone else?” He shifted back and forth on his feet, his voice straining when he asked the last part of the question.
“No, I came by myself.” I didn’t mention that it had taken me months to find the courage to venture out on my own or that there’d been a part of me hoping to run into him.
The tension in his broad shoulders slackened, and his pursed lips lifted into a grin. “That’s good.”
There was no way Bryson could know about my past, and I was a little confused why he thought me showing up alone was a good thing. At least he wasn’t making an excuse to leave, though he wasn’t saying anything either. He was obviously on duty, and I didn’t want his standing around talking to me to cause problems with his boss.
I glanced back at the line, which hadn’t gotten much shorter. “It looks like the place is pretty busy. Maybe I’ll come back another time.”
“I’d feel really bad if you’d made the trip all the way out here and didn’t get to eat. I was on my lunch break, and if you don’t mind eating in the employee’s kitchen with me, I’ll make sure you get fed.”
Was it my imagination, or was he holding his breath waiting for my answer? “Are you sure it won’t get you into trouble?”
“No.” He shook his head and patted the radio at his side. “I’m the one they call when there are any suspicious characters hanging around. And since you don’t look too suspicious, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
I laughed. “Does that mean you think I’m only slightly suspicious?”
“I won’t be able to answer that question without further investigation, which is why you’ll have to come with me.”
BRYSON
Hearing Leah laugh, and knowing I was the reason, eased the constricting knot I’d been carrying in my belly since I’d first seen her standing in the middle of the lobby alone. I couldn’t believe she was here, couldn’t believe she’d agreed to have lunch with me.
Though I’d overcome my inability to form words in her presence, I wasn’t much of a conversationalist. I h
ad no idea what I was going to say to her once I got her into the kitchen. I inhaled deeply and tried not to panic. I could do this—correction: I had to do this. Because now that I knew she was my mate, there was no way I’d walk away from her.
“Um, Bryson...” Leah bit the corner of her lower lip.
I’d been so focused on contemplating my next move that I hadn’t realized there’d been a long pause in our conversation, and she was expectantly waiting for me to do something. I needed to do something, and quickly, before she had a chance to change her mind.
“Right... It’s this way.” I placed my hand in the middle of her back and urged her in the direction of the hallway leading to the kitchen.
Once inside, Leah took her time perusing the country-style kitchen with its stained wooden cabinets, center island, and large prep area. “This is really nice. You could fit half my old apartment in this place.”
Mitch had mentioned having family in California, so I assumed that was where she’d lived previously. Though I couldn’t figure out why someone with her gorgeous appearance would want to move to such a remote location. It was one of many questions I wanted to ask her, to know about her, but realized I’d have to take it slow. “When Reese, Berkley, and Nick inherited the place from their grandfather, they didn’t have to do much renovating in here. Everything is in its original condition.”
“Nick, as in Mandy’s fiancé?” Leah stopped in front of the glass doors leading out to the patio, then glanced over her shoulder, her gaze mildly surprised.
“Yep, you could say it’s a family business.” In the year I’d worked at the resort, I’d grown attached to the siblings and their employees. They’d become my extended family, and I’d do anything for them.
I pulled a chair away from the table for her. “Have a seat, and I’ll have our lunch delivered.” I slipped the cell phone out of my pocket. I realized she had no way of knowing what was served in the restaurant, and hovered my thumb over the screen. “Sorry, I forgot to get menus. What would you like?”
