by Lynn Hagen
“After all, he’s a growing boy.” Jeremy snickered.
When Jeremy got out of the car, a strange feeling swept over him. It was still dark out, sunrise an hour away, and the streets were mostly deserted. An occasional car passed them, but Jeremy felt as though someone was watching him.
He looked around but didn’t see anyone.
“What’s wrong?” Cyril asked as they stepped onto the sidewalk.
“I feel like someone is watching me.” Jeremy gave a nervous laugh. “It’s all this darkness. It feels creepy when you’re mostly the only people out here.”
Cyril looked around. “Hey, Moose.”
Moose walked over to them. “You two are late.” He tapped his empty wrist like there was a watch on it. “You should’ve been here ten minutes ago. A growing boy needs his breakfast before he can start his day.”
“Growing boy.” Jeremy cracked up. How did he know Moose would say that? He really adored the guy. Moose was like the big brother Jeremy never had.
“Is that all you think about?” Cyril asked as he unlocked the diner.
“Pretty much.” Moose patted his stomach. “Feed me and I’ll be ready to tackle whatever you throw my way.”
Cyril lowered his voice. “Jeremy thinks someone is watching him. Can you check it out while I get breakfast started?”
The playful grin on Moose’s face slipped. His eyes narrowed as he nodded. “You got it. But you better have breakfast ready when I get back.”
“He doesn’t have to go looking,” Jeremy protested. “I’m probably just imagining things. Five in the morning is just plain creepy.”
Cyril waved Jeremy inside. “We don’t take chances in our world,” he said. “And it won’t take Moose long to check things out.”
Jeremy was gonna make sure Moose got extra waffles for doing this. He might have protested, but he still felt someone watching him and was glad Moose was there to scout the area.
As far as Jeremy knew, he didn’t have any enemies, but Alan was in town, and Jeremy didn’t trust the hyena as far as he could throw him. He still wasn’t sure why Alan was here, but Jeremy didn’t have a good feeling about his sudden appearance.
* * * *
Just for making him walk through town at the crack of fucking dawn, if Moose found someone lurking around, he would strangle them. A guy shouldn’t have to wait to eat.
At least not Moose.
He combed the area and found no one suspicious, except for Mr. Pearl walking his dog at this hour and Mr. Hawking outside in his robe and underwear fetching his morning paper while scratching his ass. The guy seriously needed to put some damn clothes on.
Then Moose headed to the station. When he stepped into Grayson’s office, he saw his mate rubbing his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Fucking Chuck just left.”
Chuck Archer—the human who had been sheriff before Grayson had taken over—was back in town from his cruise with his wife, and already he’d stopped at the station a handful of times.
Grayson was too polite to tell the guy to go enjoy his retirement and stop being a pest, but Moose had no qualms about telling Chuck to fuck off.
Moose also didn’t like that fact that Chuck and Deputy Hayley were always whispering to each other. Hayley was an ass and didn’t like his new boss, but he was a good cop. Moose got the distinct impression that Hayley was just pissed that he hadn’t become sheriff.
“I’ll have a talk with him if you want me to,” Moose said as he took a seat. “Other than that, how’s your day going?”
Grayson looked up from his computer. “Since I just saw you twenty minutes ago, it’s been fine.” He sat back in his chair. “I don’t want you talking to Chuck, Moose. I’m serious. And what’re you doing here? I thought you had to be at work.”
“Cyril’s mate thought someone was watching him, so I scoured the area. I didn’t see anyone, and I’m waiting for Cyril to cook breakfast.”
Grayson chuckled, and Moose wondered how he’d gotten so damn lucky. His mate had become his entire world, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for Grayson.
He pulled his mate from behind the desk and slid his arms around him, giving Grayson a soft and playful kiss. “And I missed you, handsome.”
“I just got off the phone with Alisha before Chuck showed up and left.” Grayson tilted his head to the side as Moose placed wet kisses along his neck.
He had yet to meet Grayson’s daughter. She lived in Arizona with her husband and baby girl. Moose had dated over the hundreds of years he’d lived, but he’d never had to meet anyone’s family.
“And what did she have to say?” Moose pulled back and stared at his mate. “Ain’t it like an hour behind in Arizona?”
“Two hours,” Grayson said. “She wanted to tell me that she was coming to visit.”
Moose’s stomach squeezed tight. “Like, here, in Maple Grove?”
Grayson arched a brow. “Do I detect fear in your voice?”
“No, no fear.” Moose swallowed roughly. “When does she get here?”
“She’s bringing her husband and daughter. I can’t wait to see Anna,” Grayson said. “I haven’t seen her since she was born.”
“When do they get here?” Maybe Moose could plan a visit to Brac Village to visit his old boss, Mitch. Getting two hundred miles away sounded good.
“Tomorrow afternoon.” Grayson slid his hand over Moose’s chest. “Oh my god, why do you look like you’re gonna pass out?”
“Because she’s not gonna like me and her husband will give me a look that says I’m not good enough for you and the baby will probably scream when she sees me because I’m a giant.”
“Breathe.” Grayson slapped Moose on his back. “You’re overthinking this. Alisha and David are good people, Moose. They’ll love you just as much as I do.”
It dawned on Moose that since he was mated to Grayson, that made Alisha his stepdaughter. That also made Moose a grandfather! He staggered backward and dropped into the chair by Grayson’s desk. Moose hadn’t given Grayson’s family much thought before now.
“I’m a freaking grandfather,” he said out loud.
Grayson grinned. “It’s fantastic, isn’t it?”
“No.” Moose shook his head. “They’ll figure things out when they notice that you don’t age. How are you gonna explain that?”
“With a bottle of scotch and carefully worded sentences.” Grayson patted Moose’s shoulder. “But everything will work out. Trust me.”
Alisha and David were the only people in Grayson’s family that still talked to him. When Grayson had come out as gay, his entire family—except for those two—had turned their backs on him.
What if Alisha and David did the same? They were all Grayson had left, and it would kill his mate if he couldn’t see her or Anna again.
“I need to get to work.”
Grayson stood in front of Moose with his arms crossed. “Not until you stop having a damn meltdown.”
“I’m cool. I’m fine. I’m also hungry.” Moose stood, ready to run. He gave Grayson a quick kiss. “Come to the diner for lunch.”
Grayson didn’t look as though he believed Moose but nodded and went back to his seat behind his desk.
As Moose walked from the station, he spotted Deputy Hayley coming in the front door. The guy developed a deep scowl when he spotted Moose.
“Good morning.” Moose smirked and flipped Hayley off as he headed out the door, praying Alisha’s visit didn’t turn into a shitstorm.
Still, Moose grinned. He was a grandpa. He was gonna spoil Anna rotten.
* * * *
Cyril’s brows drew together when Moose walked into the diner looking a bit pale. “What’s wrong?” he asked as Jeremy prepped the coffeepots. “Did you find anyone?”
Moose scrubbed a hand over his bearded jaw. “Family.” He let out a long breath. “I’m about to meet Grayson’s tomorrow.” Then he grinned. “And I’m a grandpa.”
“Congrats!” Cyril and Moose
bumped fists. “Not to change the subject, but did you find anyone?”
Jeremy dropped one of the coffee carafes, but thankfully, it didn’t break. He looked right at Moose.
Cyril had no idea who would be watching Jeremy. Alan? That was the only person he could think of. There were a lot of kooks in Maple Grove, but most were harmless. Most.
“I didn’t find anyone lurking around.”
Cyril sighed in relief, but he had also sighed at the robust aroma of coffee as it filled the diner. He hadn’t had a cup this morning, and he was jonesing for one.
“Let me know when it’s ready,” Cyril said to Jeremy before he went into the kitchen to start breakfast for the crowd that would soon show.
Moose followed him. “Hey, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.” Cyril grabbed the ingredients for homemade waffles and mixed them together. Mr. Pike, who was always the first to arrive, loved blueberry waffles. He also liked bacon, but since he had no teeth, Cyril always made sure to make it soft.
“What if she doesn’t like me?”
“Who, Grayson’s daughter?” Cyril had met her a few years back when she’d come into town. That was before she’d gotten married. Alisha had been the sweetest gal Cyril had ever met. “She’s a great person, Moose. You’re worrying about nothing.”
“That’s because you’re not Grayson’s mate,” Moose said. He snagged a banana from the bowl and ate it in two bites. “I’m gonna be held to higher standards.”
Cyril set the batter bowl aside. “Do you love Grayson?”
Moose frowned. “What kind of question is that? Of course I love him.”
“Do you make him happy?”
“As far as I know,” Moose said. “He stopped trying to kick me out, and he smiles all the time.”
“Then that’s all Alisha wants to know,” Cyril said. “That you make her daddy happy.”
And that was all that mattered to Cyril. That he made Jeremy happy. And so far, his mate seemed to be doing okay. Cyril wasn’t expecting Jeremy to jump on the happy wagon now that they were mated, but at least he wasn’t hitting the bottle and drowning his sorrows.
“Just be yourself and Alisha will love you.” Moose was a great guy. Cyril couldn’t imagine anyone not liking him. He was the size of a goddamn whale and looked like he could do some serious damage—and Cyril was sure Moose would if the situation called for it—but he was nothing more than a big teddy bear, all soft and gooey on the inside.
“Do me a favor while you’re standing there wallowing in self-doubt,” Cyril said. “Go get me a cup of coffee and have a few yourself. You need to calm your nerves.”
They both spun when they heard Jeremy shout. Cyril left Moose standing there as he raced through the swinging kitchen door.
Chapter Seven
Jeremy had shaken the weird feeling away now that he was working and his mind was occupied with setting up the coffeepots and wiping the clean counter. He’d made sure the sugar containers and napkin dispensers were clean and sitting neatly on the counters.
He was really getting into this whole diner gig. Not that he needed the money, but Jeremy definitely needed the distraction. He even found himself smiling at the thought of being Cyril’s mate.
Jeremy felt as though his life had purpose again, that he was needed. He liked that feeling that he was helping out in some small way to make the lives of the residents of Maple Grove better, even if it was one cup of coffee at a time.
Jeremy was even looking forward to Cyril’s breakfast, which he’d yet to smell cooking. He wasn’t hungry at the moment, but his mouth watered at the thought of sitting down to devour some waffles and eggs.
When the bell above the door jingled, Jeremy looked up and saw a large guy in a dark brown leather jacket walk in. He had on a gray hoodie underneath, and it was covering a large portion of his face. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his jacket as he moved toward the counter.
“I’m sorry, but we’re not open yet. I forgot to lock the door, but if you come back in about an hour, we’ll be open.” Jeremy would have to remind Moose to lock the door if he was the last one in before they were open.
The guy looked around, his head jerking from left to right. He had a gleam of sweat on his forehead, and that made Jeremy realize he was wearing way too much for this hot summer morning. Who wore a hoodie when the temperature outside had already reached seventy-five? The sun hadn’t even risen yet, which told Jeremy they had a scorching-hot day ahead of them.
But it was the nervous way the stranger who was built like a linebacker, looked around that made the red flags in Jeremy’s head start waving. The stranger kept rolling his shoulders and breathing out a little too quickly.
Jeremy eased toward the kitchen door, as every instinct in him told him that this guy was dangerous. Jeremy felt shaky in the limbs, and his heart started beating way too fast as he watched the guy pull his hands free.
In the right hand was a gun. “I’ll go just as soon as you fork over the money from the register.”
It was a knee-jerk reaction to shout at seeing the gun. Jeremy was frozen, unable to move as his eyes stayed glued on the weapon. It was steady in his hand, which told him the stranger was too damn confident.
Had this guy been watching the diner? Was he the one who Jeremy had felt watching him? But he hadn’t been watching Jeremy. He’d been waiting for the perfect moment to come in.
Cyril and Moose burst through the kitchen door. They skidded to a stop, but Cyril moved to stand in front of Jeremy.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Moose snarled. “Put that damn thing away before someone gets hurt.”
The stranger had to crane his neck back in order to look Moose in his eyes. The man paled, and his hand shook a bit, but he kept the gun out as he swallowed a few times.
“He wants the money in the register,” Jeremy whispered as he curled his fingers in the back of Cyril’s shirt. Jeremy had lived in Maple Grove for five years, and never once had he been afraid to walk the streets.
Well, except when that murderer had been on the loose. Okay, so he’d been afraid, but he’d never imagined himself in this kind of situation. Nobody did until it happened.
“Seriously?” Cyril sounded pissed, not scared. He jerked his shoulders back as he balled his hands into fists. “I deposited yesterday’s earning in the bank last night, and we’ve just opened, so there isn’t any money here, you fucking moron.”
“You have to start the day with something in your register.” The stranger’s hand might’ve been shaking, but his voice was strong and hard. “Call me a moron again and you won’t like the results.”
“You want to rob me over fifty bucks?” Cyril sounded incredulous. “Fifty lousy fucking dollars is what our lives are worth?”
Cyril’s anger was mounting if his tone was anything to go by. There had even been a slight growl to his words. Jeremy half expected him to shift and eat the stranger. Or for Moose to eat him, since he was a growing boy.
“Just give me the goddamn money!” The stranger raised his arm and aimed his gun at Moose.
Jeremy stood behind Cyril, but he’d looked around his mate’s body. His heart leapt into his throat at the thought of this guy shooting Moose.
“No!” Jeremy started to come around Cyril to jump in front of Moose, but Cyril slung an arm out and stopped him. “You better not hurt my friend!”
Where Jeremy’s bravery was coming from was anyone’s guess. He didn’t have a tough bone in his body, but for Moose, Jeremy would go down fighting.
“Just give him the money,” Jeremy snapped. “Fifty bucks isn’t worth getting shot over.”
Any guy holding a diner at gunpoint for that small amount of cash was desperate, and desperate men did dangerous things. Jeremy had already lost one important person in his life. He didn’t want to lose another.
“Moose, get him the money,” Cyril said.
Jeremy knew why his mate wanted Moose to get it. Cyril didn’t
want to move from in front of him.
Instead of going toward the register, Moose stormed forward. “Fuck that. This punk is gonna get his ass kicked.”
Jeremy screamed when the gun went off. The stranger spun and raced from the diner as Moose collapsed.
Cyril ran to Moose as Jeremy ran toward the door, ready to chase down the guy who had shot his friend.
“Don’t!” Cyril snarled. “Let him go. Call Grayson and tell him what happened. I need him here.”
“That punk shot me,” Moose groaned as he lay on the floor. “He fucking shot me. When I find him, I’m gonna pull his entrails out through his nostrils.”
Blood coated Moose’s stomach. Jeremy would’ve been terrified if Moose had been human. But the bear shifter would survive, as long as he shifted. That was what Lily had taught him about shifters. As long as the object wasn’t made of pure silver, a shifter could survive most anything.
Jeremy prayed it was true, but even knowing that, he was still scared. Who wouldn’t be in that situation? If the robber had shot Moose in the head, Jeremy’s friend wouldn’t have survived it.
That thought made his limbs grow cold.
“Can you stand?” Cyril asked.
Moose rolled to his side and grunted. “Hurt’s like a bitch. I still can’t believe that moron shot me.”
“I need you to get into the kitchen so you can shift,” Cyril said.
Jeremy knew Cyril’s office would have been preferable, but he wasn’t sure it was big enough to hold a full-sized bear.
Moose grabbed one of the stools and hoisted himself to his feet. He appeared a bit pale as he swayed, used the counter as leverage, and then moved through the kitchen door.
“Call the sheriff,” Cyril said over his shoulder as he followed Moose.
Jeremy snapped out of his daze and grabbed the diner phone. He called Grayson and told him to get to the diner. He didn’t say why because he didn’t want to deliver bad news over the phone.
“What’s going on?” Grayson demanded.