Angus wanted to give her a head start on getting ready. As much as he wanted to go to the shower and play with his mate a little more, he had things on his mind.
Angus found his phone and sent a text to Levi about the bird. He knew Levi would be gone on his honeymoon soon and wanted to know for sure if he didn’t mind.
A few minutes later, Levi returned his text.
“Seriously?” was all it said.
Angus sighed. He was bothering Levi on the morning after his wedding with this bird business. But it was important to his mate so it was important to him too.
“Yes,” Angus texted back.
“Fine for now. Just make sure it’s safe.”
That was the best he was going to get from Levi right now. Angus clicked off his phone and looked around the room. Malcolm’s cage was in the corner on the table. Her bird wanted to live in the atrium, and she was willing to let him go so he could be happy. It took a big heart to be that selfless.
Poppy came out of the bathroom and went to the closet to get her clothes. Angus got up and took his shower while Poppy got dressed. He came out in his jeans and bare feet. He grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it over his head.
Poppy was dressed in stretchy jeans, a fuzzy sweater, and a pair of ankle boots. His bear purred. She was so much a sexy city woman. He loved every bit of her and wanted to spend the rest of his life learning everything about her.
She saw the look on his face and practically skipped across the room. He sat down to put on his shoes, and she kissed his mouth.
“I talked to Levi about Malcolm. He says it’s okay as long as he’s safe in there.”
“That’s a relief.”
“We’re going to have to go down to the police station after breakfast,” Angus said.
“I know. I’ve been preparing myself for it.”
“Are you afraid?” he asked, seeing her apprehension.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I just hope they don’t think I did anything wrong,” Poppy said.
“Why would they say that?” he asked.
“I was their bookkeeper. I’d seen anomalies in the past, but I never said anything about it. I bought Mr. Chekov’s explanations and didn’t go with my gut. I swore I’d never do that again. When I met you, I learned to trust myself. That’s why I know letting Malcolm stay in the atrium is for the best. I feel it in my gut that it’s right.”
“I’m sure everything will be fine with the police. We just have to give our statements about the kidnapping. I’m sure they will want to know more about your employer.”
“I know,” she said.
Angus could tell she was still nervous. He knew she was innocent, and he was sure that Poppy knew she was innocent too. But he could tell that part of her was still holding on to the past. She hadn’t really let go of doubting herself. Angus was determined to help her do that once and for all.
They finished getting ready for breakfast and went down to his truck to drive into town. He had a craving for the omelets at the diner. Shane prepared a different kind of food over there, and Angus sometimes preferred it over the fine cuisine at the lodge.
When they got to the diner, Lily seated them at a table. Angus and Poppy slid into the booth. Lily gave them some time to look at their menus and then came back to take their orders.
“The Belgium waffle with strawberries looks delicious,” Poppy said.
“I’ll have the Denver omelet,” Angus said. “Wheat toast.”
Lily brought their food a while later, and Angus and Poppy enjoyed their meals. He wanted to tell Poppy how grateful he was to have her in his life. He didn’t have the words to express it. All he could do was feel it in his heart and hope she felt it too. She looked up at him between bites of waffles, love in her bright brown eyes. He knew she was feeling what he felt. She slid her foot up along the inside of his leg and smiled.
Angus growled and wiped his mouth. They were almost done with breakfast and would have to go to the police station soon. He knew Poppy was nervous because he could feel it in his chest. It couldn’t be helped. The cops needed their statements, and Poppy needed to clear her name to herself.
“Are you ready to go to the police station?” he asked her.
She bit her lip and looked out the window.
“There’s no time like the present. I guess.”
“I’ll be right there with you.”
“That makes me feel a hundred times better,” she said, smiling as she slid out of the booth.
Angus left cash and a big tip for Lily and he and Poppy walked out of the diner to get into his truck. They drove across town to the police station. When he parked and got out, Poppy just sat there, not moving. He opened her door, and she gave him a worried look.
He offered her his hand and she took it, slowly stepping down to the pavement in the parking lot. They walked hand-in-hand into the police station. He’d made an appointment with the chief of police the day before so it shouldn’t take too long. They walked up to an attendant and asked to see the chief.
“He’ll be right with you,” the human policewoman said.
Poppy sat down on a chair in the waiting area, and Angus sat beside her. He could smell her nerves coming off her in waves and wanted more than anything to put her mind at ease. There was nothing more he could do except be with her now.
The attendant told them they could go in to see the chief, and Angus stood, taking Poppy’s hand. The chief came out to join them and led them through the station to his office. The chief of police motioned for them to take a seat on the opposite side of his desk.
“So. You were kidnapped by your former employers. Ivor and Boris Chekov. The DA from Seattle was here yesterday, and the men have been transported back to Washington. I had to pull some fancy footwork to let you two have an extra day. But because it was Levi’s wedding day, I thought it was important to let it slide. Now we need to get to the bottom of this case. I’ve got some questions from the DA for Ms. Robins. Are you ready to give your statement?”
“I am,” she stuttered.
“Tell me in your own words what happened yesterday.”
“I was taking a walk around the lodge when I got a phone call from the King County DA. He wanted to ask about Sound Import/Export. I was trying to tell him what I knew when my cell reception cut out. That’s when Boris and Ivor arrived.”
“What happened after that?”
“Ivor was angry I was talking to the DA. He’d heard my conversation. He said I wasn’t being loyal to the company. Then they grabbed me. Ivor shot my phone. They gagged me and dragged me to a van. When they got me inside, they drove out into the mountains. They said they were going to bury me in the woods so no one could ever find me. Then we got caught in a mudslide. Everyone fell down the hill. I ran off. But they kept following me. After I finally lost them, Angus rescued me. That’s about all I have to say.”
“Did you see anything suspicious in the time you worked for Sound Import/Export?” the police chief asked.
“Somewhat. It was so minor I let Mr. Chekov explain it away. I knew in my gut that something was off. But I didn’t trust it. I should have.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Poppy,” Angus said, squeezing her hand.
“I can’t help it.”
“Do you have any evidence of these minor issues?”
“I do. I have all their books on my hard drive.”
“We’ll have to admit those for evidence.”
“Am I a suspect in this case?” Poppy blurted out.
The chief looked up at her with a questioning look on his face.
“No. That isn’t what the DA is suggesting at all.”
“I just feel so guilty. They paid me well. I was naive. I should have listened to my instinct.”
“It’s understandable, Ms. Robins. But your cooperation is all that is required now. The DA has been investigating this family for years. Kidnapping you was exactly the move that allowed us to finally arrest t
hem for something. We have the evidence Corey has supplied for us. It seems they’ve been selling weapons to the enemy. They’ll all be spending a long time in jail. You’re a hero. You should be proud of yourself.”
Poppy sighed and squeezed Angus’s hand, looking up at him with her big brown eyes. She seemed lighter, like the police chief’s words had lifted a burden off her shoulders.
18
In the following weeks, Poppy moved her things down from Seattle and took up residence in Angus’s house. It was situated right beside his workshop. With a new bookkeeper among them, the Rescue Bears with their own businesses asked Poppy to work for them. She suddenly had plenty to do. Sometimes she worked at home and flirted with Angus at lunch time. Sometimes she worked in the atrium and visited with Malcolm.
When Levi and Juliet got back from their honeymoon, Levi finally decided Malcolm could stay permanently. Poppy was so glad her bird was finally happy.
After the DA finally had their case, Poppy had to travel back to Seattle to testify in court. With Angus there with her, she was much less nervous than she would have been. Using Poppy’s testimony and Corey’s computer detective work, the DA was able to prove that the Chekovs had been laundering money and selling weapons with the enemy.
They were sentenced to life in prison for treason. On the way back home to Fate Mountain, Poppy asked Angus to stop at a big pet store. She knew Malcolm was happy in the atrium, but she also knew there was something missing from his life. It was the very thing she’d been missing until she found Angus.
They walked into the pet store and the first thing she saw was another yellow parrot just like Malcolm. She went up to the female parrot’s cage and asked her if she’d like to come live on Fate Mountain.
“Gorgeous,” the parrot squawked.
That’s when Poppy knew that she would be perfect for Malcolm. They bought the new parrot, who Poppy named Clementine, and started the drive back home.
“Do you think Levi will mind a second parrot?” she asked Angus.
“If he didn’t mind one, why should he mind two?”
By the time they made it home, it was about sunset. Angus dropped Poppy off at the lodge. After Juliet got back from her honeymoon, she, Lily, and Poppy had been getting together for cocktails every Saturday night. It was a fun girls’ night out with other women who understood what it was like to be mated to a Rescue Bear.
She’d meet them at the bar in the dining room, but first she needed to take Clementine to the atrium and let her meet Malcolm. She felt slightly naughty doing this, but she knew in her gut that it was the right thing. Poppy had learned to always trust her gut. Not even her fear of Levi’s reaction would stop her from doing what she knew was right. Malcolm needed a mate.
Stepping into the dimly lit atrium with the path lights glowing along the trail, she called Malcolm to come down to see her. He always responded when she called, but this time, he didn’t come out right away.
“Come out, boy. I’ve got a surprise for you,” Poppy said, opening up the cage.
Clementine hopped out onto Poppy’s wrist, and Malcolm swooped from one tree to another overhead. He squawked and flew down to sit on Poppy’s shoulder. Clementine squawked back, a little shy.
“Malcolm. This is Clementine. I think you two are perfect for each other.”
“Beautiful!” Malcolm squawked.
“Gorgeous!” Clementine squawked back.
The two birds burst into the air and circled each other, flying high above Poppy’s head. They swooped down and landed on a branch above her head and began to nuzzle each other.
“Home,” Malcolm cooed.
“Home,” Clementine cooed back.
Poppy’s heart burst. It was too adorable, and she felt so happy for them.
“Congratulations, guys,” she said, walking out of the atrium.
She made her way through the lobby and into the dining room to meet Lily and Juliet at the bar. She sat beside them and ordered a pint of Fate Mountain Lager. Lily was already halfway through one herself.
“How did the trial go?” Juliet asked her.
“The Chekovs were convicted of treason. I won’t have to worry about them again.”
“That’s so good to hear,” Lily said.
The three women had become fast friends, and Poppy truly appreciated having women she could count on in her life. Juliet and Lily had been a tremendous source of support in her transition to living on Fate Mountain and being mated with a bear.
“I’m pretty relieved, to be honest. But this experience has taught me an important lesson. I need to always trust my gut. That’s why I bought another bird and released her in the atrium. I knew Malcolm needed a mate. Can you break it to Levi for me, Juliet?” Poppy asked.
Juliet snorted. “That’s going to be a tough sell, but I think I can convince him.”
Poppy took a swig of her beer and felt the effects wash over her quickly. She felt warm and giddy. Happiness radiated from her chest. Lily lifted her pint glass as well and took a sip. Poppy looked over at Juliet’s glass.”
“What is that? Iced tea?” Poppy asked.
“This is supposed to be girls’ night out,” Lily said. “No virgin drinks!”
Juliet’s honey cheeks tinted pink and she looked down at her iced tea.
“I’m not going to be drinking for a while,” Juliet said.
Lily and Poppy stared at her expectantly.
“You aren’t,” Lily gasped.
“I’m pregnant!” Juliet said.
The three women hugged each other and started hopping and squealing all at the same time.
“A cub! We’re going to have a baby bear on Fate Mountain,” Lily said.
“Theo wanted someone to play with. But I think he might have to wait a little longer.”
“I’m so happy for you!” Poppy gushed.
The women finished their drinks and talked about babies for a few hours before Lily said she had to get back home to her family. Angus was supposed to pick Poppy up at the lodge in a few minutes, and she couldn’t wait to tell him the news.
When she saw his pickup park in front of the lodge, she skipped out to meet him and hopped into the passenger seat.
“Hi, beautiful. How was girls’ night?”
“It was amazing.”
“How did things go with Clementine and Malcolm?”
“I think I’m a parrot match maker,” she giggled. “Juliet is going to handle Levi for me.”
They started back home and were in their living room in just a few minutes. They sat together on their couch in front of the fire. Angus put his arm around her and pulled her close. She loved to lie against his chest and smell the scent of his skin while watching the fire pop in the hearth.
“I have some exciting news,” Poppy said, unable to keep it inside any longer.
“What’s that, mate?” he asked.
“Juliet is going to have a cub!” she blurted out.
“She’s pregnant?” Angus said.
“Isn’t it exciting?” she gushed.
“It is,” he said, pulling her close and rubbing her back.
Poppy was so excited for Juliet. She wanted a cub too, and she knew that Angus wanted one as well. Neither of them wanted a baby until they were married, and Angus still hadn’t popped the question.
“I’ve been holding on to this for a while now. I didn’t want to do it until after the trial.”
Angus pulled a little red velvet box out of his pocket and opened it.
“Poppy Robins, will you marry me?” he asked, showing her a diamond ring.
Poppy gasped. She hadn’t been expecting this. He took her hand and slid the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.
“Yes!” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
She planted a kiss on his lips then pulled away to look at the ring. It was exactly what she would have picked. He pulled her against his big chest and held her close. Poppy’s heart was beating with excitement. She’d never expected to be
so happy. She’d never expected to have a life like this. Every day was a new adventure, and she found a new level of happiness with Angus.
He’d just kicked the happiness level up another notch, and she could barely contain her joy. He held her close and kissed the top of her head. Poppy let the feelings of bliss flow through her. She knew Angus could feel it too.
About the Author
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