Reforming the Bear

by Vanessa Devereaux

  He looked around the car and found an open map of Montana sitting on the passenger seat. He folded it and put it into the glove compartment, which was empty apart from a half-eaten bag of jellybeans. He smiled. Both he and Danny had loved jellybeans when they were kids. The shifter couple who’d adopted them always made sure the boys had the biggest jar he’d ever seen sitting under the tree every Christmas morning. Even when they’d turned into teenagers the jar was there without fail. He could still taste all the flavors and recalled Danny and him combing them to come up with their own weird combinations.

  A tear ran down Liam’s cheek before he’d even realized he was crying. He still missed Danny and always would. It also reminded him that it had been a long time since he’d gone to visit Maureen, the lady who along with her husband, Stan, had raised him and Danny. Stan had passed away five years ago and Maureen had retired and now lived in a cabin close to the entrance of Glacier National Park. Maybe he’d take Sam to meet her. Yeah, she’d probably love to see Danny’s child. If he knew Maureen, she’d spoil Sam like he was her grandchild … which in a way, he was.

  He closed the glove compartment and got out of the car. He walked to his truck to set up the equipment to attach to Lucy’s car in order to tow it. Thinking of Stan, he’d been the one to introduce him to cars and Danny to motorbikes. Liam could be cynical and say that maybe if he hadn’t, his brother would still be alive, but in his heart he knew Danny had loved riding those things. And maybe it was true what they said: when your time is up, it’s up, and it didn’t matter where you were or what you were doing … your life was destined to end at that point. So Danny riding his bike on the same night the drunk driver was heading in the opposite direction wouldn’t have mattered. Danny’s life was supposed to end that day. Not that Liam believed in karma or whatever you called it, but it sure as hell helped you get through some of the darkest days when you lost someone. It also took away that guilt that weighed heavily on your shoulders. Like the thought that maybe, just maybe you could have done something different that day.

  Liam hooked everything up, making sure it was all secure before he got back into his truck and pulled out onto the highway with Lucy’s car now behind him. Bright red, a little sporty and from the little he knew about her, it seemed like her ideal sort of car. When he’d been attaching the hitch he noticed the car bore Pennsylvania plates. He wondered if that’s where she was from. If so, she’d driven a long way.

  Liam rounded the corner onto one of side roads. He’d opted to take another way home because it wasn’t so hilly and made towing a car easier. He usually avoided this road whenever possible, because driving it meant he’d have to pass by the ravine where Danny’s broken body had laid for two days after the accident.

  That fucking drunk hadn’t even been aware he’d hit anyone, let alone hit him so hard he’d sent his body and bike flying down the side of the road where no one had seen him. Liam tried not to look at the spot as he drove by, but he couldn’t avoid it. He bit his lip while doing his best to fight back the tears.

  In two months’ time, it would be the eighth anniversary of his brother’s death. Liam always spent that day at Danny’s grave. He took him flowers and small talk, filling him in on what had been happening. This year, and with Hannah’s permission, he was going to take Sam. He was going to show Danny the son he’d never known he’d created with Hannah. Wouldn’t he be proud of what a fine bear he’d produced?

  Swiping his eyes with the back of his hand, he rounded the next corner and headed onto the main highway into Kalispell. If Danny would have lived, Liam was pretty sure he’d have married Hannah once he’d found out about the baby. Danny was a wild young man but he’d always done the right thing. A human as a sister-in-law … wouldn’t that have been weird. He and humans, well, they had never been a good mix, and things had turned even more septic after Danny’s accident.

  He thought of Lucy. She was a human, and yet he’d wanted to stop and help her. It was probably because she was hurt and when he’d found out that a human piece of scum had attacked her, it made him all the more determined to see that she got safely to the hospital and was checked out. If only someone would have seen Danny, maybe they could have saved him. Why did humans have to do such despicable things?

  Liam pulled onto the side road and approached the garage and his property from the back alley. He’d check the car, see what needed fixing, and if necessary he’d send out for parts and then stop by to see Lucy. Something he was looking forward to more than he would have ever imagined.

  Chapter Four

  Lucy decided to check out the crutches that Bear had given her last night. She’d never used them before, and hoped she could get the hang of the damn things. He’d told her she’d probably need to use them for at least a week and to avoid putting weight on her foot so the leg had a good chance to heal. She put the crutches under her armpits and leaned on them. She tried to get her coordination together so she didn’t look like an idiot hobbling along the hallway while she gave them a test run. She stopped by a window and peeked in, seeing two babies in cribs, and guessed it was the nursery. They both looked so cute. She remembered when her niece and nephew had been that small. Lucy moved on to another area and saw a chart on the wall with anatomy she hadn’t seen before. Was that a wolf’s outline and the next one a bear? How strange for a hospital to have that hanging on the wall…

  “Lucy?”

  She jumped, letting go of one of the crutches when she heard a woman’s voice behind her.

  “I’m sorry for startling you like that.”

  The woman who was wearing scrubs picked up the crutch and handed it to her.

  “It’s okay … no problem.”

  “I’m Dr. Charlotte Renner. Dr. McWilliams, Bear, told me you’d arrived here last night and to check on you this morning.”

  “Hi, nice to meet you,” said Lucy, trying to get the crutch back under her armpit.

  “You want to walk back to your room and we can chat and I’ll check you out to make sure everything’s okay?”

  Lucy nodded.

  “Are you handling the crutches okay? I know they’re tricky at first.”

  “Just about.”

  “By the end of the day, using them will be second nature to you. So, how are you feeling this morning?”

  “Much better than I was when I came in here. I think I was tired more than anything.”

  “You’re from out of town?”

  Lucy wasn’t sure how she’d handle any questions.

  “Yes, I’m thinking about moving to Montana.”

  Why had she said that? Mike had gone through the script for what she’d say if anyone asked why she was in Big Sky Country.

  “I’m not from here either, but it’s a great place to live. I even met my husband here shortly after I arrived.”

  “Is he a doctor too?” asked Lucy as they got back to the room. She saw a nurse moving the bag and panic set in. “Leave that where it is!”

  Both the nurse and Charlotte looked at her.

  “Sorry, but I’m still a bit jumpy after what happened last night.”

  “I’ll put it here so I can set your breakfast tray here,” said the nurse.

  “Sure, that’s fine,” said Lucy, sitting on the side of the bed.

  “To answer your question,” said Charlotte. “Nope, I’m the only doctor in the family.” She pulled up a chair and sat. “In fact, you’re my first patient on my first day back from maternity leave.”

  “A new mom? How exciting. Did you have a boy or girl?”

  “Girl named Bridget, and I’m already missing her like crazy.”

  “Bridget. I like that name.”

  “Thanks. In fact, I have a photo of her here.”

  Charlotte pulled out a snapshot from the pocket on the front of her scrubs and handed it to Lucy.

  She was adorable, with dark curls and big blue eyes.

  “She’s very pretty.”

  “Yeah, we think so too.”

/>   Lucy handed the photo back.

  “Have you thought about reporting the incident with the trucker to the police?” asked Charlotte. “Sexual assault is a serious crime, and I think this guy should be charged.”

  “No, no, please … I don’t want to cause any trouble.” She glanced over at the bag and then back at Charlotte.

  “Seems like the trucker was the one causing the trouble, not you,” said Charlotte.

  “I know, but I’m okay … and besides, he’s probably long gone. Maybe in another state by now.”

  “Okay, I won’t pressure you … but if you change your mind, Bear and I are here to help you and we can offer the police details of the injuries you sustained.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” said Lucy, hoping they could get off the topic of getting the police involved. The last thing she needed was a paper trail leading to where she was.

  “So where are you staying until you find a new home?”

  “I was just going to stop at a motel and get used to the area for a bit, and then start looking for something more permanent.”

  “I do have a friend who’s a realtor in Whitefish, if you’d like her business card.”

  She had to continue with her story, so she’d play along. No other choice.

  “That would be great.”

  “So when you leave here today, you’re going to be alone in a motel room?” asked Charlotte.

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I mean your leg needs time to heal, and when you’ve had a shock like that, well, I think it’s nice to be around other people. Maybe you can…”

  “She can stay at my place.”

  Lucy looked up to see Liam standing in the doorway, holding a box in his hands.

  “Morning, Charlotte,” he said. “Lucy, it’s great seeing you again.”

  “Liam, I heard you were the hero of the night,” said Charlotte standing.

  “Just happened to be passing by.”

  “He’s being modest. He was a true hero, even to the part about carrying me to the car,” said Lucy.

  “Now I really am impressed. So you think you can keep an eye on Lucy until she’s fully healed?”

  “He really doesn’t have to,” said Lucy, thinking how nice these people were … but she didn’t really want them getting involved, just in case there was trouble like Mike suspected.

  “No, but I want to. I have an apartment at the back of my property that’s just sitting empty … and your car’s going to take a few days to fix, so you might as well use it.”

  “Sounds like the two of you have it all worked out, so I’ll be on my way to the other patients. Lucy, whenever you want to check out go ahead, but call me or Bear if you need a refill on your pain meds or have any problems with the leg, or if the scrapes look like they’re infected,” said Charlotte.

  “I will, and thank you … and please thank Dr. McWilliams.”

  Charlotte winked at Liam as she left the two of them alone.

  “You’ll have to let me pay you rent as well as the repairs for the car,” said Lucy.

  Liam raised his hand. “The repairs are on the house, and you using the apartment won’t cost me a thing, so I wouldn’t think of charging rent. Oh, and I hope you don’t mind that I looked in your glove compartment and saw that you like these.”

  He handed her the box. She lifted the lid and smiled when she saw a large bag of jellybeans sitting in there.

  “I like them too … my brother Danny did as well. Have you tried their new banana split flavor? Well, if you haven’t I took the liberty of asking them to put some into the mix.”

  “Are you kidding? I love both their banana flavors. How about their peach melba?”

  “Good choice, and here––they do a huckleberry one too, and it’s very addictive.”

  “Huckleberry, as in in Huck Finn?” asked Lucy.

  “I guess so. They grow just about everywhere in this part of Montana, and we bears … I mean the bears, love them.”

  We bears? She almost wanted to laugh because Liam did remind her somewhat of a big strong bear who’d come to her rescue. Maybe that’s what he thought about himself too. A big cuddly bear.

  “I guess I should put these away until after I’ve eaten the breakfast the nurse left for me.”

  “Let me get that tray for you,” said Liam, pulling it around for her.

  “Oatmeal,” she said.

  “With a good helping of honey,” he said.

  “How did you know that?” asked Lucy.

  “I can smell it.”

  “Wow, my nose must be blocked or something, because I can’t detect that at all.”

  She put her spoon into it and took a bite. “Yep, you’re right … now I can taste it. So, what’s wrong with my car?”

  “Needs some new parts that had rusted through and they should be arriving in a couple of days.”

  “And you said you fix cars for a living,” said Lucy, taking another bite of the oatmeal.

  “Yep, and have done since I left school. How about you … what do you do?”

  What had she and Mike decided upon as their story? She’d already forgotten. Damn, she was terrible at this.

  “I’m an interior designer,” she finally said.

  “Then you’re going to find my place in need of a makeover. I’ll also warn you ahead of time that I’m a messy bachelor.”

  “Well, at least you’re honest.”

  “Did I overhear you telling Charlotte that you’re looking to move here?”

  She had to keep to the story or someone might grow suspicious.

  “Yes, and she said she knows a realtor.”

  “If you need any advice on what’s a good area or spot, just let me know. I’ve lived here for longer than I can remember.”

  “You are too nice, Liam.”

  In fact, too nice to be lied to.

  Chapter Five

  Liam couldn’t remember anyone ever referring to him as nice. Had he never been a nice person until now? He knew he’d been on the defensive and moody side since they’d crash-landed here and he and Danny had lost both their parents. And it was true that he’d become downright hostile since his brother’s death. And yes, he knew what they thought––he wasn’t deaf, either. He knew some of the other shifters referred to him as an asshole.

  However, Lucy thought he was nice. Maybe he’d become that since he’d met her. This human had already brought out something good in him. Perhaps it had been hiding in his soul all this time, and been bursting to be set free.

  It was sort of ironic a human was the catalyst for the change. Not that he’d suddenly start loving them or would ever find it in his heart to forgive the fucking human for taking Danny from him. That was never going to happen. But something inside Liam knew Lucy was different.

  Lucy looked over at him and smiled. She had such a pretty one. When she looked at him it made his heart skip and beat double time. And now that she was sitting close to him in the truck, his cock took notice too. It strained against the zipper on his jeans, making the ride home a lot more uncomfortable than the one to pick her up.

  I don’t do human pussy.

  He recalled the venomous words he’d shouted at Hannah the night she’d accused him of being the father of her child.

  Human pussy, he was sure, was perfectly okay if you were a human. He was a bear shifter, though, and only bear shifter pussy would satisfy him. As long as he remembered that, he and Lucy were going to get on really well while she stayed in the apartment on his property.

  It was a small place at the back of the garage with a bedroom, bathroom and small kitchen.

  He glanced at her. Interior designer. Wow, was she in for a shock when she walked into his bachelor bear’s den. He hoped she wasn’t the type to want to makeover everything in sight because he liked the unkempt, I know where everything is look of his pad.

  He’d thought about letting her use the spare bedroom in the house, the one that Sam would be sl
eeping in when he came to stay for the week. He hoped to paint it and put up posters that a seven-year-old would like and appreciate. However, he’d thought that Lucy might feel more comfortable and at ease in the apartment and not under his same roof.

  Liam pulled into the driveway by his house.

  “It’s adorable,” said Lucy.

  She was being nice, very nice. He wasn’t much for gardening and the grass needed cutting, and the window boxes left by the previous owner were now falling apart and had never seen one flower in the soil. Now, sitting here looking at the place with his new, nice self, he realized the house screamed, miserable bear with a bite just as bad as his roar lives here.

  “I’ll take your suitcase in for you and as soon as you’re settled I’ll go open the windows in the apartment and get some air circulating through it.”

  She still had hold of the bag, guarding it like her life depended on it. Dead parent’s ashes, maybe? She’d robbed a bank and was fleeing to Montana with the loot?

  He laughed, not realizing he’d done it loud enough for Lucy to hear. She glanced over at him.

  “I was just thinking about a joke my nephew told me the other day,” said Liam.

  Phew, thank goodness she hadn’t asked him to share it with her because it had been a lie. He was lousy at telling jokes, and at making them up, downright dreadful.

  “You need any help?” he asked her when she got out of the truck.

  “Nope, I’m fine … finally getting the hang of these crutches.”

  She put the strap of the bag over her neck and followed him up to the front of the house.

  “Good news is my house is all on one level and so is the apartment, so you won’t need me to carry you to bed.”

  Why had he mentioned carrying her to bed? Bed, of all things. His cock twitched just thinking about it and then, oh boy, it felt like he had a baseball bat stuck in the front of his boxers. Human-caused erection? A first for him, and it was a good one.