“That’s not true, I’m sure they trusted you,” Mac told her.
“We were always so close,” Saffron went on. “Even when we were kids, we were the closest.” Saffron paused. “I have another sister. Paula. We don’t really see eye to eye.”
“Three sisters.” Mac took a slug of beer. “As the eldest of three brothers, I can sympathize. Beck and I have had our issues. But we’ve ironed them out at last. It’s only taken us a few decades.”
Saffron gave a short laugh. “I don’t think Paula and I will ever iron out our issues. It’s impossible.” She lowered her head and looked down at the menu, keeping her gaze averted.
She’s hiding something, his bear said.
She’ll tell us when she’s ready, Mac replied. Remember, Beck and I have had our issues and there’s plenty I would not want to share about our relationship with someone we’ve just met.
Even our mate? his bear asked.
Even our mate, Mac admitted. I wouldn’t want her to make any kind of judgment when we’ve only just met.
“Okay, we should probably decide what we are going to order.” Mac sensed Jake hovering just out of earshot.
“I am starving.” Saffron scanned the menu and Mac tried not to stare at her. He could go without food, but he didn’t want a single day to pass by from now until the end of his life where he didn’t see his mate.
“I will be boring and go for the steak,” Mac said as he cast his eyes over the rest of the dishes on offer.
“I will have the lemon sole.” Saffron placed her menu on the table and the next instant Jake appeared.
“You must have read our minds,” Mac told his friend.
“It’s a gift.” Jake looked from Saffron to Mac and back again. “Ready to order?”
“Yes,” Mac told Jake their order and he noted it down before he left them alone again.
Alone with our mate, his bear sighed in contentment. Who would have thought it possible?
Not me, Mac admitted.
“The job,” Saffron began after taking a gulp of her gin and tonic.
“It’s yours,” Mac told her.
“Because I earned it or because I am your mate?” Saffron asked. His mate was nothing if not direct.
“Because you earned it.” Mac leaned back in his chair and watched her for a moment. “If it makes you feel better, I would be offering you the job even if I wasn’t your mate. You deserve it, my office was transformed in the short time you were there.”
“Thank you.” A smile flitted across her mouth before she smothered it. “I am good at what I do.”
“Then take the job. The rest we’ll make up as we go along.” He could watch her all day. The curve of her kissable mouth, the way her cheeks dimpled when she smiled, and he longed to run his fingers through her silky hair.
“And salary?” she asked coyly. “I only want what’s fair.” She waved her hand at him. “I don’t want you going over the top because of our relationship.”
“Fair enough. Why don’t you write down what you think is fair and we’ll open negotiations from there?” His suggestion was met by a strained expression from Saffron. “You must know your worth. You were a PA before you came to Bear Creek, so you have some clue. I, on the other hand, have never employed a PA and have no clue. I don’t want to insult you, but I also don’t want to pay over the going rate.”
“You are taking this seriously,” Saffron looked comforted by his bargaining.
“I am a businessman, Saffron. And over the years of running the sawmill, I have learned a lot. We might be mates but if I pay you too much, the rest of my workforce will suffer, and the business will slide and then we all lose.” He cocked his head to one side. “I can’t let that happen.”
“Because that would hurt me, too?” she asked. Saffron was teasing him but she had no idea how close to the truth she was.
“Exactly. It’s my job to provide for you and your boys long-term. Like forever. That won’t happen if you bankrupt the business.” He pointed to the napkin she was writing on. “So, check how many zeros you put on that figure.”
“Okay, here.” She slid the napkin across the table and watched his expression closely.
He pressed his lips together and nodded. “I think that’s fair.”
“More than you were expecting?” she asked.
“About the ballpark figure.” He grinned at her as she shook her head. “I told you I have been doing business for long enough that I have a perfect poker face.”
“You do because I’m pretty good at reading people and I have no idea if you were expecting it to be more or less.” Her eyes narrowed. “Were you expecting it to be less?”
Mac cracked a smile. “That is not fair.”
“You can’t lie to me. That’s part of your shifter law, isn’t it?” Saffron asked.
“Wow, if I’m not careful, I’ll be out of a job. You can drive a harder bargain than me.” He looked up as Jake approached. “Saved by the food.”
“Here we go. Lemon sole and a steak.” Jake placed the plates down on the table. As he backed away, Suranne, who had worked at the bar for years, appeared with a bottle and two glasses. “Compliments of The Happy Bear Club.”
“Jake, you didn’t have to,” Mac insisted.
“Hey, it’s a tradition whenever someone passes into The Happy Bear Club.” He winked at Saffron. “I was beginning to think it would never be Mac’s turn.”
“Thank you, Jake.” Saffron got up from her chair and hugged Jake. “It’s very kind of you.”
“It’s good to see Mac happy.” Jake hugged Saffron back and Mac had to force himself to stay seated in his chair as a wave of jealousy washed over him.
“Let’s hope he stays happy,” Saffron replied. “We have no idea if we are going to make each other happy or miserable.”
“Oh, I think you’re going to be just fine.” Jake let Saffron go and the tension eased in Mac’s body. “I’ll leave you to talk about business.”
“We are talking business,” Mac assured his friend. “Saffron is my newest employee. She’s my PA.”
“You finally hired someone to run the admin side of the business so you can get out there and do what you do best!” Jake looked surprised. “I never thought I’d see Mac Winter hand over the responsibility to anyone. But I guess it’s in safe hands.”
“Very safe.” Mac watched Jake go. “I never realized people thought I was such a control freak.”
“We never see ourselves in the same way other people see us,” Saffron said. “Which might be a good thing.”
“It might. I don’t think I want to know how my brothers see me,” Mac admitted. “Hex isn’t so bad, he sees the good in everyone, but Beck and I have clashed on occasion.”
“Same for me. Nina and I accepted who we were. We’re different. We don’t always see things the same way but we’re both willing to compromise.” She looked down at her plate and paused. “I guess it’s because our parents were never there for us. They split up when we were younger. My dad kind of dumped us and my mom never really knew how to relate to us.”
“Is she the reason you didn’t want to give the name of your last employer?” Mac asked.
“Am I that transparent?” Saffron asked.
“No, but it makes sense.” Mac picked up his knife and fork and dug into his steak.
“She thinks she should raise the boys.” Finally, Saffron was opening up to him. “She thinks Nina isn’t fit to raise them. She certainly wouldn’t have understood about Evan. So, we decided to keep that from her. I called her and told her we’re all okay, but I haven’t told her where we are or why we came to Bear Creek.”
She’s beginning to trust us, his bear said with relief.
“But you came anyway.” Mac took a bite of the medium-rare steak. The food here was always good but eating in the presence of his mate just made everything taste so much better.
“I had to. I made a promise to Nina.” Saffron sighed and finally began to eat. The iss
ues with her sister obviously gave her great concern.
“I think you did the right thing.” Mac wanted to support his mate, but he wouldn’t have lied to her. If he thought it was better her sister knew and understood, he’d have told Saffron outright.
That bluntness is what got you into trouble with Beck on many occasions, his bear told him.
I know, but it’s part of who I am. I can’t just change like that, Mac told his bear.
Even for our mate? his bear asked.
Okay, maybe for our mate. Because deep down Mac knew he’d do anything for his mate.
If she asked him to.
Or maybe even if she didn’t.
Chapter Eight – Saffron
The food was delicious, and the company was equally delicious, in the form of Mac Winter, so why couldn’t she just let herself go and enjoy herself?
“I lost you for a moment there,” Mac said gently as she finally did justice to the wonderful food and ate her dinner.
“The last couple of weeks have been a roller coaster ride and today has thrown me one of the biggest loops.” She swallowed down the fish and potatoes which was smothered in a delicate lemon sauce. Heavenly.
“Did you tell Nina about us?” Mac asked.
She shook her head. “I didn’t have the courage. I don’t want to cause her any more pain.”
“You’re going to need to tell her at some point.” His forehead creased as he mulled things over. “She might be happy for you.”
“Oh, she will.” Saffron nodded. “She absolutely will. But that won’t stop it from hurting.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Mac asked with concern. “I’m happy to keep this between us…” He looked around the room. “But even though we’ve kept this low profile and told everyone it’s a business meeting, Jake already guessed we’re mates so others will, too.”
“And when Wes and Jonas start school, someone might say something.” She popped the last morsel of food into her mouth and wished there was more. It was the best meal she’d eaten for months. Or perhaps the flavor was enhanced by the company. Having Mac seated across the table from her made everything seem better.
“People talk and you don’t want them to hear this from anyone else.” He looked down at his empty plate. “And I’d also like your nephews to get to know me so that I can help them with their first shift. I’m guessing no one has spoken to them about it?”
“No.” She sighed and let her breath out slowly. “Honestly, I don’t know how they are going to react when they do actually shift. They grew up knowing Evan was a shifter.” She gave a short laugh. “Sorry, until our talk in the parking lot, I was still trying to convince myself that this was all made up.”
“I could show them,” Mac suggested. “I can shift in front of them and walk them through it. The first few times are tough, but it’s not hard to gain control. At least from what I remember. My first shift was over half a lifetime ago.”
“Will it freak them out?” Saffron asked. “It’s like watching a video of a woman giving birth when you’re learning about reproduction. It’s enough to put you off for life. Until you meet the right person and settle down and a family becomes your priority.”
“Is it a priority for you? A family of your own?” Mac asked, sidestepping the question of how yucky shifting was. She couldn’t imagine how it would feel if hair suddenly sprouted out of your skin and your nails elongated into claws.
“My priority has been caring for and raising the family I have,” Saffron replied honestly. “Until about an hour ago when you told me we were mates, I had no intention of dating, let alone settling down. I don’t know how that’s changed yet. I need to process it.”
“The boys’ needs will always come first,” Mac assured her. “They are part of your family which means they are part of mine. They won’t be pushed out. In fact, they will have an extended family. Hex and Beck would love to teach them the ways of bear shifters. It’ll be good practice for when they have children of their own. Martha, Hex’s mate, is already pregnant.”
“Wow, you Winter men don’t hang around, do you?” Saffron asked.
“You snooze, you lose.” He rested his chin on his hands as he set his elbows on the edge of the table. “I want to make this work for all of us, Saffron.”
“So do I.” She leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling. “This is just too weird.”
“Why?” Mac asked.
“First my sister met a man who is a shifter and raised her shifter children right under my nose without sharing the details. Then, I met you, and you are a shifter.” She lowered her head and looked at him levelly. “Do these things run in families?”
“Not as far as I know. You just got lucky.” His eyes sparkled as he spoke, and she couldn’t argue with his reasoning she felt lucky.
Which was a shock. Until this very moment, she’d never considered herself lucky. Not when she was raised by a parent from hell. But maybe she’d never have wound up here desperate for a job in a new town if her mom had been a good mother.
“I am lucky.” Her eyes misted with tears. “I used to be a glass half full kind of a person but lately it’s been half empty.”
“Then why don’t we fill it with this.” Mac picked up the bottle of champagne that had been chilling next to him.
“Okay.” Saffron downed the last of her gin and tonic, enjoying the buzz as the alcohol hit her brain.
Mac expertly popped the cork and poured the champagne into two champagne flutes. “I propose a toast. To mates and their families.”
“To mates and their families.” They touched glasses and then sipped the champagne.
“Now we’re going to be the talk of the town,” Mac told her, nodding toward someone over Saffron’s shoulder.
“Is everyone watching?” Saffron asked as the bubbles popped and made her nose fizzy.
“Not quite everyone but I think our cover is blown.” He watched her closely.
“You’re worried you might scare me away.” She leaned forward and looked deep into his eyes. His warmth and humor shone through along with what she could only describe as desire.
“I think you’re too brave to be scared away,” he told her. “But I am worried you might wake up tomorrow morning and have second thoughts. This has come as a shock to you and once the champagne wears off, you might not like the slightly tarnished man who is declaring his undying love to you.”
“I think you scrub up just fine,” Saffron told him. “And looks have never been the most important thing for me. Strength of character and family loyalty win through every time.”
“I will be the best husband I can be. I’ll be the best father I can be to Wes and Jonas and any children we might be blessed with.” Mac was so open, so earnest in his response that she couldn’t bring herself to remind him they had only just met, and marriage was a long way off for her.
Or did he expect her to drop everything and marry him? Hadn’t Kassia only just met Beck but already they were getting married in a double wedding with Hex and Martha?
“I just need you to be you,” Saffron told him. “I don’t want you to change for me. I want us to grow into each other. Slowly.”
“I’m trying to move things along too fast.” Mac shrugged and held up his glass. “I’m going to blame this one glass of champagne I’m allowing myself, before I switch to soda.”
“We can blame it all on champagne,” Saffron agreed. “Then tomorrow we can talk about things with clear heads.”
“I don’t think my head is going to clear that easily,” he admitted. “I’m still up on cloud nine and I have no intention of coming back down for a long while yet.”
“It looks good on you,” Saffron told him.
“It doesn’t hide the wrinkles or the graying hair,” he ran his hand through his thick dark hair laced with silvery-gray strands.
“No, it enhances them.” Saffron studied his face. This was the first face she would see each morning when she woke up
. Mac would be the only person she woke up next to for the rest of her life. He was promising her an eternity of love. Which was both scary and exciting.
Unlike a normal relationship or even marriage, there was no walking away from a shifter, not unless you wanted to break their hearts into a million unrepairable pieces.
That’s what Nina had told her after Saffron had questioned her sister over her mumblings about shifters. Nina who had pined for Evan. Saffron was convinced after her conversation with Nina that the loss of her husband, her mate, had also contributed to her ill health.
“Dessert?” Jake appeared in the alcove and began clearing their dinner plates.
“Yes, please,” Saffron replied then flattered. “If that’s okay.” She looked at Mac. “Boss.”
“I expect the budget can stretch to dessert,” he joked as he caught Jake’s eye. “Thanks for all this, Jake. For the champagne and the privacy.”
“My pleasure, although people are asking who is the beautiful stranger you are having dinner with.” He placed his hand on Saffron’s shoulder and leaned forward. “Everyone knows everyone in Bear Creek. Couple that with the fact you are having dinner with Mac makes you a woman of mystery.” He stood up and caught Mac’s eye. “I cannot remember the last time you came for dinner.”
“It was a few months ago and I brought my mom.” Mac chuckled. “I should tell you that I live at home with my mom and two brothers. Although, the brother situation is about to change since as soon as they are both married and arrive back from their honeymoons, we’re going to build two new houses.”
“He’s trying to sell himself to you,” Jake joked. “Making himself sound like a good proposition.”
“I am a good proposition,” Mac replied firmly.
Jake didn’t answer. “So, dessert.” He handed them each a menu. “I’ll be back in five minutes for your order.”
Saffron smiled as she watched Mac. “You have fire coming out of your ears.”
Mac’s expression lightened. “Sorry, that hit a nerve.”
“Because you live at home with your two brothers and your mom?” Saffron asked. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. If that’s how your family works, then what’s wrong with that?”
Mac (Winter - Shifter Seasons Book 3) Page 6