Bad Bear Redemption (Bad Boy Bear Shifters Book 3)

by Liv Brywood

  “He came back to take care of me,” Mason said.

  “Is that right? You’re back for the kid, but you couldn’t come back to help your sister?”

  Dusty slid out of the booth and towered over Mr. Gallo. His fists clenched at his sides.

  “If I’d known how bad it was, I would have been back.”

  “Right. Mr. Responsible. Do everyone a favor and go back to wherever you came from. No one wants you around here.”

  “I want him around here.” Laurie’s sweet voice came from directly behind Mr. Gallo. She moved past him to hook her arm through Dusty’s. “If anyone has a problem with Dusty, they can come talk to me. It was an accident. It’s been fifteen years. And it’s about time everyone gets over it. I did. So why can’t you?”

  Everyone in the diner averted their eyes. Laurie glared at Mr. Gallo as he shuffled away.

  “Time hasn’t been good to him.” Dusty slid back into the booth.

  “Being bitter will age you faster than anything.” Laurie sat next to him, close enough that her arm brushed against his. A shock of desire rushed through his body.

  “Thanks for defending me,” he said.

  “It’s ridiculous that everyone’s still fixated on it. They should all look in the mirror because I’m sure you’re not the only one who’s made a mistake. And it wasn’t even your fault. Black ice will make even the best driver lose control.” Her gaze dropped to what was left of Mason’s ice cream. “We’re going to need another spoon, or I might just have to order one for myself.”

  Mason handed her an extra spoon. She scooped up a mountain of ice cream and crammed it into her mouth. Dusty smiled and sat back. Seeing the joy in her face cracked his heart wide open. Back when they were dating, she’d been the happiest person in the world. To see that she still carried that playfulness inside warmed him in ways he didn’t want to acknowledge. If only he hadn’t left, maybe they could have had a life together.

  7

  Dusty laughed as Laurie finished telling a story about her first day as a new teacher. He wanted to go back and apologize to his teachers for being such a pain in the ass. There were so many things about his past he wished he could change, but it was too late. He held back a sigh. They were having so much fun that he didn’t want to ruin it.

  “Hey! Mason!” A kid wearing torn jeans and a black shirt ran toward them. Mason’s eyes lit up.

  “What’s up?”

  “Want to come over? We just got Slasher House six. It’s supposed to be nasty as fu—heck.”

  “This is my friend Jack from school,” Mason said. “Can I go over to his house?”

  “I don’t know…” Dusty eyed the kid. He seemed like a typical teen, about Mason’s age, but he didn’t know anything about him.

  “Mom lets me go over all the time.” Mason’s eyebrows knitted together.

  “Hi, I’m Don, Jack’s dad.” A man about Dusty’s age joined them. He held out a hand to Dusty. He had a firm but friendly grip.

  “Mason’s been over before?”

  “Before his mom got sick, he was over every Friday for movie night,” Don said. “It’s a family tradition, although I’m not sure if I’m down to watch a slasher flick tonight. I might just make popcorn and browse stock market forums instead.”

  “Do you trade?”

  “I dabble, mostly options.”

  “What are options?” Dustin asked.

  “Imagine a roulette wheel with stocks on it. It’s basically dancing with the devil.”

  “Sounds fun.”

  His sarcasm wasn’t lost on Don. The other man belted out a laugh.

  “We should grab a beer sometime,” Don said. “I could teach you all about options and show you how fast your investments can go up in smoke.”

  “I’m in for the beer, out for the economic meltdown.” They’d probably never even get to the beer, considering Dusty wasn’t planning on sticking around. But he didn’t want to be rude.

  “Sounds good. I’ll bring him back around midnight.”

  “Thanks.”

  After the boys left, Laurie turned toward him. Her face was just inches from his, giving him a better view of her scars. His heart dropped. Makeup could hide a lot, but it couldn’t hide the deeper depressions along her jawline.

  When she moved her hair to cover the side of her face, he looked away.

  “I should go,” she said. “I have to feed the cats.”

  “Cats?”

  “I have three: Molly, Penny, and Chloe. They might claw me to death in my sleep if I don’t give them their dinner on time.” She slid out of the booth. “Thanks for letting me sit with you guys.”

  “Can I walk you home?”

  “Um…” She bit the edge of her lip before nodding.

  As they headed toward the door, she hooked her arm through his. He didn’t know what to make of the intimate gesture. Maybe it was old habit from years ago when they were together. Or maybe she was just trying to give the town gossips something to talk about. He didn’t want to read anything into it that wasn’t there, but hope sparked in his chest. They could never pick up from where they’d left off, but maybe they could become friends.

  He held open the door for her, ushering her out into the balmy night. The sun had just set, leaving the sky a muted blue. As they walked through the park in the town square, he remembered all the times they’d been in the park.

  “Do you remember that Fourth of July when they lit all the fireworks at once?” he asked.

  “The whole place blew up with fireworks. I’ve never seen a crowd disperse so fast in my life.”

  “I couldn’t stop laughing.”

  “You always did have an ironic sense of humor.”

  “Ironic?”

  “You could always see the irony in a situation, like the time we couldn’t get Doug to be Santa, so we settled on skinny Tom to take over. Do you remember the look on the kid’s faces when the pillow fell out from under his Santa suit?” She stopped when they reached the gazebo in the center of the park.

  “I’m sure the kids had nightmares for weeks.”

  Laurie placed her hands on the gazebo’s railing. She leaned back and shook her head. Silky locks of hair fluttered against her back. His hands burned with the need to touch her. He’d dreamed about her for years after the accident. The dreams were always the same. They’d be passionately kissing when flames would start licking at their heels. He’d try to pick her up to carry her away, but he’d never make it. Every time he dreamed, it would take place in a different location. The gazebo was just one of many places he’d visited in his nightmares.

  “You look sad,” she said softly.

  “I’m sorry about how everything turned out.”

  “The only thing you should be sorry about is leaving.”

  “I should have stayed and helped you.”

  “Everyone wanted to help me. I wouldn’t have needed your help too, but I would have wanted it. Why did you leave?”

  “I had to. The whole town was ready to string me up. My father and I got into a huge fight the night I left. He basically disowned me. I couldn’t stay.”

  He stood rooted in place as she pushed away from the rail. She walked toward him and slid her hands around his waist. As she looked up at him, his belly clenched. The need to kiss her overwhelmed him, but would she slap him or draw him closer?

  He tilted his head to one side. Their gazes locked. She licked her bottom lip. That was all it took. He leaned in to kiss her. All of the passion and desire he’d been holding back exploded into his kiss. Her warm lips moved across his, matching his gentle exploration. She tasted of sugar and banana, sweet and irresistible. He couldn’t stop kissing her.

  When she moaned against his lips, he slipped his tongue into her mouth. She pulled his shirt free from his jeans. Her fingers danced across the trembling flesh on his back. Shivers of need sent blood rushing south. He angled his hips back, afraid of scaring her with the evidence of his desire. They’d kissed more times
than he could count, but he’d never had the chance to make love to her. He’d planned on doing it that night, but then they’d crashed.

  He gently pulled back. Her gaze darted across his face as if she were searching for something. The edges of her lips turned down just enough to break the spell.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

  She put a finger to his lips to silence him.

  “Stop telling me you’re sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about.”

  “I ruined your life.”

  “Is that what you think? That my life sucks? I love my life. I have the job of my dreams, a whole classroom full of kids who love me, and three adorable cats to keep me company.”

  “But you’re alone.”

  “Maybe I like being alone.” She held her chin high. “You’re alone.”

  He pressed his lips together. He was alone, but only because he couldn’t bear to look at another woman. All he’d ever wanted was Laurie. He’d ruined everything when he’d run away after the fire.

  Silence stretched between them. She didn’t move away. The heat simmering between them thickened the air. Nothing stirred, not even the breeze.

  He hated the loneliness of silence. With only the wind for company, he’d spent many nights wishing he hadn’t left Yellowstone Mountain. His tiny trailer felt as vastly empty as the Nebraskan plains. Being alone was hard. Maybe he should have gotten a pet. Granted, he was on the road most of the time, but he could have brought a dog with him. Laurie seemed to be content with her cats. Maybe a dog would make him feel less lonely.

  “I can walk the rest of the way,” she said.

  “Do you ever drive?”

  “No.”

  “Because of me.” He sighed.

  “I save money on gas and insurance.” Exasperation colored her tone. “I don’t feel sorry for myself, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t feel sorry for me.”

  “Laurie, wait.” He gently grasped her arm and pulled her closer. He brushed a lock of hair away from her cheek. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “I’d still like to walk you home.”

  She tugged her arm free and took several steps back. She stood there until he took a step forward, then she walked away.

  As she headed out of the park toward her house, he shook his head. He’d royally fucked up the evening. Although he hadn’t had any expectations, he hadn’t wanted it to end like this. He needed to do something to repair whatever might be left of their relationship.

  He followed her to a small, cottage-style home with a huge yard. Sitting at the end of a cul-de-sac, it looked like something out of a fairytale. A fairy’s house, complete with cascading vines of vibrant flowers and window pots filled with herbs. A small café-style patio set sat on the porch.

  “Wow,” he murmured. “I thought you’d moved into your parent’s house. Didn’t you tell me that the other day?”

  “I did, but it burned down. I have really bad luck when it comes to fire. Fortunately, I had insurance. I was able to build the house from scratch exactly the way I wanted it. It’s not much, but it’s all mine.”

  “You don’t need a huge house to be happy. I know that for sure.”

  “Do you ever think about moving out of your single-wide into a regular house?” she asked. Before he could answer, she waved away the question. “I’m sorry. That was incredibly rude. I shouldn’t judge.”

  “It’s okay. For a single guy who hates cleaning, it’s perfect for me.”

  “Will there be enough room for Mason?” She sat in one of the metal chairs, so he sat opposite her.

  “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” he admitted.

  “You’re going to have to start thinking about it.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re the only decent family he’s got left.”

  “I met his father.”

  “Why is it that good people die young, but assholes live forever?” she asked.

  He laughed and shook his head.

  “Want a drink?” She stood.

  “I don’t drink anymore.”

  “Tea? Coffee?”

  “Coffee. Black.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  As she headed into the house, he traced the metal scrollwork on the table. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing sitting on her porch trying to carry on a civil conversation. He wanted to spend more time with her, but why? He wasn’t staying in town. The sooner he could bounce, the better. So why even toy with trying to build a friendship?

  He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. When it came to Laurie, all he did was mess things up. He couldn’t ruin her life again. He needed to keep his distance both physically and emotionally. Kissing her had been a huge mistake. It had awakened a deep longing from a lifetime ago. The day he’d left town, he’d walked away from his only chance to spend the rest of his life with her. It was the second biggest mistake he’d ever made. He had to stop fucking up his life, and hers.

  * * *

  Laurie could tell something wasn’t right when she pushed open the screen. Dusty stood at the bottom of the steps. He wouldn’t meet her eyes.

  “Sit with me,” she said, an edge of desperation in her voice. Part of her wanted him to walk away, but she wasn’t ready to let him go.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  “You’re having black coffee. Although I don’t know why. I’d be up all night if I tried drinking caffeine this late.”

  Her hands trembled as she set the cups on the table. She took her seat again and waited. When he didn’t immediately move to join her, her heart sank. She didn’t understand the sudden mood change. One minute he was kissing her, the next he was trying to run away. Again. Maybe she should let him run. Trying to hold onto a thread of hope had kept her emotionally frozen for years after he’d left her. Was she willing to go through that pain again?

  Dusty climbed the steps and sat in the chair opposite her. He clutched the coffee cup between his palms and stared into it as if he were trying to divine the future.

  “Do you ever wish you could go back to that night?” he asked.

  “Sometimes.”

  His tortured gaze met hers. A shot of pure pain lanced her heart. To know that he still suffered hurt her far more than she’d expected. Why was he still holding onto the guilt?

  “I’d give anything to go back,” he said.

  “But we can’t.” She placed her hand over his. The porch light cast intricate shadows across her scarred flesh. She waited for him to pull away. Most men did.

  He didn’t.

  “Do they still hurt?” he asked.

  “I’ll never regain feeling in some parts, so they don’t hurt at all. In others, sometimes I have pain, but it’s not as bad as it was right after the accident. Healing nerve endings are a bitch to deal with.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips. As he brushed them softly against her scars, she tensed. There was nothing sexy about gnarled skin where it should have been smooth, but he didn’t seem to mind.

  “I’d give anything to change places with you,” he whispered.

  “But you can’t.” She pulled her hand away and set it in her lap. “Why can’t you let it go?”

  “I still have nightmares.”

  “Me too.”

  “Tell me about things after I left.” He clutched the mug as if clinging to a life raft.

  “I was in the burn unit for several months.” Her belly clenched as the spectral scent of charred skin singed her nose. “I’m not going to lie—it sucked.”

  When he cast her a tormented look, she continued on a more positive note.

  “It wasn’t all bad. I got to eat all the chocolate I could ever want. They let me gobble ice cream until I gained ten pounds. Then the grouchy doctor cut me off. Jerk.”

  The corner of his mouth pulled up into a half-smile. She leaned back in the chair.

  “I would have let you eat whatever you
wanted,” he said.

  “Even if I got fat?”

  “I wouldn’t have cared. I would have loved you no matter what.”

  “Then why didn’t you?” A flash of anger caught her off-guard. “Why did you leave me?”

  “The whole town hated me. I couldn’t go anywhere without being attacked. They all looked at me like I was a murderer.”

  “They were wrong to do that to you.”

  “I know, but at the time, I was overwhelmed by it all. I almost lost you. The whole town hated me. My father practically disowned me…”

  She could understand why he’d wanted to run, but it didn’t stop her from hurting. She wanted to forgive him for leaving her to pick up the pieces of her life after the accident, but she couldn’t. Although she didn’t blame him for the car crash, she did blame him for abandoning her. He’d left her when she’d needed him the most. She wasn’t sure she could ever get over that betrayal.

  “I shouldn’t make excuses.” He turned to her and took both of her hands in his. “I know you forgave me for the accident, but can you forgive me for leaving?”

  She sat silent, unable to lie to him, unable to forgive.

  “I missed you,” he whispered.

  Her heart lurched. She’d thought about him every single day. She’d wondered how he was doing. Was he thinking about her too? Did he miss her? Or was she just an old memory he’d forgotten in favor of someone else?

  “I should have called,” he said.

  “You should have.” A lump formed in her throat.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  As he scooted his chair closer, she leaned closer. Even after all these years, undeniable attraction still pulled her toward him. She didn’t resist as he pulled her into his lap. Wrapped in his strong arms, she relaxed for the first time in years.

  Her bear leapt for joy. The beast couldn’t comprehend all the intricacies of relationships, but it did understand the sensation of feeling completely safe.