“Open the door, and see how it’s adapted. I drove it here, and I can tell you there is no need to use your legs. You have hand controls. A smart man like you should have the hang of it in five minutes.”
He pressed the button on the key to unlock the car; she opened the door, and he was surprised when the controls were revealed. He shouldn’t have been, his job had always been to find answers to problems, work-arounds to help the people whose homes had been ravaged by war and natural disasters to get themselves back on their feet. Even the poorest, simplest of villages were able to find ways of adapting to their new circumstances with ingenuity if their survival depended on it.
“Thank you,” he said simply, trying to hide his emotion. He felt like blubbing like a schoolboy.
“Don’t thank me—this, like me, is funded, because of the accident. So, you see, the Army doesn’t think you are faking it.” She grinned. “Well, come on then, get yourself inside.”
She stood back out of his way, and he took control of his life for the first time since the accident, wheeling his chair close to the car, assessing the hand holds and then grabbing them and hoisting himself up so he sat sideways on the driver’s side of the car.
“What about the chair?” he asked.
“I’ll stow that in the trunk for you. Usually you’ll be able to use the ramp, but that’s for when you get your motorized wheelchair, which is due to be delivered in a couple of days. There was a mix-up in the delivery schedule.”
“And there was me thinking you were perfect,” he joked. He joked. She made him feel normal: it wasn’t just the car, or getting outside, it was her. Everything about her. She was perfect, for him, but he wasn’t perfect for her, no matter what the feelings inside of him said.
“It was the chair company’s mix-up, not mine,” she said, holding on to the car door for him. “Go on, show me how clever you are.” Her eyes teased him, and a warmth spread through him, touching places that had been cold and dormant since the accident. Was it possible she could bring him back to life?
He couldn’t hold on to that hope, he couldn’t do that to himself again. The fall from hope was too hard, as he’d already learned.
The day the doctors told him the only permanent injury he had was the scar on his face, he had been so relieved. The horror of what happened still haunted him every night, but he believed that he could move on, could rebuild his life, and swore to make a difference to the world, just as he used to with his comrades in the Army.
Then, as one day melted into another, and the doctors continually asked him if there was any feeling, anything, when they pushed pins into his legs as if he was a pincushion, he began to realize he had been cursed. That by not getting himself off the ground and trying to save his mates, he deserved to lose the use of his legs. That message was compounded by those long lonely nights, when he tried to call his bear to him, and there was only emptiness. He slowly understood that the reason he had been deserted by the other part of him, was because he had failed everyone in their time of need.
“Jordan.” Her hand touched his shoulder, making him jump. “It’s OK.”
He frowned, looking around him, taking a moment to remember where he was. “Sorry. I drifted off.”
“I could see. Is there anything you need to talk about?” she asked with her soft warm voice, that offered him a new life, a new hope.
He shook his head. “No, there’s no use, I’ve talked about it a thousand times, and still I’m stuck in a wheelchair.”
“Maybe when we’ve moved in to your house? Maybe when you trust me, you can tell me about it all.”
“There’s nothing to tell. We crashed, I’m a cripple.”
“There’s always more to tell,” she said, and then stood up straight, her voice lifting. “Dylan is waiting to hand over the keys, and we are already late.” She pulled out her phone. “Let me tell him we’re on our way.”
She stood back while he lifted his legs one at a time into the car. He listened while she spoke briefly on the phone, and then she collapsed the wheelchair and went around to open the rear door and slid it in. As she worked, he sat and studied the controls, nodding at how clever they were. This would be easy; he could control everything from the levers next to the steering wheel.
“Want a lesson?” she asked, when she slid in next to him.
“I think I have it,” he said, switching on the ignition and listening to the smooth engine as it came to life. “I used to drive a pickup before…” He cleared his throat, he still struggled to think of the before. His life had begun that day the helicopter crashed. As if he was born from the flames.
“This is a little different to a pickup, but it will get you everywhere you want to go.”
“Except onto the mountain,” he said wistfully and put the car in drive.
“Does it mean that much to you?” she asked. “Going on to the mountain?”
He pushed a lever and they moved forward out of the parking space. “It was where I spent so many happy days as a child.”
“Then we’ll get you up there again.”
“How?” he asked, pressing another lever to ensure he knew how to stop.
“I’ll find a way, or I’ll drag you on a sled. My job is to make you happy, Jordan. To let you know life goes on.”
“Well,” he said, as he accelerated, “I think you’ve already accomplished that.”
“Typical man, give him a car and he’s happy.”
“You’ve already given me much more than that, Skyla. So much more.”
Chapter Five – Skyla
She wasn’t sure what he meant and knew she couldn’t allow herself to read too much meaning into his words. Skyla was well aware that one of the reasons she took this job was so that she could mingle with bears, could maybe brush up against one who was her mate. The looks Jordan gave her made her believe she had found that man. But then those looks would vanish just as quickly and he would become cold and distant.
Her training told her this was what she should expect from a man so traumatized by the accident. Her heart told her she wanted more from this man.
“Where exactly is this house of mine?” he asked, as she told him to turn left out of the parking lot.
“It nestles under the Bluff. I have the address.” She took a piece of paper out of her purse and entered it into the GPS. “I still don’t know my way around the area; I only arrived last night.”
“Have you seen the house?” he asked.
“No. Dylan sent me photos on a regular basis. He’s done wonders with the place.”
“Dylan... he left town when I was still at school,” Jordan mused. “A bit of a dark cloud hung over him, I am surprised he came back.”
“Maybe it’s in his blood, you know, the mountain, and the fresh air.” She monitored Jordan’s driving, making sure he had the hang of the modified car. He would be able to go off on his own if he wanted to, first into Bear Bluff, and then farther once she was confident he could handle getting himself in and out of the car. She looked back to the road, enjoying the scenery, but for some reason the thought of him gaining his confidence didn’t hold the thrill she usually experienced. One of the reasons she loved this job, was the way the men and women she worked with grew with confidence and learned to be independent.
However, when Jordan gained his independence, she wasn’t sure she would be ready to move on. Either from Jordan or Bear Bluff.
“This is it,” Skyla said, pointing to a low house that hugged the side of the mountain. Jordan turned off the road, and she got her first glimpse of the house. Skyla had seen the house change, through the photos Dylan had sent her, from being a ruin into a cozy cottage, which had an access ramp, and everything else Jordan would need as he learned to be independent.
“I remember this house,” Jordan said, leaning forward to look through the windscreen. “I used to pass this way when we played on the mountain. There were rumors it was haunted. But I never believed them. I always thought it was sad that i
t stood here all alone.”
“Then it’s perfect. You have put it back together.”
“I haven’t lifted a finger,” he said, his voice distant. “But I wish I had.”
“You can add to it, when you’re ready,” she said, as he stopped the car next to an old red truck. Not exactly the kind of car she’d expected Dylan, the boss of a big construction company, to drive. A nervous feeling started in the pit of her stomach; she hoped for Jordan’s sake the house was as beautiful on the inside as Dylan had led her to believe. She should have come and checked the house out herself first.
“Are you going to get my chair?” Jordan asked, breaking through her fears.
“Sure,” she said, getting out of the car. As she did, a tall, broad-shouldered man came walking across the front lawn. There really must be something in the water here in Bear Bluff that made all the men impossibly big.
“Hello, Skyla, right?” he asked.
“Yes, are you Dylan?” She took the hand he offered and relaxed at his warm smile.
“I am. Want a hand with that?” he asked, following her around to the rear of the car.
“No, I can manage.” She opened the door and took out the wheelchair. “I’m sorry we’re running so late.”
“No problem at all. I was just going around and checking everything. I think you will be very pleased.”
“Me too. I’ll help Jordan out and then you can give us the tour.” She positioned the wheelchair outside the driver’s side door, as Jordan opened it.
“I don’t need help.” With impossibly strong arms, he lifted himself out of the car, and swung himself around to settle down in the wheelchair. “Dylan. Good to see you again.”
“Jordan. Thanks for putting your trust in me.”
“Wasn’t me, it was Skyla,” Jordan said. “She arranged everything, I believe.”
“I did. And I also feel as if I’m missing something here,” she said, looking between the two men. Her nerves had returned. Something wasn’t right, and she hoped she hadn’t screwed up, putting her trust in Dylan.
“Last time Jordan saw me, I was being taken away for manslaughter.”
“Oh, really!” Could this get any worse?
“And now here I am,” Dylan said proudly, then he looked down at Jordan. “Don’t let this set you back, Jordan. I’m proof you can move on.”
“You still have your legs.”
“So do you,” Dylan threw back at him. “And a brain, two hands, and strong arms. You were in the Army, so I’ve been told. My guess is you’re a terrific organizer. So, if ever you want a job, I have one for you. I’m expanding, my yard isn’t. If I don’t find time to organize it soon, I’m in trouble.”
“I’m not in the market for a job,” Jordan said quietly.
“You might not be right now. But give yourself a couple of days of doing nothing, and you’ll be begging me for work.”
Skyla watched the exchange and found she liked Dylan, no matter what his past life held.
“I’ve been doing nothing for the last two months,” Jordan said. “You get used to it.”
“No, you’ve been lying in a hospital bed for two months. It’s different. Once you get out, you won’t have the routine to fill your days.” He grinned at Skyla. “But I can see why you would rather stay at home.”
“Shall we go inside?” Skyla asked, grabbing the wheelchair and pushing it forward. “I can’t wait to see the house in real life.”
“I think you’ll be incredibly pleased,” Dylan said, leading the way.
He was right, she was pleased, and although he didn’t say a lot, she was certain Jordan was pleased too. The ground floor of the house had everything Jordan would need. The kitchen was designed for everything to be accessible while he was in the wheelchair, but was also serviceable for an able-bodied person too.
The bathroom was similar, catering to both Jordan and any other guest he might have visiting or staying over. There was a lounge, with furniture placed so that even in his wheelchair, Jordan could access every part of it, but the downstairs bedroom was the best feature of the house.
Dylan had taken out part of the wall, and in its place was a big window that looked out over the valley below. Even when you were lying in bed, you could see the fields and have a sense of being outside. Especially since it slid open, letting the outside in.
“You have an eye for buildings and how to make the best of them,” Skyla said in appreciation.
“I’m glad to hear it, since when you first got out of the car, I got the impression you thought I was going to be some fly-by-night builder who had done a shabby job,” Dylan joked.
“You have me. I think it was the truck.”
“Ahh, the truck belongs to my mate…” He halted.
“It’s OK, she knows,” Jordan chimed in. “So Steph is your mate? I remember her, and the truck, from years back. I thought she left for a new, exciting life.”
“She did. But circumstances brought her back here to Bear Bluff, and well, you know fate.” Dylan looked from Skyla to Jordan and back again. “You do know fate?”
“No, I don’t. I’m not the same as you,” Skyla said, trying to divert the conversation away from mates and fate. “So is all the work finished?”
“Yes. But if there is anything else you need, give me a call. You have my cell number, and I can be here the same day to deal with it. Or I can send one of my men over.” Dylan moved towards the door. “Have fun.”
“We will. I’ll walk you out,” Skyla said.
“I’ll see you around, Jordan. Maybe you can come down to the bar in town and drink some beer with us.” Dylan waited for an answer, but Jordan seemed lost in the view from the bedroom.”
“Jordan, Dylan is leaving.”
“Oh, thank you,” Jordan said, wheeling himself over to shake hands with Dylan.
“You like the house?” Dylan asked. “It’s been one of my most rewarding builds. I mean, I’m sorry about your legs, but this has given me a sense of purpose. A sense of achievement, so I want to make sure it’s functional for you.”
“It is. It will be,” Jordan said thoughtfully. “Thank you, Dylan.”
“Pleasure. Now I really must go, I have a new baby to spoil.”
“Congratulations,” Skyla said as she walked him to the door.
“Thanks. Makes a family complete.” He gazed past her to where Jordan was still looking out of the window. “How is he?”
She turned to look behind her, and then said, “I don’t know. I only met Jordan today. An hour ago, and so I haven’t found the real Jordan yet.”
“Haven’t you?” Dylan asked.
Her brow wrinkled as she tried to figure out what he meant. “No. I haven’t.”
“You and he are mates?” Dylan asked. “You said you knew about shifters, so you know what I’m talking about.”
“I do, but as you also know, I’m a human, so I don’t know if we are mates and if we are, Jordan has hidden it well.”
“The thing is, from what I’ve seen, you would know. If you looked deep inside, you would know.”
“If I look deep inside, all I can see is me getting fired for inappropriate behavior.”
Dylan grinned. “Wouldn’t it be worth it?”
“Getting fired?” she asked. “No.”
“Not even if it was for the love of your life?”
Yes, she thought, but there was no way she was going to share that thought with Dylan. “Good bye, and thank you again. I’m sure Jordan will be very happy here.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” He pulled out some papers. “Here we go, I am officially releasing the house over to you. If you’re satisfied.”
“I am.” She signed the papers and said good bye again, standing and watching him as he got into the battered red truck.
“Everything OK?” Jordan’s voice called from behind her.
“Yes.” She went back to him, and found him looking something close to cheerful. “You look better already.”
/> “I feel better.” He did one last circuit of the ground floor, before saying, “Which is why we’re going back to the hospital.”
“Already?” she asked, her good mood evaporating instantly. He hated the house.
“Yes. I want to go and get Ben to discharge me. I’m ready to move in.”
“Now?” she asked. It was like being on a roller coaster: she was happy he loved the house, but this left her trying to figure out everything they would have to do before they could live here.
“Yes. I’ll go back to the hospital, and you can go and collect your things from your hotel.”
“I haven’t even checked in yet,” she said.
“Perfect, don’t check in. Instead you can go into town and collect everything we need.”
“Are you sure about this?” she asked.
“Completely. I feel alive.”
“We could wait until tomorrow.”
“And let this part of me that’s woken up shrivel up and die again?” he asked.
“No, I don’t want any part of you to shrivel up and die again,” she admitted, and although she thought she must be mad, and definitely not a sane professional, she couldn’t help love the sense of adventure she felt coursing through her. Maybe he wasn’t the only one coming alive.
Remembering Dylan’s words, she looked inside herself. Dylan was right, there was something there, a feeling she couldn’t describe, other than it was new, unique. As they got back into the car, she was certain Jordan was her mate.
All she had to do was make him admit it.
Chapter Six – Jordan
An hour ago he had told Skyla he wasn’t sure he wanted to leave the hospital; now he was certain he didn’t want to go back. However, he knew he had to. An official discharge was what he needed, and that was what he was going to ask Ben for.
He had lain too long in a hospital and now he had been outside, he knew that if he ever wanted to find peace, it was here, in this house, where he could rest and convalesce at his own speed. He dared not hope his bear would come back to him. He dared not hope that he would ever walk again. But he did dare hope he could find happiness, and perhaps some kind of fulfillment if he took on the job Dylan had offered.
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