“They look so happy, don’t they?” He was staring into the tent, his eyes alight with humor. Damn him for being so good looking, so perfect, so good.
“Weddings have that effect on people. Then there’s the honeymoon, the point when you first start to realize who exactly you married, and then you get home to find you made a mistake.”
He chuckled. “Not when you are fated to be together.” He cocked his head, and turned his gaze on her, which made her feel all kinds of wonderful.
“Tell that to my parents.” She yanked her eyes away from him and looked into the gathering darkness.
“Your parents. They didn’t live happily ever after?”
“They might have, but they didn’t live it together and they didn’t live it with me.” She straightened up, feeling an unfamiliar lump in her throat. She was going to cry, and she didn’t do crying, not for a long time. Not since she stopped letting people in.
“Your parents didn’t stay together?” he asked, his voice probing.
“I’m sorry, I can’t do this now. I have work to do.” She went to move away, but he took hold of her arm, and held her close. “Let me go.”
“Just give me a moment. Please,” he asked. Releasing her arm, he said, “Were both your parents … like us?”
“My dad was. Not my mom.” She thought back to how her mom used to tell her stories about her dad. “At least that’s what my mom told me, but since she wasn’t a shifter, and I am. Well, it must be from my dad’s genes, right?”
“Did he die?” Matt asked.
“No. He just left. Went to work one morning, then instead of coming home for dinner, he came home for his clothes and left. Told my mom he’d met another woman.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Left us, just like that.”
“But he couldn’t. Not if they were true mates,” Matt insisted.
“I’ll tell that to my mom. Oh, wait, I can’t, because I don’t know where she is, since she up and left me for some guy she met on vacation.” She fought the tears that threatened. Again, she reminded herself she didn’t cry, not over this stuff, it was ancient history.
“Oh, Grace, I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice filled with emotion as if he could truly feel her pain.
“It’s good, I survived.” She cleared her throat. “I really have to get back to work.”
“Will you meet me, after? Maybe I could drive you home. Or walk you home, or carry you home. I’ll take whatever you offer.”
She blew the air out of her cheeks. “What if I have nothing to offer? What if I’m an empty vessel? With no love, no nothing, to give.”
“I’d say you were fooling yourself,” he said, his voice still sad.
Grace pictured him earlier in the day, his laughter, his openness. It scared her how bad she was making him feel. She was already corrupting him, without even trying. If she let him in, one day, he would up and leave too, just like everyone else in her life had.
No matter how strong the desire to be with him was, she could not allow herself to weaken. “I have made up my mind I don’t want a mate. I never looked for one, I never dreamed of one, and now that I’ve found you, I have not changed my mind.”
Brushing past him, unable to resist the touch of his body against hers, she walked away. Each step was more difficult than the last, but she forced herself, one foot in front of the other, just as she had done her whole life when things were tough.
Chapter Four – Matt
One restless night later, Matt was dressed and seated in the hotel dining room, sipping coffee, while he caught up on his virtual life. He was used to working breakfasts, but today he had something specific he wanted to check out. Tessa Conway.
Matt had worked with a variety of people over his career, and he trusted his instincts. He’d learned to cultivate the extra senses his bear side gave him and had created the best BS instinct in the business, which was what he credited for his spectacular rise to wealth.
That same BS instinct told him Tessa was trouble, and he always liked to research trouble until he could negate it. With Grace in his life, this needed to be done quickly. There was no way he was going to let a woman like Tessa ruin his relationship with his mate.
In some worlds, negating might mean a deadly, permanent solution; in Matt’s world it meant using the person against themselves. Everyone had a flaw, including Matt: you just had to find it, and manipulate it. For good or bad.
In Tessa’s case, he was assuming he was going to have to use it to stop her in her tracks, to make her leave him alone. He’d been in similar situations before, with journalists who thought they could play him. Matt was not open to being played—it was the only part of his life he was completely ruthless in controlling.
He sat back in his chair. What if he was overreacting, what if she was merely a guest at the wedding and he had got it all wrong? In his head, his bear stirred, lifting his head; this had his attention. And if it had his bear’s attention, it needed his attention. Get the job done, get the ammo ready, and deploy when needs arose. If they arose.
They will, his bear said, and then went back to sleep. He’d been excited about meeting their mate yesterday, and now he was taking a nap before they saw her later.
Matt looked at his watch. He needed to get a move on, he had an appointment with Dylan at ten. Focusing on his laptop screen, he noted down everything he could find on Tessa Conway. Later he would call a man he used to get information, a PI of sorts. Matt wanted to be thorough on this woman, very thorough.
***
Matt drove into the yard at Bear Bluff Construction and parked his car. Getting out, he let his senses roam, trying to locate where Grace was, if she was here and not out on the job. She was here.
He turned to glance at a warehouse to his left. She was in there. His senses honed in on her. Not that he could smell her, or see her. This was a new sense: the mating bond gave him what could only be described as a homing beacon, able to detect her through walls. He felt like Spiderman, it was as if Matt now had his own brand of x-ray vision
Tempted to go over and say hello, he decided that he should take care of business first. His relationship, or lack of one, with Grace didn’t belong here where she worked. That didn’t mean he couldn’t ask questions, and find out where she fit in with all of this.
Dylan took on young offenders and people who needed a new start. When he’d spoken to Grace last night, he’d struggled to believe she fit into either of those categories, but first impressions were not always correct.
His thoughts switched to Tessa Conway once more. First impressions no, first instincts, yes, his bear said.
Wise old bear, he said, and picked up his briefcase and headed to the office, where he hoped to convince Dylan to work with him.
“Hi,” Matt said, walking in and finding a pregnant woman standing at her desk, stretching her back. “I’m Matthew Hargreaves. I have an appointment with Dylan.”
“Yes, he’s in there.” She pointed, and then took a deep breath. “He’s expecting you. Do you mind going in unannounced?”
The blood flowed out of Matt’s face, and he darted forward. “You shouldn’t be here; you should be in the hospital. Do you want me to take you?” He couldn’t work out why she would still be here, working, when she was about to have a baby.
“No.” She put her hand up to stop him in his tracks. “Braxton Hicks contractions. I’ve been having them for weeks. The baby isn’t due for another couple of weeks.”
“Shouldn’t you be at home resting?” Matt asked.
“And let the whole place fall apart?” she asked, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “Sorry. I like the filing done a certain way.” She must have seen his still-horrified look. “Dylan’s getting a replacement in tomorrow. I’ll have a week to train her properly. I know it’s leaving it late, but I love my job, and it keeps me busy. Everything is ready at home, so why not be here?”
“You must love your job,” he said. Glancing sideways, he searched
on the desk for her name. “Amanda.”
“I do. My husband, Jed, works here too, and he’s more relaxed if I’m not left home alone.”
Matt grinned. “This is like a family? Working for Dylan.”
“You could say that. As a single child, it’s the closest I’ll ever have to brothers and sisters.” She looked towards Dylan’s office. “It’s passed. I’ll show you in.”
She walked around the desk, and he followed her to Dylan’s office, his bear mind wandering through images of Grace carrying their child, and how happy they would be. Matt’s brain was more anchored in realism; he wasn’t sure Grace was going to accept him so easily. Matt suspected it was going to take a lot of work, but that was how he’d gotten so far in his professional life.
As he entered Dylan’s office, he allowed himself the luxury of letting his senses pinpoint Grace one last time, and then he turned his attention fully to the business he’d come here for.
If things went well, he would be spending lots of time at the yard too, and that would give him a chance to get to know Grace. Of course, he’d rather take her on a date. But he’d settle for anything right now.
Chapter Five – Grace
Grace lifted the timber planks onto her shoulder, straining her muscles to carry them to the truck. She was stronger than most women, her bear saw to that, but she still struggled to pull her weight next to her work partner, Jed. He could lift three times as much as her, and his stamina was immense, something she was working on.
“The wedding went well,” Jed said, making small talk as they passed each other. They were settling into a kind of routine. He never asked personal questions, he’d quickly figured out that she didn’t want to divulge personal information, so he settled for talking about his family and any other random stuff that came out of his mouth.
Her favorite conversation with him so far was about the best consistency of mud for a bear to roll in. Honestly, she could listen to him all day. She never let on, but she secretly loved the feeling he gave her of being part of a big family, even if it was vicariously.
“I’d have to agree from the amount of champagne the guests drank,” she said, allowing him to help her place the timber on the bed of the truck. Accepting help was also something this job had taught her. She sighed. They were making her soft, allowing her to feel as if she was a part of something. It would end badly, it always did.
“Well, you’ll be next,” Jed said, returning to the pile of sawn planks they were steadily making smaller.
“I will?” she asked, keeping her voice even, although her heart-rate had shot up, the blood thundering in her ears.
“Yes.” He paused and looked across to her. “I thought you’d met your mate.”
“My, gossip does spread fast around Bear Bluff,” she said, grabbing more timber and realizing she’d picked up one more plank than she could comfortably carry. Not wanting to admit she was weak, she hoisted it up onto her shoulder and made her slow, steady way to the awaiting truck. “Don’t you have more important things to talk about?”
“Not where mates and babies are concerned,” Jed answered. “They are the most important things in this town.”
“You mean world peace and the end to all hunger takes second place to procreation?” she asked, feeling the strain in her muscles, and something else. She looked around. Her back was tingling and her bear had become alert. He was here.
“Families, that’s what matters,” Jed said, striding past her.
She faltered, but kept on going, one foot in front of the other. He was getting closer, while she felt as if she were getting weaker. Love, the mating bond, whatever it was: she hated it.
“I’ve got this,” Jed said, taking the timber from her.
“Thanks,” she said, gruffly, wishing she could just shift into her bear and get out of there. Not that her bear would run, she wanted to be close to their mate. Well, I don’t, she told her bear.
Too late. He was coming down towards them, with Dylan. Feeling cornered, she was grateful when Jed came to stand by her side. “We’re just about ready to leave,” Jed said when the two men reached them.
“Great,” Dylan said. “You both know Matt?”
“Yes, we met at the wedding yesterday,” Jed said.
“Same,” Grace said, making her features stay flat and desperately trying to stop her cheeks turning pink. Her breathing, though, that was out of her control, and her breasts heaved as she struggled to take in enough oxygen.
“Matt’s got an interesting proposition. And since everyone else has already left, you two are the only people left here to ask. I wanted to know your opinions.” Dylan looked to Matt. “Maybe you should pitch your idea, Matt.”
Grace let her breathing slow. This was business; she was not going to be pressured into being around him, why she’d thought Dylan would allow that, she wasn’t sure. Being around Matt made her overreact, which put her in danger of doing something stupid. And stupid got you in trouble.
Did he have the same problem? Was being around her affecting him? Sure, Matt’s eyes were drawn to her, but he covered it well, his body language composed, strong, and in control. She might need some lessons from him.
Trying to focus, she was aware he was talking to them all, not singling her out or putting any pressure on her. Maybe she could let herself like him, just a little.
“Yes. OK, where to start.” He thought for a moment and then he began to speak, his voice a master of control. He’d pitched before, of course he had, he was rich, in a different league to her. When Grace opened her mouth, she always thought the words spilling out were harsh and gruff. They were about as opposite as two people, or two bears, could ever be. How did fate figure it was a good idea for their two worlds to collide?
Grace pictured Matt with the other woman at the wedding. She might be digging for dirt, but she was beautiful, immaculately turned out, her clothes, her hair, and makeup all perfect. Surely a man like Matt needed a woman like that, not an ex-con who shuffled around in jeans and work-boots.
Matt’s smooth voice brought her back to the present. “I heard about Dylan through Zoe; she did some design work for me a few months ago. When she moved to Bear Bluff, we got to talking. She knew I was a shifter, and I asked her about the mountains. It’s always good to get out in the wilderness.” He smiled, and she liked the way the corners of his eyes crinkled. Damn, he was too cute. She shuffled her feet and looked down, attempting to look bored.
“You should explore them, while you’re here,” Jed said. Then Jed cast a glance at Grace, and she knew he was waiting for her to offer to show Matt around, but she wasn’t going to, despite her bear nudging her into action too.
“I will.” Matt nodded, taking a moment to retrieve his train of thought. “Zoe also told me she was staying here permanently after she met Caleb. We corresponded about work, then one day she opened up and told me about her brother. She gave me a brief recap of what had happened, and how he was lucky to be working for Dylan.”
“Aren’t we all,” Jed said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
“There are worse jobs, Jed.” Dylan countered. “I’ve never stopped you from going and finding one.”
“I would, but Amanda insists you’re a good guy, and I have to take my mate’s word,” Jed said, giving a helpless shrug.
Grace watched the testosterone flow between these two men, and smiled. They were practically family, but the same old male rivalries couldn’t stay dormant. Not when there were bears involved. Looking up, she caught Matt watching her. Their eyes connected for a little too long, and she loved every nanosecond she spent enthralled by him, before she tore herself away from the promise they held.
“It sat in my mind,” Matt went on. “And then I had an idea. I figured this would be a good project to get involved in, to help expand.”
“Great,” Jed agreed, then asked impatiently, “So why do you need to speak to us?”
“I thought Matt should get some perspective. What it’s like wo
rking with Grace, and Grace, if you didn’t mind sharing how this has helped you,” Dylan said. “Privately, if that’s easier.”
“No, I’m good,” Jed said. Grace knew he was anxious to get on with the job; he always liked to finish early to get back to see Amanda. “I thought Dylan was crazy to start with. It worried me he was taking on too much too soon. Having someone unskilled working with you slows you down. No offense, Grace.”
“None taken,” she said, smiling. “Although you don’t complain when I have to carry tiles up to the roof. You said it saves you the trip. Stops your big bear paws from aching.”
“Which is what I was getting to.” He nudged her playfully, in that big bear brother way she liked so much. “But so far, it’s worked out. Everyone we have here wants to work. They pick it up quickly, they’ll do whatever they’re told.” He looked sideways at Grace. “Although some of them question your orders more than others.”
“When you ask for five sugars in your tea, that has to be questioned,” Grace said.
Dylan laughed. “Amanda now has him down to two sugars. But he’s never going to be sweet enough.”
“Funny,” Jed said. “Listen, the short version is, I thought Dylan was crazy, but I guess he’s had experience and knows how it’s possible to turn your world around. He worked hard, made his money, and now wants to spend it helping others. Me, I’d buy Amanda a mansion somewhere and spend my days roaming the mountains, but Dylan’s chosen to invest it in people. Shifters, specifically. So, I get on with it.”
“And Grace?” Matt asked. “If you don’t mind?”
“Sure,” she said, feeling a little emotional at hearing Jed talk with such admiration for Dylan, not any easy thing for a man who saw Dylan as better than him. Toughen up, you sap, she berated herself. “I was in a dark place. I’d just gotten out of jail, and the chances are, I’d have ended up back in there. But my probation officer, Kyle Harding, had heard about Dylan and what he was doing, and knowing I was a shifter, he sent me here. Dylan found me somewhere to stay and gave me this job.”
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