Chosen: Gem Creek Bears, Book One

by Snyder, Jennifer

  I blinked. “Us?”

  My gaze dipped to his hands, searching for a ring. There wasn’t one, which meant he wasn’t married. That didn’t mean he wasn’t in a relationship with someone though. Someone who clearly knew how to decorate.

  A smirk pulled at the corners of his mouth as amusement danced in his honey-brown eyes. “Yeah, Gem Creek Campground.”

  “Oh. Right.” My cheeks heated. Of course that was what he’d meant.

  “Did you find us online?” he prompted when I still didn’t answer his question. “Or have you been here before?” Doubt seemed to shift through his eyes at his last question, as though he would have remembered me if I’d been here before.

  Or maybe I’d imagined it. With as tired as I was, it was possible.

  “I haven’t been here before.” I shook my head and shoved my hands deeper into the front pocket on my hoodie. I really needed to get it together. What had I been thinking searching his hand for a ring? I shouldn’t be trying to figure out if he was married or thinking I would have made some lasting impression on him if we’d met once before. I wasn’t looking to get involved with anyone, even if he was single and attractive as hell. “Um, Dottie at Earl’s Diner down the road gave me directions. I asked her if she could recommend a place cheap and close by to stay for the night, and she’d mentioned this place.”

  His face seemed to light up with recognition at the mention of her. “Oh. Dottie is great. She was good friends with my mom and dad,” he said. Something passed over his face, an emotion I couldn’t name, and I wondered if he’d meant to mention his parents. He clicked something on the computer and then began typing.

  I remembered Dottie saying he and his brothers had taken the place over when their parents passed away, and sympathy for people I didn’t know, and their handsome son, rippled through me. I ran a hand through my hair and pulled in a shaky breath. I needed sleep. My mind was dipping to all sorts of crazy places far too quickly.

  “She’s a real sweet lady,” Liam said as he stared at the computer screen.

  “That she is.” I picked up a tiny bottle cap opener that said I love gems and ran my fingertip along its edge. “She bought my meal, actually. I’m glad she did, because I’m low on cash. She also gave me some aspirin for all of this.” I put the bottle cap opener back and gestured to my face.

  There was no sense in acting like he hadn’t noticed my bruises and scratches in the lighting of this place. He was just nice enough not to stare.

  Liam glanced up from the computer to look at me. His gaze was soft, but his jaw was tense. “I was going to ask what happened, but figured it’s not my place.”

  “Long story. Bad night,” I said, sticking with the same excuse I’d given everyone tonight.

  Liam’s brows pinched together as anger flashed through his eyes, brightening their color. There was something strange about them. They were different, but in a way that went beyond their sudden brightness. They didn’t look like they belonged to him.

  Goose bumps prickled across my skin.

  I wasn’t afraid, but I wondered if maybe I should be. I didn’t know him. Yet, here I was, standing in a shack in the middle of nowhere at night with him. Fear would have been a valid reaction to the strange way his eye color seemed to change. Instead, I felt intrigued.

  “He won’t find you here. Not tonight. And if he knows what’s good for him, not ever.” Liam’s words were harsh. Intense. Firm. They made him seem overly protective of me even though we’d only met two seconds ago, but I found that I didn’t mind.

  I knew I shouldn’t feel that way, that I shouldn’t be so trusting. Trusting too soon was what had gotten me shoved into a trunk on my way to be bled to begin with.

  I arched a brow, stealing myself when I realized something I’d almost ignored. “How did you know it was a guy that did this to me and not a car accident or something stupid?”

  All intensity washed out of Liam’s face. His features softened. His eyes returned to their normal color. And he licked his lips. “Wild guess.” He averted his gaze back to the computer. “All right, it looks like we have lot number thirteen available. Ruby is our smallest RV, which makes her our cheapest. Since we recently moved her to an undesirable lot due to one of the newer RVs we brought in, she’s currently discounted. How long would you like to book her for?”

  “Um, I’m not sure. I haven’t given much thought to that yet,” I admitted as I tucked a few stray strands of hair that had fallen from my bun behind my ear. “How much is she for a week?”

  Was that too long of a timeframe to stay here? I wasn’t sure. My teeth sank into my bottom lip. A week would give me a chance to figure out what my next move should be. I’d be able to decide where I wanted to go and hopefully have enough time to heal my nasty bruises so I could pound the pavement looking for a job without looking like I brought drama wherever I went.

  A week seemed perfect.

  “Like I said, she’s parked in an undesirable lot right now. She’s also our smallest and oldest RV. Twenty-two per week. Does that sound reasonable?”

  My eyes widened. Heck, at that price I could stay all summer.

  “Sure. Yeah. That seems doable,” I said, shooting for a nonchalant tone but knowing from the smirk twisting Liam’s lips I’d failed miserably.

  “Okay. Good. I need some basic info from you, and then I’ll take you to her so you can get settled in.” He clicked around on the computer again. “Name. Age. Current physical address. And then I’ll need a debit or credit card for security purposes. Nothing will be charged to it. You’re welcome to pay for your week in cash, having a card on file is just a way to cover my ass. It’s something I learned the hard way and would rather not have my brothers rag me about again. We’re still figuring things out around here.”

  “Dottie mentioned your parents passed. I’m sorry for your loss.” I opened my wallet and reached inside for my debit card. My awkward comment seemed to suck the air from the room as I handed him my card. “What else did you say you needed?”

  “Thanks,” Liam said as he took the card from me. I fought the urge to ask how they’d passed. Talking about how someone you cared about passed never seemed like something a person would want to do. After all, the how didn’t matter. They were gone. Talking about it wouldn’t bring them back. “Your name is on your card so really all I need is a physical address. Your ID would be perfect, since I’ll need to make a copy, anyway.”

  I pulled it from my wallet and held it out to him. His thumb brushed against mine as he took it, and I swore an electrical jolt rushed through me from the area of contact. I glanced up at him. Something in his expression let me know I hadn’t imagined the sensation. Whatever it was, Liam had felt it too.

  “Thanks, Tris,” he said, seeming to shove whatever had happened to the side and discredit it without issue. “Let me enter your information into our system, and then I’ll take you to Ruby.”

  I nodded and then shifted my attention to the display rack filled with postcards next to me. A flowing creek. A pond. Mountains in the winter with the trees covered in snow. An aerial shot of Gem Creek Campground. It looked big. I glanced at the next postcard, and my breath hitched.

  It was an image of mountains during fall with the shadow of a bear cast over them.

  Something about it called to me. I plucked the postcard from the stand and stared, mesmerized. The shadow was large. If I had to guess I’d say it spanned a few miles. The bear’s mouth was open and its back was hunched forward as though it were in the process of letting out a ferocious roar.

  “What’s this?” I asked, flipping the postcard so Liam could see what I was talking about. “Or rather, where is this?”

  Liam’s eyes narrowed. Not on the postcard, but on me. I couldn’t read his expression. “That’s the Shadow of the Bear,” he said. “I wish there was a cooler name for it, but there isn’t.”

  “So, it’s real?”

  “Why wouldn’t it be?” A grin pricked at the corners of his
lips.

  I shrugged. “People photoshop lots of things these days.”

  “It’s definitely not photoshopped.” He chuckled. “It’s an actual shadow that falls over town. It can be seen most of the year. When winter hits, it goes into hibernation mode though.” I could hear the amusement in his tone, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of what he’d said or because I’d shifted my attention back to the postcard and resumed staring as he spoke, mesmerized.

  “Is there a story to it?” I asked, still intrigued.

  “Yeah. Legends say he protects this land. This campground if I’m being specific.”

  “From what?” A strange sense of deja vu prickled through me when I lifted my gaze from the postcard to look at him again.

  My friend, Penny, always said the sensation of deja vu meant you were on the right path. That you were right where you’re supposed to be.

  I’d never believed her. Until now.

  There was something about Liam, about this place, about the Shadow of the Bear—that all felt right. Like this was where I was supposed to be. It was a strangely beautiful feeling.

  “Bad luck. Devastation. Sickness.” Liam looked as though his last words had left a sour taste in his mouth.

  “You don’t believe the legend?” I asked, watching his reaction closely. I wasn’t sure why it mattered, but it did.

  He sighed. “I used to.”

  “But you don’t anymore?”

  His eyes sought mine. I waited for him to ask why I cared so much, not knowing what my answer would be, but he didn’t ask. Instead, he said, “No,” with no elaboration and more force than was necessary.

  “Why?” My heart pounded as the word slipped free. I needed to stop talking, to stop asking him questions, but I couldn’t.

  Liam leaned his elbows against the countertop he sat behind, his eyes never wavering from mine. “Because the legend failed me when my parents died.”

  All the air rushed from my lungs at his honesty. His eyes became cold. I opened my mouth to ask one more thing, but a low growl floated to my ears.

  Was it coming from him?

  My head tipped to the side as I stared at him. The same eerie brightness I’d noticed before made its way through his eyes again. I exhaled the breath I hadn’t been aware I’d been holding and placed the postcard back on the display rack. He moved to make copies of my cards and when our eyes met again the brightness was gone. His eyes were back to normal.

  Had I imagined their change in color? What about that growl? I had been up for nearly twenty-four hours. It was possible.

  Chapter Four

  I started my Jeep and then followed Liam on his golf cart from the office through the campground, heading toward lot number thirteen. It was too dark to see much of the campground, but it didn’t keep me from trying. I noticed lots of bushes and trees. Woods seemed to line the edges of the campground, which was to be expected. People came to the woods to camp. There was a pond that seemed decent size, and I wondered if it was the one on the postcard. We passed a large concrete building with a sign that said bathhouse on it, and I groaned even though it was brightly lit and seemed easily accessible. It still creeped me out knowing I’d have to use the restroom and shower in a public place while here. Hopefully, the building was clean and all the locks worked.

  If not, I’d definitely be filing a complaint. Hot owner or not.

  I continued to follow Liam on his golf cart through the campground. We passed eight lots before finally coming to lot number thirteen. It was marked by a stake in the ground and a wooden plaque with the numbers etched into it.

  My headlights illuminated the tiny thing as I pulled into the small gravel parking space in front of it. It was cute. The bottom half was red while the top was white. The entire RV was slightly oval. There were a few windows and a narrow door. Also, there seemed to be little wings attached to the body.

  Excitement pumped through me.

  I climbed out of my Jeep and headed to where Liam stood. He walked up the three wooden steps that led to the narrow door of the place and inserted the key. I left my stuff in my Jeep, opting to check the place out first. I’d never had my own place before. Sometimes my mom would leave for a week or two to stay with whoever her current boyfriend was at the time and I’d have the trailer to myself, but this felt different. Way different.

  “The key sticks sometimes. You have to wiggle it a little. It’s an old RV. Built in 1959 to be exact,” Liam said as he wiggled the key in the lock. It finally gave, and he swung the narrow door open. “If you have any problems with the lock, just let me or one of my brothers know and we’ll get it for you.”

  “Thanks. Can I go inside?” I was dying to explore the place.

  Liam chuckled at my enthusiasm. “Yeah. Sure. You did rent it, after all.” His tone was sarcastic. It had me fighting against the urge to flip him off.

  I stepped inside and was immediately in love. “This place is amazing.”

  Liam flipped on a light switch by the door, illuminating the tiny RV in light, and I fell even more in love with it. My expectations had been low, considering it was the oldest RV in the campground and so cheap, but I clearly should have aimed higher because this place was fantastic.

  There was a cool retro feel that I enjoyed. The kitchen was small and centered in the RV. The size didn’t matter, because I knew it would rarely be used while I was here. I’d never been much of a cook and I wasn’t about to be one this week. However, the robin egg blue countertops and light colored cabinets were cute enough to tempt me to learn. To the right of the kitchen was a booth with gray leather seats and a table the same shade as the countertops in the kitchen. In fact, robin egg blue seemed to be the main color scheme of the interior.

  “It still needs a little work, but it’s in good shape for the most part,” Liam said as he stepped inside. “The appliances work.” He opened a cabinet near the sink and revealed a mini fridge. “This is new. We added it about a month ago. There’s no carpet or linoleum right now, just plywood, but we hope to have something installed in a few weeks.”

  I glanced at the floors, making a mental note to wear flip-flops while inside so I wouldn’t get a splinter. “I like the color scheme in here. The light wood and robin egg blue go well together.”

  Again, I felt as though someone else had done all the decorating. I could be wrong, though.

  “Thanks. My mom was the decorator. She always had a talent for that sort of thing.”

  I flashed him a smile, as a sense of relief shifted through me from learning his mom had been the female touch, and then scolded myself mentally before moving to inspect the brown stove straight from the fifties.

  “The stove works. Well, all except for the back right burner.” Liam stepped closer. His woodsy lemon scent filled my nose as he pointed to the burner he’d mentioned. “That’s why the kettle is there. As a reminder of sorts.” He scratched his head. “I know it seems deceiving to put something you’d use a stove for there, but it’s helped remind others in the past not to use that burner.”

  I tried to calm the racing of my heart and to make my expression neutral, but his sudden nearness flustered me. “Back right burner doesn’t work. Got it,” I said with a smile when he glanced at me.

  His pupils dilated as he held my stare for too long before glancing away and taking a step back. “Okay. So, if you don’t have questions for me, I’ll get out of your hair and let you settle in. I’m sure you could use some sleep after the night you’ve had.” His eyes fell to my cheek, and I swore anger pulsed through their color.

  I shifted so my cheek was hidden from him. “I think I’m good. Thanks.”

  “Cool. Here’s the key. After you get some rest, feel free to explore the campground. This place has a lot to offer—a fishing pond, a pool, a general store that sells ice cream by the scoop and has a few other conveniences as well, and of course gem mining. There’s also a creek that runs close to the entrance of the campground and a couple of hikes.”


  “Awesome. I’ll definitely check things out later.” I took the key from him, being careful not to touch him so I didn’t feel that same crazy zing of electricity as last time.

  Liam started for the door and then paused. “Remember the bathhouse is near the office. The distance between here and there is what makes this lot so undesirable in case you hadn’t figured that out on your own. We plan on moving this RV closer to the bathhouse once we clear a space for it.”

  “Yeah, I took note of that as we passed it,” I said, tucking a few stray hairs behind my ear.

  Liam nodded. “Okay, then. I’ll see you later.”

  He closed the door behind him as he started down the steps and I exhaled a long breath while I smoothed my hands over my face. I winced when I brushed against my bruised cheek. Although the aspirin Dottie had given me at the diner had helped some, I knew I’d have to get some from somewhere tomorrow. Maybe the general store Liam mentioned would have some.

  First, I needed to settle in and get some sleep though.

  I placed my hands on my hips and glanced around, soaking in my new space. It really was super cute. I moved to the kitchen and opened the cabinets and drawers, seeing what was inside. There wasn’t much, but there were a few dishes, some pots and pans, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher—which if I planned on cooking would no doubt come in handy—a few condiments, some packs of oatmeal, and a variety box of herbal tea. I wasn’t usually a tea drinker, but after the night I’d had, I figured a cup of chamomile tea might be a good idea.

  After filling the teakettle with tap water, I placed it on a front burner and then headed to my Jeep for my stuff. I glanced around the section of RVs I was in. No one had any lights on, which was a given at this time of night. I opened the trunk of my Jeep and gathered my stuff. As I did so, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

  Someone was watching me again.