by Rayne Reilly
Contents
Copyright
Books By Author
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Copyright © 2017 Rayne Reilly
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations and articles. This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
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Don’t miss the latest books in Rayne’s Shifter Series
NEW Beringer Brothers
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Other books by Rayne Reilly
The following books are best read in the order listed
Shifter Series Novella’s
Pleasantville
Bear Boss’s Mate Volume 1
Werebear’s Mate Volume 2
Purrfect Mate Volume 3
Vampire’s and Shifter’s
Forbidden Mates -Part One
Forbidden Mates - Part Two
Complete Box Sets Available
Pleasantville Series includes Bear Boss’s Mate, Werebears Mate and Purrfect Mate
Forbidden Mates Set includes Forbidden Mates and Exiled.
CHAPTER ONE
She hadn’t expected to see her mother’s handwriting; certainly not on today of all days. Clutching the envelope tightly, Acacia stared at the heartbreakingly familiar handwriting. Unable to take her eyes off it, she moved slowly toward the living room.
Her chest grew tight with emotion. Tentatively, she stuck a trembling finger inside the flap of the envelope and tore along the top. She pulled out the neatly folded, cream-colored stationary and opened it. The words on the page were written as neatly as possible, given her mother’s medicated state at the end.
When did she write this? Acacia's eyes filled with tears and a huge immovable lump caught in her throat.
“My Dear Sweet Acacia, I’ve left instructions for a friend to drop off this letter on the first anniversary of my passing. I want you to know that I appreciate the time you gave up to be with me and I am sorry that I won’t be there to watch your life unfold in the future. Please promise me that you will not linger in your grief for me. I want you to have the life you deserve. Don’t spend this day in sadness about my not being there. Instead know that I am watching you from spirit and helping you in whatever way I can from where I am. I love you, my sweet girl. Always, Mom.”
Acacia let out a heavy sob and sank down on the sofa. Holding the letter in both hands she allowed hot tears to trickle down her cheeks. Her watery eyes blurred the words on the page but she refused to set it down. Her heart ached at the memory of losing her beloved mother and the changes that the loss had created in her life.
Was it really a year ago today since her mother had died? It doesn’t seem possible.
So far she was managing just fine in spite of having no other family members. Or at least, none that her mother had ever mentioned. It had always been just the two of them for as long as she could remember. Acacia’s father had left the family shortly after getting her mother pregnant.
“I miss you so much, Mom!” she said aloud, gazing heavenward, her eyes still moist with tears. The room’s silent response only compounded the gnawing emptiness that never left her.
Acacia’s memories of her mother's final weeks were painful and something she had tried to push aside, preferring instead to remember the strong, brave woman who singlehandedly raised her and saved every dime she could so that Acacia could attend university.
Unfortunately finishing university was now a distant memory since there was no money left to pay for her final years there. Leaving school to look after her mother had been the best decision at the time. She didn’t regret doing it. She just wished her mother had never gotten sick in the first place.
After several minutes, she placed the letter on a table next to her and wiped her eyes. Pushing herself up off the couch, she went to shower and get ready for work.
Acacia stood in front of the bathroom mirror and sighed at the thoughts of having to pretend everything was fine while she waited on customers. Working at a fine dining Italian restaurant was certainly not something she had ever intended to be doing in the long term. However, it was the only thing she had been able to find when she returned to Seattle after her mother died. If it weren’t for the fact that she also worked with her best friend, Kellie, she wasn’t sure she would have managed to stay there as long as she had.
She hoped that the private charity event she was working that evening would be the distraction she so desperately needed.
At least Kellie will be there.
She had met her best friend nearly five years ago when Acacia first moved to Seattle to attend university. It seemed a natural place for Acacia to buy a house after her mother died. She sold the house she’d grown up in and used the proceeds of that to buy herself a small townhouse.
Kellie had helped her get the job at the upscale Italian restaurant called Angelo’s. Her friend still lived at home with her father, a police officer who was divorced from her absent mother. Acadia admired Kellie’s aspiration to be a singer and after hearing her vocals, she believed that her friend had more than enough talent to make it.
Meanwhile, both women were stuck in jobs that they didn’t want but needed.
Acacia pursed her lips as she fussed with her long dark hair, twisting it into an up-do that made her already young-looking full face look even younger. She felt older than twenty-six, much older.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she frowned at her bloodshot eyes and hoped that any signs of crying would be gone by the time she arrived at work.
Feeling distracted and a little sad, she went back to her mother's open letter on the table and picked it up. Carefully, she folded it and placed it in the envelope once more and tucked it next to the framed photo of her mother that sat at the other side of the room on a large bookcase.
She stood for several minutes gazing at the photograph. She had taken it several years earlier, well before her mother had become sick. Acacia had gone home from university for Thanksgiving weekend to find that her mother was happily preparing an amazing turkey dinner for Acacia and some friends. It was the last Thanksgiving dinner her mother ever cooked.
She looked positively radiant in the photograph and Acacia couldn’t help but smile every time she saw it. Loo
king at it now gave her a pang of grief that she hoped would eventually be less painful. Her eyes brimming with tears, she took a deep breath. It was time to stuff down the emotion and put on her game face. She had to go to work.
***
Kellie hugged Acacia when she saw her arrive for work. Her warm smile was contagious and Acacia was grateful for it. It was just what she needed if she was going to work her shift without breaking down. She was feeling more tense than usual and knew that Kellie would pick up on that pretty quickly.
Kellie stepped back from Acacia and folded her arms. If she noticed Acacia’s sadness she pretended not to see it.
“Are you looking forward to working the charity dinner tonight?” Kellie asked. Her large green eyes were wider than usual.
“No more than I usually look forward to work. Why? Should I be?” Acacia said with her hands on her hips.
“Heck, yes! Don’t you know who’s hosting it?” Kellie asked with an excited grin on her face.
Acacia shook her head and shrugged.
“Grant Beringer…the hottest billionaire bachelor in Seattle!” gushed her friend.
Acacia tried to recall if she had heard his name before but nothing registered. “I’m not sure I know who he is,” she said.
Kellie gave a mock frown and dropped her arms to her side. “Oh…Acacia…seriously? Everyone in Seattle knows about Beringer Industries…owned by Forrest Beringer and run by his eldest son? Grant?” Kellie emphasized Grant’s name as though that would help her to know who he was.
Acacia let out a small chuckle.“Sorry. I don’t follow business or the news. I prefer to spend my time outside doing fun things. I’m sure he’s a great guy. Maybe you will meet him tonight and he will fall madly in love with you. Then you can both live happily ever after,” Acacia ribbed her friend.
Kellie grinned and slapped Acacia’s arm playfully. “Don’t tease. If this was any other day, you would be gushing over the fun of meeting a sexy new guy, too, and you know it!” Kellie said in a soft voice, her smile never left her face.
“Maybe I would if I thought I had a chance at dating the guy. But this Grant Beringer is not very likely to notice a server at his charity event…least of all a plus-size one like I am. Though he may take a second look at you!” Acacia muttered and eyed Kellie with envy.
Kellie’s hair was much lighter than hers. With her heart-shaped face and pouty-lips, she had a look that most men couldn’t ignore. Kellie seemed oblivious to her beauty and Acacia liked that she was such a down-to-earth friend.
“I appreciate you trying to keep my spirits up tonight…I really do,” she offered. “It’s been a tough day and after this morning I feel a little more emotional than usual.”
“What happened this morning?” Kellie asked in a low voice, moving closer.
Acacia filled her in about the letter as the women began to prepare for their shift. The first guests would begin arriving shortly and the dining room and auction area were still being set up.
Acacia wondered how old Grant Beringer was and just how handsome he could be to garner the attention of Kellie. Kellie preferred men close to her age of twenty-six. While Acacia liked slightly older men than herself. She doubted Grant was that young. Still, a hot distraction is better than a dining room filled with happy couples or horny old men.
CHAPTER TWO
Grant Beringer didn’t enjoy attending charity events as much as he enjoyed sponsoring them. He found that many of the people that attended were shallow and materialistic. Most were only there in hopes of making profitable business contacts more than helping the poor and homeless.
It was nights like this when Grant wished he had his mate at his side. Being a single, wealthy businessman made him a prime target for people of all kinds and he didn’t like that his charity might receive less attention because of the media’s need to announce his relationship availability.
At age thirty-three, Grant was certainly ready to meet his mate and settle down to raise a family. Aside from not having found her yet, the only issue stopping him was that he was a bear shifter and his father wanted this fact to remain a secret. This was the one stipulation from his father that he had the hardest time understanding. His father had ordered him not to tell the public that he and the rest of the family were bear shifters.
This left Grant in the precarious position of dating and sleeping with women without ever revealing his secret. So far, he hadn’t met anyone with whom he wanted to share his secret or his future; however, part of him worried about what he would do if the time ever came that he did meet the right person.
The recent memory of a frustrating conversation with his father popped into his mind. The elder Beringer had sat him down to discuss the idea of an arranged marriage with a bear shifter female from back east. Grant pursed his lips at the memory of the conversation between him and his father.
“Son, this would be a good match for you. She comes from a successful family and is of good stock. You would have plenty of offspring,” his father coaxed.
“I won’t marry someone that I don’t love,” insisted Grant. “You and mother loved one another when you got together. Why is it you don’t want me to find my mate?”
“I told you before, there’s no such thing as fated mates. Your mother and I were just lucky when we met. I’ve already spoken to this woman's father and he agrees that it will be a good match. She is a beta female and will serve you well as a wife. Best of all, it will be easier to hide our true origins by joining with a bear shifter rather than a human,” Forrest Beringer commanded.
Grant folded his arms across his chest and inhaled deeply. A low growl erupted from his chest. Pretty much everything Grant ever did was on the advice of his father. He was tired of the expectations that were constantly put on him.
“I will not marry a stranger,” he said defiantly. “I told you before that I would rather be alone than be with someone I do not love. I won’t give my life to someone simply because she is a bear shifter.” Grant’s lips were a thin line.
Forrest Beringer, the patriarch of Beringer industries, was every bit a bear shifter as was his wife and Grant’s mother. He was a large, intimidating man who demanded things be done his way. Each of his sons had his own set of issues with him.
In spite of Forrest’s behavior toward his children, his staff loved him and remained loyal to him. That loyalty had transferred to Grant when he began working with the company and he enjoyed his job for the most part. Lately, his father had been on a mission to marry Grant off so that the legacy he had created could be passed on to the next generation.
All Grant wanted was to find his mate. 'He might not believe in fated mates, but I do,' Grant told himself as he got ready for the event that evening. His parents would just have to accept his choice, if and when the time came. For now, he was resigned to spending another evening smiling and shaking hands at the event that he helped organize.
Dressed in a tuxedo, he ran a hand through his short brown hair, frowning at the night ahead of him. He wanted to raise money to help his charity and that would be what he would focus on. It was very important to him to help those who were not as fortunate as he was. If he could help improve life for others he would.
Grant preferred to do as much for himself as possible and that included driving himself to and from events like this. He grabbed his keys and headed off to Angelo’s restaurant for the evening.
***
The venue for the charity auction dinner was just large enough for Grant’s expected guest list of one hundred people. The restaurant had been decorated just the way he had been promised. Large signs indicated the items for auction that evening.
Grant planted a smile on his face as he approached the doors of the restaurant and opened them to step inside. Several well-dressed women turned to look him over while grinning from ear to ear. He nodded politely and walked in the opposite direction from where they were standing. He looked for the gentleman who was to assist him with the event’s aucti
on portion.
Mary Walsh was at most events that he attended and she was at this one, too. She was closer to fifty than forty and was trying hard to look thirty-five, dressed in a low-cut short dress that was clearly meant for someone twenty-five years younger. Grant smiled politely as she put her hand out toward him. Mary was married to an elderly local millionaire but was always flirting with much younger men. Grant had witnessed her behavior at one too many events and preferred to avoid contact with her.
“Grant. Nice to see you again. It’s been too long. How are you?” she asked as she gazed up at him lustfully.
“Hello, Mary,” he replied politely. “Thank you for coming out this evening. I hope you will enjoy the auction,” he smiled and continued to brush past her as if looking for someone.
As he walked away, he looked around the restaurant assessing everything. The serving staff were bringing drinks and appetizers around to his guests and he could see that the dining area and buffet table were set up perfectly. On the far side of the room, the items for the auction were being set out for people to see. The auctioneer, William was bent over some of the items. Grant moved toward him to let him know he was there when he heard a raised voice on the other side of the room.
“You stupid woman! What’s wrong with you? This is a six-thousand-dollar dress! Do you know what you’ve done?” the woman scolded.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to bump into you! I wasn’t expecting you to back up! I’m sorry!” responded another female voice tearfully.
Grant turned to look over his shoulder to see Mary Walsh wiping at a wet spot on her dress where, presumably, the waitress had spilled a drink on her.
Rushing to the scene, he arrived to find that the server had her back to him, her head tilted slightly as she tried to reason with the woman who was being so rude.