Max - Three Silverback Bears and a Baby Book One

by Raines, Harmony

  Chapter Eight – Josephine

  “How do you like the town?” Max asked as they ambled toward the park. Milly was dozing off in the stroller and could really do with going down for a nap. If she slept now, she would be awake and on her best behavior for their dinner date with her potential new parents.

  “I like it a lot.” Josephine breathed in the clean mountain air. “So, you’ve lived here all your life.”

  “I have.” Max held out his hands and looked down at himself. “Does it show?”

  “There’s something different about a person when they are in their hometown. I can’t put my finger on it.” She studied him critically. “But there is something.”

  “Really? I suppose I’ve never taken too much notice.” He turned his head and gazed at the distant mountain peaks. “I’ve never wanted to go far. This is my home. Those peaks are my back yard.”

  “Very poetic.” She liked him more than she should considering the short time they’d known each other. But sometimes two people just clicked. Or so she’d heard. But meeting Max was different. There was a connection between them. She wouldn’t call it love at first sight, since she didn’t really believe such an emotion existed. But this was pretty close.

  “I’d like to show them to you one day soon. I’d like us to go up there and just get to know each other.” Max’s expression shone with truth and honesty. She was a lucky woman to have such a straightforward, straight-talking man in her life.

  “There are parts of me you might not like.” Josephine wanted to return his honesty, but this was not the time or the place to spill out her sordid life story.

  Max inhaled deeply. “One thing I’ve learned in my years on the mountain is that people are very complicated beings. We all have baggage, we all have light spots and dark spots, like the clouds skimming across the sun on a summer’s day. We’re not all good. We’re not all bad. We are infallible. But we also can grow and change. We’re never the same from one moment to the next.” Max’s hand rested on Josephine’s as she pushed the stroller. “I see how you are with Milly. I see how you want the best for her and for us. You want to help us become a family. A family I want you to be part of. For me, this is who you are right now. And that’s all that matters.”

  Tears prickled Josephine’s eyes and she blinked them away as they crossed the road and walked down a footpath toward a park where children were playing, their high sweet voices lifting her heart. This was a happy town and she could be happy here. If she let herself. She could not spend her whole life running. She could set down roots here.

  “So, dinner tonight.” Josephine changed the subject. She needed time to think things over and decide exactly what she planned to tell Max. And what she intended to keep hidden from him. However, the more she thought about keeping details of her old life from him, the more she realized she needed to be completely honest with him. Not just because he deserved to know everything about her, everything about what he was getting himself into if he wanted to pursue a relationship with her. But also because she needed to know if he meant what he said.

  In some ways telling Max about her past was like a trial. If he accepted who she was, he would pass the trial. If he freaked out and disowned her, then he would fail. At least they would both know where they stood. He still had the option to walk away. Although from what her best friend told her about shifters, there was no option. If his relationship with Josephine didn’t work out, there was no plan B. He couldn’t simply go and find another mate.

  If it were that simple, he would surely be settled down with a wife and family by now. But he was a bachelor. And Josephine was a spinster.

  “Dinner, yes. Tad is a good cook. He’s handled the meals in the house for years since he’s the only one who is at home for regular hours. I work shifts and if there is an emergency I might have to leave on a rescue mission at any time day or night.” Max opened the gate leading into the park and Josephine pushed a now sleeping Milly into the park.

  “You mean climbers and hikers don’t wait for you to finish your meal before they need rescuing?” Josephine asked, a twinkle of mischievousness in her eye.

  “No, they do not. Nor do they consider if we’ve already gone to bed. Or if we have a hot date.”

  “How inconsiderate.” Josephine kept her face serious as they walked side by side, relaxed in each other’s company.

  “I know. You would think they would only have accidents during set working hours.” He chuckled and his eyes drifted up toward the mountain. “I joke about it, but I enjoy my job. I like making a difference. You must relate to that. Fostering children is a huge undertaking and an incredibly generous thing to do. You give up your life for the children you foster.”

  “I don’t give it up. But I do put my life on hold.” She nudged him gently. “Not that I had a life anyway. I live for my job.”

  “I used to. But not anymore. Things are changing.” He winked at Josephine. “Don’t worry, I don’t mean you are taking me away from the job I love. I mean this little lady.” He gazed down on Milly with a deep profound love in his expression and her heart ached for him. Milly was a lucky little girl to have even one man in her life who would love and care for her like Max would. But she had three. Three big male bear shifters who would protect her from anyone who might cause her harm.

  If only her own parents had been loving and protective, she might not have ended up in such an abusive relationship as the one she shared with Vincent Branston. But if onlys didn’t change the past and they were of no consequence to the future. “I want to be a part of those changes, Max. I really do.”

  “I sense there is a but lurking in there somewhere.” His eyes narrowed as he studied her for a moment. “Anything you tell me, anything you need to share, will stay between us. You are the most important person in the world to me and I will always keep your secrets and fight in your corner.”

  She nodded as she swallowed down the lump of emotion in her throat. “Later. Not now.” She looked up at the clear blue sky and watched a flock of birds race toward the distant mountains. “I need a little more time.”

  “I understand.” They circled around the park in silence and watched the children playing on the swings and climbing up the steps of the slide before racing down with whoops of pure innocent joy. “I can’t wait until Milly is old enough to come here and play.”

  “She’ll grow up so fast, right before your eyes. It’s such an exciting time. Such a special time.” Josephine glanced down at a sleeping Milly. As she slept, her breathing deepened and a small bubble formed on her lips. A surge of love made her heart swell. She longed to watch Milly grow up and blossom into a young girl with no cares in the world. Josephine fought a daily battle against the memories of her own childhood, she fostered children in the hope that she night save others from experiencing the same desperate fate.

  “Shall I walk you home?” Max asked as they completed a circuit of the park and headed back toward the gate where they had entered.

  “I can find my own way.” Josephine caught the expression that flittered across Max’s face. “But I’d like the company.”

  “I like the company, too.” He grinned. “Sorry, that was cheesy. I’m out of practice at this kind of thing. Dating has not been a priority of mine for the last few years.”

  “Me neither.” It would be so easy to open up and tell him about her past, but she wasn’t ready. “What do you like best about Bear Creek?”

  He raised his eyebrows, her sudden change of subject taking him by surprise, but he didn’t steer it back to dating. He was mature enough to realize she had switched directions for a reason, even if she were not subtle about it. “I like the mountain. Obviously. But I also love the people. If ever you are in trouble, someone will have your back. Whether it’s a problem with your car, or an accident on the mountain, or a desperate need for a barn to be raised before a storm comes.”

  “Do you get a lot of storms?” They crossed the street and strolled along the main r
oad through the town, past stores selling groceries, gifts and mountain gear to name a few. The town was thriving despite the downturn she’d seen in other small towns caused by online shopping.

  “Not a lot, but enough. There is nothing like being on the top of the mountain while a storm rages around you. It makes me feel alive.” He inhaled deeply and she could not take her eyes off him. He might be gray at the temples, with salt and pepper flecks in his dark brown hair, but he was full of vitality.

  She smiled, that made him sound like a springer spaniel or some other dog with a wagging tail and a wet nose. “Having Milly in your life will make you feel even more alive. There’s nothing like a child to give you a new lease on life.”

  “I could say the same thing about a mate in my life. Meeting you has made me look at things differently. I’d stopped looking toward the future. My life had become all about today. Not about tomorrow. I want to plan things. Maybe even plan a vacation.” He looked at her sheepishly. “I hate to admit it, but I haven’t left Bear Creek for a couple of years or more.”

  “Why would you when everything you could ever want is here?” She let go of the stroller with one hand and indicated the town and the mountains. “It wouldn’t bother me if we simply lived our lives here and never left.”

  Josephine would happily hide away here in Bear Creek forever. If she never left, the chances of Vincent finding her were almost nonexistent. But that still gave Vincent some influence over her life and she didn’t want him to have any control over her. While he was in jail, she allowed herself to believe she was free of him, but now she realized it was a façade. Now that the façade had crumbled away, the binds were still there. It was as if still had a hold on her, as if his hands were still on her shoulders holding her under the water as she flailed around helplessly trying to escape him.

  “I want more than that for you, Josephine. I want us to see the world together. When Milly is a little older.” His optimism was contagious. If only she could let go and believe in the future he painted. “I want to see mountains and rivers on every continent. I want to watch the sun rise from the highest peaks and the sun set over an endless ocean.”

  “Maybe for now we should just focus on today.” Josephine led him along the road that led to her perfectly nondescript house on her perfectly nondescript road. Hiding in plain view, she liked to call it. “I’m looking forward to dinner. I can’t wait to meet your brothers again and really get to know you all.”

  “Hey, I’m your mate, don’t go giving them too much of your time.” Max slid his arm around her waist as they reached the edge of the driveway leading to her perfectly nondescript front door. Anyone driving past the house wouldn’t take a second look at it. But as Max leaned in and their lips met. Josephine realized there was nothing nondescript about the kiss he grazed across her lips.

  “I’ll see you later.” She placed her hand on his chest to steady herself as their perfect kiss broke. Her heart raced and she felt like a teenager again, caught up in the first blush of love with a new boy. But Max was no boy, he was a man, and this love was not fleeting, it would last forever.

  If she gave it a chance to bloom and grow.

  Chapter Nine – Max

  “She’ll be here,” Tad told Max for the tenth time. “Just relax.”

  “She’s late.” Max looked at his watch for the hundredth time. “Maybe I should go and see if she’s okay.”

  “Don’t you have her cell number?” Jake asked. “Give her a call.”

  “I don’t want to seem desperate.” His words were met by muffled laughter from his brothers. “Wait until you find your mates and then you’ll see what it’s like.”

  “I can’t wait, but I think Jake and I might have lost out to you.” Tad set the plates down on the table and pointed to the fridge. “Grab the wine.”

  Jake opened the fridge and took out the bottle of perfectly chilled wine he’d bought to go with the meal. “Yeah, we’ve waited this long for one of us to get a mate, I doubt we’ll be lucky enough to repeat such an event.”

  “You never know, and I am not willing to give up hope,” Max told them both as a wave of guilt swept over him. He loved his brothers and wanted them to be happy. He wanted them to experience the same happiness he’d found in the hours since he met Josephine and realized who she was.

  “You always did live in hope, while I live in reality.” Jake poured the wine into four glasses as Max lifted his head and listened. Josephine’s car was approaching. He could sense her. It was as if there was a thread connecting them.

  “You’ve had to live in reality,” Max conceded. “If it wasn’t for you and your reality, we would have been split up as children. But now maybe it’s time for you to have a taste of living in a world where you can dream of what ifs and maybes.”

  “What ifs and maybes are not good for business.” Jake inclined his head toward the front door. “Are you going to wait for her to knock?”

  “I might.” But Max was already heading for the door, his nerves jangling at the thought of seeing Josephine again. The time he’d spent with her this afternoon had been amazing, but there was something she wanted to tell him, something about her past, and he needed her to trust him enough to share whatever it was.

  Whatever it is, she’s troubled by it, his bear said.

  Afraid, even, Max added.

  Yes, she is afraid of something or someone from her past and she needs to know we can and will protect her from anything. There is nothing in this world that can hurt her while we are near, his bear said savagely.

  Aside from a dragon. Max reached for the door handle, ready to open it. We don’t stand a chance against a dragon.

  Why would we need to fight a dragon? his bear asked in confusion.

  We won’t. But if we did, we wouldn’t stand a chance.

  His bear huffed and stalked off to lie down in the corner of Max’s mind. With a deep, steadying breath Max waited as Josephine opened the rear passenger door of her car and took Milly’s car seat out. Then he held his breath as she approached.

  “If you don’t breathe, you might pass out,” Tad called from the kitchen.

  “How do you know I’m not breathing?” Max hissed.

  “I’ve learned to listen.” Tad came to the kitchen doorway and looked down the hall. “Just relax. She likes you. You know she’s the one for you. So just go with it. Don’t overthink things.”

  “I don’t overthink things,” Max replied as Josephine knocked on the door, nearly making him jump out of his skin.

  Jake snickered. “Do you want me to answer the door?”

  Max breathed out in a whoosh of air and turned the doorknob, pulled the door open and greeted his mate. “Hi, Josephine. Hello, Milly.” He tickled the gurgling baby under the chin, and she looked up at him and cooed.

  “Does that always happen?” Jake asked as he sauntered down the hallway to meet Josephine with a kiss on the cheek which inflamed Max’s jealousy.

  “The baby voice?” Josephine asked with a grin. “Pretty much. But I think it’s kind of cute.”

  Max raised his eyes and looked at her. “You look beautiful.”

  Josephine blushed, the color creeping across her cheeks as she looked down at her clothes. “Thanks.” She brushed her hand over the crushed velvet dress that clung to her curves in the most delightful way. “I haven’t dressed up for an evening since I don’t know when. Since the age of my usual company is under one year old, they don’t mind if I wear sweats and a T-shirt.”

  “I wouldn’t have minded either.” Max reached out his hand for the baby carrier. “Shall I help you with everything?”

  “Yes, I’ll take the diaper bag,” Jake offered.

  “Thank you.” Josephine relinquished both baby and bag. “Although since I made it to your front door carrying both, I could have made it the last few feet into the kitchen.”

  “We were raised to be gentlemen,” Jake told her as he led the way to the kitchen.

  “I hope you make
sure all of Milly’s potential boyfriends are equally as courteous when she’s older.” Josephine laughed as Jake looked over his shoulder with a horrified expression on his face. “The only person Milly will ever go out with is her mate. Anyone else will be politely but firmly made to leave.”

  “Oh, I sense a teenage rebellion in the making,” Max said as he placed the baby carrier down on the floor. “Okay, how do we get her out of this?”

  “Just unclip the harness here.” Josephine leaned down and he inhaled her scent as her hair drifted past his face in a cloud of apple blossom. “See, easy.”

  “I’ve got it. Next time I won’t need to ask.” Max lifted Milly into his arms.

  “Mmm, it all smells wonderful.” Josephine lifted her head as she inhaled the aroma of the food Tad had prepared.

  “Thanks, come and sit down. Jake is handling the wine.” Tad began dishing up their meal. Roast lamb with potatoes and fresh vegetables he’d picked from the garden this afternoon. “There, sit and eat.” Tad wiped his hands on his apron before undoing it and slipping it over his head.

  “You’ll make someone a great wife,” Jake commented as he placed the wine glasses down on the table.

  “Hey, you are just jealous because you aren’t in touch with your feminine side,” Tad retorted. “I like cooking. At least I would know how to look after my mate.”

  “Jake would know how to look after his mate. He’d just flash his credit card wherever he went and get someone else to do it or him.” Max held up his hands as if to ward Jake off when his older brother glared at him. “I’m joking. We all know how much we owe you.”

  “Jake pulled us all together and didn’t let us give up on each other even when the world seemed against us.” Tad placed the jug of gravy on the table as Josephine retrieved a small jar of baby food from the diaper bag. “How do I warm it?”