“We don’t have a house,” the girl said.
“Where do you live then? A bungalow? A barn?” Michael asked, noting the way the boy’s eyes watched what was going on around them.
“In someone else’s house.” The girl smiled, her blue eyes lighting up. “We’re foster kids.”
“Jenny,” the boy hissed. “You shouldn’t talk to strangers.”
“Your brother’s right. But I’m not a stranger.” Michael gave them both a winning smile. “I’m just strange.” He placed his hat, peacock feathers and all, on top of his head and pulled a crazy face.
Jenny giggled, but the boy, who he presumed was an overprotective brother, scowled. “You’re funny.”
“I’ve been called that more than once.” Michael stood up. “Who wants to try?”
“Jason, why don’t you try?” Jenny asked, linking arms with her brother and pushing him forward.
“I don’t want to make a stupid spindle,” Jason answered, but he didn’t pull away, and his eyes lingered on the woodturning machine.
“What do you want to make?” Michael asked.
“A sword.” Jason raised his chin, expecting to be told no. He was pushing his boundaries, reminding Michael of another boy who used to push to see where the line was and if he could cross it. Michael’s mom used to despair, constantly worrying that her son would never get through life without a stint in juvie, or worse.
“Sure, we can try to make a sword. But you’ve already got one.” Michael pointed to the sword by Jason’s side.
“It’s not mine, my foster dad borrowed it for me. I have to give it back later.” Jason’s hand dropped to his side.
“Well, a good squire needs a sword. Come up here, let’s see if we can find a piece of wood for you.” Michael left his seat and went to rummage for a thinner piece of wood. Behind him, Jason climbed up on the seat, and tried to reach the pedal.
“I can’t do it.” His frustration obvious, Jason half slid off the seat, managing to put his toe on the pedal, but he was unsteady, there was no way he could work the machine like that.
“I’ll do that part,” Jenny offered, ducking under her brother and putting her foot on the pedal.
“Hey, guys, what are you up to?” Dean called as he approached.
“Nothing.” Jason instantly slid off the chair and slunk away.
“We’re about to make a sword,” Michael told Dean.
“Sounds exciting.” Dean was a bear shifter, who Michael often ran with through the forests and mountains. Suddenly it all clicked into place. Dean had been absent for a couple of weeks because he and his wife, Elizabeth, had taken on a couple of foster kids. The first time since they’d had a child of their own.
“You didn’t tell me Dean was your foster dad,” Michael said to Jenny and Jason, who now stood some distance away, looking disinterested.
“Sorry,” Jenny replied.
“You don’t have to be sorry.” Michael looked across to Dean, who was frowning as he studied Jason.
“Why don’t you show me how to make this sword?” Dean approached Jason, who shied away.
“I don’t know how,” Jason said sullenly.
“We hadn’t gotten that far,” Michael admitted. “But I have found the perfect thing.” He held up the long, thin piece of wood that just needed shaping. They could add some decoration to the pommel and the hilt and make it really special.
“I don’t want to make a stupid sword.” Jason kicked the ground with his foot. “Come on, Jenny, let’s go do something fun.”
“This is fun,” Jenny replied, her foot still on the pedal. “Look, if I do this, it spins.”
“It’s stupid,” Jason told his sister. “And it will take too long.”
“Have you got anywhere else you need to be?” Dean hunkered down beside his foster child. “We’re here for the afternoon, Elizabeth is helping make miniature gardens.”
“That’s stupid, too.” Jason hunched his shoulders.
“It’s so not stupid.” Jenny went to her brother. “I made one, and the fairies are going to visit.”
“There’s no such thing as fairies,” Jason told her bluntly.
“What about the tooth fairy?” Jenny peeled back her upper lip and showed her brother a gap in her gums. “She took my tooth from under my pillow, didn’t she?” Jenny opened her hand to show a coin. “We’re going to buy ice cream with it, remember?”
“There is no tooth fairy.” Jason rounded on his sister. “You need to grow up.”
Jenny’s bottom lip trembled. “Just because you don’t believe, you don’t have to be mean.”
Jason opened his mouth to answer, but Dean stepped in and said, “Are you sure you don’t want to make a sword with Michael?”
“Positive. It’s dumb.” Jason’s shoulders were nearly up by his ears, and Jenny put her hand on her brother’s arm as if to comfort him. Michael couldn’t figure out who was the stronger of the two children, Jason the protector, or Jenny the comforter. He also wanted to know their history, but with other people gathering around, this wasn’t the time to ask.
“Why don’t we go and pet the alpacas?” Jenny asked gently. “Or are they stupid, too?”
Jason shrugged. “I’ve never met one.”
“Then let’s go and look at them. Elizabeth said their wool is really soft.” Jenny threaded her hand into her brother’s.
“If you want to come back later and have a turn, I’ll be here,” Michael said. “Or you could come by my workshop after school. If it’s all right with you, Dean?”
“We won’t be here that long,” Jason said sharply, casting a withering look at Dean before stalking off with Jenny toward the alpacas.
“He’s got the biggest chip on his shoulder I’ve ever seen,” Dean confided as he watched the two children.
“What happened to them?” Michael wanted to help the two children, especially Jason. No child should be so down on life, not when it offered such amazing opportunities.
“Mother died, dad went a little crazy.” Dean pressed his lips together and shrugged, leaving his feelings unsaid. “They had to fend for themselves while their dad went off into the mountains.”
“A shifter.” Michael sat back down on his chair and began working the wooden spindle. “That has to be tough, losing a mate.”
“It does. But leaving your kids, too? Jason got caught stealing a box of cereal to feed his sister.” Dean shook his head. “You can see why he’s so sure there’s no magic in the world.”
“What did he mean about not being here for long?” Michael asked, finding the rhythm of the wood turning therapeutic.
“They’ve been shipped from foster home to foster home. Jason pushed the boundaries. When Fiona heard about them through the social services grapevine, she asked if Elizabeth and I would take them on.” Dean dragged a hand through his hair. “With a young child of our own, it’s not easy. But we’re doing our best. However, just knowing that we’re only fostering them makes Jason unable to trust us. He is convinced we’ll throw them out and keeps pushing to see when we’ll break.”
Michael looked across to where Jason had his arms wrapped around his sister’s waist, so he could lift her up to stroke the alpacas. “The kid has a good heart.”
“He does.” Dean stepped closer. “You know, a man like you could raise two kids.”
“Kids need a mom,” Michael replied wistfully. What he wouldn’t give to have a family of his own. His lottery win might make him a lucky bear, but he sure would trade it all for a mate and a couple of cubs.
“I’ve raised plenty alone,” Dean told him. “Kids need stability and someone who understands them. And love. That’s the most important thing in this world or the next.”
“I can’t argue with you there, Dean.” Michael picked up a chisel and angled it against the wood. Sawdust and small coils of wood fell to the ground, as a groove appeared on the spindle. Michael slowly drew the chisel along the spindle, shaping it to match the others he’d already t
urned.
“And you must have the patience for kids if you can sit and turn wood all day,” Dean pointed out, not willing to let the subject go just yet.
“You forget one thing,” Michael answered. “I was a child once.” He looked across to where Jason and Jenny were picking handfuls of grass to feed one alpaca who found the children particularly interesting. “I don’t know how my mother controlled me.”
“But she did,” Dean told him, sensing victory. “Which means you have all the knowledge you need to help Jason. And Jenny is the sweetest girl. She’s kind and gentle. The softness to her brother’s hardness. I’ve never seen two kids complement each other so well. And I’ve certainly never seen two siblings who care for each other so much. They’re friends.”
“My sister and I were the same. Although, my mom often described us as partners in crime.” Michael sighed. “The scrapes we got into.”
“Where is she now?” Dean asked.
“Lives a few hundred miles away. She met her mate and settled down. Raised a family, while I raised trees.” Michael looked past Dean. “Looks as if I am about to get busy. You watch over those two kids, Dean.”
“I’m going to keep bugging you about adopting them. I know a good partnership when I see one.”
“If only I had a woman like your Elizabeth, I might consider it.” Michael swallowed the lump of emotion welling up in his throat. All this talk of family just dredged up feelings he’d buried long ago. He and his bear had grown used to the solitude. It had become a habit. One he was unlikely to break anytime soon.
Chapter Three – Ruth
“There.” Ruth turned her easel around and rested it on her knee, while the young couple in front of her giggled at the caricature she’d just sketched out.
“My nose is not that big!” insisted the young man.
“Are you sure?” his girlfriend asked. At least, Ruth assumed they were boyfriend and girlfriend, since they clung to each other like glue. She longed to ask them if they were mates. There was something about that kind of true love that fascinated her, even though it could spawn terrible heartache.
The young man touched his nose. “Yes.”
She giggled even harder. “Look at my eyes. You can almost see my bear popping out.”
Definitely shifters, Ruth mused. “They’re meant to be fun, to exaggerate what is already there.”
The girl leaned forward and whispered, “Can you see my bear?”
“No,” Ruth admitted. “But there is something predatory in your eyes. Maybe it’s brought on by the nearness of your mate?”
“Could be.” She took a closer look. “Thank you.” Patting her boyfriend’s chest, she said, “Come on, pay up. You said you would buy one for me if I liked it.”
“Here.” The boyfriend handed over his money.
“Thanks. All for a good cause,” Ruth said as she rolled up the drawing and put an elastic band around it. “Tell your friends.”
“We will.” They walked off, hand in hand. Ruth stood up and stretched, while watching the two lovers as they wandered around the other exhibits.
“I’m going to take a break,” Ruth told Dani, who had almost sold all of her cakes. “My hand is cramping up from drawing so many caricatures.”
“If you see Jamie and the kids, tell him I’m nearly done,” Dani said. “He can help me clean up.” She put her hands on her hips and looked around the room. “The Renaissance Faire is a hit.”
“It sure is.” Ruth wiped her hands on a cloth. “This should be a yearly event.”
“It should.” Dani’s attention was drawn to a couple of children who Ruth recognized from school. They were siblings, the youngest, a girl, was in Ruth’s class. They were new in town, too, fostered by a local family, after being involved in a case of neglect. “Hi, Jason. Hey there, Jenny. Do you want to decorate a cake?”
“I didn’t think they had sprinkles in medieval times,” Jason was saying.
“Shh, don’t rat me out,” Dani said, placing two cakes down in front of the children. “You can put on whatever you want.”
While Dani spoke to the children, Ruth made her escape, slipping out the door and breathing in the fresh mountain air. There was something to be said for living in a small town next to wide open spaces and forests. She inhaled again, letting the air refresh her. Being inside and concentrating on each of the drawings had left her mentally tired, but fresh air would soon bring her back to life.
Ruth circled the assortment of stalls and workshops. Learning something new always excited her, it was one of the reasons she became a teacher. Bringing up four kids, when you were still a kid yourself, might have been tough, but it had given her a window in on their lives. She’d watched the way they learned. In return, Ruth never outgrew the eyes of her inner child, and experienced the same kind of excitement as they did as the five of them explored the world, through museums and books, music and theater. This joy of learning spurred Ruth on in her pursuit of teaching as a career.
“Hello.” A man’s voice attracted her attention, it was loud, almost feverish with excitement. How could she ignore it?
Thinking she was about to come face to face with a freaky guy who shouted hello to all the women who passed by, she turned around. “Hi.”
The sun was bright, compared to the inside of the building, and the rays blinded her as she turned to face the owner of the voice. Raising her hand, she shielded her eyes, letting them focus on the man. And what a man he was. A small sigh escaped her. If she ever did settle down, this was her kind of guy.
“We haven’t met.” He thrust his large hand out to her.
She stared at it for a moment before asking, “Are you a parent of one of my students?”
“Parent. No.” He shook his head, his hand still extended toward her. “I’m Michael.”
“Hello, Michael.” Bemused, Ruth placed her hand in his, the shock of recognition scorching her skin. She might not be a shifter herself, but that didn’t disguise the bond between her and Michael.
“Sorry.” He held onto her hand for a moment longer, before letting it go. Ruth brushed her palm against her jeans, trying to shake off the tingling sensation left by his touch. “I saw you…”
“You sound like a stalker.” Ruth cocked her head to one side. How should she play this? She couldn’t just accept it. Could she? A shifter’s mate was not a life choice she’d ever intended to make. The memories of her stepfather’s distress were all too vivid, even after so many years. Sure, she wanted to settle down with a man, share her life with another person. But she’d expected to find a human. A straight, no hidden animal lurking under his skin, human.
“Sorry…”
“You already said that.” Why was she grilling him? Because she didn’t want to just lie down and take this like her mom did. She couldn’t be that person. Could she?
“Can we get a coffee?” Michael asked, taking the hat off his head, which was adorned with peacock feathers. “Please.”
Ruth smiled, he might not be the kind of man she wanted, but he was good enough to come to a Renaissance Faire, and wear a stupid hat to raise money for the school’s new nature garden. “Later. I have to go back inside.”
“You are volunteering today, too?” Michael asked. “I didn’t see you at any of the meetings.” He gave a short laugh. “Believe me, I would have known you were there, and not made a fool of myself in front of everyone.”
Ruth took a moment to look at the people around them, half of whom were pretending not to watch the meeting of two mates. “I didn’t know we had an audience.”
“Sorry.” He grinned. “And sorry for saying sorry. I’ve lost the ability to speak in any cognitive capacity.”
“Come find me when you are finished.” Ruth backed away, keeping her eyes on Michael, and not letting her cheeks turn pink with embarrassment. She had a reputation to uphold.
“Where will I find you?” Michael asked.
“Won’t your senses guide you?” Ruth asked.
/> “I don’t even know your name.” Michael looked perplexed and took a step toward her.
“Ruth. I’m inside the hall, caricatures are my specialty for today.” She kept her head high as she turned and walked back toward the hall.
“Good to finally meet you, Ruth,” Michael called after her.
Ruth didn’t need to turn around to know Michael was watching her. She could feel his eyes boring into her back as she walked away.
“Did you see Jamie?” Dani asked, stacking her Tupperware containers on the table as Ruth walked past.
“No.” Ruth looked up, dazed. “Sorry.”
“Are you all right, Ruth?” Dani asked, coming around the table to join her friend.
“I just…” Ruth pointed toward the door, unable to put what had happened into words.
“You just…” Dani frowned, and then looked up as the door banged open and her daughter, Juliet, came running in.
“Hey, Mommy. Hey, Ruth. Is it true?” Juliet asked.
“Is what true?” Dani asked.
“Daddy said Ruth is Michael’s mate.” Juliet leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially to Dani.
“Wow, no wonder you look as if you were run over by the alpacas,” Dani gasped, then her face broke into a broad smile. “That’s amazing, he’s a good man. And a rich one. Not that money matters,” Dani added as Jamie approached.
“Are you kidding me, I’d trade you in for a millionairess any day.” Jamie put his arm around his wife and kissed her.
“It’s a good thing I know you are joking,” Dani answered. “Because I know all about medieval torture.” She patted his chest. “And the best parts to cut off.”
“I should get back to my drawings,” Ruth said absently.
“Are you all right?” Dani followed Ruth.
“Yes. I just didn’t expect to be the mate of a shifter.” Ruth picked up her pencils, ready to draw. “It’s not something I wanted.”
“Fate has a way of giving us what we need. Even if we don’t know we needed it.” Dani put her hand reassuringly on Ruth’s arm.
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