Silverbacks and Second Chances

by Raines, Harmony

  “Yes. For once it feels as if I’m doing something for me. I want to build a new life; a new future, and I’m never going to do that if I keep doing the same old, same old.” She shrugged. “I want to embrace a new life with Buck.”

  “Wow.” Tiana smiled despite the strain on her face. “I’m proud of you. I’m proud of us.”

  Sorcha pressed her lips together and swallowed hard. Karl put his arm around her. He’d come to meet her like he always did, night after night like a faithful dog. Haley had never acknowledged that before. “Maybe it’s time we all had a change.”

  Sorcha didn’t sound convinced. “We’ll lose touch. And I’ll have to get used to working with other people. We have a rhythm, it’s like we all know how the others think.”

  “You could quit, too,” Karl suggested. “When we have a baby, you’d have to have time off.”

  “Me, a stay-at-home mom?” Sorcha asked. “Not even forgetting that I have to conceive a child first.”

  “You’d make a great mom,” Tiana assured her. “And during that time you can figure out what you want to do with your life.”

  Sorcha gave a begrudging smile. “I always wanted to do interior design.”

  “You did?” Haley asked. “You never told us.”

  “No one ever asked. Everyone always assumed I never had any ambitions other than waiting tables.” Sorcha looked at Karl. “Do you think I could do something else?”

  “It doesn’t matter what I think,” Karl told her. “It’s what you think, what you believe that matters.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question,” Sorcha told him.

  “I think you can do it. I believe you can do whatever you want to do. But you have to take those first steps.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, capturing her lips with his in a passionate kiss.

  “Okay, we’ll see you on Monday,” Tiana said, pulling Haley away.

  “I think they might conceive a child in The Mountain View Restaurant parking lot,” Haley confided in Tiana as they reached her car. Sorcha and Karl were still locked together, and his hand was caressing her bottom.

  “Let’s get out of here.” Tiana giggled and got in the car.

  “Home. My feet are killing me,” Haley said as she drove away from their place of work.

  “Why did you quit?” Tiana asked. “Why tonight?”

  “I think it was Mr. Monroe who told Harrison about Buck.” She wasn’t one hundred percent sure in her accusation, but she was sure enough.

  “Wow. He overheard us talking last night and called Harrison?” Tiana asked.

  “Someone did.” She drove along the familiar roads, heading toward her daughters and her mate with a sense of adventure threading through her veins. “But that’s not the real reason.”

  “What is?” Tiana asked.

  “I want to prove to Buck that I’m committed to our new life together. He offered me a job, the two of us working alongside each other. I’m showing him I want that life.”

  “You’re also showing him you don’t take the things Harrison said seriously.”

  “You always were perceptive,” Haley told her friend. “He’s upset about it. This is one way I can prove to him that I don’t believe those rumors. He told me they weren’t true, and Mason told you he was with Buck. These men don’t lie.” She glanced sideways at Tiana. “Do you think I’ve acted too hastily?”

  “Not at all,” Tiana said quickly. “You and Buck are true mates. Soul mates, if you want to call it that. Putting your trust in him is the right thing to do.”

  “I’m not always good at making judgment calls,” Haley confessed her worst fears.

  “You have always done what you thought best. You could never have guessed Harrison was a wife beater. How could you? You were together for years before that all began. He changed, something flipped inside him. So unless you had a crystal ball, how could you have known?”

  “I know. I know. I guess I wanted it to be perfect and Harrison kind of ruined that.”

  “But he can’t destroy it. No one can. Don’t let him win, Haley. Let it go and enjoy your life with Buck. He loves your girls. He’ll look after them and protect them. Something Harrison never did.”

  “He never even protected them from himself,” Haley admitted as she parked the car outside of the house.

  “I’m going to say goodnight and crawl into bed,” Tiana said as she got out of the car and walked slowly toward the house. “And thank you.”

  “For what?” Haley asked.

  “For making my shift easier. I know you took on more diners.” She smiled through her tiredness. “Maybe the three of us should work together. In a couple of years’ time. We could start a business.”

  “I like that idea.” Haley caught up with Tiana and hugged her close. “We’ve been through so much together. We can give it a lot of thought and take our time.”

  “I think the thing we need to hang on to is that we have come through a lot, and we’re still here to tell the tale. With kids we’re proud of and good men by our side.” Tiana took Haley’s hand and they continued to the house side by side.

  “How was work?” Mason asked as they entered the kitchen where he was seated next to Buck. They were studying the plans for the warehouse.

  “Tiring.” Tiana rubbed her back and slumped down in the chair next to Mason. She leaned her head on his shoulder and he kissed her tenderly, his face filled with concern.

  “Will you quit, please?” Mason asked.

  “Yes.” Tiana kicked off her shoes and leaned back in the chair.

  “I also quit,” Haley announced as she settled down next to Buck, her hands clasped on the table in front of her.

  Buck covered her hands with one of his massive palms, the warmth of his touch coursing through her. “Did something happen?”

  “Yes, I realized I want to spend my life with you.” She looked up at him through her eyelashes, hoping she’d done the right thing.

  His expression, which had been filled with uncertainty ever since the revelations about Krella, cracked into a wide grin. “I like the sound of that. You, me and the girls.”

  “Good. Because I’ve got my heart set on a fresh new start.” Haley leaned on his shoulder and he put his arm around her and held her close.

  “You’ll be happy to know the guy who has the land for sale called, we can go and look at it tomorrow afternoon.” Buck glanced at Mason. “Mason and I have been talking plans and timescales. If it’s suitable, we could build the house alongside the warehouse project. I’ll do the majority of the work myself, but any tradesmen we need can come from the warehouse project.”

  It was a big step, but Haley was more than ready to take it. “Great. I can’t wait.” She looked around, a sudden chill threading through her veins. “Where are the girls?”

  Mason pointed upstairs. “Playing video games with Rhett. Don’t worry, they are safe.”

  Haley nodded. “Thanks. I’m sure Harrison was just blowing hot air.”

  “And now that they are aware of the situation, they’ll be on guard if they see him,” Buck assured her.

  Haley nodded. “You’re right. I want to put all this behind us and move on. Harrison can’t hurt us.”

  “No, he can’t.” Buck kissed her cheek.

  “And if he did, we would hurt him,” Mason promised. “And I don’t mean physically. I’m sure Harrison wouldn’t enjoy a stint in prison, and blackmail and slander is enough to put him there.”

  “You’re right. He’s the biggest coward I’ve ever met.” Haley got up from the table. “Tea?”

  “Oh, yes, please,” Tiana said.

  As Haley made tea, she finally let go of the demons from her past. It was time to build a future and tomorrow was the start. She couldn’t wait for them to build a house of their own and live in it forever.

  Chapter Fourteen – Buck

  Buck wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up at the new ceiling. “Once it’s decorated, you won’t see the
joins where the new wood meets the old.”

  “It’s great. Thank you.” Haley looked relieved. “And thank you, Mason.”

  “No trouble at all, Haley.” Mason began packing up his tools. “I should be thanking you.”

  “Why?” Haley asked in surprise.

  “For being Buck’s mate. I don’t know if I could have persuaded him to stay if he hadn’t met you.” Mason shut his toolbox and stood up straight.

  “I thought you already liked Bear Creek enough to stay?” Haley asked.

  “I do,” Buck confirmed.

  “But the thought of your mate being out there somewhere would have left you unsettled.” Mason nodded. “You know I’m right. Now that you have Haley, everything is right with you.”

  Nearly everything, his bear said through gritted teeth. They were having a hard time dealing with Harrison’s behavior and his bear was all for going out and hunting him down.

  Not happening, Buck told his bear bluntly. All that will accomplish is getting our ass hauled off to jail and I do not want to miss one moment of the time we have with our mate.

  You have a point, his bear reluctantly agreed. Although letting Harrison run roughshod over their lives with no repercussions was not an option either. They simply had to figure a way to get rid of him. Or at least make him realize his behavior toward Haley and her daughters was not acceptable.

  “We should get going.” Buck looked at his watch.

  “Wow, is that the time already?” Haley looked up at the kitchen clock. It was two-thirty and they were meeting Mike Adelson at three. He was the owner of the parcel of land that Buck hoped to buy and build his dream home on.

  “Round up the girls while we get the tools packed away,” Buck instructed, hauling his toolbox off the floor.

  “I’ll walk out with you.” Mason lifted his tools and followed Buck out.

  “Thanks again, Mason. We’ll see you soon.” Haley left the two men in the hallway and went upstairs where Alicia and Marie were up in their rooms.

  After Mason and Buck had sealed the bathtub and inspected the ceiling to check that it had dried out enough, Buck had given Haley the all clear to come home. They had arrived half an hour ago, and now that the ceiling was fixed they were heading out together to take a look at what might be their future backyard.

  “They’re excited,” Mason said as they packed their tools away.

  Buck secured his tools and shut the truck. “They are. This is a big step for us all and none of us has really had the time to get used to the idea.” He glanced at Haley’s house. “And honestly, the move can’t come soon enough.”

  Mason nodded in agreement. “No sign of that piece of crap ex-husband of Haley’s?”

  “None. And maybe he won’t come back. Maybe he did what he set out to do. But one thing I know for sure is if he as much as sets foot on my property, he is going to have an angry bear to deal with. I can assure you he will never show his face again.”

  Mason slapped Buck on the shoulder. “Just don’t do anything rash.”

  “I don’t intend to. But I can’t stand by and let him hurt Haley or the girls.” Buck looked to the mountains in the distance. “Why would you hurt your wife like that? He forced her to leave and yet he keeps coming back and picking at the wound.”

  “I have no idea. As difficult as it is for people to understand the nature of a shifter, it’s just as difficult for us to understand how the things we hold true don’t mean squat to ordinary humans.” Mason let his hand drop and fished in his pocket for his keys. “Let me know how you get on at the land. I’d be more than happy to sit down and discuss plans with you.”

  “Thanks. If we decide to buy the plot, I want to move forward as soon as possible. I want a fresh start. I’d like the house finished and us moved in by Christmas.” Buck grinned. “Isn’t that what people with families always want?” He was already looking forward to a Christmas with his new mate and family, although he needed to make sure he didn’t get carried away with the gifts and make Haley feel awkward. There was, however, one gift he would insist on.

  “Christmas. I can’t wait myself.” Mason sighed. “I never thought we’d both get a mate and a readymade family.”

  “We got lucky, Mason. And neither of us will ever forget that or take it for granted.” Buck waved as Mason got in his truck and drove away. After a moment of surveying the road to check that Harrison wasn’t skulking around somewhere, Buck walked back to the house.

  “We’re all ready,” Haley told him as he entered. “Shall we go?”

  “Yes.” He looked past her toward the kitchen. “Are the doors all locked?”

  “They are.” Concern slipped over her face before she pushed it away with a smile. Buck hated that Harrison’s visit had left them both on edge. “Then let’s go. I thought we could get some takeout on the way home.”

  “Oh, pizza!” Marie exclaimed.

  “Or, I can cook,” Haley offered.

  “Mom, please,” Marie begged.

  “My treat,” Buck said quickly.

  “But you’ve already done enough fixing the ceiling,” Haley insisted.

  “And as a reward, you can let me buy takeout.” He placed his hand on her upper arm. “What’s mine is yours. We’re a team now.”

  “Buck, I can’t just…” Haley let the sentence hang there between them.

  “Why not?” How could he dispel all her arguments? How could he tell her he would give her everything he owned, even the shirt off his back, if it was what she or her children needed?

  “I don’t know,” she finally admitted. “But I’ve fought so hard...” Her voice broke, and a small sob erupted from her throat.

  “Hey, come on, this is a happy day.” He pulled her into his arms and Marie and Alicia, who had stood by silently, crowded in on her.

  “It’s okay, we don’t have to have pizza,” Marie said quietly.

  Haley sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Yes. Yes, we do.” She looked at Buck through her tears. “We’re partners.” She looked at the girls. “All of us.”

  “We are.” Buck leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Forever.”

  “So let’s go look at this land and then get pizza.” Haley forced a smile onto her face and opened the front door. With one last look at the interior of her house, she shut the door as if saying goodbye.

  “Are you okay?” Buck asked as they walked to his truck, the girls had already gone on in front, talking happily and texting on their phones.

  “I am.” She gave a short, apologetic laugh. “It was easier to quit my job than to let you buy pizza.”

  “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder, wanting her to believe he only meant the best for them.

  “I know. It’s my own stupid pride that gets in my way. I want to commit to this relationship fully.” Buck’s love for her grew with each moment he was with her and each obstacle they overcame. Real or imagined.

  “But when you’ve been on your own so long, it’s hard.” He gave her a knowing smile. “I’ve been on my own for a long time so I do understand.”

  “And yet you’ve embraced us.”

  He arched one eyebrow and nodded. “Because I’ve been on my own for so long. For me, it’s like I want to grab ahold of you all and not let go. I can reverse that feeling and see how it’s hard for you to let go of your independence.”

  “Which is crazy since I already quit my job.” Haley sighed. “We’ll get there. As long as we pull in the same direction.”

  Buck opened the passenger door of the truck and Marie and Alicia got in first. “This is an exciting time, let’s all agree to enjoy it. We’re going to make mistakes, we’re going to feel uncomfortable about some things. Things we hold dear now won’t matter so much in six months or a year.”

  “You are a wise man.” She kissed his lips and then got in the truck.

  Buck went around to the driver’s side, checking the street for any sign of Harrison. It was qui
ckly becoming a habit. But life experience told him they had not seen the last of the man.

  “Let’s go.” Buck started the engine and pulled out onto the road, heading toward the mountains with the windows rolled down and music on the radio. He inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh of contentment. When he left home on the long journey to Bear Creek, he could never have guessed where his life would end up. In such a short space of time, he’d gone from a confirmed bachelor to being the mate of a wonderful woman.

  If he could hold a tune he’d sing at the top of his voice and tell the world how wonderful life was. But he didn’t want to chase away his new family with his tuneless warbling. He was good at many things, but along with reading, singing was not one of them. But he’d learned to accept himself and his faults.

  “Is this it?” Marie asked, leaning forward as they came to a stop next to a smart black Mercedes.

  Buck leaned forward and looked through the windshield. “I think it must be.” He grinned at them. “It’s a big plot, right under the mountain.” He raised his eyes and looked at the peaks towering above them. “What do you think? Better than pizza?”

  Alicia nodded. “Better than pizza. We could camp out here in the summer.”

  “You liked camping with Rhett, didn’t you?” Haley asked.

  “We liked it a lot. It would be great to have our friends over.” Alicia waited for Haley to get out of the car and then jumped down beside her mom. “Do you like it?”

  “I do.” She hugged Alicia and then reached for Buck’s hand just as Mike Adelson approached.

  “Hi there.” Mike waved and beckoned them through the wooden gate that had seen better years. “Good to meet you.” He shook everyone’s hands, including Alicia’s and Marie’s, and smiled broadly. “So this is it. Four acres of mountain.”

  “Enough room for a horse,” Buck said, glancing at Marie and then giving Haley an apologetic look. “Sorry, I should have mentioned that before. It was supposed to be a surprise, but…”

  “You mean it?” Marie asked excitedly.

  He looked again at Haley who nodded, leaving him relieved he hadn’t offended her. “It’s a wonderful idea.” She turned to her daughter. “As long as you look after it. I am not mucking out a horse stall every morning.”