Page 1 of Bearly Frosty

Chapter 1

DILLON

“I’ll payyou five hundred dollars to finish doing the weekly payroll?” I groan and bang my head on the scarred wood desk, hoping to guilt my older brother into helping me with this pain-in-the-ass job. I have to send this shit to the bank by four o’clock if I want paychecks to deposit on time.

Grant doesn’t take the bait. “If you’d stop being a hardheaded prick and hire a new secretary, you wouldn’t be up to your goddamn eyeballs in alligators right now.”No shit, Sherlock. I’ve told myself the same damn thing thousands of times since my secretary stabbed me in the back. It’s hard to find someone I can trust with my business after the last one sold my secret bids to my asshole competition.

“I’ve got someone coming in to interview next week,” I growl and sit back in my chair. “But I’m not holding out any hope.” It’s been a fucking nightmare since I discovered Rhoda was financing her gambling habit by stealing my bids and selling them to Harold Helson, the biggest lying, cheating prick in town. “So far, I haven’t found anyone my bear doesn’t want to rip to shreds.”

I’d been friends with Rhoda since preschool, and my inner bear took her betrayal to heart. He’s determined to protect me at all costs, even if that means throwing a big old monkey wrench into the process of hiring a new employee.

“Stop being so freaking negative.” Gianna, my older sister, comes breezing in the office door holding two cups of coffee, interrupting my poor me moment.

“I’m going to start locking my front door,” I grumble, but we all know I’m blowing smoke. Having my business located at my home means my family members stop by any time the mood strikes them.

“Like that will stop me.” Gianna throws her long icy blonde hair over her shoulder. “I’d just use my key. Duh.”

“She has you there.” Grant’s arrogant smirk is a family trait.

I flip the fucker off before turning back to my sister. “Is there a reason for your unannounced visit?”

“Nope.” She smiles widely. “I just wanted to stop by and bug my baby brother.”

“Lucky me.”

“You are so lucky.” She ignores my true meaning. “I searched high and low and found the best candidate for your office manager position. I’ve heard Emilia Golden is a doll.”

“Did you have to go all the way to the East Coast to find a qualified candidate?” I grumble, mentally groaning at the thought of the huge check I wrote to pay for the prospective employee’s travel and lodging.

“She’s the top of her class.” Gianna rolls her eyes. “And she has companies lining up to hire her. Plus, she isn’t from around here so there’s no way Harold Helson has any dirt on her that he can use for bribes.”

“I feel so much better,” I grumble, not totally convinced I’ll ever find someone I can trust after Rhoda’s betrayal.

“Stop being so negative,” Gianna grumbles. When my mother and sister stepped in and insisted on finding me a new secretary, I didn’t have a hope of stopping the determined duo, so I let them have their way. My sister put her social media savvy to work and came up with the one candidate. “Her college professor sent a glowing recommendation, and she passed a phone interview with Mom.”

“That’s a miracle in itself,” Grant interjects. “Tilly Bearly can sniff a fraud a mile away.”

“It hurts my soul to agree with Grant, but he’s right so stop being a Negative Nelly.” Gianna places a steaming cup with “Rise & Grind” stamped on the side of it in front of me on the desk. “And shut up and drink your double shot of espresso.”

“How come you brought Grouchy McGrouchster here a cup of coffee and didn’t bring one for me, Squirt?” Grant has his poor me look down to an art.

“Because I had no idea you’d be here. Duh.” After growing up in a household with three polar bear shifter brothers, my grizzly shifter sister doesn’t take shit from anyone. “If you promise to stop calling me Squirt, you can have my coffee.” She hands the other cup to Grant, grumbling, “Or you could just stop by my coffee shop and get one for yourself.”

“I was planning to stop by Rise & Grind and Honey Buns II for breakfast, but I got distracted and drove straight here.” Grant shrugs. “Lucky for me, you took care of the coffee for me, Squ—” he pauses and switches direction as she glares at him, “I mean… little sister.”

“Nice save,” she huffs.

Our family is a mixed shifter family. When our dad, a grizzly shifter from Honey Pot Hollow, came to town years ago for work, he met our polar bear shifter mother and fell head over heels. Or in shifter talk, his inner bear roared “mine” and it was a done deal. Since polar bear DNA is stronger than grizzly DNA, there’s a greater chance of having polar bear cubs. My parents ended up with three male polar bear cubs and one female grizzly cub. First, they had my twin brothers, Gabe and Grant, and then Gianna came along two years later. They saved the best for last and had me a year and a half after my sister.

Clay, our grizzly shifter cousin from Honey Pot Hollow, moved to Glacier Pass with Bethany, his wife, a few months ago. Bethany opened a little bakery called Honey Buns II, and the entire town has been going crazy over her delicious treats.

“I don’t like chocolate in my coffee.” Grant drags my attention back to his distress as he flashes his version of hurt puppy dog eyes that usually ensure he gets his way.

“Suck it up and drink it or drag your rear end down to Rise & Grind and get what you want.” Grant’s fake ass gesture is wasted on Gianna. She’s my mother’s mini-me.

I swear Grant’s bottom lip wobbles as he grabs the cup from Gianna and mutters, “Thanks,” before dropping down onto the brown leather sofa.

“You’re welcome.” Gianna rolls her eyes and comes over to stand next to my desk. “Now, how can I help you out?” I glance up at my sister and swear I can see a bright halo shining above her blonde head.

---