Page 84 of Enemies in Paradise

The nurse steps around him. “Hi. I’m Grace, Heidi’s nurse and Bear’s girlfriend.” She lets out a giggle and moves closer to Bear. “I mean high school girlfriend. I tease him about that all the time.”

Bear looks flustered and moves a few inches from Grace. I’m pretty good at reading body language, but I can’t interpret his. I only know he can’t be as uncomfortable as I am with Grace smiling at me in a vaguely threatening way.

“Nice to meet you, Grace,” I say, then lean toward Bear’s mom. “Hi, Mrs. Thomsen. I’m Cassie, Georgia’s friend.”

Normally I’d offer my hand for her to shake, but hers are folded so tightly in her lap that I don’t think she’d take mine. But she offers me a sweet smile. I see Bear in it.

“She doesn’t really understand much anymore.” Grace moves Mrs. Thomsen’s wheelchair away from me, then scoots between it and Bear to face her. “I can finish feeding her, Bear. You probably have work to do.”

“That’s okay. I’ve got it. ”

Grace picks up the plate Bear set down, then moves it out of his reach when he tries to take it from her. “This is what I get paid for, silly. Let me do my job.”

Silly? Is she for real? Talking in that high voice to him?

Bear grows more flustered as they go back and forth over who should feed Mrs. Thomsen, and I don’t know if that’s because he’s nervous I’m here or because he likes Grace and is nervousshe’shere. Their push and pull has a familiarity that only comes from knowing someone really well over a long time, which makes sense if they dated in high school.

Bear and I have a push and pull too, but it doesn’t have the same give and take I see with him and Grace. He and I mostly just have tension. Well, that and physical attraction.

Why does it bother me so much that Grace has something easier with Bear?

Although, as of last night, Bear and I also havefriendship.

It’s not like I want any more than that with Bear Thomsen. He’s barely an adult. These feelings of jealousy are ridiculous. They stem from boredom and a hockey jersey-induced brain fog.

It’s time to get my head on straight.

I smooth my hand over my ponytail and meet Bear’s eye. “I just came over to tell you, I don’t need breakfast. But thank you for the offer. Have a great day, you guys.” I include Grace in my farewell smile and wave.

Bear opens his mouth, maybe to protest, but I don’t give him time. Whatever his feelings for Grace, she’s obviously into him. I have no interest in being part of some small-town love triangle. Not when Bear has made it clear he wants to be friends.

I walk out the door, feeling more upset than I have any right to be when Grace, in her overly-chipper voice, says, “I’ll take some breakfast!”

The fact I’m feeling as off kilter as I do means two things. First, I need to find somewhere else to stay until Bear fixes the mess at my studio. I’mnotstaying here, sleeping in his jersey, using his body wash, sleeping in his bed…thinking about him nonstop.

Second, I need some intense exercise to get his smell off my body and his face out of my head.

Chapter 28

Bear

Cassie is fast, butI catch her before she reaches the stairs to my apartment. I grab her arm, and she shoots me a confused look.

“Do you need something?” she asks casually, but with a stiffness that makes me drop my fingers from her elbow.

“Let me feed you.” The emotion I’ve been holding back all morning creeps into my voice. Spending time with Mom always does this to me.

Cassie’s mouth pulls into a tight smile. “I don’t need to be fed.”

“Cassie—”

“—Bear!” Cassie snaps, then lets out a deep breath. “I have a lot to do today before the city council meeting on Tuesday. I’m sure you do too.”

Her voice, unlike mine, is calm and emotionless.

Except when she called me Bear.

Not Bjorn.Bear.

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