Page 2 of Sunshine for the Grumpy Grizzly

A snarl bursts from my lips. He’s so goddamn condescending sometimes. “They’ll sort themselves out. I explained we’re not doing food at the moment.”

I swear I hear him shaking his head. “Just make sure everything’s nice and clean at least.”

“What do you think I am—an animal?”

“Sometimes, bro. Sometimes I wonder. You got menus for the local restaurants at least?”

“Yup.” I eye the sad collection of flyers scattered on the counter.

“You checked on the hot tubs?—?”

“Listen, Clay, I gotta go.” I slam the phone down before he can say anything else.

My beast’s roar echoes around the lobby. I can’t stand any of this shit.Twin Falls Mountain Retreathas beenin the family for generations, but I’ve never had anything to do with it.

At least, not until a couple of months ago, when our ninety-six-year-old granddaddy was taking his last breaths. He extracted a promise out of me and Clay that we wouldn’t sell it, but we’d keep it going,in all its glory.

Yeah, right. Hard to believe that this place was ever glorious. And I say that as a bear who’d be happy to live in a cave most of the time. What the cunning old coot didn’t mention was that this place is drowning in debt. So any money we make just disappears into a black hole. So. Fucking. Pointless.

I’d love to just walk away from it all, but a promise is a promise. And there’s not many things in my life that I’m proud of, but I’m a bear of my word.

The door clangs open and I look up in time to see Renata, the housekeeper, traipsing in.

Halfway across the lobby, she freezes and lets out a shriek. Her eyes are bulging, and her face has gone deathly pale.

“What is it?” I demand, but my voice comes out as a feral roar.

“You—!” She jabs a finger at me. “You’re all…”

I look down. My entire arms are covered in thick brown fur and my claws have burst from my fingertips. My face and canines are aching, too, which means that my beast is half-way out at least.

With an almighty effort, I haul my animal back inside me.

“Crap, I’m sorry, Ren. I didn’t realize.”

She shakes her head. “I’ve had just about enough of youshapeshifters.”

She says the word like it’s something distasteful. I guess I don’t blame her. I don’t feel real appealing right now—scratch that—I don’t ever feel appealing. Probably the reason why I don’t have a mate, while my garrulous brother is off on his honeymoon with a gorgeous human female.

I try to make my voice human-soft. “Renata, you know we’d never hurt you. We just get a bit growly sometimes.”

She plants her hands on her hips and huffs. “And this place. It’s beyond my pay grade.”

I raise my eyebrows. “What d’you mean?”

“I mean, it’s as run down as shit, Preston. It takes so long to clean everything.”

I groan. She’s probably right. “I’ll give you a raise.”

She shakes her head. “Nope. I’m done here. I’ve been offered work at that fancy new place in town.” She stalks over to the desk and dumps her set of keys, then holds out her hand. “My paycheck, please.”

I open the cash drawer, and count off her wages, adding in an extra twenty by way of apology.

“Good luck,” she says. “You’re sure gonna need it.” And she’s gone, the door swinging behind her.

Crap. It’s so hard to get staff here. And what the hell am I gonna do about the guests who’ll be arriving any minute now?

Right on cue, my ears prick up at the sound of a vehicle approaching.

---