Page 25 of Sunshine for the Grumpy Grizzly

Now, I need wood. Dry wood. I hunt around for anything that hasn’t been caught out in the rain, then I spot a cave nearby. That’ll keep them a lot drier than their current spot.

After a few minutes, I gather up a bundle of branches and pile them up at the cave entrance. I pull out my lighter and get it lit, then I go get the others.

When I appear, they stare at me like they’ve seen a ghost.

“What kept you?” One of them hollers.

I stop dead. “Huh?”

“You shoulda been here.”

I shake my head. No way. The last bit of my goodwill snaps.

“I warned you dickheads not to stay out past twelve, didn’t I?” I glare at each one of them in turn.

“Didn’t I?” I roar, letting my beast take possession of my voice.

Everything. Their dumbness, their self-entitlement, but mainly the way they’ve been treating my princess.

It all comes to a head.

“Answer me, or I leave right now!”

“Yeah, you did,” a whiny voice pops up.

“And didn’t Lucy tell you when it was time to head back?”

“Yeah, she might’ve.”

“But you ignored her!” I thunder. “Don’t you know that she’s smarter than all of you bozos put together?”

They hang their heads, say nothing.

“That’s a question!” I roar.

They jump in unison. It’s almost funny.

“Yeah, I mean she’s good at organizing stuff. It’s just, like, she giggles a lot.”

“And?” I round on the moron who’s currently speaking. “What’s wrong with being a little cheerful?” I startle at my own words. Twenty-four hours ago, such a thought would’ve never entered my grumpy old brain. I can’t resist a secret smile.

One of them clears his throat. “It’s just not really suitable in the corporate world.”

I fix him with a hard stare. “You saying it’s more important to be serious than smart?”

“Well…” His eyes get kinda glazed. “I don’t know.”

“Her talents have been wasted on you all.” I glare at them in disgust. “I wonder how many good ideas of hers you’ve trampled on over the years. And here you are like a bunch of pricks about to die of exposure. When I get you back to the lodge, every single one of you is going to apologize to Lucy from the bottom of your miserable hearts. For every little way you’ve insulted her. I’m gonna listen to every darn word, and if I don’t believe you’re speaking with your heart… well—let’s just say I think that bear is still around. Now, follow me.”

8

Lucy

I’ve always wanted to have a hot tub party with the girls. I just hadn’t expected “the girls” to be my nasty manager Natasha, and Kellie, who, if I’m honest has always been a little mean to me as well.

But here we all are, sitting in the hot tub in my room—in our underwear, because none of us brought a bathing suit.

Natasha dug out a bottle of wine from somewhere and the two of them are getting giggly and loud. Natasha is a totally different person when she’s not competing for the title of bitch-ass manager of the year.

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