Page 42 of Ash

Ash wasn't the only one to hear his bear.

Suzannah must have as well. Her cheeks pinked, a color that looked amazing on her. And her smile changed to one tinged with humor.

"He's right," she whispered, "we're not alone. And I," she turned her hand again and took a bite of the danish that still remained in her hand, chewing it with joy, "need to get to work, helping around the bakery."

He stood along with her, reaching for the napkins that Hetty had left on the table for them. He handed her a few, cleaning his hand as she cleaned her own. "Can I stay and help?"

She started to shake her head and stopped. "As long as Hetty's okay with it, I am."

Hetty appeared in the gap between the pastry case and the wall. "Ash practically grew up here, coming into town with his mother. He's welcome to stay and help. After all," she gave them both an outrageously pointed wink. "How could I come between mates?"

Chapter

Eight

Suzannah felt the rest of the day pass in an amazing haze.

She'd always been a hard worker.

It was just her last job that sapped the love of work out of her. Having a boss that was such a drudge had really taken the joy out of accomplishments, but it wasn't the same at Raisin' Cakes.

A tour of the prep area had turned into a lesson in the basics of pastry and dough.

Suzannah knew that she wasn't going to learn everything in a day. Things that were worthwhile took time.

She enjoyed every lesson that Hetty gave her and while they talked and worked through those lessons, Ash was there.

When they finished prepping dough for the next morning, Ash helped to wipe down the counters and tidy up.

Even when she assured him that she was fine and could easily handle the cleaning duties, he would just lean in and place a kiss on her cheek and go on with whatever he was doing to help.

Hetty even invited the two to have an early dinner with her at her home.

Suzannah had wanted to accept the invitation, if only to spend more time with her Great Aunt's friend, but also Ash who Hetty invited along, but she was exhausted and barely dragging her feet to move.

So just a few hours after she'd met Ash, he was walking her to her door to say goodnight.

She fumbled with her keys, her hands shaking with exhaustion and Ash had taken the keys from her and quickly opened the door to her home.

Pushing the door open, he stepped back to allow her to enter.

Suzannah stopped on the threshold of her home and turned back to look at the man... the shapeshifter that she'd met that day.

The man who had declared that she was his mate.

The woman that he would love for the rest of their lives.

There was a moment as she stood there where she wondered if this had all been some kind of fever dream.

Had she fallen asleep on the bus and this was all the most precious of dreams?

Something that she would wake from at any moment.

Ash shifted his feet, and she turned to look at him.

His smile was hesitant as he met her gaze with his own.

"Is something wrong?"

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