Page 10 of Beary In Love

But his bear disagreed, remembering how she'd looked at the café - the way her gray eyes had widened behind those glasses when she saw him, the slight tremble in her hand as she'd twirled her hair around her finger.

The grandfather clock in the corner chimed ten o’clock. Logan grabbed his jacket, deciding a final check on the animals would help settle his nerves. The spring night air carried the scent of blooming jasmine as he approached the enclosures.

"Can't sleep either, huh?" he said to the raccoon who chittered weakly at his approach. "Yeah, I know. Help's coming tomorrow."

His phone buzzed. Nina again.

"What now?"

"Just checking if you actually called her."

"I did. She's coming tomorrow at nine."

"Good." Nina paused. "Try not to mess it up this time."

"It's just business."

"Right. And I'm just a barista." Nina's laugh crackled through the speaker. "Your bear never could lie worth a damn when it came to her."

Logan growled softly. "Don't start."

"Fine, fine. But Logan? She's not the same girl who left. And you're not the same boy she left behind."

The line went dead before he could respond. Logan shoved his phone back in his pocket, his bear rumbling at Nina's words. Of course Serena wasn't the same - divorce had left its marks. He'd seen it in the way she held herself, like she was waiting for the next blow.

The raccoon chirped again, drawing his attention back to the present.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Let's just focus on getting you better first. Everything else can wait."

But as he made his way back to his cabin, his bear wondered if anything involving Serena could really wait this time around.

5

SERENA

Serena's old Honda Civic crunched over gravel as she pulled up to the sanctuary's entrance the following morning. Her hand trembled slightly on the steering wheel as she parked.

"Just a job," she muttered, adjusting her glasses and checking her reflection in the rearview mirror. Her messy bun had somehow gotten messier during the drive. "Like any other patient visit. Except the owner is your ex. No big deal."

The sanctuary sprawled before her, a maze of enclosures and natural habitats bordered by tall metal fencing. The scent of pine needles and fresh earth drifted through her open window, along with the distant calls of various animals.

Her veterinary kit felt heavier than usual as she lifted it from the passenger seat. The gravel shifted under her sensible flats as she made her way to the gate, each step feeling like she was walking through molasses.

Logan stood waiting at the entrance, and Serena's breath caught. The years had been kind to him - more than kind. His dark hair was tousled by the morning breeze, and his worn jeans and flannel shirt somehow made him look more rugged than sheremembered. His eyes, those familiar gold-flecked brown eyes, tracked her approach with an intensity that made her cheeks warm.

"Get it together," she whispered to herself, gripping her kit tighter. "You're a professional. You've handled scarier things than an attractive ex. Like that time with the angry cockatoo." But the cockatoo hadn't looked at her the way Logan was looking at her now - like he was seeing something he'd lost and found again.

A strand of hair escaped her bun and tickled her neck. She resisted the urge to fidget with it, instead focusing on maintaining her professional demeanor.

The distance to the gate felt like miles, though it was only a few yards. Each step brought her closer to those searching eyes, and she found herself wishing she'd worn something other than her old clinic scrubs.

Logan swung open the heavy gate as she approached. "Thanks for coming out. The animals are this way."

Serena followed him down a winding path, her medical kit bumping against her leg. The sanctuary was larger than she'd expected, with natural-looking enclosures nestled among the trees. Under different circumstances, she might have appreciated the thoughtful layout.

"How many animals are showing symptoms?" she asked, pulling out her notepad.

"Seven so far. Started with the deer, then spread to the foxes and raccoons." Logan's shoulders tensed as they approached the first enclosure. "Lost two already."

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