Page 47 of Bear's Heart

He shook his head.“No.No, um, it’s kind of hard to explain, but Noah and Savannah have been together for the past year.I don’t know how serious they were—no, that’s not true.Noah was very serious about Savannah, and I’m not sure what she felt, or how committed she was, but that’s not the issue now.”

“What is the issue?”

“Savannah’s pregnant.”

“Noah’s baby?”

“Yes.”Bear said.

“And now he’s gone,” Josie whispered.

“Yes.”

“I understand now.”She thought for a moment, and then carefully put her thoughts into words.“I might be missing something, though.Why doesn’t Savannah want to keep their dog?I mean, if they were living together, wasn’t it her dog, too?”

“She’s not a big dog person.Or animal person.But that might be due to her lifestyle more than anything.She’s a singer, and she’s often traveling, and Noah usually took Mick with him when he went anywhere.They were inseparable.The only reason Mick wasn’t on that trip to Pendleton is because he’d had an upset stomach.Crazy how a bout of diarrhea saved Mick’s life.”

“Mick’s going to have a hard time without Noah then.”

“He will.He’s also going to find this change tough.He’s used to being in the truck every day, going to the stables, being on the road.”

“Too bad you’ve just leased out your ranch.”

“No.That had to happen.”Bear rubbed his bristled jaw, troubled.“It’s going to be an adjustment, but we can do this.”

Josie didn’t know if thewewas Bear and Mick, or Bear and her, or Bear, Josie and Mick, but it didn’t matter.She was on team Anderson, and she’d do what she could to make the dog’s—and Bear’s—transition easier.

“Are you all moved in now?”Bear asked, changing the subject.

“I just have some books and things to bring over, but otherwise, I’m in.”

“What do you think?”

“I think you have a great little house.”

“Want to show me what you’ve done?”

“Not yet.You have to wait until I get the furniture in, and it’s all being delivered tomorrow.”

“Don’t you need me there?”

“No.Rye said he’d stop by.”She reached across the table and linked her fingers through his.“Can’t wait for you to see it all, though.I just want you happy.”

He glanced down at their hands and then back up into her eyes.“I’m happy,” he said, voice pitched low and husky.“Happier than I ever thought I’d be again.”

Don’t cry.Don’t cry.Whatever you do don’t cry.

Josie contented herself with just giving his fingers a quick light squeeze, even though her heart felt impossibly full.She loved him.

Could he possibly love her?If not now, then one day?

Chapter Ten

Mick wasn’t sureabout Bear’s wheelchair the first few days, but by the end of the week, he padded at Bear’s side, or lay outside Bear’s bedroom, waiting for him to go somewhere.He liked going on errands, and was always the first one outside, ready to hop in Bear’s truck.

Savannah… well, she was an entirely different matter.She, too, wanted to follow Bear around the house but he wasn’t comfortable with her in the house or around him.He didn’t dislike her—that much—but he hadn’t forgiven her for betraying him.Breaking up with him was one thing.But ending her pregnancy?Getting rid of their baby without talking to him?Without him even being part of the conversation?

And the fact that she was pregnant again with Noah’s child and behaving the exact same way blew his mind.

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