Page 57 of The Bear's Reluctant Mate

The thought transported her back to a year ago when Charlie had been dirty not from play but from neglect. Heather had gone away for a week with her girlfriends, leaving Razor in charge.

But when Marion called around on a spontaneous visit, she found Charlie shut in his room while Razor was preoccupied with some deal or other. When Heather returned, Marion had confronted her sister, but Heather had taken Razor’s side and called her an interfering old spinster.

The words had stung, and for a few weeks afterward, Marion had withdrawn, doubting herself, wondering if she was overreacting. But then came the incident that changed everything.

“Aunt Marion?” Charlie’s voice pulled her back to the present. “You’re making your worried face again.”

Marion smoothed her expression, reaching for a towel. “Sorry, buddy. Just thinking.”

“About Alfie?” Charlie asked hopefully, standing up as she wrapped the towel around him.

“Among other things,” she replied, helping him step carefully out of the tub.

“I think he’s going to say yes to dinner,” Charlie declared with the absolute certainty only a child could muster. “When you ask him, tell him I have more questions for him.”

“Then I am sure he’ll say yes.” Marion smiled, helping him into his pajamas. “Now, teeth brushed and then story time.”

Later, with Charlie tucked into bed and the house quiet around her, Marion ran her bath, adding a generous pour of the lavender bath salts she’d made. As she sank into the warm water, she let her thoughts return to Alfie, with his smile that made her insides squirm in a good way. And she would forgive him for his terrible plant puns because of the way he treated Charlie.

Tomorrow, she would call him and invite him to dinner. The thought sent a flutter of anticipation through her chest. Perhaps it was time to be brave, to trust that what was growing between them could withstand the shadows of her past. After all, as Alfie had shown her in the garden, even the most delicate seedlings could become strong with proper care and attention.

Marion closed her eyes, letting the lavender-scented steam envelop her. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she allowed herself to imagine a bright, hopeful future—and at the center of that future, standing beside her and Charlie, was Alfie.

Alfie, the word was like a whisper on the wind, and she opened her eyes, as that same sensation she’d felt earlier prickled her neck.

Marion sat up straight in the bath, water sloshing around her as she strained to listen. Was there someone there? She held her breath, waiting, but heard nothing except the quiet dripping of the faucet and Charlie’s soft snores from down the hall.

“You’re being ridiculous,” she murmured to herself, sinking back into the water. The lavender scent enveloped her once more, but the peaceful feeling had evaporated. She couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched, though she knew it was impossible. The bathroom window was frosted glass, and they were alone in the house.

With a sigh, she pulled the plug, got out of the bath, and pulled on her fluffy robe. As the water gurgled down the drain, she wrapped her hair in a towel and then headed along the hall to her bedroom.

But the feeling that something was off intensified. Marion found herself drawn to the window and peered out into the darkness. There was no one there. At least no one she could see.

But what if there was someone out there lurking in the shadows?

Not wanting to face another sleepless night, Marion turned away from the window. She’d get dressed, grab a flashlight, and go out there and check it out.

What if it’s a bear or a wolf?

The temptation to call Alfie and ask him to come over was almost too much.

But would he read more into it? Marion had never been a damsel in distress before.

And she didn’t want to start being one now.

Marion turned away from the window and went to her closet. She had just slipped on a pair of comfortable slacks and a soft sweater when she heard it…a gentle knock at the front door. Marion froze, her heart hammering against her ribs. Who would be calling at this hour?

She crept down the stairs, one hand trailing along the wall for support. The knock came again, slightly louder this time.Despite her racing pulse, something deeper, more instinctive, told her there was no danger waiting on the other side.

Taking a deep breath, Marion unlocked the door and pulled it open.

Alfie stood on her porch, his hair slightly disheveled. “I’m sorry to be calling so late,” he said huskily. “I just... I needed to see you.”

Marion stepped back, making space for him to enter. “Come in.”

Alfie hesitated for a heartbeat, as if he’d been expecting to have to convince her to let him in. But then he stepped over the threshold and into her house.

In the narrow entryway, his presence seemed to fill the space completely. Marion could barely breathe as she closed the door behind him, acutely aware of his presence.

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