Page 67 of The Bear's Reluctant Mate

“I would go with you,” he said firmly. “Wherever you are, that’s where I’ll be.”

Marion stared at him, disbelief written across her face. “You can’t mean that. Your life is here. You have the garden center, your family...”

“My life is with you now,” Alfie said simply. “Both of you. That’s what being mates means.”

“I can’t ask you to give up everything…”

“You’re not asking me to,” Alfie interrupted gently. “I’m offering. There are other garden centers, Marion. But there’s only one you.”

A tear slipped down her cheek, and he brushed it away with his thumb. “Besides,” he continued with a small smile, “we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Charlie isn’t going anywhere.”

“But if he does…”

“Then we’ll face it together,” Alfie promised. “I meant what I said last night. You and Charlie are my family now. We’re in this together. Forever.”

Marion searched his face as if looking for any sign of hesitation or doubt. Finding none, she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” she whispered.

“You exist,” Alfie said simply. “That’s enough for me.”

Marion let out a watery laugh. “That’s the most terrible, most romantic line I’ve ever heard.”

Alfie grinned, relieved to see a glimpse of her humor returning. “I’ve got plenty more where that came from.”

“I believe you,” Marion said, wiping away her tears.

“And I love you.” The words slipped out naturally, and Alfie didn’t regret them for a second. He watched as they registered with Marion, her eyes widening slightly.

“You love me?” she whispered.

“With everything I am,” Alfie replied without hesitation. “Bear and man both.”

Fresh tears welled in her eyes, but these were different…tears of joy rather than fear. She cupped his face in her hands.

“I love you, too,” she said, her voice unwavering. “I think I have since that first day when you showed Charlie the butterflies.”

“Well, I did say I was rooting for you,” Alfie said.

“But what you were really doing was sowing the seeds of love,” she said, and then she kissed him.

Chapter Twenty-Two – Marion

“What do you think?” Charlie asked, his voice breaking through her troubled thoughts.

Marion looked up from her plate, which contained her barely eaten lunch, realizing she hadn’t heard a word Charlie said. Anger bubbled up inside her. Heather had only been back in their lives for a couple of hours and already she was affecting them. And if the charges against her were dropped, and she got hold of a lawyer, things would only get worse. Much worse. The temptation to pack up their belongings and simply disappear, leaving no trace, was almost too tempting. But Marion knew running away was not the answer. Because if she did, that might lead to her losing Charlie for good.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” Marion asked, forcing herself back to focus on the present and the young boy who meant the world to her.

“I said that Daisy has a beehive in her backyard and she said I could go and look at it,” Charlie repeated as he picked up his grilled cheese sandwich and took a bite.

“A beehive, huh?” Marion asked, trying to summon enthusiasm. They had been so lucky to have made friends so fast in Bear Creek. Everyone had been so welcoming. Anger simmered to the surface once more, but she pushed it down.

She didn’t want Charlie to see her like this. Didn’t want him to feel unsafe.

“Is something wrong?” Charlie asked, staring straight at her.

She could lie to him, but she wouldn’t. Because lies tended to come back and bite you in the ass.

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