Page 19 of Combust
You like them all polished up like Andrew?Her bear’s voice sounded kind of snarky. Maggie shuddered at the reminder.
She wondered how Malia and the rest of her cousins would react to the news that one of the brawling bears was about to join the clan.
As the espresso machine hissed to life and began brewing the shot for Dad’s cappuccino, Cade’s eyes widened like a spooked horse.
“If I work for you, I gotta join yourclan?” he blurted.
Maggie bristled at that.I can’t believe he’s objecting! He should be honored!
From experience, she knew that Dad and Grandma Elle were really careful about who they invited into the clan’s territory.
“It’s only a formality,” Dad assured him. “It makes sense for you to belong to our clan while you’re working for us.” He frowned at Cade’s blank look. “How did your clan handle situations like this, Cade?”
A strange expression flashed across Cade’s face. It looked like anger. Or maybe pain.
“I don’t remember,” he said, his tone suddenly curt.
He looked around the café. His gaze landed briefly on Maggie, once again stirring up her bear. Their eyes met for a long, uncomfortable instant.
She managed to break the spell by busying herself with steaming and frothing the milk.
“But that would be fine by me, sir, I mean Dane,” Cade added.
Maggie could still feel his eyes burning into her back as she spooned milk froth into the warmed cup.
No, she said to her bear.Not him. Absolutely out of the question.
* * *
Grizzly Creek Ranch
Saturday, November 1
After polishing off his half of the pan of heavenly cinnamon rolls and downing another couple mugs of coffee, Cade bid a reluctant farewell to the two lovely ladies at Cinnamon + Sugar.
After their bumpy introduction, Cade was pleased that Maggie appeared to thaw a mite. And Dane’s mate, the gorgeous non-shifter redhead, had been nothing but sweet and welcoming to him.
It wasn’t just the great food and hot drinks that warmed his middle as he followed Dane out of the bakery and climbed into his new boss’s big white Ford pickup with ranch logos plastered on both the driver and passenger side doors.
Dan drove Cade over to the Hair of the Dog, where his truck stood parked, looking sad and lonely in the middle of the now-empty gravel lot. Some kind soul had retrieved Cade’s well-worn Stetson from wherever it’d gone during the fight, and placed it on top of the truck’s cab.
After that, Cade followed Dane’s pickup down the highway for another twenty minutes or so, until they reached the turnoff for the ranch. It was marked with a big wooden sign carved in the shape of a grizzly.
The sign said “Grizzly Creek Ranch, est. 1871” in big white letters, with “Bed and Breakfast” written underneath in smaller letters. Next to it, a smaller square sign announced, “We proudly raise organic grass-fed beef using sustainable practices.”
They left the highway and bumped along a narrow gravel track, with pastureland spreading out all around them. After a mile or so, they arrived at a cluster of seven or eight houses set on either side of the road.
The biggest house was a grand Victorian, painted a cheery yellow, with gingerbread eaves and beautiful bay windows fronted by wide, frost-wilted flowerbeds and a big crabapple tree blazing with scarlet-kissed golden autumn foliage.
The other houses ranged in building styles from Victorian to a modern log cabin with huge floor-to-ceiling picture windows and a wide deck.
Looks like the ranch has its own little town, Cade thought, as Dane pulled over and parked.
“How about I give you the tour on horseback?” Dane asked, once Cade had climbed out of his pickup. “I think it’s the best way to see the property.”
He pointed at a large barn located a few hundred yards away.
“Sure thing,” Cade said, sure that Dane was testing him.
