Page 24 of Flare
He bowed his head.“I can’t. Not if Emily doesn’t know about bear shifters. Or mating bonds.”
Then a floorboard creaked in the dining room, on the other side of the kitchen’s swinging door. Ward and Maggie both froze as footsteps retreated quickly toward the living room.
Fuck.How long had Emily been standing there? And how much had she heard?
Chapter 6
Unwelcome Revelations
Emily breathed in the crisp night air as she made her way down the gravel path toward her guest cabin. She’d enjoyed dinner with the Swansons. It only confirmed that coming back to Bearpaw Ridge had been the right decision.
She tucked her hands into her jacket pockets as she walked, savoring the peaceful quiet of the ranch at night. The occasional hooting from a nearby owl and the soft whisper of wind through the trees planted around the houses were pleasant changes from the constant hum of traffic in Spokane.
Her guest cabin was a cozy one-bedroom with rustic pine furniture, a modern bathroom with a large tub and a shower, and a small but well-equipped kitchen.
She’d spent Friday unpacking the few possessions she’d grabbed during her frantic escape. Her clothes now hung in the cedar-scented closet, and she’d put her framed photo of Mom on her nightstand. Then she’d driven into town to pick up groceries and other essentials.
Main Street had been busy with Saturday shoppers, and she’d been pleasantly surprised by how many familiar faces stopped to say hi and welcome her back to town.
Barbara, the longtime clerk at Wallace’s Ranch & Home Supply, remembered her mom and asked how she was doing. The question had stung, but in a bittersweet way that reminded Emily Mom had been loved here.
She’d spent almost an hour in the town’s brand-new library, chatting with the reference librarian about the latest romance novel releases. After getting a new library card, she’d checked out three thick paperbacks.
Emily had stopped reading romances earlier this year after Andrew’s mother had mocked her reading tastes as“Trash for your brain.”
Another thing I won’t miss about Spokane.
She was looking forward to catching up with her favorite authors this weekend.
Returning to the cabin, she’d spent most of the afternoon making herself a nostalgic meal of pierogies.
The smells of browned onions, butter, and potatoes had evoked happy hours in the kitchen with Mom every Saturday afternoon.
Andrew had turned his nose up when she offered to make them for him, calling them“boiled starch pockets.”
But he wasn’t here now. And she no longer gave a hoot what he liked or didn’t like.
It was liberating to cook for herself, and only herself, again. And to enjoy her dinner in blissful solitude, with just her pierogies and a romance novel propped up on the table.
Last night, she’d babysat for Maggie and Cade, so they could go to a movie in town. Little D.A. had been a whirlwind of energy, showing her every toy car he owned and insisting they watch thesame video about a bear family three times before he finally fell asleep on her lap.
When Maggie and Cade had returned, they’d found her still cradling their sleeping son on the sofa. Cade, usually so quiet and reserved, had smiled at her with genuine warmth.“He likes you.”
“And I like him. He’s a little charmer,” Emily had replied, reluctantly handing the limp toddler over. He didn’t wake up as Cade carried him upstairs to tuck him in.
The memories made her smile now as she continued walking to her new home. Tonight’s dinner had been another step toward feeling like she belonged here again.
And then there was Eddie… no,Ward, as he preferred to be called these days.
The shy, gangly boy she remembered had grown into a powerfully built man with shoulders a mile wide, but with the same kind hazel eyes and soft-spoken manner.
Her heart had done a silly little flip when she’d seen him in Elle’s living room, and she’d been hyperaware of him throughout dinner, seated directly across from her.
The way his large, callused hands had handled his silverware with unexpected delicacy. The way his cheek showed a dimple under his short beard when he smiled. The deep rumble of his laugh when Justin described his run-ins with one particular member of the Historic Preservation Review board.
Her cheeks heated. Whatwasit about Ward Swanson that made her feel so fluttery inside, especially after everything that had just happened with Andrew?
She shouldn’t be noticing any man right now, let alone fantasizing about Ward’s strong carpenter’s hands.
