Page 37 of Bear Creek Valentine
“I grew up in Clarks Summit, north of Scranton, and lived there until I opened the shop in Bear Creek. My parents divorced when I was young, and I have a twin brother, Ashton, and a half-sister, Gwen. We’re not close, and don’t spend any time together.”
Fortunately, the conversation turned to Dash’s new and exciting enterprise, leaving Aiden off the hook for a while. He told them what the Pocono Ridge Resort offered, when it would open, and that Aiden’s chocolates would be sold there. His comment prompted Jean to fetch the human treats, leaving the Bear Brownies for later, and passed two large platters down the table. Moans, groans, and expressions of delight filled the air as they enjoyed what they’d only heard about until now.
With nary a crumb left, the adults pitched in to clear the table and wash up. Aiden and Dash were tasked with hand-drying, while Isobel and Kamdyn washed, and Bram and Sorcha put things away. It gave Dash’s siblings a chance to interact with Aiden in a smaller group and decide for themselves if the handsome human was good enough for their brother. They noticed the looks and touches between the couple, and Dash’s rumbling purr let them know he was deliriously happy without saying a word.
The Hawthorn’s home wasn’t fancy, but it did have a large yard surrounded by a high privacy fence. In a back corner stoodan odd structure that looked something like a free-standing coat closet, wide open, with two rows of hooks on each side. When child and adult alike began to disrobe and hang their clothing, Aiden turned his back to give them some privacy. Moments later, Dash’s cold, wet nose bumped his hand, and he turned around to stroke the soft fur on his face and head.
“There you are. The most beautiful bear I see.”
Dash stood, now almost the same height as Aiden, to scent him again and lick his face. Aiden carded long, slim fingers through the white blaze on Dash’s chest, now vibrating with a contented purr. Moments later, they began interacting with the others—mostly more scenting and petting, though Aiden didn’t know who was who. The younger children stood out because of their smaller size, and he was soon surrounded by the playful cubs. He dropped to his knees in the grass, giving each one a scratch behind the ears, a hug, or a tummy rub.
Aiden marveled at the sight, as he’d never seen so many black bears in one place before. Natural bears were solitary creatures, but apparently, bearshiftersenjoyed some familial interaction as a group. Dash remained by Aiden’s side, in part, he supposed, to protect him but also to keep him company. Many of the adults approached to give both of them a thorough scenting while they continued playing with the little ones.
After a while, Dash got Aiden’s attention by licking his chops and lifting a huge paw to point at the home’s back door. Oh! It was time to bring out the boxes of treats while everyone was in ursine form, and Aiden made his way inside to grab them. When he stepped outside again, the kids were a little too eager and nearly tripped him up. Several adults broke up the congestion with loud growls and snorts, and they cleared a path down the center of the yard.
Dash had convinced Aiden to bring both Bear Brownies and the new layered treats he’d christened Bear Snax. They were halfthe size of the brownies and contained less protein but more sugar, honey, or fruit. Aiden began laying them out on the grass, snatched up quickly by whoever could reach them first. Though he couldn’t be sure, it appeared every bear received at least one treat before he ran out. He gave the last one, a chocolate-covered peanut butter and brownie Snax, to Dash, along with a smooch on his furry forehead.
Before long, the family shifted, re-dressed, and wandered back inside. The Brownies and Snax were a hit, as Dash had predicted, and everyone wanted to know how to get more. Aiden made a deal with them.
“In exchange for a friends-and-family discount, let me take some photos, so I have a way to remember who everybody is.”
Lamont loved the idea.
“Perfect! We haven’t had any taken recently. Just tell us where to stand.”
Aiden’s phone had a decent camera, and he instructed each sibling to gather with their mate and cubs for a group shot. The last photo ofeverybodyrequired using the time-delay feature, and Jean insisted that Aiden be included. Since Dash knew everyone’s email, he promised to send the photos after they returned home.
Most of the younger kids wandered off to play, leaving a smaller group in the living room to converse. When Lamont asked, Dash shared some of the charitable work he was doing in and around Bear Creek, including the newly remodeled Cub House for orphans. Apparently, the need was much greater than Aiden realized, and Dash’s loved ones were excited that he’d intervened so soon after settling in his new home.
Aiden may not have shifter senses, but he could see and hear how they felt about Dash. What must it have been like to come from a loving and supportive family? To have parents who stayed together, siblings who accepted you for who you reallywere, and a home that wasn’t ripped apart by unfaithfulness and selfish ambition?
When it was time to go, a long goodbye ensued—involving hugs and scentings from all the adults and several of the teens. While Dash took it all in stride, it nearly overwhelmed Aiden. He wasn’t even formally mated to their son and brother, yet they included him as one of the family. He didn’t know how to process the love and acceptance from people who’d met him only hours before. How could this be real?
As usual, Aiden’s scent gave him away, prompting Lamont and Jean to whisk the couple outside before the human burst into tears. Dash held him close, encouraging deep breaths until he stopped shaking. When Aiden looked up to find all three of them watching him closely, he tried to apologize. Jean shushed him.
“You have nothing to be ashamed of. Dash told us about your difficult home life, but it’s over now. We can see the love and respect between you and our son, and it only goes to show how strong you are. Both of you still have some pain to overcome, but now you can do ittogether. If that isn’t enough, you have us and the rest of the family. You’re not alone anymore, and this is what family does. You come back and see us soon, all right?”
Aiden thanked them with hugs and then got in the car while Dash said goodbye to his parents. They waved as the car pulled away from the curb and Dash immediately reached for Aiden’s hand.
“You okay?”
Aiden let out a gusty sigh and managed a half-smile for his bear.
“Yeah, I’m good. Your family is really something... pretty much everything I never had.”
Dash only knew bits and pieces, but now seemed a good time to press for more.
“Tell me about growing up and your family. I want to know.”
Aiden realized it had been unfair to leave Dash in the dark this long, but he’d kept the pain deeply buried for a reason. Apparently, it was time to dig it up.
Chapter 13
Aiden took a deep breath, ordered his thoughts, and began the sad story of his life.
“My mother was already pregnant when my parents got married. She thought my father would settle down after my brother and I were born, but he couldn’t keep it in his pants. They fought all the time, and when mom heard he’d knocked up his secretary, she kicked him out and filed for divorce. Not long after my half-sister was born, he and his new family moved to California and we never heard from him again.
“Mom worked hard to support us, but finances were always tight. Ashton and I were really close until the summer before my Junior year of high school. We’d always shared everything, but I made the mistake of telling him I liked guys, and it ruined our relationship. Ashton felt betrayed and my mother was embarrassed to have a gay son. She didn’t kick me out, but things were never the same between us.”
