Page 40 of Bear Creek Father's Day
“Uh huh. And the doctor thinks your lips need to be warmed up, too.”
The first kiss was an icy shock, though that didn’t stop Zak from plundering Orrin’s mouth. A different kind of heat began to rise, chasing away the cold and reawakening their ardor. Unfortunately, the pair had other responsibilities and Orrin pulled back—regret showing in his eyes despite the smile.
“While my condition merits a full-body exam, Doctor, I’m afraid we have a previous engagement with two little ones. We better go and get them before the whole house is wired up.”
Zak laughed, swatting Orrin’s butt.
“Fine, though I’ll take a rain-check on that exam. I need to make sure the cold hasn’t damaged any important bits.”
Hand in hand, the couple made their way into the Cub House and down the stairs. Their arrival hadn’t gone unnoticed, and the sound of a stampeding herd rent the air. Zuzu got to them first, small but fast, and received hugs from both men.
“Where you going? Can I come too?”
Orrin had to gently correct her thinking.
“Not today, Zuzu-bug. You need to be here so the Cunninghams can pick you up after lunch. Be sure to bring your jammies and toothbrush, and tell Baxter hello for me.”
Kip and Rayn wiggled their way in next, lifting their arms to be held. While Rayn loved Orrin, she usually sought out Zak first, drawn to his unique but familiar scent. He’d been the first person who smelled like she did, and it provided a measure of comfort that couldn’t be found elsewhere. Wrapped around his neck, the little urchin murmured a heartfelt greeting.
“I missed you, Papa.”
The unexpected title startled Zak, and he fumbled with how to respond while stroking her back.
“I missed you, too, Rayn.”
Orrin overheard the exchange, but the moment passed while he greeted an overexcited Kip. The boy received his usual dose of tickles, hair rustling, and a kiss on the forehead. The rest of the cubs crowded around to scent both men, ask nosy questions, and bask in their attention. Having just finished in the kitchen, Tasha made an appearance—watching as the couple adroitly handled the whole hello-goodbye scene. Once they’d settled down, Orrin shared some important news with Griffin and Fort.
“Boys, Dash and Aiden are going to stop by to meet you today. I know you’ll be good, and if you feel comfortable with them, they’d like to take you out for a treat.”
As the last of the group to be ‘claimed’, they were both excited and nervous. Orrin had already explained who the men were, where they lived, and what kind of work they did. The boys had asked some good questions, though their primary concern was staying together. Orrin promised them that they would, even if someone else adopted them.
Following all the hugs and goodbyes, Kip and Rayn were instructed to go potty and were then bundled up in their wintergear. Zak made sure that Rayn was wearing her leg brace, completely covered by her loose jeans. He knew how unkind children could be, and the sensitive girl didn’t need anyone teasing or asking questions. Orrin heartily approved of his concern, even if the man didn’t realize he was exhibiting classic parental behavior. When everyone was ready, they trooped out the back door and headed for the car.
Chapter 19
KIDS PLAY was already busy when they arrived, though not terribly crowded. Since neither Kip nor Rayn had seen anything like it before, they weren’t sure what to expect until they saw what the other kids were doing. Suddenly, they wanted to be everywhere, all at once, doing everything! Orrin knew how to keep them focused on one activity at a time, and Zak played security, watching the kids like a hawk. There were numerous ways to get hurt in a place like this, and he was determined to keep that from happening while allowing the little ones to enjoy themselves.
They started with the ‘Little Putt’ golf course for the youngest children, though the big, brightly colored balls went almost everywhere except in the designated holes. Kip’s wild swings resulted in fewer points, though Rayn attempted to help him. The little guy had more energy than he knew what to do with, so Orrin suggested something more physical to burn it off.
Rayn wasn’t yet cleared for jumping, so Orrin took her to the ball pit while Zak watched Kip in the bounce house. There were a few near-collisions with other kids, but no issues except for Zak’s elevated blood pressure. The next activity was the Go Karts—each child paired with an adult driver as they went slowly round and round the twisted track wearing helmets that nearly blocked all vision.
When they tired of that, it was time to try the zip lines. Instead of hanging onto a T-bar, the little ones were strapped into a small seat with hand grips above their head and feet dangling. The line itself extended twenty feet, and only about twenty-four inches above a thickly padded floor. Still, it gave them a similar sensation to what the older kids nearby were getting. For all hisbravado, Kip nearly refused until Rayn convinced him it would be fun and went first. She laughed the whole way and then became his cheerleader.
“See? Now you try.”
He did, loved it, and then wouldn’t consider anything else until Orrin promised a treat at the snack bar. To avoid arguments, he ordered brownie sundaes for everyone, doused with chocolate sauce and topped with sprinkles. They weren’t bad, though Orrin was certain he could do better at home. When they were finished, it was time for a bathroom break, and things got interesting.
Sensing Zak’s discomfort, he volunteered to take Rayn and the four of them marched into the men’s room and chose side by side stalls. Kip turned out to be a chatty little booger, talking a mile-a-minute as he took care of business. Zak got him put back together, helped him wash his hands, and then rejoined Orrin and Rayn. Thankfully, no one gave him any side-eye duringoperation potty,and Zak suddenly realized that parents with little ones had been doing the same thing all along, even ifhehadn’t noticed.
The next challenge was the climbing wall where Kip went up like a monkey—unafraid of heights and having a grand time waving from the top. Zak finally remembered that shifter cubs in their bear form excelled at climbing trees, even very tall ones, without hesitation. Rayn wasn’t quite so confident and insisted that Orrin go with her. Even then, she stopped about halfway up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and quietly asked to go back down.
Except for the snack bar and Go Karts (which now had a long wait time), they revisited each of the areas for one more roundof fun. While the kids weren’t exhausted, they had slowed down, and by the time they’d finished, were ready to go without a fuss. On the way back, they compared notes in the back seat—Kip declaring that the zip line was his favorite, while Rayn waffled between the Go Karts and the ball pit. Both children were fans of the snack bar, which was no surprise at all.
It was already one o’clock when they reached the edge of town, and since they’d missed lunch, Orrin turned onto Third Avenue. Two doors down from the Suds & Duds laundromat was a small, family-owned joint named Panetta’s Pizza. While most of their business involved takeout, they did have a small eat-in dining room with a half-dozen tables. Orrin never brought the cubs here, but he did order to-go meals occasionally—mostly busy days when there wasn’t time to cook.
Inside, the owner spotted them from the pickup window and waved.
“Orrin! Good to see you again. Takeout or eat-in today?”
