Page 45 of Bear Creek Father's Day
Orrin forced himself not to laugh, though it would have been better if the children had seen Zak’s body art earlier. Kip then noticed the silver ring in Zak’s right nipple and pointed.
“Wha dat Papa? Owie?”
Zak hurriedly covered it with his palm and stood up.
“I bet you’ll like the slides. Let’s go try them out.”
Orrin not only got the evil eye, Zak pinched his butt for not helping him out. Maybe they’d find a way to explain his bling, but apparently this wasn’t the time or place.
Kip adored the water slides, though he preferred laying down, sailing off the end like a sausage on hot grease. The next time he tried going down head first and mouth open, resulting in a belly full of water which he promptly barfed up. Thankfully, Rayn was satisfied sitting up like a little lady or being held by one of her papas, laughing until they hit the pool below.
Nearby was a series of waterfalls, fountains and other water features in a section devoted to younger children. It had an African theme with lots of colorful animals that served one purpose—get people wet, usually by surprise. Screams and giggles predominated, and the kids had a blast wondering what would happen next.
Afterward, they tried something more sedate—tubing down the artificial river that wound its way through the entire lower level. Orrin and Rayn shared an inner tube, followed by Zak and Kip. The ride gave them a chance to see everything the park had to offer, though they still got soaked in rushing rapids and beneath waterfalls. Every time they spotted someone they knew, everybody waved and smiled. It looked like the group as a whole was having a lot of fun.
Shortly before lunch, they huddled in the shallow end of the wave pool, riding the waves amid squeals and screeches as they bobbed up and down. Every time a new one approached, Rayn called out, “uh oh!” and covered her eyes until the thing passed and the water flattened out. Orrin had quite a time with Kip until he settled the little squirmer on his shoulders and held his legs. He laughed so hard he gave himself the hiccups, which he also found funny.
Eventually, Dash and Aiden made the rounds to gather everyone near the entrance so they could change and go to lunch. Orrin and Zak did their best to get the kids dried off and draped in towels before they left the warmth of the waterpark. The hallways felt almost frigid in comparison, and they were all shivering by the time they reached the conference room. Dry clothes certainly felt better, and the shivers were replaced by growling bellies. Lunch might prove to be very… interesting.
Chapter 21
The Delaware Room restaurant
Believing that an open dining room full of strangers would be too distracting for the children, Dash had reserved one of the private party rooms for their group lunch. Each family unit had their own table for some ‘just us’ time, with Tasha joining Zuzu and the Cunninghams. The children received their own menus, filled with colorful pictures of hearty meals fit for shifter appetites. Zak helped Rayn choose something she could handle, and while they waited for the food to arrive, she asked him a question.
“Will the big bear come back?”
Eyes wide, Kip clearly wanted to know what Zak was going to say. Because it would raise difficult questions, the children weren’t told that the animal had been captured shortly after being chased away from the Cub House, declared a nuisance by the authorities, and euthanized. Zak glanced at Orrin before sharing the less detailed answer they’d agreed on.
“No, honey, the big bear will never come back, so you don’t need to worry. Most wild bears are shy and stay away from people, and if we don’t bother them, they won’t bother us.”
Given acute shifter hearing, the rest of the room had heard the exchange and the children at each table were now chattering away about the event. Zuzu, Griffin, and Fort weren’t even at home when it happened, but chimed in with their own questions and comments. Rayn hadn’t intended to open Pandora’s box, but her inquiry came from lingering fear, not excitement.
Thankfully, Dustin came over to share a story about his first visit to the Watershed while being the only human in the place. He assured Rayn that it would be fun and she’d have plenty of non-shifter company today. She was smiling again by the time the servers arrived with their food, and the adults purposely steered the conversation toward other topics.
No shifter meal is ever complete without something sweet for dessert, and Aiden had used his pastry chef experience to create a treat that would satisfy any ursine craving. Rich, dense portions of Honey Cake were served warm, sprinkled with sliced almonds, soaked in delicately flavored honey syrup, and covered with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The room filled with contented growls as they ate, and the staff hustled to bring in seconds until there wasn’t a single sticky piece left over.
Dustin, always on the lookout for unique baked goods, could be heard making a deal with Aiden to sell Honey Cake exclusively at the Red Barn. Dash was so pleased with his mate that he kissed the man senseless while everyone hooted and clapped. The couple had just celebrated their second wedding anniversary on the twelfth; married in the resort’s grand ballroom amid paper hearts and scores of red roses. And, if things moved along as expected, they might soon be welcoming Griffin and Fort to their household, giving Dash the family he’d always wanted.
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Soon after, the shifter guest wing
While nearly the same size as the waterpark, the Water Shed was designed specifically for bears, with cozy dens for snoozing, real trees, wide walking paths, and unobstructed sunshine through the overhead dome. The water features were different too, and included a meandering stream, waterfalls, shallow soakingpools, a large central lake for swimming, and a play pond with floating toys for the cubs. Even the water was chemical-free to mimic nature, continuously filtered, warmed for comfort, and safe for bears to drink.
It was quiet and peaceful here, filled with the soothing sound of flowing water, bear growls, and realistic recordings of birdsong from hidden speakers. No raucous laughter, shouting teens, or the hum of myriad conversations to spoil the illusion of nature. This was truly a place where shifters could relax and leave their human concerns behind for a while. It was also ideal for humans to observe and interact with the ursine half of their mates, friends, or loved ones—all without concern for changeable weather, stinging insects, or natural bears crashing the party.
At the moment, Zak and Rayn were sitting at the edge of the play pond next to Dustin, Aiden, and Levi—all watching ‘their’ cubs play with the floating toys. While those without furcouldparticipate, it was safer if they remained on the sidelines. Bear claws were sharp, and the cubs were having too much fun to watch what they were doing.
Every so often, Kip would bring Rayn one of the big, colorful balls, pushing it with his snout as he swam. She’d giggle, throw it for him, and he’d go retrieve it. Zuzu, overdue for her nap, had fallen asleep on Gruff’s belly as the pair floated along the far edge of the pond. Meanwhile, Scout, Birdy, Griffin, and Fort were rolling, splashing, and chasing after the toys like a bunch of frisky otters—closely watched by Orrin, Tasha, Knox, and Dash.
While a bunch of wet bears might look alike at first glance, Zak realized that he had no difficulty identifying the adults. Orrin’s light brown coat set him apart instantly, and Tasha, as the only female, was noticeably smaller than the others. Dash’s white chest blaze, and Gruff’s facial scars, made both ofthem easy to recognize. Knox seemed to be the only one with no distinguishing features—a classic black bear in every way, though a handsome specimen.
About the time Zuzu awakened from her nap, the group split up to go exploring. Dash and Aiden took their boys down to the lake, while Knox, Levi, and their cubs decided to float down the river. Gruff, Dustin, and Zuzu went on a waterfall tour, leaving Orrin, Zak, Kip, and Rayn to investigate the bubble pit. The round pool, flush with the floor, could be accessed by descending ramps on either side, and was filled with warm aerated water. Natural bears were known for availing themselves of neighborhood hot tubs, and Dash had insisted on including one for his ursine guests.
A large, paw-sized button turned on the air bubbles, and a startled Kip made a beeline for Orrin. Rayn, who adored bubble baths, loved it—splashing around and laughing as the air made the decorative skirt on her ballerina swimsuit rise to the surface. Eventually, she managed to coax Kip into the water.
“Get in, Kip. It tickles!”
