Page 9 of The Bear's Forever Mat
Amber didn’t want to watch him fall in love with someone else. Not because she didn’t want him to be happy, but because she was sure thatshecould make him happy.
Cooper and Amber paced across the field toward where Alex had waved an arm to get their attention. “I wonder what insults he’s dreamed up in the past thirty minutes?” Cooper drawled.
Amber snorted. “Your brother is competitive.”
“So am I,” Cooper said mildly. “Only I don’t feel the need to announce my superiority at every turn.”
“Naturally. Those who have it don’t need to flaunt it.”
A burst of laughter rang from him. The others glanced their way, but Cooper ignored them, smiling down at her with approval and amusement.
Amber returned his smile.
He was a good man, and while things might be advancing slower than she’d like, she was more determined than ever to make this happen. She knew his methods. She knew how his brain worked, and now she just needed to be ready when it was time to make her move.
They stopped near a project that was progressing nicely. The huge shape that had been lifted into place earlier was a slice of pizza, of all things, resting on a raised serving platter. The entire sculpture was tilted slightly to the side so the surface could be admired.
Slices with pepperoni and olives stuck up from the background, but as Amber slid into position next to Kaylee, she found herself distracted. The team had made the cheese seem to drip off the edge of the one piece near the edge of the platter, and…
Oh no.
Giggles threatened to set in and knock her off her feet.
She leaned toward Kaylee. “There’s… Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?”
A snicker escaped her best friend. “Maybe?”
“Oh my goodness,” Amber whispered as she stared at the long, contoured drips.
On her other side, Lara joined them. She rested her head on Amber’s shoulder and all but whimpered as if in agony. “I can’t say anything. I need to say something, but I just can’t…”
She broke off into hysterical hiccups.
Alex glanced over, alarm rising. He paced around the gathering toward them, James moving quickly as well.
“Are they using the mate connection in your heads to ask why we’re snickering?” Amber got out between sputters. “Because, oh dear, you can’t tell them. But youhaveto tell them.”
“Can’t.Youdeal with this,” Kaylee told Lara as firmly as she could before grabbing hold of James and burying her face against his chest so she could cover up her squall of laughter.
Lara pulled herself vertical, took one look at the pizza, then turned back to Amber before collapsing to the ground, clutching her stomach as she gasped for air.
Cooper had joined them now, a frown creasing his face as he took in the situation. “Amber?”
She sealed her lips together and shook her head frantically. He stood between her and the ice sculpture, and one of the thick, dripping icicles was visible behind his shoulder.
Amber closed her eyes and prayed for strength.
Cooper’s soft touch on her shoulder and the warmth of his breath over her face calmed her slightly, but her cheeks were still flaming hot as he spoke softly.
“They put rabbit parts on the pizza, didn’t they?” he asked.
Amber jerked upright, thankful for a good solution that didn’t involve describing the real issue. “A Bunny Special? Well…”
She glanced at the pizza. Turns out the team, aided and abetted by Dixon from the Orion wolf packhadcarved what appeared to be a few sets of bunny ears on the surface. But as she looked over the group, she realized she couldn’t let it go without mentioning what had set her and her friends off.
Amber caught Cooper by the front of the shirt and tugged him close enough so she could whisper in his ear. “The cheese that’s dripping off. It looks less like cheese and more like…other things. Things that’s shouldn’t be hanging out in a public gathering.”
Cooper stayed close but tilted his head to the side to take a peek. “I see them. Drips. I don’t know what—”
