Page 42 of The Bear's Forever Mat
Marianne was slowly losing her stiffness, and she turned and offered Amber a true smile. “We don’t have room here, but my parents’ cottage is open for you to use. They went south to visit my sisters. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and I hope you’ll stay to celebrate with us.”
Amber had totally lost track of time over the course of the past week. “I had no idea we’d hit the holidays. If it won’t put you out, we’d love to stay.”
“You’re family,” Marianne said. “It’s never going to be a problem for you to visit.”
Cooper was sitting motionless. Bram had his fingers wrapped in a death grip around Cooper’s thumb, and it looked as if her big polar bear was content to sit there until he was let free.
Amber slid her arm around Cooper and squeezed tight as she answered for them. “Then we’d love to. Thank you.”
They visited longer, including a video chat with Amber’s parents, which set her crying a little. She clung to Cooper’s hand even as she wiped away the tears. They laughed together at shared memories and when her dad accidentally shifted back and forth between fur and human a couple of times, no one so much as blinked.
After dinner they were given a tour of town then guided to their promised cottage.
Mason invited them to come back to his home after they’d gotten settled, but Amber shook her head. She wanted to visit with him and his family, but not now.
It was already late, and someone else in the room needed her attention.
“I’m glad we found you, Mason. And I’m even happier to see how much this is your home. But can we catch up tomorrow? It’s been a big day after a lot of other big days.”
“Of course.” Mason squeezed her tight in one of those hugs she remembered so well from her growing-up days. A hug that said she was important to him. “We’ll spend time together in lots of tomorrows.”
She closed the door behind him and turned to face her big polar bear. After the rush of all sorts of emotions—the joy and shock and amazement of finding Mason and her parents—through it all, she’d been utterly aware of Cooper.
Now as she walked across the simple cottage-like space toward him, it was with so much love inside her wanting to burst free. She held it back, though, sensing he needed something.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He led her to the couch and sat, their hands linked, a frown creasing between his brows. “I’m not sure—”
Cooper shook his head as if chasing away flies then, his eyes widening, he slipped away and stripped his shirt off over his head.
Okay. She kinda thought they were going to talk first but…
Cooper grinned even as he undid his pants and stepped out of them, getting naked. “This is most definitely a first, but I have been ordered to shift. I’m not sure why, but this time, I don’t think I should argue.”
Amber was going to ask for further explanation, but she wasn’t going to get any because Cooper was already shifting. The man vanished and the bear arrived, sitting on the hearthstones in the small living space that was barely big enough for him to turn around in.
When he padded forward and laid his chin on her knee, Amber gave in and ran her fingers through his fur, petting him. “Thank you for everything you did to get me here.”
It was a good thing she was sitting down, because the next thing she heard was very clearly Cooper’s voice. Only it wasn’t quite Cooper, and she wasn’t hearing it with her ears.
The voice sounded in her head.
“You did so much to make the trip successful. You’re good for Cooper, and I see now you’ll be good for me as well.”
Amber let out an unsteady breath and tried to answer back.“Cooper?”
“Yes… And no. I don’t thinkhecan hear you because he’s not talking to you. I am.”
Cooper had once said that it was complicated, the relationship between him and his bear. Man, he wasn’t kidding.“Okay. So, while I have a chance, do you know that I think you’re marvelous?”
The bear swung a paw gently, as if batting away a butterfly. “You really are a sweet talker, but I kind of like that. You can tell me nice things anytime you want. And the scratching behind the ears is very acceptable, as well.”
“I’ll remember that.”Amusement and excitement were bubbling together inside Amber’s gut, and she wanted to be able to talk to Cooper about this, but she didn’t want this experience to end, either.“Does this mean Cooper and I are mates? I mean, this really is complicated, talking about you and Cooper as if you’re two different people, but areyouokay with me being in your life?”
In her lap, the bear’s head dipped. “First, though, I need to apologize.”
Amber waited because there was obviously more coming.
