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“All right. Thanks, I owe you one.”

Once Andy ended the call, Monica said, “That’s so sweet of them.”

“Believe me, he doesn’t usually offer to bring a pizza over to me. Oh, and my mother asked what your favorite dessert is.”

“Hmm, lots of things, but I love chocolate cheesecake.”

“How did I not remember that? You had that when I took you out for lunch after you got a flat tire.”

“Yes! It’s still my favorite.”

He got on his phone and called his mother. “Mom, Monica’s favorite dessert is chocolate cheesecake.”

“Coming right up.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Then they ended the call.

“Wow, that’s so nice of your mom to make it for me.”

“She and Dad want more grandkids.”

She laughed. “So that’s how you make kids? That’s a new one on me.”

He laughed, then kissed her cheek. “I’m going to start a fire.”

“That would be nice. And tonight, when we go to bed, maybe we can finish what we started.”

“Only if your back and hand are okay.” He sure wanted to go further with Monica, but he didn’t want her to be in pain. He set a log on the fire.

“I’m sure I’ll manage just fine.” Monica heard something out back and headed for the window. “Ohmigod, how cute. Who are they?”

Andy joined her at the window. He laughed. On the land connecting his, Alicia 's, and Rob’s property, Alicia was digging a snow cave as a polar bear that she’d started a few days earlier, and both of her bear cubs were checking out what she was doing. “That’s Alicia, my cousin Rob’s mate, and their two-year-old cubs, Daniel and Jenny.”

“She has made some inroads.”

“Yeah, it’s their daily exercise. Sometimes, Edward and Robyn are out there with the six-year-old twins. They can shift at will now. But the younger twins, just seven months old, only shift when their momma does.”

One of the cubs was pawing at his mother from up above while she was digging out the snow down below. She looked up at him, then began digging again.

“That’s Jenny on top. Oh!” Andy said as Jenny put her small paw out to get her mother’s attention again and fell into the snow cave.

Andy and Monica laughed. “Too cute,” she said. “Let’s join them.”

“As bears? What about your hand?”

“It doesn’t feel as bad.” Monica began stripping.

“Okay, I’ll tell Craig we’re out back playing with Alicia and her cubs. He’ll leave the pizza in the house. It’ll probably be half an hour before it’s ready and when he arrives here.”

“Sounds good.” She shifted and waited for him to open the back door.

He quickly texted Craig, undressed, opened the back door, and shifted. Andy led the way because Alicia and her little ones didn’t know Monica.

When they ran across the snow, Jenny and Daniel raced to him until they saw Monica. Then they paused.

Andy nuzzled Monica to show them she was all right, and then he ran to them. They jumped all over him in excitement, their little bear bottoms wiggling.

Monica just watched them.