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Yes!his bear agreed enthusiastically.We can be that for her. Until she is ready for more.

A weight lifted from Philip’s shoulders. He would be there for Elsbeth, however she needed him to be—friend, helper, and confidant. He would prove himself worthy of her trust first, and the rest would follow when she was ready.

With renewed energy, Philip finished pruning the last section of vines. He gathered his tools, giving the vineyard one final satisfied look before heading back to the house.

In the kitchen garden, his parents worked side by side, a picture of contentment that made his heart ache with longing. His mother was on her knees, planting seedlings, while his father turned the soil nearby. They moved in perfect harmony, occasionally exchanging glances that spoke volumes.

“I’m heading over to Rose Farm,” Philip announced as he approached.

Hugo looked up, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. “Okay, see you later, son.”

“Give Elsbeth our love,” Leanne added, standing slowly with one hand pressed against the small of her back.

Hugo immediately went to her side, his arm wrapping protectively around her waist as they watched Philip walk toward his truck.

They are all rooting for us,his bear said happily.

I know,Philip replied, trying not to feel the pressure of expectation.

They can’t wait to welcome Elsbeth to the family properly,his bear said.

Neither can I,Philip replied.But we can’t rush things. Not now.

They understand,his bear replied with certainty.

Philip slid behind the wheel of his truck, placing his tools in the passenger seat. As he drove the winding mountain roads toward Rose Farm, he turned on the radio, letting the music fill the cab. Some upbeat country song played, and he found himself humming along, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel.

The tension that had gripped him all morning had dissolved, replaced by a calm certainty. This was right. Being there for Elsbeth, supporting her dreams, and becoming someone she could depend on. That was what mattered now. The rest would come in its own time.

The mating bond was not going anywhere—and neither was he.

And she feels it, too,his bear said.

She does,Philip replied. It was there in the way her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed pink when they touched. It was there in the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn’t looking.

She had no idea he didn’t need to see her to know she was looking at him—he could feel her.

As he rounded the final curve in the road, Rose Farm came into view. The old farmhouse stood proud against the backdrop of mountains. Elsbeth had already started to transform the place: she’d painted the front door, weeded the flower beds around the house, and cleared the pathways between the outbuildings.

She was bringing the place back to life, just as she had done to his heart.

Philip parked beside her car and grabbed his tools. He could sense her nearby, probably working in the fields where they’d left the irrigation system half-finished. The thought of seeing her again sent heat searing through his veins.

He found her exactly where he expected—wrestling with a section of pipe, her brow furrowed in concentration. She wore her mother’s flannel shirt again, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, dirt smudged across one cheek. Her hair was pulled back in a messy braid, tendrils escaping to frame her face.

To Philip, she had never looked more beautiful.

“Need a hand?” he called, approaching with his toolbox.

Elsbeth looked up, surprise giving way to a smile that lit her entire face. “Philip! I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“I promised to help with the irrigation system,” he said simply, setting down his tools. “And I always keep my promises.”

Something flickered in her eyes. Relief, perhaps, or gratitude. She straightened, brushing dirt from her hands. “I’m beginning to think I’m never going to get this finished.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Philip replied, the word ‘friends’ feeling both right and not quite enough. But it was a start. “To help when things get tough.”

Elsbeth’s smile softened. “I’m lucky to have found a friend like you in Bear Creek.”