Page 27 of Bear Creek Thanksgiving (Holiday Mates #3)
It was after three a.m. by the time they’d eaten a quick snack, taken a shower, and hit the sheets. Morning would come far too soon, yet mark the beginning of a new phase in their relationship and no more separations.
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The alarm went off at its usual time, and Gruff had to rouse Dustin with growly kisses and promises of caffeine.
Mutual hand jobs in the shower helped, too, though they both wanted more.
Shifter physiology couldn’t tolerate caffeine, so breakfast involved two cups of strong coffee for Dustin and juice for Gruff.
Today would be an uphill battle as they fought to remain awake and engaged until the last customer left the parking lot.
Both Asha and Jillian were horrified to hear about the water issue and Dustin losing his home.
Neither were surprised to hear he’d moved in with Gruff, secretly pleased that circumstances conspired to bring the men even closer together.
Outside, Nina and Ruben also felt badly for Dustin, but were happy the poor man had somewhere to live.
Nina patted Gruff’s arm, giving him a maternal smile.
“Now, Gruff, don’t pretend you aren’t going to enjoy having your beau under the same roof.
You young people don’t have the patience to wait until marriage like our generation did.
I’ll say one thing, though—Dustin is absolutely smitten with you, and as far as I can tell, you feel the same way.
It’s a joy to see, and Ruben and I are pleased as punch. ”
While Ruben didn’t say anything, he did wink at Gruff and kissed his wife on the cheek before they got back to work.
The day was extraordinarily busy, as expected, with barely enough time to wolf down lunch before the next wave of eager customers showed up. Around one o’clock, DeeDee Tillman arrived to commiserate with Dustin.
“You look worse than Gruff, but I understand why. Hopefully, you can both get some rest over the weekend, though I heard your family is coming for a visit. Sunny and I are glad you’ve moved in with Gruff.
It’s practical to be sure, but it also gives you more quality time together.
We shifters don’t do well without our mates close by.
“The owner of Locust Lodge Apartments is having a check cut today to reimburse your deposit and the rest of this month’s rent.
I’ve been after him for years to upgrade those buildings before something like this happened.
After the health department finishes their inspection, he’s going to have to make significant improvements or shut down the complex.
Maybe I can convince Dash to buy the place and fix it up.
In fact, we need more apartments in town with the way Bear Creek is growing. ”
DeeDee finished bending Dustin’s ear and then picked up a few things while she was at the Red Barn.
Apparently, both Sunny and Carmen were very fond of Dustin’s Orchard Bread—served warm and slathered with maple butter.
So were a lot of other people, and Asha made a fresh batch of loaves every day.
Dustin noticed that the self-serve cooler was almost empty, and let Jillian know he’d be in and out of the cider room for a while.
If he could hang on for a few more hours, this long day would be over and he’d be relaxing in Gruff’s arms at last.
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Meanwhile, at the Pocono Ridge Resort
Ryder Sinclair was sequestered in one of the small conference rooms, needing privacy to conduct his business.
As a trained attorney, he’d dealt with some truly astonishing cases through the years, including the wrongful death lawsuit of Dash’s first mate.
When DeeDee Tillman requested that he investigate on Gruff’s behalf, Ryder had uncovered some very interesting and disturbing facts.
There was only so far he could go without officially representing Gruff, but he’d checked out the players mentioned in the Cunninghams letter.
Pittsburg Wealth Management was a legitimate, well-known firm in good standing who dealt with investments and retirement portfolios.
He found it intriguing that they’d hired an attorney from Richardson, Hopper, and Smyth (a respected firm with a stellar reputation) to locate any living descendants of a deceased shifter named Hugo Kennedy.
The connection to Gruff Cunningham had been a sad, twisted tale that broke his heart and provided the impetus to get answers.
He’d already interviewed the Cunninghams in person to get their side of the story, and then sat down with DeeDee and Sunny Tillman for their input.
The only way to move forward with this case was to legally represent Gruff.
If the man agreed, Ryder could get answers and information while keeping Gruff’s true identity a secret.
From what he knew so far, it didn’t appear to be something disruptive, but there were sensitive legal and financial issues involved.
More importantly, the case would dredge up painful memories that had haunted Gruff since childhood.
Whether he knew it or not, the man needed his help and DeeDee was right to have contacted him in the first place.
Fortunately, Dash had promised to cover any costs while giving Ryder time to pursue the case to its logical conclusion.
Decision made, he picked up the phone and dialed the mayor’s office.