Page 28 of Bear Creek Thanksgiving (Holiday Mates #3)
Saturday evening
The atmosphere was different tonight, and both men noticed it.
Like a choreographed dance scene, Gruff and Dustin prepared their supper with ease, laughter, and stolen kisses.
They’d done this many times by now, but their situation had changed and it was no longer homeowner and guest, but a real couple sharing the same space.
Missing was the stress and discouragement of an inevitable separation neither had wanted, replacing you and me with us .
Gruff’s rumbling purr started when he and Dustin joined hands for the short walk home.
Even that simple word took on a new and deeper meaning, for both men knew this wasn’t a temporary arrangement.
Dustin had been called Gruff’s mate more than once, though it wasn’t yet official.
When the time came, however, no one would be surprised.
At Gruff’s insistence, Dustin sat on his lap for the meal, despite the risk of sharp elbows getting in the way.
The eager shifter had waited all day to enjoy Dustin’s scent, feel his warmth, and listen to his pleasant baritone voice as they talked.
That he could experience this every day now wasn’t lost on him or his bear—both happier than they’d ever been.
Dustin likewise enjoyed being with his man this way.
In the privacy of their own home, they could do whatever they wanted, and Dustin had a running list of intimate situations he wanted to try.
Besides, he loved watching Gruff loosen up, smile more, and even joke from time to time.
He’d been closed off and wound way too tight when they first met, and now the real Gruff had come out to play, and it was beautiful to witness.
After cleaning up the kitchen, they retired to the living room for kisses and conversation.
Given their mutual exhaustion, the kisses didn’t lead to anything hot and heavy.
Dustin had some unpacking to do upstairs, but he also wanted to discuss how they would share space without driving one another crazy.
“Neither of us are slobs, so that helps, but what kind of things bother you? What are your house rules? You’ve never had to share this place with anyone before and I’m sure you prefer things a certain way. I’d rather not annoy the crap out of you if I can avoid it.”
Gruff wasn’t prepared for the question and needed to think about it. Dustin left it to him, snuggling closer with his head on the man’s muscular chest. Eventually, Gruff stirred and started combing thick fingers through his mate’s tousled hair.
“I’m not sure, Dusty. If something bothers me, I’ll tell you, but this is your house now, too.
I guess we’ll both have to make some changes.
The truth is, I never had anything that was all mine growing up.
The Cunninghams did their best for us, but we shared pretty much everything—bedrooms, toys, clothes, even their affection.
It’s nice to have my own things, but I can do without most of it.
The only thing I won’t share is you. The rest is just… stuff.”
Moved by Gruff’s austere past, Dustin teared up.
He had no frame of reference to truly understand what it must have been like for the orphaned shifter, though he didn’t seem bitter.
It took a strong man to have endured so much, and a generous one to make room for another person in his life without warning or conditions.
Dustin’s love for Gruff took another leap forward as he held the man and kissed his neck, trying to convey something that couldn’t be expressed with mere words.
“I love you, Gruff, and I’m going to do my best to make you happy.”
Gruff shifted his mate around so he could kiss him properly.
“Too late. You’re all I need to be happy.”
############
The next day, Sunday, September 17th
Dustin’s family wasn’t due to arrive until ten thirty, allowing them to sleep in and catch up on their rest. Gruff awoke first and put his prehensile tongue to good use on Dustin’s cock.
He returned the favor by slicking up his inner thighs and encouraging Gruff to slide in between for a good rutting.
That left just enough time to straighten up the house and call in a reservation at the Honey Bear restaurant for lunch.
The cavalcade arrived in three vehicles at precisely ten twenty-seven, and the couple went out to greet them.
Dustin’s parents made a beeline for them, wrapping arms around their son while Gruff quietly observed.
They were younger than he’d expected, and while Dustin’s face closely resembled his mother’s, he had his father’s build and bewitching hazel eyes.
They turned to Gruff as their son introduced him.
“Mom. Dad. This is Gruff Cunningham. Gruff, these are my parents, Kevin and Joan.”
Gruff leaned in to scent each of them briefly, discovering elements of his mate’s scent in each of them. Kevin reached out to shake his hand and then Joan hugged the surprised man.
“It’s so good to meet you, Gruff. Dustin has told us about you, of course, but it’s not the same as getting to know someone in person. I’ve never visited an orchard before, and we would enjoy a tour if you don’t mind.”
Gruff’s growl startled the Mowrys until he smiled at them.
“I’d be happy to. I think we have enough time before lunch.”
Tara, Matt, and their twins came to say hello, followed by Nicole, Blake, and their son Elijah.
More hugs and handshakes followed until Baxter made a rather vocal appearance and pawed at Gruff’s leg to be picked up.
The whole group laughed as the imperious cat examined them with bright, golden eyes and Gruff filled them in.
“This is Baxter. He’s been riding on my shoulder since he was a kitten. You won’t find a better mouser anywhere.”
As the group walked toward the big barn, Dustin was relieved that no one had pointed out Gruff’s obvious facial scars.
He’d asked them not to mention it, but you never knew what the twins might say.
He wanted their first encounter to be friendly and casual so Gruff could relax among them.
So far, so good. Gruff brought out the hay wagon and everyone climbed aboard for a quick ride through part of the orchard.
Dustin rode up front on Gruff’s lap, calling out various features as they made a big circle between the trees.
After returning to the barn, they walked over to the pond and explained about adding ice skating in the winter and showed off the warming and snack station attached to the end of the building.
Then came the nickel tour of the Red Barn, including places the public never got to see.
Dustin sliced up a loaf of Orchard Bread and then set them loose in the gift shop for a look about.
The dancing bear display had everyone laughing, and Tara asked if Gruff was part of the group. He blushed, but answered.
“Uhhh… no. I wouldn’t be a very good dancer.”
Dustin noticed that Gruff didn’t mention his dislike of crowds or being stared at, which would have led to uncomfortable questions.
After cycling everyone through the restrooms, they headed back to the vehicles for their appointment in town.
Gruff and Dustin rode with his parents, pointing out City Hall, Bear Creek Lake, and the amphitheater on their way to the restaurant.
They chose a parking place out front and were pleased to find their reserved table was ready for them.
The Honey Bear was an old standard in Bear Creek—the only sit-down family restaurant for miles.
It had local character, good service, and a reputation for simple, hearty meals.
Given his family’s food service background, Dustin was a little nervous about bringing them here, but he needn’t have worried.
No one had a negative word to say, too busy scanning the menu and chatting among themselves—though Dustin noticed his mother whispering something to their waitress who simply jotted a note on her pad.
When it was Gruff’s turn to order, he asked for an inordinately large amount of food. The other adults all gave him a curious look, and Dustin came to his rescue.
“Shifters love to eat. You should see how much he can put away when he’s really hungry!”
That seemed to loosen everyone’s tongue, and they peppered Gruff with questions while waiting for the meal to arrive.
As Dustin had hoped, no one asked about his childhood or family.
Instead, they inquired about the orchard, Bear Creek, and what it was like to be a shifter.
Dustin marveled at how well Gruff handled the mild grilling from people he’d just met, all while sitting in the middle of a busy restaurant.
What he didn’t realize was that Gruff felt both safe and strong with his mate beside him, and the family had been nothing but kind and accepting.
Yes, they were loud and boisterous, but they seemed like good people, and obviously loved Dustin.
Other than getting used to Gruff’s growls and grunts (which the twins found hilarious), the Mowrys enjoyed getting to know the sweet man who’d captured Dustin’s heart.
After the food arrived, Dustin became the focus of attention while Gruff refueled.
He spoke about the Red Barn’s success, new inventory, his employees, and some of the great folks he’d met so far in Bear Creek.
When Joan voiced a desire to stop and see his apartment, Dustin realized he hadn’t told them about his new domestic arrangements yet.
“Sorry, mom, but I don’t live there anymore.”
A surprised silence interrupted the meal, and Gruff slipped his arm over Dustin’s shoulder as Joan asked him to explain.
“Well, two days ago the pipes burst in the middle of the night and flooded the place. I called Gruff, and he helped me pack everything up and get out of there.”
Tara got her foot in the door before anyone else could respond.
“So, where are you living now?”
Dustin leaned over to give Gruff a quick smooch.
“With my handsome boyfriend, of course.”
Bug-eyed, Tara wagged a finger at him, and Nicole’s giggles got the others going with laughter and teasing. Both men blushed, though neither felt in the least guilty. Kevin schooled his face into a more somber expression, eyes focused on Gruff.
“Looks like your relationship is more serious than we thought. I trust you’ll be good to my son?”
Gruff growled possessively, tugging Dustin closer.
“ Always , Sir. Shifters don’t abuse their mates, and I love Dusty.”
On the verge of tears, Joan asked the inevitable question.
“We’ve done a little reading about shifters, but I’m not sure what your new situation means. Are you and Dustin already mates?”
Dustin answered this one, sparing Gruff an awkward explanation.
“Not yet, mom. We aren’t quite ready, but I’ll let you know when it happens.”
Joan dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and managed a genuine smile.
“I’m happy for both of you, though my sweet little boy is growing up so fast! Is it too soon to mention grandchildren?”
More laughter erupted when the old family joke resurfaced, as Joan had said the same thing to each of Dustin’s sisters.
Underneath the humor, however, the Mowrys were keen on having a passel of grandkids and weren’t particularly shy about saying so.
Gruff didn’t understand the backstory and Dustin gripped his hand for a comforting squeeze.
“Yes, mama, it’s too soon to mention grandchildren. Gruff and I haven’t even talked about having kids, so you’ll have to be patient.”
The awkward conversation was interrupted by their server placing a candle-lit slice of cake in front of Dustin.
Caught off guard, his face went full tomato as the off-key song began in earnest. His birthday wasn’t until tomorrow, but that didn’t stop his determined family from embarrassing him in public.
Gruff sympathized, yet quietly sang along with the others before planting a fiery kiss on his mouth.
Dustin blew out the candle, pointed to the cake, and made a declaration.
“I’m not sharing this with any of you jokers.”
Joan waved off the threat.
“You don’t have to, sweetie. They have more!”
Amid fresh laughter, the wait staff arrived with cake for everyone, and Kevin explained what they had planned for later.
“We brought gifts for you to open at the house. You didn’t expect us to come all the way to Bear Creek a day before your birthday and then ignore it, did you?”
Dustin shook his head and dug in, sharing his cake with Gruff after the voracious shifter had finished his. When it came time to pay the tab, the couple’s offer to contribute fell on deaf ears as Kevin whipped out his credit card and sent the server on her way.
“It’s our treat, boys. Let us spoil you today.”
Gruff slipped an arm around Dustin’s waist on the way out, having enjoyed the meal much more than he’d anticipated.
The man’s scent revealed he was content and happy, pleasing Gruff and his bear.
He wasn’t used to all the teasing and didn’t understand some of the inside jokes, but the Mowrys treated his mate well, which meant more than everything else.
Teaming up with this bunch meant Dustin would get all the love he deserved—exactly as it should be.