Page 33 of Bear With Me
“Yes, I do. Don’t tell anyone, but I may or may not have seen that Leroy is thinking of giving me a paid internship for senior year.” She holds up her hands in triumph. “No more Cup-o-noodles!”
As she’s gotten more used to her gift this year, she’s learned how to control it. Sometimes she even lets herself have a little innocent fun with it. “I’m proud of you, baby.”
“Thank you. So where are you taking me? It’s the anniversary of our first date, mister man. I hope you have something special up your sleeve.”
“I do, but I’m not sure you’re going to like it.”
“I’m sure I’m going to love it.”
The river that runs by the shop is as clear as glass. My boat waits by the dock where I had Sam tie it up earlier. He’s proven to be a shark when it comes to sales. I’ve never had so many female customers. At first I thought hiring him on to replace Red was a mistake, but the constant ca-ching of my register disagrees.
“We’re going somewhere in the boat?” she asks.
I hold her hand to help her in. “We’re going fishing,” I tell her.
Her smile fades. “Fishing?”
I try to keep mine from showing as I untie the line. “That’s right.”
“With worms?”
“I’ll even teach you how to bait them.”
“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind when I said a romantic evening, Dec.”
“I think worms are very romantic.”
“Well, you’re also delusional.”
I steer the boat down the river and smile at her. “Only with you,” I say. “Besides we were interrupted the first time I tried to take you.”
Sully goes quiet at the reminder of what we survived and then asks, “Do you ever think about it?”
The river is quiet today and the sun burns bright overhead warming my skin. “Not a day goes by that I don’t.” Especially days like this when I’m out on the river, doing things that Red, my father and I had done together hundreds of times before. “But I know that thing wasn’t him. It was something else. Something evil. It’s like he was cursed because of what he did.”
“I’m just sorry you had to lose another person you cared about.”
I lift her chin with a finger. “Don’t be. I am finally able to put my past to rest. My parents, what happened to them, I never thought I’d get past it because I felt responsible. But I know there are some things that I can’t control and they would want me to be happy.”
“And are you?” she asks, even though she’s learned to read my human form.
Instead of answering, I pull her into a kiss, sinking into her familiar taste with a growl of approval inside my head. She smiles against my lips and wraps her arms around my shoulders. I could spend forever with her in my arms.
I pull away and kiss her forehead. “Don’t think you can distract me. It’s going to happen.”
She eyes the tackle box dubiously, but I know for a fact she’s going to enjoy what’s inside. I spent the past two weeks going back and forth with Suzanna to make sure today would be perfect. From Sully’s mother’s diamond ring to her favorite flower.
She just has to bear with me a little longer.