Page 6 of Bearly Ever After (Bear Creek Forever #5)

Why was she so ridiculously happy that Klein and Tammy were not a couple? Not mates.

There was something rather delicious about the word he had used to describe his brother’s fiancée.

Not that she wasn’t a little embarrassed by how strongly Klein affected her, even before she knew he wasn’t attached. It was crazy to feel relief over something that, until moments ago, she hadn’t even realized mattered so much.

How could she have been tempted by him when she’d believed Klein and Tammy were a couple? Were mates.

As a woman who avoided romantic relationships, the idea of being drawn to someone else’s mate appalled her. It went against everything she believed in, everything she stood for. Loyalty and fidelity were fundamental to her character, defining her relationships and shaping the course of her life.

And yet, from the moment she’d laid eyes on Klein, something had sparked between them. An undeniable connection that sizzled in the air like electricity. It both thrilled and terrified her.

She shook her head, trying to clear the confusing thoughts swirling through her mind. Klein was just a man. An incredibly handsome, charming man, but a man nonetheless. A man who was very much available, as it turned out. Excitement flooded her at the realization, but she fought to control her racing heart.

No, no, no, she scolded herself as heat rushed to her cheeks. She couldn’t let herself think that way. Not about Klein. Not about any man.

Relationships were off the menu. She bit into the buttery, flaky pastry; the delicate layers melted on her tongue, the sweet berry filling bursting with flavor. For a moment, the simple pleasure of the pastry eclipsed all other thoughts.

But as she swallowed the last morsel, her mind drifted back to Klein and the undeniable pull she felt toward him. It was as if an invisible thread connected them, tugging her closer despite her best efforts to resist.

Well, she would just have to try harder! Nicole brushed the pastry crumbs from her fingers. This was ridiculous. She’d only just met the man, and here she was, getting all flustered like some silly schoolgirl with a crush. She was a grown woman, for heaven’s sake! She had more important things to attend to. Like her daughter and her new job.

Yes. That was it. Time to put on her professional head and talk business. “Does Camille sell her pastries?”

“Camille?” Klein looked at her as if she were talking in a foreign language.

“Yes.” Nicole nodded toward the plate filled with more delicious pastries. “They are so good.”

“Oh, yes.” Klein nodded. “A few of the local stores stock them. Rosie, one of my brothers’…” He paused, clearly used to explaining his large family tree, but also wary not to overwhelm her.

“How many brothers do you have?” Nicole asked.

“Five,” Klein replied.

“And do they all have mates ?” Nicole asked.

“Yes.” He gave her a crooked smile, his eyes caressing her like a summer breeze. But then his gaze went distant, and he shook his head. “I’m not sure about my brother, Jay. He left town a while ago, and we haven’t heard from him…” Klein raked a hand through his hair. “Not that you want to hear about that.”

Oh, but she did. She wanted to hear everything about him. Yet she reminded herself to keep her curiosity in check. She shouldn’t get too involved.

But before he had a chance to elaborate, Klein got that same faraway look in his eyes, as if he were seeing something far beyond the walls of the kitchen. His gaze seemed to focus on some invisible point in the distance, and Nicole glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting to see someone standing there.

But there was nothing, no one. It was just one more intriguing aspect of the man seated across from her.

His gaze swiftly returned to her, and then she heard it… Mila’s voice floated into the kitchen as she chattered away with Tammy. Nicole glanced at Klein, convinced he must have heard them approaching before she did, perhaps even sensed their presence.

Did Klein possess a sixth sense, an intuition beyond the norm? The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Not from fear—there was nothing about Klein that could ever frighten her—but from excitement. He intrigued her in every way possible.

And that was a heady concoction she must deny herself. She was new in town. The last thing she needed was to jump into a new relationship and set tongues wagging. She needed to be accepted for who she was, for what she could do, not as a woman who jumped into bed with the first man who offered her kindness and friendship.

That was the reason she felt an attraction to Klein, she told herself. He was kind, thoughtful, and genuinely trying to be a good neighbor. Nothing more.

But even as Nicole tried to convince herself that she was reading too much into Klein’s actions when she met his gaze, the depth of emotion she saw there told her she was wrong. He wanted to be more than just friends. And that realization felt deliciously dangerous. Like stepping onto a precipice without knowing what lay below.

Thankfully, the door opened then, and Tammy held it wide as Mila stepped in, the scruffy stray puppy, his paw now neatly bandaged, cradled gently in her arms. Nicole smiled at the sight of her daughter and the little dog, grateful for the distraction.

“How is he?” Nicole asked, her voice coming out a bit too brightly, but she didn’t care. She just needed something else to focus on.

Something other than Klein.

“He’s all good,” Tammy said with a reassuring smile. “We bandaged the wound, and he’s got some meds to take. I’ll want to see him again in a couple of days, just to be sure. But apart from that, he just needs some good food and lots of TLC.”

“We need to go into town and buy some food, a bed, and a collar,” Mila began, her excitement bubbling over as she spoke.

Nicole rubbed a hand over her face, exhaustion settling in for just a moment. She’d been carried along by adrenaline, but after sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee and eating pastries with Klein, her adrenaline had ebbed away.

But now it was time to get moving again. She pushed herself up from the table, her legs stiff after the long drive. “Come on, then,” she said, forcing a light tone. “Let’s go into town and find a pet store.”

“I can show you,” Klein offered, standing up abruptly, his chair scraping across the floor in his haste. Nicole’s eyes widened at the suddenness of his movement, and she caught sight of Tammy’s amused expression. Tammy tried to hide her smile, but the glint in her eyes gave her away.

“No, you’ve done enough for us already,” Nicole said, even though she would love for him to show them around town. The idea of trailing the streets for pet supplies was not a welcome one.

“It’s no trouble.” He seemed almost as eager as Mila, and that touched her more than she wanted to admit. “And I’m heading that way, anyway. I promised my mom I’d pick up some dish soap from the grocery store.”

“If you’re sure,” Nicole replied, trying to ignore the flutter of butterflies in her stomach at the thought of being in Klein’s company a little longer.

“I am,” he replied firmly.

“That’s settled then.” Tammy stepped forward, giving Mila a gentle pat on the shoulder before she tickled the puppy under the chin. “You two go and have fun. And if you need anything, just call me.”

“I will,” Mila replied solemnly.

“Thank you, Tammy,” Nicole said. “How much do I owe you?”

“Owe me?” Tammy asked.

“For treating the puppy,” Nicole replied.

“Nothing,” Tammy insisted. “I’m just relieved you found him and brought him to me.”

“Are you sure?” Nicole asked.

“I am.” Tammy nodded and glanced at Mila. “Mila and I also discussed the possibility of a weekend job accompanying me on my rounds.”

“You did?” Nicole arched an eyebrow at her daughter.

“I’d like to get some experience at what veterinarians do, you know, what they really do,” Mila said.

“Does this mean it might be a career choice?” Nicole asked.

“Maybe.” Mila tilted her head to one side.

This day seemed full of wonderful surprises. And it wasn’t over yet.

“Okay, thank you again, Tammy, and we’ll see you in a couple of days.” Nicole followed Mila as she headed for the door, the puppy still cradled in her arms.

Nicole followed Mila out into the bright sunshine, sensing Klein as he followed. It was as if every part of her was attuned to him on a deep level, one she had never experienced before. She glanced over at Klein, noticing how the sun brought out the golden highlights in his hair. He seemed to sense her gaze and turned to smile at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and her heart skipped a beat—just like it was supposed to, at least according to the romance novels she read in bed, with the long lonely night stretched out before her.

The memory of those nights made a flush creep across her cheeks—fantasies were one thing; reality was quite another. But Klein looked just like he’d stepped out of one of her novels.

“Do you want to follow me into town?” Klein asked as he took his keys from his pocket.

“Sure.” She nodded and folded her arms across her body as if that would be enough to ward off the growing feelings she had for him.

Which was ridiculous, since they had only just met.

Boy, there must be something in the water. Yeah, that was it. Only she hadn’t drunk the water before she met Klein, and if she were honest, meeting him had felt like love at first sight.

“Okay then.” He dipped his head and sauntered over to a truck that was parked by the side of the house. And she watched him. Her eyes fixed on him as if he had put a spell on her.

“Mom,” Mila said. “Are you coming?”

“Yes,” Nicole said, hurrying to catch up with her daughter. She reached out to scratch the little pup behind the ears as they walked side by side to the car. The puppy’s tail gave a small wag, and Mila beamed, clearly delighted. Behind them, Klein’s truck rumbled to life, and Nicole resisted the urge to turn around and watch him drive away. It took every ounce of her willpower not to look his way.

“Have you thought of a name for him?” Nicole asked as they reached the car. She opened the passenger door and held it for Mila, who carefully slid into her seat, still holding the puppy protectively in her arms.

“I don’t know,” Mila said, her mouth turning down at the corners. Nicole leaned over, slipping the seatbelt across her daughter and the puppy, clicking it into place just like she had when Mila was a small child. The familiarity of the moment made her heart ache.

Nicole remembered the first time she’d buckled Mila into a car seat, how tiny she’d been, how fragile she’d seemed. Now Mila was on the brink of adulthood. Where had the years gone?

As she leaned back and studied her daughter for a moment, she had a feeling that Mila was holding something back. Something she was keeping to herself.

“There’s no rush.” Nicole decided to let it go for now. Over the years, she had learned that it was better to give Mila space than to push her into sharing. When she was ready, she would talk.

Nicole walked around to the driver’s side and climbed in, inserting the key into the ignition. She turned the engine over, and just as she did, Klein’s truck rolled slowly past them. She raised her head and locked eyes with him through the window. He gave her a small, warm smile, and she couldn’t help but raise her hand in acknowledgment, her chest tightening in a way that felt far too intimate.

“I like Klein,” Mila said suddenly.

Nicole’s heart did a small flip. There was more to her daughter’s words than simple liking, and Nicole knew it. Mila had been encouraging her to date again for a couple of years now, ever so subtly nudging her forward, wanting her to find happiness.

“Yeah?” Nicole asked, keeping her voice light as she put the car into drive and began to follow Klein down the driveway toward the road.

“Yeah. He seems nice,” Mila added, her eyes on the puppy as she stroked his fur. “He’s kind. I like Tammy, too.”

“I do, too,” Nicole admitted, her voice even as she kept her eyes on the road. The truth was, she liked Klein a lot more than she was willing to say out loud.

Mila turned and cracked a grin at her mother. “Who would have thought we’d make friends so soon after arriving in Bear Creek?”

“I know.” Nicole glanced at her daughter. “It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it?”

As they reached the main road and turned toward town, Nicole found herself looking around at their surroundings for the first time. In their rush to get to Tammy’s, she had been too focused on not getting lost to appreciate the view. Now, with Klein’s truck leading the way at a steady pace, she took it all in. The tall pines stretched up toward the sky, the mountains rising behind them like silent sentinels, and below, she could see the silver thread of the creek winding its way through the valley.

She breathed in deeply, feeling a sense of calm settle over her. “It really is beautiful,” she mused aloud, her eyes following the winding creek and the way the sunlight made it glisten like a ribbon of silver.

“I like it here,” Mila announced.

“I think I like it here, too,” Nicole whispered, almost to herself, her gaze drifting back to the truck in front of them. And more precisely, she liked the man at the wheel.

Was Mila right? Was it time to move on and find happiness? And was Klein the one she would find it with?