Page 13 of Flare (Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters #17)

Invitation

Text message conversation:

Maggie : Hey Eddie. Just wanted you to know—I talked to Emily this morning.

Maggie : She ’ s doing way better. Turns out Andrew went into a rage spiral and shapeshifted in front of her. ::angry face::

Maggie : That ’ s why she hightailed it out of Spokane. And why she freaked out so badly last night.

Ward : Damn. I knew he was an asshole, but the dude sounds like he ’ s an idiot, too.

Maggie : Yeah. Anyhow, you haven ’ t lost your chance with her because of your bear, Eddie. Now that she ’ s calmed down, she knows we ’ re not monsters.

Ward : Still doesn ’ t change the fact that he mated her.

Maggie : Technically, yes. But she didn ’ t know what she was getting into, didn ’ t agree to it, and she ’ s not bound by it. Andrew messed up big time. You NEVER treat your mate like that. She ’ s totally done with him.

Maggie : Also… I hired her at the bakery. She started this morning. ::celebration emoji::

Ward : You WHAT?

Maggie : She ’ s got the business brain I desperately need. She ’ s already cleaning up my chaos, and she ’ s got some great ideas for improving things around here. ::sparkly heart::

Maggie : Anyhow, don ’ t let that jerk Andrew ’ s claim keep you from courting your mate. You ’ ve waited long enough for her.

Ward : You matchmaking, cuz? ::unhappy face::

Maggie : ::grinning emoji:: Damn right I am. Someone has to help you pull your head out of your furry behind.

∞∞∞

Tuesday, May 12 (the next day)

I ’ m just here to grab some lunch , Ward Swanson told himself as he pulled open the door to Cinnamon + Sugar. But he knew he was lying to himself.

He and his bear had both been restless since Sunday, their thoughts circling back to Emily again and again.

His bear wanted— needed —to see her again. And Maggie ’ s text messages had just made things worse.

He inhaled deeply as he stepped inside. The warm scent of brewing espresso and the sweet fragrance of the fresh lilac blossoms arranged in small vases on the café tables momentarily distracted him from his mission. But only momentarily.

Nearly every table was full, and there was a line three-deep at the register. The place was busy for a Tuesday. He spotted Maggie ’ s mom Annabeth working behind the counter in one of her trademark turquoise chef ’ s coats, with a matching beret set on her red hair.

“ Hey, Aunt Annabeth,” Ward called. “ Aren ’ t you supposed to be retired?”

“ Violet wasn ’ t feeling well, and the Lavender & Lilacs Festival starts this week, so I offered to cover the lunch rush for Maggie.” She smiled at him cheerfully, dimples appearing on both cheeks. “ I ’ m glad you stopped by. Decided not to pack your own lunch today?”

“ Just felt like one of those delicious kale pesto sandwiches,” he said, sounding unconvincing even to his own ears.

His bear rumbled with impatience within him. It had been pacing restlessly ever since getting Maggie ’ s text messages yesterday, pushing him to come here and check on Emily.

“ Emily ’ s in the office,” his aunt said, as if reading his thoughts. She jerked her thumb toward the back.

Ward ’ s face heated as he realized his intentions were apparently obvious even to an Ordinary human like his aunt.

Annabeth continued, “ Want me to fix your usual iced coffee and save you the last macadamia-chocolate chip cookie while you ’ re, ah, grabbing that sandwich?” Her eyes twinkled. “ Or would you prefer one of our white chocolate-dipped lavender shortbreads? They ’ re this week ’ s special.”

“ Sure. That shortbread sounds good.” Actually, he had no fucking idea whether lavender anything would be edible. Wasn ’ t it something you put in soap? “ Uh, thanks.”

Aware of the curious looks the other customers were giving him, he made his way behind the counter and went through the door leading to the kitchen. His heart was pounding with every step that took him closer to Emily.

Pausing at the partially open office door, Ward took a steadying breath. He could hear the tap of computer keys coming from inside, and caught Emily ’ s scent.

He knocked lightly on the doorframe before pushing the door open all the way.

Emily looked up from the computer. A stack of invoices was piled high beside her.

For an instant, she looked startled to see him. He couldn ’ t help smiling at her like a fool.

Her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail today, and she wore a tight pink Cinnamon + Sugar t-shirt that did an amazing job of highlighting her generous breasts. He had to force his eyes up to her face.

Then she smiled back. It hit Ward like a physical blow. His chest tightened, and his bear rumbled with pleasure.

It took all his willpower not to cross the room and pull her into his arms.

“ Oh, hey, Ward,” she said, removing her pink-framed computer glasses. “ It ’ s nice to see you again.”

His bear exclaimed happily, She liked us coming to her!

He cleared his throat. “ Hey. I was just, uh, stopping by for lunch.” He gestured vaguely toward the front of the bakery. “ Thought I ’ d see how you ’ re settling in.”

Emily ’ s smile widened. “ I ’ m happy I found a job so quickly. Maggie ’ s the best!”

“ She is,” Ward agreed, leaning against the doorframe, trying to appear casual despite the drumming of his pulse. “ But she ’ s also been looking to hire someone like you for months now.”

“ I ’ m glad we can help each other out.” Emily turned to survey the tall stack of papers next to her keyboard. “ I know it looks like a mess, but I actually find it soothing. Organizing stuff and getting a routine going, I mean. And everyone ’ s been so nice to me.”

There was a pause.

“ So… you ’ re okay with, uh, everything? After Sunday night, I mean.” He kept his voice low, aware of customers not far away. “ Maggie said you were handling things okay, but I wanted to make sure.”

“ I owe you an apology for how I reacted. The running away and… everything else.” Her face flushed, turning her cheeks pink under the light layer of makeup. “ It was just so unexpected. I mean, people don ’ t just turn into bears.”

“ Mostly they don ’ t.” Ward couldn ’ t help grinning at her. “ We ’ re special.”

That earned him another smile. “ I already knew that.” Her tone was teasing now, and his bear preened inside him.

Then her expression sobered. “ I ’ m still trying to wrap my head around it all. Maggie ’ s been explaining things and answering my questions, but it ’ s a lot to take in.”

Ward nodded. After seeing the look of pure terror in her eyes on Sunday night—a look that had ripped like a lash across his heart —the fact Emily was sitting here calmly instead of running for the hills was a good sign.

But she was still another shifter ’ s mate. That fact hadn ’ t changed, no matter how much his bear wanted to ignore it.

He cleared his throat. “ So, you ’ re settling in okay at the ranch?”

Emily nodded. “ It ’ s good to be back in Bearpaw Ridge.

I have a lot of wonderful memories here.

” She paused, her gaze meeting his directly.

“ Thank you for coming by and checking on me. It means a lot. Everyone in your family has been so welcoming, especially after I showed up on Maggie’s doorstep with, like, five hours’ warning. ”

Ward ’ s throat felt tight. “ I ’ m glad you felt safe coming here when you were in trouble.” The words came out more intensely than he ’ d intended, and he saw a flicker of surprise in Emily ’ s eyes.

“ Me too,” she said. “ I didn ’ t know where else to go, except… back home.”

Now that Ward had accomplished what he ’ d come for—making sure that Emily was okay, that she wasn ’ t freaking out about the existence of shifters, and that she wasn ’ t planning to leave town—his human side was telling him it was time to leave.

Besides, he had to get back to work on that live-edge table Eddy Ornelas had ordered as a wedding gift for his niece ’ s daughter Yasmin. It was almost finished. He just had to put on the finishing touches.

Anything to stop Emily from thinking he was some kind of stalker.

Before he could stop himself, his bear pushed words out of his mouth: “ Do you want to have dinner with me?”

Ward felt a moment of pure panic. Shit. What did I just do?

His stupid bear, however, didn ’ t care. It was practically dancing with anticipation, waiting for Emily ’ s answer.

She looked momentarily startled by the invitation. Ward couldn ’ t blame her. He was feeling pretty startled himself.

For a terrible moment, he thought she was going to say no.

“ Dinner sounds nice,” Emily said.

Mingled triumph and relief shot through Ward ’ s chest. His bear radiated smug satisfaction.

“ How about going to Justin ’ s place on Thursday after work? I heard he ’ s created a special menu for the start of the festival. I could swing by here and pick you up.”

“ Justin ’ s ribs were always amazing. I can ’ t wait to try his special festival menu,” Emily said. She smiled at him, and it felt like the sun breaking through clouds. “ It ’ s a date.”

A date! His bear rumbled with satisfaction.

But as he smiled and nodded and told her he ’ d pick her up at six, he wrestled with a tangle of emotions. Excitement, yes. But also a weird pang of guilt.

Maybe Emily didn ’ t understand what mating meant to a shifter, but Ward did.

Somewhere out there, Andrew Brunborn ’ s bear was suffering the agony of separation from its mate.

And for Ward to court Emily like this—well, that wasn ’ t just bending shifter customs, it was breaking them outright.

And yet, he couldn ’ t bring himself to regret asking her out. Not when Emily was looking at him with those beautiful blue eyes, her face glowing with a genuine smile.

How could Andrew be such a dick to her she ran away?

Well, Andrew ’ s loss was Ward ’ s gain. And he wouldn ’ t ever let Emily down .

“ I should let you get back to work,” Ward said, reluctantly taking a step backwards out of the tiny office. “ But I ’ ll see you on Thursday.”

Emily nodded. “ Looking forward to it, Ward.”

God, how he loved hearing her say his name!

As Ward turned to leave, his bear rumbled with satisfaction inside him. It had gotten what it wanted—the traditional first date, providing food to a potential mate, showing that they could provide for her.

Ward ’ s human side, meanwhile, was torn between elation and dread.

Elation because something about Emily called to him on a level he ’ d never experienced before. And dread, because he knew exactly what he was doing—pursuing a woman who was already claimed.

Aunt Annabeth handed him his iced coffee and a takeout box as he emerged from the back. “ Everything good?” she asked.

“ Yeah,” Ward said, grinning at her. “ Everything ’ s great .”

And it was true. Despite the messiness of Emily ’ s situation, he was finally… finally … going on a date with the woman he ’ d adored for years.

∞∞∞

Emily looked up from the PC as someone knocked—and there he was. Ward Swanson. Her fingers froze mid-reach for an invoice as her heart gave a traitorous little lurch.

He wore faded jeans and a fitted long-sleeved t-shirt printed with Swanson Custom Woodworks across his broad chest. A pair of safety glasses hung from his collar, and sawdust clung to him in lazy curls.

He looked… great. Impossibly solid and grounded, nothing like Andrew ’ s polished designer look. And when Ward ’ s warm hazel gaze found hers, Emily couldn ’ t help smiling up at him.

It was an effort to keep her voice steady as she spoke, and to pretend her pulse wasn ’ t pounding in her ears.

After he left, she slumped back in her chair, her heart still racing.

She stared at the computer screen. But the spreadsheet entries might as well have been hieroglyphics. Her mind refused to focus on anything except the surprise and unabashed delight on Ward ’ s face when she ’ d accepted his dinner invitation.

Emily pushed away from the desk and looked up at the vintage fluorescent light box with its textured plastic panels.

“ What the hell am I doing?” she asked out loud.

It hadn ’ t even been a week since she ’ d ended her engagement to Andrew and fled Spokane as if a pack of demons were hunting her down.

She blamed Ward ’ s voice for seducing her into saying “ yes.” It was so deep and rumbly, every word seemed to pool warmth in her belly like shots of brandy.

And then there were his eyes, a mix of rich brown, gold, and green fringed by sinfully long black lashes. They ’ d focused on her as if she were the only person in the world. Like he was memorizing her features.

And he had a killer smile.

The logical part of her brain screamed that dating Ward was a terrible idea right now. She was on the rebound. She was trying to lie low until Andrew gave up looking for her. And now here she was, all excited about going on a date with another guy who, by the way, could also transform into a bear?

Emily snorted quietly. Why am I such a disaster?

Still, she could enjoy Ward ’ s company with no commitments. She could allow herself to feel attraction without acting on it.

They were old friends, after all. And what she needed most right now were friends and allies. People who understood exactly what Andrew was and who could help keep her safe.

If she just happened to enjoy looking at Ward ’ s yummy muscled forearms while they had dinner… well, that was just a bonus.