Page 15 of Grumpy Bear (Return To Fate Mountain #4)

Chapter

Thirteen

Ivy woke slowly, awareness spreading through her body like honey—warm and sweet.

Sunlight filtered through the cabin’s small windows, painting stripes of gold across the quilt that covered her.

She stretched languidly; her body pleasantly sore in ways that brought memories of the night flooding back.

Henry’s touch, his mouth on her sex, the way he’d watched her with such reverence as she came apart beneath him.

A delicious shiver ran through her at the memory.

She turned her head, finding the space beside her empty but still warm. Her ears caught the quiet sounds of movement in the main room—the soft clink of cups, water running, the subtle creak of floorboards.

Ivy slid from the bed, picking up Henry’s discarded flannel shirt from the floor and slipping it on.

The fabric swam around her smaller frame, the sleeves falling past her fingertips until she rolled them back.

The shirt carried his scent—pine and earth—and wearing it felt as if she was wrapped in his embrace.

She twisted a section of her curls around her finger, coaxing the pattern back into place.

The storm had long passed, leaving behind a pristine morning sky visible through the bedroom window.

The forest outside glistened with raindrops caught in spider webs and pine needles, everything washed clean and renewed.

Padding barefoot into the main room, Ivy found Henry at the small stove, his back to her as he carefully measured coffee grounds into a battered percolator.

He wore only jeans, his broad back and shoulders bare, revealing the impressive musculature that came from years of physical work in the forest. A constellation of light scratches marked his shoulder blades.

It was evidence of her passion last night, and Ivy felt a flush of heat at the sight.

“Morning,” she said.

Henry turned. His eyes traveled down her body, taking in the sight of her wearing his shirt, her bare legs, her tousled curls. Something flickered in his gaze—possessiveness mingled with uncertainty.

“Sleep okay?” he asked, his voice morning-rough.

“Better than I have in months,” Ivy replied truthfully, moving to join him at the stove. The wooden floor was cool beneath her feet, the cabin filled with morning light that somehow made everything between them feel more real than it had in the storm-shadowed night.

“I’ve arranged for my uncle Jesse to tow your SUV after the tree is cleared,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said, lifting on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “You’re the best.

A flush crept up his neck, and he turned away to hide it—unsuccessfully. The man who had made love to her with such confidence last night was now flustered by a simple compliment. The contradiction fascinated her.

“My father’s having the family over today,” Ivy said casually, accepting the mug of coffee Henry offered. She blew across the steaming surface before taking a sip. Perfect—strong and black, just how she liked it.

Henry’s hand froze halfway to his mouth, his entire body tensing. “Today?”

“Sunday tradition,” she confirmed, watching his reaction carefully. “Backyard barbecue, happens every week.”

“I’ve got reports due tomorrow, and there’s that northern trail I need to check?—”

“They should meet my mate,” Ivy interrupted, deliberately using the term while watching his reaction.

Henry’s eyes widened, his fingers tightening around his mug. The word hung between them, weighted with meaning beyond its single syllable. It was the first time either had used it outside the heated context of their lovemaking.

Henry set his mug down with careful precision. “Family gatherings aren’t really my thing.”

“I noticed,” Ivy said dryly. “But they’re my thing. And I’m your thing now, aren’t I?”

His expression softened at that, the beginnings of surrender visible in the slight slump of his shoulders. “I don’t do well with crowds.”

“It’s my family, not a stadium full of strangers.”

“That’s worse,” he muttered, but the fight was leaving him.

Ivy slid off the counter, approaching him slowly. She placed her hands on his chest, feeling his heartbeat accelerate beneath her touch. “Please? It would mean a lot to me.” She looked up at him through her lashes, employing the full force of her sunshine personality against his grumpy resistance.

Henry gave a resigned sigh. “Two hours. Then we leave. No matter what.”

Victory bloomed in her chest, but she kept her expression appropriately solemn. “Of course. Two hours.”

She reached for her phone on the counter, quickly texting her father that she’d be bringing someone special to the gathering. Only after she’d hit send did she allow herself a private smile of triumph.

Henry’s truck bounced along the winding road leading to Corey Bright’s property. Ivy directed him with occasional gestures, watching his grumpy profile as they drew closer to their destination.

The Bright family home appeared around a final curve—a sprawling log mansion that seemed to grow organically from the mountainside.

Built from massive pine logs and dark granite, it commanded a stunning view of Fate Lake below.

A wraparound porch circled the entire structure, adorned with hanging plants and comfortable seating areas.

As Henry parked beside several other vehicles, Ivy could see his apprehension mounting. “They don’t bite,” she assured him, then added with a teasing smile, “Well, not on the first meeting, anyway.”

His answering grunt held no humor.

They followed a stone path around the side of the house, vibrant red geraniums and trailing ivy spilling from planters along the way. The sounds of laughter and conversation grew louder as they approached the backyard. Ivy noticed Henry’s steps slow.

She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “They’ll love you,” she said. “Because I do.”

The words emerged unplanned, hanging in the air between them. Henry’s gaze snapped to hers, searching her face for confirmation of what she’d just implied. Before he could respond, they rounded the corner into the bustling backyard.

The space spread out before them, a sprawling lawn dotted with native flowers and bordered by towering pines. A wooden deck extended from the back of the house, centered around a massive stone grill where Corey Bright stood in an apron declaring him “King of the Grill.”

Her father spotted them immediately, his face lighting with recognition. He handed his spatula to Rolo and hurried across the lawn to greet them.

“Ivy!” Corey called, enfolding her in a bear hug that lifted her feet from the ground. His familiar scent of woodsmoke and spices wrapped around her, comforting and constant.

When he set her down, Ivy stepped back and took Henry’s hand firmly in her own. “Dad, this is Henry Kincaid, my mate.”

She felt Henry’s fingers twitch in her grasp but held firm. Corey’s eyes widened briefly before his face split into a genuine smile. He offered his hand to Henry with no hesitation.

“Kincaid, welcome to the clan,” he said warmly.

Henry looked momentarily stunned by the immediate acceptance but managed to return Corey’s handshake. “Thank you, sir.”

“None of that ‘sir’ business,” Corey insisted. “It’s Corey to you now. Come on, let’s introduce you to everyone.”

He led them onto the deck where the rest of the family had gathered, their conversations pausing as they noticed the newcomer. Ivy watched Henry catalog each face, his ranger’s observational skills processing the social terrain.

“Everyone, this is Henry Kincaid,” Corey announced proudly. “Ivy’s mate.”

Holly squealed, abandoning her conversation with Elias to rush forward. “Finally! You brought him to meet the family!”

Ivy rolled her eyes affectionately at her sister’s enthusiasm. “Henry, this is my sister Holly and her mate Elias.”

Elias offered a more restrained nod, recognizing a kindred soul.

“Henry and I go way back. Don’t we Henry?” Holly teased.

“And that’s my brother Reed with the guitar,” Ivy continued, pointing to where Reed lounged near the fire pit, tuning an acoustic guitar. Reed looked up with a lazy grin.

“And over there is my brother Ash with his mate Eliana and their son Eli,” Ivy continued.

Ash raised a hand in greeting from where he sat on a waterproof blanket spread on the still damp grass, his toddler son stacking blocks between his legs while Eliana watched adoringly.

“And my aunt Zoe with her mate Rolo,” Ivy finished, indicating the couple now manning the grill. “And their son Ezekiel, who’s visiting from his international conservation work.”

A young man with feline grace raised a beer bottle in salute from his position near the cooler.

“That’s everyone?” Henry murmured, sounding both relieved and overwhelmed.

“For today,” Ivy confirmed with a smile. “Sometimes there are more.”

Holly appeared at her side, passing them each a drink before linking her arm through Ivy’s. “So, Henry, tell us how you tamed our perpetual optimist. We’ve been waiting years for someone to catch her eye.”

Henry’s gaze flickered to Ivy, uncertain how to respond. She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

“I mostly growled at her until she wore me down,” he said finally.

Holly laughed in delight. “That tracks. Ivy always did have a soft spot for the difficult ones.”

Reed wandered over, guitar forgotten for the moment. “Remember that bully in fifth grade? Tommy something?”

“Tommy Westin,” Holly supplied. “Terrible kid. Used to steal lunches and push smaller kids into mud puddles.”

“Ivy decided he just needed a friend,” Reed explained to Henry. “Spent months being nice to him until he finally stopped being such a terror.”

“He wasn’t terrible,” Ivy protested. “His parents were going through a divorce, and he was acting out.”

“See what I mean?” Holly said to Henry. “Always looking for the good in people, even when they’re being absolute monsters.”

Henry’s expression shifted subtly as he processed this information, his eyes studying Ivy with new understanding.