Bearly a Memory: Pacific Northwest Bears: (Shifter Romance) (12 page)

T
heir dinner was fun
.

Brooke was able to at least gather the rest of her clothes from the motel without Tanner unfolding everything. It was a sad little assortment. Just enough to get her by. Tanner drove them to the small Italian restaurant on the Main Street of town. It was quiet and had cute candles flickering in red votives on the table. Brooke figured it was the go-to place for Apex first dates.

They played light sabers with their breadsticks. Tanner told her more about his family. Brooke teased him about ordering stuffed shells and said it was chick food. She ordered chicken parmesan, and he said that was dude food.

Tanner made sure to offer her a bite of his meal, using his fork so he could have that small intimacy with her. Brooke didn’t hesitate to mimic the gesture, offering him a bite with her fork. Tanner’s bear wanted him to keep feeding her, but he wouldn’t be able to do it in the restaurant. He promised his bear he’d get the chance to coddle their mate later.

While they chatted, Brooke shared memories that were surfacing. They felt fresh and new, so she wanted to share, whether they actually had anything to do with their current topic. She remembered that she had a horrible habit of straightening products on shelves at the supermarket. Often it would take her twice as long to shop because she spent so much tidying. She also told him that she sometimes drank milk with ice cubes in it to make it colder. Tanner just smiled and let her talk. His bear loved that she was so animated and happy. She seemed relaxed.

Tanner wanted her to always look like that. Relaxed and happy. They had made a call to her mom and dad in the car. This time, she was able to talk to her father.

“Brooke, you need to rest. Your mind has had a trauma. It needs quiet. You should be home with us,” her father said firmly.

“Dad, until the people who want me dead are caught, I am not getting you involved. Sheriff Rochon is keeping me safe here. He has a whole team of people watching out for me. I’m perfectly safe here. As long as mom doesn’t tell anyone I’m here, this is the safest place for me,” she told him.

“You tell your mother not to gossip. I care about my life too much to do that,” he said. Then Brooke heard a slapping noise.

“Don’t you tell your daughter I’m a gossip. I only relay information. It’s a public service, and I haven’t told anyone about where she is. You are lucky to have me, Harry Nishi. You’d be in an arranged marriage if it wasn’t for me.”

“Stop hitting me; use your words,” her father said.

“I’ll give you some words. Just you wait until you hang up. I’ve got a whole list of words for you,” her mother said.

“Dad, go hide,” she warned him. Her mother loved her dad so much. Harry was the most tolerant man in the world. He could teach warring nations how to negotiate peace.

It felt good to be able to assure them she was okay. She did get a chance to talk to her mom. She was happy that she wasn’t in the dark anymore, but she was more interested in whether Tanner was cute. Brooke was able to answer with a yes, thinking that Tanner had no idea what she was saying yes to. Little did she know that Tanner’s shifter hearing was picking up the entire conversation.

She thought he was cute. He knew she did.

After giving her parents promises and reassurances she would check in again soon, she finally disconnected, and Tanner noticed it was as if there was a weight lifted off her. She loved her parents; he could tell. She didn’t want them to worry. Tanner knew that was her kind heart again.

Tanner enjoyed dinner. He loved every time she teased him. His bear still thought they had made the wrong choice in not taking her straight home, but Tanner knew they needed this time. It was essentially their first date. For shifters who have found mates, it’s an immediate path from
nice to meet you
to in love and making cubs. Humans needed to be wooed. There was a process to claiming a human heart.

“Dessert?” Tanner asked when they had finished their meals.

“Yes, please. I always order dessert,” she informed him. “Sometimes even before my dinner.”

“Before? Aren’t you the rebel,” he joked.

“That’s me, rebel Brooke. Administrator ninja, part-time gardener, and wicked knitter.” She laughed with him.

“Wicked knitter, huh?”

“Totally. I’m going to whip you up a hat. Maybe we can go yarn shopping tomorrow? You can pick out the colors you want,” she said excitedly.

“I think we can do that. I have a shift in the afternoon. I can either have someone come over to stay with you, or I can drop you off with another cousin of mine.”

“Eddie?” she asked.

“No,” Tanner growled. “Not Eddie. Talk about throwing a lamb to the wolves. No, my cousin Cash has a new girlfriend, and I think you two would hit it off. He has a house outside of town and is gone working a lot. Cassie gets lonely and would love some company. She’s recovering from a car accident. She’s almost back to normal, which is great, but our family can be a bit overwhelming to an outsider,” he explained.

“Overwhelming?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. She looked a little worried. Brooke was great with the public but meeting Tanner’s family? That was a whole other level of getting to know someone.

“Well, there are a lot of us. Pretty much half the town. So when someone new and shiny enters the family, like Cassie, everyone wants to play with her. It takes a strong-willed person to manage the zoo that comes with spending time with a Rochon.”

“New and shiny.” She laughed.

“Yup, small town, not much happens. Someone has a new boyfriend or girlfriend and the family practically throws them a party. Cash’s girlfriend says there should be a ceremonial hat. Don’t be surprised if she makes you one if you choose to go over there.”

“I think I can handle that. I don’t think I’d be comfortable being in your house without you there,” she admitted.

Leaning over to grab her hand over the table, he gave it a squeeze. “Brooke, I want you to be comfortable in my home. Truly, I am thrilled you were willing to come back with me. I want you to make yourself at home.”

Brooke saw he was not just being polite. He really wanted her there and didn’t want her to feel like a guest.

“Okay, I may rearrange things while you are gone. I’m a little hyper-organized sometimes.”

He smiled. “Go for it, I’m sure some things are in the wrong place.”

“Oh, you are going to regret that,” she snickered.

“I doubt it. So, dessert?”

P
ulling into his driveway
, Tanner kept his eyes on Brooke to see her face when she saw the house. He was glad he did. Her face lit up as they parked. His lights were on timers, so the house had a glow like there was a happy family inside. Hopefully, someday there would be.

“You live here alone?” she asked, craning her neck against the window to see up to the second story. “It has a porch. Is there a swing?”

“Yes, I’ll show you in the morning,” Tanner said, stepping out of the SUV. He came around and opened her door for her, helping her out.

“It looks like a dollhouse, Tanner,” she said in awe. Brooke couldn’t believe how much it looked like one of those Victorian doll houses that adults made and kids were never allowed to play with. The kind that, as a child, Brooke itched to touch. This was the adult version.

“A manly dollhouse, right?” He looped his arm around her waist.

“Yes, very manly. Especially if you ever get those chickens you were talking about,” she mocked.

Tanner gave her side a gentle pinch, and she squeaked. “Stop,” she said, smacking his stomach.

“Don’t hit. Use your words,” he teased using her dad’s words.

“You heard that?” she said surprised.

“Excellent hearing,” he murmured.

“Sure…” Brooke said, knowing Tanner Rochon had layers she hadn’t even delved into yet. “Show me around?” she said as they reached the back door that led into the kitchen.

Tanner opened the door for her and gestured for her to go in first. Brooke took in the clean, modern kitchen. There were just enough vintage touches to keep with the age of the house. A large metal and linoleum style table with six chairs around it stood waiting for a pancake breakfast on a weekend morning.

Brooke knew it was crazy to start picking out china patterns. She wasn’t the marrying type, had never thought it was something she even wanted. She had kept her relationships casual in the past, dating for a while but never feeling the need to go any further with the men in her life. They were usually nice, sometimes funny, but they never made her think of the future.

Two days with Tanner and she was thinking home cooked meals, gardens in the backyard, and the Sheriff naked on top of her.

Maybe it was her head wound, she thought.

“It’s big,” she said, refocusing and checking out the pale blue walls.

“I had to do a lot of remodeling. This kitchen was as old as the house when I bought it. Bathrooms and the kitchen got the updates first. After that, I worked on the bedrooms, then the living areas. Did most of the work myself, except for the electrical. I don’t mess with electricity,” Tanner said, coming up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his head against hers.

“No shocks, huh?” she teased.

“No, thank you.” he said, placing a kiss on her neck.

“So, you going to show me the bedrooms?” she said, leaning into his kiss.

Tanner wanted nothing more than to take her upstairs, show her the king size bed and toss her on it. But he had to be straight with her. Brooke’s life was in too much chaos for him to keep secrets from her.

“Yes, I do want to show you the bedrooms. First, though, I think we should talk.” He led her to the living room.

Brooke took in the hardwood floors, shining with polish. The muted beige walls with pictures of wildlife and scenes of the mountains on the walls. The furniture all was newer but still didn’t stand out against the classic lines of the home.

Tanner brought her to the couch and sat her down, making sure she had pillows to support her. He headed to the carved wood fireplace. There was an ornate mantle boasting a beautiful clock and matching candles on each side. Leaning over, he started the wood that he’d placed in it earlier. He always kept it ready to start. He liked the way it looked, and he hated having to cut wood when it was cold.

Once the fire was crackling, he turned and leaned against the mantle. Crossing his arms, he looked to Brooke, who was staring at him in confusion.

Brooke thought this was a slam dunk. Her memory was back, they’d had a nice dinner, up next on the agenda was a little action. But nooo, they were going to
talk
in the living room in front of a cozy fire. In Brooke’s world, this was the kind of setup her parents would have with her when a great uncle died, or her grades weren’t the best.

“I feel like I’m getting grounded,” she said, glaring at him.

Sighing, Tanner ran his hands through his hair. “I need to tell you about me. Who I am. I like you, Brooke, you know that. But what you don’t understand is that I’ve been waiting for you my whole life. I’ve been waiting for the perfect woman to come into my life, someone I can love, and build a family with. I know that is you.”

Brooke was taken aback by the sincerity in his words. She knew he liked her as in wanted to have sex with her. That was tough to miss. But saying she was his perfect woman? That was a little out there.

“How can you know? You just met me. And I didn’t even know me until today!” she said with a little more hysteria.

Tanner wasn’t doing this right, but then this was the first time he had a mate. So he was bound to need practice. “I know because my instincts told me you were the One. The One that the universe meant for me.”

“Yeah, just to let you know, Sheriff, that is fucking creepy sounding.” Brooke didn’t care. He sounded crazy, and she was starting to get that gut feeling that she shouldn’t be there. Her instincts were telling her to run again.

“God, I’m fucking this up,” he groaned. “Brooke, do you believe in supernatural…things?”

“What, like ghosts?” she sputtered.

“No, like things other than humans?” he asked quietly. He was terrified of scaring her, and his bear was pacing in his mind. He knew they were on shaky ground too.

“Oh, shit, I found the one crazy ass cop in this tiny town. First I see a gang hit, now I’m sitting with Officer Dumbass. How did I get so lucky?” Brooke started to get up from the couch.

“Brooke, please! You said you’d let me tell you about myself,” he reminded her.

“Fine, but then I’m calling a cab, getting in my crappy rental car and driving to Canada,” she said, settling back on the couch and crossing her arms defiantly. She wasn’t scared that he’d hurt her, at least not physically. But her heart was feeling a little bruised that she’d been so quick to like him.

“Do you remember what you saw in the hospital room? How my eyes changed?” he asked quietly.

Brooke thought back to that glow that circled his eyes. She stared up at him. She hadn’t come up with a rational reason for it and had written it off as her own moment of craziness.

“Yeah, your eyes glowed,” she whispered.

“That’s because I share my body with another soul. The soul of an animal,” he said, watching her closely.

“An animal?” she said, trying to wrap her brain around his words. “Like, what…you feel like a cat?” Brooke was remembering a show on body modification she saw once about a man who had his features altered to look like a tiger. The man seemed happy, but he in no way looked like a tiger.

“No, I mean, I’m a shifter,” he said, hoping she had some basis for the word.

“What? Like a skinwalker?” she asked. She’d also seen a movie where people could change into other people. Maybe it was the same thing.

“No, I can’t change into another person. I can only change into the other soul that shares my body. I was matched in the womb with the soul of a bear. A brown bear actually. He’s been with me since I can remember.”