Beret Bear (Rogue Bear Series 3)

B
eret Bear

Published By Ally Summers

Copyright © 2015 Ally Summers

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places or events are entirely the work of the author. Any resemblance to actual persons, events, or places is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in piracy of copyrighted materials.

Cover art by Satyr Designs

G
age tried
to push back from the table when the waitress refilled his mug with hot coffee, but his frame was too large for the booth. Instead he moved enough for the coffee pot not to graze his arm.

“You decide on something?” she asked.

“I’ll have the double breakfast platter.” He handed her the menu coated with layers of grease.

“The whole works?” She waited with her order pad ready.

He nodded, pulling his ball cap close around his temples.

“It will be right out.” She smiled as she turned from him.

It was dreary and cold outside. The rain came down in sheets, but inside the diner the air was warm and smelled like bacon. Gage brought the cup to his lips. He hadn’t had a good cup of coffee in awhile. The best he got in Razastan was a thermos and powdered coffee he mixed by shaking.

He watched the puddles fill with rain while his breakfast sizzled on the grill. This was the first town he had stopped in. He had ridden his bike all night, unable to quiet his bear’s need to keep moving. He didn’t want to stop long enough to think. Thinking meant remembering.

“Here you go.” The waitress appeared, her arms loaded with heavy platters. She shuffled the plates in front of him. “Need anything else?”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Just holler if you change your mind.” She stepped away from the booth and made her way to a couple that had ducked in from the rainstorm.

He had meant to tell her thank you, but he cut into the eggs and sausage, forgetting for a minute that he was back on US soil. He was back where people exchanged pleasantries and small talk. It would take some getting used to again.

All of it would take getting used to. For the first time in three years he didn’t have to listen for the sound of incoming mortar, or the cries for help. He didn’t have to watch where he stepped for trip wires or land mines. He could sleep without the fear of his throat being slashed.

He stopped eating and looked out of the window again. He knew he was supposed to do all those things, but he didn’t know where to begin. It felt better to keep moving.

He stood, pulling a stack of bills from his wallet and threw the cash on the table next to the uneaten platters.

“Wait, do you want a to-go box?” his waitress called, but Gage was already out of the door.

He threw his leg over his bike, kicked back the kickstand, and revved the engine. He swapped his ball cap out for his helmet, clasping the shield in place over his face. The only thing he could do now was ride. He steered onto the road, leaving the warm diner behind him.

A
very flipped
another page in the magazine. All the dresses looked the same. Mermaid skirts and white lace everywhere. She huffed. Did every bride demand tulle? Where was the dress that was meant for her curves?

“Excuse me. We don’t have enough towels.”

Avery brushed her auburn bangs out of the way to see an angry man flattening his palm on the counter.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Hatley.” She folded the wedding magazine and shoved it under the desk. “You’re in 310, right?”

“That’s right,” the man grunted. “We are going to be out for the afternoon. Maid service can drop them off now.”

“Certainly.” Avery scribbled the reminder on a pad of paper. “Enjoy your afternoon. Do you need any recommendations?”

The man didn’t bother to respond as he shuttled his wife out of the inn. Avery waited until they were in their car before grabbing an armful of towels and the key to the suite. She wasn’t about to bother the two housekeepers on staff. Jenny and Sara had enough to handle.

Not only did they keep the rooms in order, they worked maintenance, answered the phones, and filled in for Avery when she wasn’t at the desk. It was part of the charm of running a small-town inn. The staff had to fill many roles.

Avery knocked on the door, then used the key to enter. She placed the extra towels on the bathroom counter. She glanced up, noticing the towel rack was full. She sighed. What was wrong with people?

She closed the door to the suite behind her and started to head to the lobby.

“There you are!”

Avery jumped. “Dad, you scared me half to death. What’s wrong?” She spun around to face her father.

Avery’s father wasn’t tall. They almost stood eye to eye. He had dark hair that was silver around the ears, and a small nose like hers. It was the only feature they shared. Everyone always told her how much she looked like her mother.

“Nothing is wrong. I just need to discuss a few things. Are you headed downstairs?”

She nodded. “I had to drop off extra towels.” She tapped the elevator button.

They stepped inside. “Looks like I have to go to Seattle after all.”

“Why?” She watched the floors pass them as the small carriage descended to the lowest level of the inn.

“I can’t get the part for the furnace here. There is a dealer in Seattle. The delivery fee is as much as the part. It’s worth it to make the drive.”

“Oh.” The lattice doors creaked open and they emerged into the lobby.

The inn had been in Avery’s family for two generations. She made the third. One day her father would hand it over to her and Paul. Although, she still hadn’t convinced Paul that it was something he could do part-time once they were married. She knew with time he would love it as much as she did.

“I was thinking about leaving this afternoon, maybe staying in the city for a day or two. I wanted to check with you first.”

She walked behind the reception desk and listened to her father’s travel plans. “What do you need me to do, Dad?”

“Nothing you aren’t already.” He smiled. “Any problems if I go?”

“No. I think I’ve got everything covered. And Paul is here if I need anything.”

Her father frowned. “You sure about that?”

“Dad, he’s just busy. Of course he would help if I needed him here. He loves the inn too.”

“Hmm.” He jingled the change in his pocket, hesitating by the desk.

She knew when something was on his mind. She didn’t want to get into another argument about Paul. It was becoming a habit between them. She would try to defend Paul’s constant absence, knowing she didn’t have a good reason to give her father for why he was never around.

“Avery?”

She held her breath. Here it was—another lecture on how she deserved romance in her life. The kind her parents had found together.

“Dad, we’ve talked about it. I don’t want to—”

“Avery, I’ve met someone.”

“What?” She had to close her jaw.

“She’s in Seattle.”

“Oh.” She didn’t know how to respond to his sudden confession.

Her father tried to brush the silver edges of hair behind his ears. He was overdue for a haircut. “We met online on Silver Hearts.”

“Oh.” She tried to steady her rapid pulse. Of course her father was lonely. Of course he would want to connect with someone. He had been doing this alone for ten years.

Ever since her mother had died he had taken on dual parenting roles. He had become her cheerleader, mentor, and now business partner.

He added, “And that’s the real reason for the trip.” He smiled. “I do need the furnace part before winter hits, but it seemed like we were both ready to finally meet in person. I’m taking her to dinner tonight.”

Avery tried not to think ten steps ahead. Tried not to think how much life would change if her father married again. It had been the two of them for ten years. This was only a first date—not an engagement party.

“I hope you have a good time. What’s her name?”

“Shannon.”

“Maybe I’ll get to meet her soon.”

He held up his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don’t put the cart before the horse. It’s just dinner.”

Avery laughed. He might be her dad, but he was still a guy. A guy not ready to be committed past a dinner date.

“Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t worry about anything here. Stay in Seattle as long as you want. You need a break. I know you did.” She hoped he could read between the words.

He cracked a smile. “If I didn’t know better, I would think this was like that time in high school when you tried to get me to stay in the city for the weekend so you could throw that big party.”

Avery laughed. “I’m not throwing a party. I just know how much you need a break. Even if it is for a radiator part and dinner.”

“I’ll stop by before I leave.” He walked to the winding staircase in the foyer and disappeared up the steps.

Avery settled back on her chair and pulled out the wedding magazine again. “Where was I?”

I
t started
as a strange sputtering sound, but Gage could smell the smoke before he saw it. He slowed the bike and looked up. The green sign he had passed said the next town was five miles ahead. If he could make it there, he could take the bike to a garage and investigate the problem.

He clutched the handles, urging it forward. He rolled into town, blowing smoke from the exhaust pipe.

“What the hell?” he muttered.

The bike had started jerking and seizing as he entered the city limits. Gage looked around. There wasn’t much here. He eased the bike into a gas station, glad that there was a sign painted over one of the doors that said
Mechanic
.

He hopped off the side and walked the bike to the back of the store. There was a garage wide enough for two cars. He noticed a pile of tires stacked in the corner and an open toolbox.

“Hello?” he called.

“Hold on, hold on.” He heard a muffled voice under the car in the first bay.

Gage waited while a man in overalls rolled out from under the car. “Can I help you?” His nametag read
Glen
.

“Yeah. Do you service bikes?” He nodded toward where he had parked the black motorcycle.

“Sometimes.” The man spit from the side of his mouth. “What’s wrong with it?”

“It started smoking and making a put-put sound. I was wondering if I could take a look at it here.”

The man scratched the back of his head, sending his hair straight up toward the ceiling. “I’ll look at it for you.”

Gage shook his head. “I can do it. I don’t have tools with me. I’ll compensate you for the space and letting me use yours.”

The man rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t rent out my equipment. If you want me to take a look at the bike, I will.”

Gage felt the slight rumbling in his chest. His bear didn’t like to be told no. And he didn’t like being told what to do. He hadn’t had the bike long, but he already felt protective of it.

“Well?”

“Sure. Why the hell not?” He handed the mechanic the keys.

“What branch of service are you in?” he asked.

Gage squinted at the man. Glen pointed to his neck. “I see your tags there. I used to be a Navy man.

Gage let his shoulders relax. “Army.”

“On leave?”

The mechanic sure was nosey. “No. I’m not. You could say I’m retired.”

Glen seemed surprised. “You look young for retirement.”

He didn’t like discussing his career, or why suddenly he was no longer in Special Forces. “I guess so,” he grunted. “When do you think you can have it ready?”

“It’s going to be after lunch before I can get to it.”

“Is there another shop in town?” he asked. He felt anxious to put more miles behind him.

“No. This is St. Claire. We’ve got one of everything. You’ll have to drive to the next town, but it looks like you’re not going to be doing any driving.” He pointed to the puddle of oil forming by the front tire.

“Shit.” Gage stared at the oil.

“Go grab some lunch. There’s a place across the street. I’ll try to take a look and give you an idea of what you’re dealing with here, Army.” Glen smiled at the new nickname.

Gage felt the irritation start to subside. He never finished breakfast and he was still hungry. Lunch wasn’t a bad idea.

“All right. I appreciate it.”

He walked toward the restaurant the mechanic had pointed out. He waited for a car to pass before crossing the street. St. Claire was a picturesque town. The kind you see on the front of a postcard. Nestled in a valley, the mountains rose around it, making it seem sheltered and safe.

He pushed open the door to the Skillet, quickly adjusting to the dimness of the room surrounded by dark wood paneling. According to the sign on the door it was open for breakfast and lunch.

His eyes instantly darted to the back doors, trying to assess how many exits there were. His hands balled into fists at his side. His eyes shot to the patrons, sizing them up. There were two couples, and in the back a large construction crew took up two tables.

“How many?” a tall woman with thin glasses asked.

Gage glared at her, but saw the look in her eyes before realizing how she had reacted to him.

“One,” he grumbled.

“Right this way.” She quickly jumped in front of him and sped to the back of the restaurant.

He was about to protest that he couldn’t see the door from here, but realized he had already made her uncomfortable. He expelled a heavy breath and dropped into the seat she offered. He hadn’t meant to scare her.

“Thank you.”

“Your server will be right out.” She scurried away and Gage realized how gruff he must seem. He hadn’t shaved in days. He was hungry, and he was annoyed his only mode of transportation was being worked on by a complete stranger.

He ate lunch quickly, tipped generously, and walked back to the garage behind the gas station. He couldn’t stay still. He needed his bike running so he could get back on the road.

Glen was right where he had left him.

“What’s the verdict?” he asked the mechanic.

“Pretty simple. We need to order a few parts and she’ll be ready to go.”

Gage peered at the bike. The muffler was lying on the ground. “And how long will that take?”

“If I put in the order this afternoon, we might get it by tomorrow.”

He didn’t want to spend the night in St. Claire. He wasn’t sure where he was going to stop, but it wasn’t a town like this. He had planned on driving all night.

“Tomorrow?”

“That’s best case scenario.” The man spit again. “I’ll do my best.”

“All right. Fine.” Gage realized he was out of options. “Order what you need to.”

“I’ll call right now.” Glen turned for the office door, which looked like it was the entrance to the gas station. “What’s your name, son?”

“Call me Gage.” Gage looked around. “Wait. Is there a motel is this town?”

“We’ve got one. Take a right and head down two blocks. You’ll see it. The Long Pine Inn.”

“Thanks.” Gage picked up his pack off the bike and walked out of the garage, following Glen’s instructions.