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  As she stared at herself, her cell phone buzzed, and she jumped as if she’d been stung by a bee.

  Nana’s hand shook as she reached for her phone. Every time a text came through, she dreaded looking to see who the sender was. This time was no different. Her hand shook as she swiped the screen and tapped to read the text.

  Vito. The blood rushed from her face and her knees buckled. Leaning heavily on the wash basin, she read the text.

  A visit to the museum. How nice.

  Fed up with his games, she replied, Now you’re spying on me?

  Oh, I’ve been spying on you since you came back. The things you learn when no one knows you are watching.

  Nana swallowed the bile in her throat. She didn’t want to know what he’d learned. But she also knew it mattered. Like what?

  Like you are going out with a man who works at a museum. Did you have a tour of the basement? Did he fuck you there?

  Nana cursed Vito’s name. What if I did?

  Ahh, and there I was thinking you’d lost the fire in your belly.

  She inhaled deeply. The fire is still there. And I’m done with you trying to bully me.

  There was a pause. Nana stared at the screen, waiting for Vito’s reply. Had she pushed him too far, would he make his move? She looked toward the bathroom door, imagining George out there, waiting for her. What if Vito was in the diner?

  She pushed away from the sink and spun around ready to face Vito in the flesh, but as she reached to open the door, her phone buzzed. Swiping the screen, she read the reply and then read it again.

  Maybe I made a mistake wanting you to leave Bear Creek. You mean more to me than a drug mule. Your coffee is getting cold.

  Nana stared at the screen not knowing exactly what he meant. Was he done with her? Would he move on?

  She pulled the door open and left the bathroom, bursting into the diner, where George sat with a concerned look on his face. Nana slowed down and dropped her head, sweeping the room with her eyes. Betsy was too busy holding a baby and chatting with a young couple to take any notice, and a thankful Nana slid into her seat and picked up her cup of coffee and took a gulp.

  “All right?” George asked, smoothing over his expression, but his eyes showed his concern as they fixed on Nana and then swept across the room to the bathroom door.

  “I had a call from Sage about work.” She controlled her breathing as she sipped her coffee.

  “All figured out?” George asked.

  “Yes.” The sound of an engine revving caught her attention and she turned to look out of the window at the street outside. Her heart faltered. There was Vito on a motorcycle. She knew it was him even with the visor of his helmet down. After a bad accident when he was younger, he’d taken to driving an easy rider with large handlebars and too much chrome. The jacket on his back was the same one he’d worn twenty years ago, faded and dirty but the same.

  As Vito pulled out into the traffic, he looked over his shoulder and in a smooth motion, saluted her and then rode out of town.

  Could she dare to hope he was also driving out of her life?

  “So we were talking about the museum.” George dug into his apple pie and Nana picked up her fork and began to eat, giving herself a moment to think. Did she want to tell George everything now that the danger had passed?

  Perhaps now was the perfect time to tell him. If they stood a chance of making a life together, there was no use hiding. That’s what made her vulnerable to Vito in the first place. Secrets. They had a habit of tripping you up and bringing you to your knees.

  “Not here.” She looked at George directly. “Why don’t we go somewhere private, the two of us. I’ll pack a picnic and we can talk.”

  The tension dropped from his face. “I’d like that. But why don’t you let me make the picnic?”

  “Is this going to be our first argument?” she asked lightly, and George chuckled.

  “My bear thinks we should show you what a good hunter-gatherer we are. If we can impress you with our chicken salad sandwiches, then you might overlook the fact we aren’t good at actual cooked dishes.”

  She laughed a real laugh, the kind she hadn’t been capable of since the first text from Vito. He ruined her trip to China, she was no longer willing to let him ruin the rest of her life. Nor was she willing to deprive George if he wanted to impress her with a picnic.

  “It’s a good thing I like chicken salad sandwiches, and that I love to cook.” She reached out and took his hand. “I just hope the woman you think you are mated to lives up to your expectations.”

  “She already has,” he replied. “She already has.”

  “Shall we go?” Nana asked as she placed her fork down on her plate.

  “Sure.” George rose from the table and pulled his wallet out of his pocket to pay the bill.

  “You should let me get this since you are making the picnic.” Nana reached into her purse.

  “My treat,” George replied.

  “This seems to be a one-way relationship so far,” Nana told him. “First the picnic, now the coffee.”

  George ducked his head and smiled at her. “If you want to cook me a homemade dinner tomorrow night, I’ll take it as even.”

  Nana laughed, her heart light. “Deal.”

  A smile played across her lips as he walked her to her car. Freedom was hers once more. With the children all grown up and Vito a figure disappearing back into whatever hole he crawled out of, she realized she was ready to move on to the next stage of her life.

  After witnessing the love between fated mates, Kyle and Honor, Nana had secretly dreamed she might one day experience the same kind of relationship. George was her chance to make her dream a reality. Her life was topsy-turvy, she’d raised children before meeting a man, and she was too old for children of her own. But she was willing to look on this as a new beginning, with new possibilities, and she was ready to be herself again.

  Whoever that might be.

  “I’ll pick you up in an hour or so,” George promised as she opened the car door.

  Nana turned around to face him. “I can’t wait.”

  George tilted his head to one side. “You look happy.”

  “I am happy,” she confirmed.

  He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and she shivered in anticipation, but he didn’t lean forward to kiss her. “I’ll always be there for you, Nana. No matter what.”

  Nana frowned. “Where did that come from?”

  “I just want you to know. Life ebbs and flows, the good and the bad. But a shifter’s love never waxes and wanes. It’s constant and true.” Then he kissed her, and she saw the moon and the stars and felt the deep connection between them.

  And somewhere in the mixed-up emotions flooding her veins, she might have even felt the first stirrings of love.

  Chapter Ten – George

  A roller-coaster had nothing on his life since meeting Nana. One moment she was happy, the next she looked as if a demonic monster was stalking her. Then she’d flip back to being happy.

  As he drove over to Chance Heights to pick her up, George wondered which Nana he was about to take out for a picnic. He glanced at the picnic basket on the passenger seat beside him and hoped he wouldn’t mind that he cheated. Yes, he had made chicken salad sandwiches, but the other temptations hidden inside the wicker basket were all store bought. He’d learned that no one made better cakes and pies than the local bakery.

  They were even better than Betsy’s, not that he would ever say so in front of the diner owner. He valued his life.

  Driving up toward Chance Heights, he took a moment to remember the mystery behind the man who lived here centuries ago. George needed to talk to Thorn and Emilia and come up with a story he could tell Nana that would divert attention away from the dragons. Although, he didn’t like the idea of hiding the truth about dragon shifters from his mate. He would have to skirt around the truth without directly lying. Perhaps when the dragons got to know Nana they would trust he
r with their secret, just as they trusted George.

  He chuckled as he relived the moment he first walked into their kitchen. He was sure at least one of them thought he needed his head ripped from his shoulders. But they had every right to be protective of their secret. There were bad people in this world.

  Just as there had been bad people centuries ago. How would the Chance family feel when they found out one of their ancestors was responsible for putting two dragons under the Ancient Slumber spell? Worse, how would they feel when they found out the house they loved so much was given as payment for that same spell?

  “George!” Luke called to him as he got out of the car.

  “Hey, Luke. How is it going?” George looked longingly at the house, where he could sense his mate’s presence, but then strolled over to talk to Luke who was chopping up wood.

  “Good, good. And you?” Luke lifted the axe and brought it down hard, his muscles rippling in the midday sun.

  “Great.” George looked at the house. “Has Nana said anything?”

  “About what?” Luke asked, straightening up and resting his ax on the wood he was about to split. His eyes narrowed as George searched for words. What exactly was he asking? Whether his mate was still happy or if the rain clouds had descended once more? “Sage thought there was something going on with Nana yesterday. But she seems back to her normal self today. We put it down to jet lag.”

  “That’s probably all it is,” George confirmed. “I just wondered if me coming into her life was what she wanted.”

  Luke clapped him on the shoulder. “If you ask me, it’s just what she needed. Even if she didn’t know it yet.”

  George decided to let his worries go. No doubt a mixture of jet lag and the surprise of a man entering her life and telling her she was his mate was enough to send any woman into shock.

  “We’re going on a picnic,” George said.

  “I know.” Luke resumed his wood cutting.

  “I thought tomorrow afternoon I could come up here and make a start on the new rope climb.” George breathed in the fresh mountain air.

  “That would be great. I’ve talked it over with Marcus.”

  “And?” George was not certain how Marcus felt about him. If he had to choose one word to describe the oldest Chance sibling’s feeling toward George it would be threatened.

  “He'll come around to the idea.” Luke split the wood with ease and then reached for the next log.

  “Ah, as I thought.”

  “Listen, go take Nana on this picnic, make her happy, and Marcus will welcome you with open arms.” Luke wiped the sweat off his brow. “The thing you have to know about Marcus is he is old enough to remember clearly what it was like when our parents died. Sage and I, we felt the loss, but the details are hazy. Marcus and Nana picked up the pieces. Nan wasn’t more than a kid herself. What single woman in her twenties expects to take on three kids?”

  “It was a struggle for her, and Marcus saw that firsthand.” George nodded. With this new information, he understood the eldest Chance child better. “Marcus also took it on himself to take over from your father.”

  “You got it. Which is why Marcus is wary of you.”

  “He sees me as splitting up your family.” George had enough experience of kids in difficult situations to know how easy it was for certain expectations to become ingrained in their character. “Thanks, Luke, I’ll keep that all in mind.”

  “You are welcome.” He grinned. “I like you, George.” Then he jabbed his finger at George's chest. “Don’t let me down.”

  “I won’t.” George fought the simmering anger that threatened. He knew Luke meant well, but a bear shifter did not take threats idly.

  Get over it, George told his bear. We’ve heard worse from students at school.

  This isn’t school, and Luke is not a student, his bear replied.

  No, he’s a young man looking out for his family. And family comes first, we know that.

  His bear didn’t answer, he simply walked away, sulking.

  “Hey there,” Nana called as she came out to meet him. She wore a summer dress, decorated with pretty pink flowers and carried a wine cooler bag along with her purse. “Was Luke giving you a hard time?”

  “Nope, he was trying to give me advice,” George said as he kissed Nana on the cheek.

  “Advice. You must be in trouble.” She smiled brighter than the sun and George was relieved Nana’s mood remained happy.

  “Not yet,” George replied. They walked across to his car and he opened the door for his mate. “I brought enough food that if we get lost in the mountains for a week, we won’t starve.”

  “Good, I’ve worked up an appetite.” She climbed into the passenger seat and he shut the door securely, before going around to the driver’s side and getting in. “Bye,” she called to Luke as they drove off.

  “Have fun,” he called back, watching them until they disappeared from view.

  “Luke told us about your ideas.” Nana rested her elbow on the rolled down window as they turned right and drove along a narrow road into the mountains. George noted that although Nana wore a summer dress, she’d chosen stout shoes that wouldn’t fall apart or give her blisters when they walked the trail to the spot he’d chosen for their picnic.

  “What do you think?” They cruised along under the canopy of trees, their tired-looking leaves would soon turn to orange and brown before falling to the ground. He could scent fall on the air and his thoughts turned to cold winter nights in front of an open fire with Nana in his arms.

  “I like the idea of an assault course through the forest. Some of the kids who come to Chance Heights have a lot of energy and anger to burn off.” She took a sideways glance at him. “You obviously enjoy working with children.”

  “I do.” He turned off the road and drove along a stony trail. The car bounced along as the stones got bigger and the trail grew steeper.

  “So why give up teaching? You aren’t exactly old.”

  He gave her an ironic smile. “I went searching for my mate.”

  “You gave up a career you loved to go looking for a mate?” When he heard the words spoken by someone else, it sounded crazy.

  “I figured what I needed to make me complete was out there. But really it was here all along.” He drove the car off the trail and parked it in the shade of the trees.

  “Why didn’t you go back to teaching?” Nana opened the car door and got out, dragging the cooler bag with her, while George reached in and picked up the picnic basket.

  He locked the car and pointed to the trail they needed to take to get to the waterfall where he hoped to start the process of winning over his mate. “I don’t know. I traveled for five or six years, worked all over the world, just as my parents did.”

  “What were your parents like?” She slipped her hand in his as they walked along the trail under the trees, with the dappled sunlight falling on the ground. He held his breath, wondering if she’d grabbed hold of him to stop herself from falling, but her hand stayed put and he allowed himself to breathe again.

  “Good people. Very generous with their time and energy.” He looked down at her and grimaced. “As a kid, I wished they’d spent a larger portion of their time with their son. Which makes me feel bad since as an adult, I realize just how important their work was.”

  “Don’t feel bad.” She squeezed his hand, and his body thrilled at the connection between them. “You were a kid. Kids are supposed to be the most important person to a parent.”

  “That sounds like a voice of experience.” The trail twisted to the west and began to climb. Halfway up, a large boulder had fallen onto the trail. Reluctantly, he let go of Nana’s hand, placed the picnic basket on the ground and climbed over the boulder. Nana passed the basket and wine up to him and he jumped down to the outside of the trail. Leaving the basket and wine on the ground, he then climbed back onto the boulder and reached out both hands to Nana. She placed her hands in his. It was almost symbolic, as their eyes
met, it was as if she were placing her trust in him.

  He swore a silent oath he would never betray that trust. No matter what.

  “Thanks,” Nana said a she set her feet down on the trail on the other side of the boulder. “I should have worn pants.” She dusted down her dress and looked up at the steep trail in front of them.

  “You’ll be fine, we only have to climb this next part and then it’s flat grassland all the way.” He put his hands on his hips and stepped backward. “And I like your dress. And what’s in your dress.”

  Nana giggled and blushed. “Cute.”

  “I sound like a teenager.” He shrugged. “Seducing women has never really been my thing.”

  “Not even when you were a young bear cub?” Nana asked as they continue on their way. “Luke and Marcus went out there and played around for a few years, and then settled down. Now they date occasionally, but not too much. It worries me sometimes. Shifters don’t get to go out and get their hearts broken, since they know the relationship won’t last.”

  “I’ve had my share of romance,” George admitted. “But it’s true, you can never fully commit when it’s not your mate. I think the person you’re dating can sense that and doesn’t fully commit either.”

  “I sometimes worry Sage is saving herself for her mate. She’s always lived in that fairy tale world of true mates. She worked hard through school and college, and now with the kids that come to Chance Heights. It’s her life, her vocation.” Nana stopped, turned around and studied the view before her. “I know why. It’s because her mom and dad were so very much in love. Anything less is never going to be enough.”

  George turned around and took two steps back along the trail to stand next to Nana. “It must be tough to live up to two ghosts.”

  Nana folded her arms across her chest as if to protect herself. “I never tried to replace them. I just got through it as best I could. For the kids. And for Kyle and Honor.”