Bear of Interest (6 page)

The waiter left.

“Did I tell you that Sam’s little league team are in the playoffs?” asked Liam.

Cole smiled. Liam loved his nephew so much. He was making up for Danny not being in his life.

“That’s great,” said Cole.

“He’s going to be like Danny, great at all sorts of sports.”

The waiter returned with the basket of bread and all three of them broke off a piece. Cole was buttering his piece when he heard a woman’s voice.

“I am so sorry for being this late.”

He looked up to see Detective Hardy standing there. Her hair looked like she’d been in a windstorm, and if he wasn’t mistaken, black grease was smeared on her face.

Cole stood.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“I got a flat tire as I turned off the main road. I couldn’t get a signal on my phone to call you or the curbside assistance club I belong to, so I finally had to do it myself.”

“Detective Hardy, this is Liam and Lucy Ahern.”

“Do we have to call you Detective Hardy all evening?” asked Liam, offering her his hand. He glared at Cole.

“No,
it’s
Samantha, or Sam as I prefer, please call me that, and you too Cole.”

“So happy you finally made it here,” said Lucy. She moved her chair over a tad so Sam could squeeze in next to Cole.

“If you would have been able to call, Liam could have taken care of the tire. He’s an expert on all things cars,” said Lucy.

“Really. Well maybe you could take a quick look at it before I head home just to make sure I’ve done it correctly.”

“I’d be happy to.”

The waiter walked to the table. “Miss, can I get you something to drink and here’s a menu.”

“A soda would be great and I’ve heard great things about your planked salmon so I know I want that because I love salmon.”

Liam kicked Cole’s foot under the table and nodded.

“If you like salmon you should get Cole to take you along to salmon night at the Starlight Café, which is owned by one a mutual friend of ours,” said Lucy.

“Really, Starlight Café, I think I’ve seen that. In fact, there’s a new craft store opened in that slip mall.”

“Owned by yet another two of our friends,” said Liam.

“Hannah who owns Starlight, her husband Bear works with me,” said Cole.

“Bear. His real name is Bear?” asked Sam.

“Of course,” said Liam.

Lucy gave him one of her ‘you better behave’ looks.

Bear was a common name given to the first born male bear shifter in a family. It was an honorable thing to go by that name.

“Hannah’s mother to our nephew who is also Sam but his is short for Samuel,” said Liam.

“So you and Bear are brothers?”

Liam shook his head. “No, Sam’s the son of my late brother Danny.”

A woman brought Sam’s soda to the table. She took a sip. Cole smiled and she must have seen him.

“Do you mind if I do something?” he asked.

“Have I got something on my face? I had a feeling I did,” said Sam.

Cold dipped his napkin in the glass of water on the table and dabbed at the grease marks.

“What must you think? Me strolling in here looking like I’ve been working on a car all day.”

“That’s fine because Liam looks like that every day,” said Lucy. Liam leaned over and kissed her, and suddenly Cole envied his fellow bear.

****

Sam was glad they’d all shared the Death by Chocolate dessert. It was an aptly named monster of a treat with six luscious layers of chocolate ganache, mousse, sponge cake, and now she was feeling full as they walked outside the
TreeTop
restaurant.

“So you met Liam when he literally became your knight in shining armor?” Sam asked Lucy.

“If he hadn’t driven along when he did, I don’t know what would have happened to me.”

“It is sort of scary for women on the open road. You wouldn’t believe some of the cases we deal with,” said Sam.

She had to admit she’d enjoyed everything about the evening, well apart from the flat tire. She’d been worried that Cole would think she’d stood him up. She’d never be that callous. She knew was rejection was like and she’d never inflict that on another human being.
 
She’d enjoyed both the food and company. Liam seemed to be checking her out, asking her lots of questions, obviously to see if she was okay for Cole. Lucy was down to earth, and Cole, well, he was a dream come true.

“This is my car,” said Sam.

“Let’s take a look at the tire,” said Liam.

“It’s the back one here,” she said, pointing.

“Don’t go too fast because it’s just supposed to be temporary until you get the old one fixed or even buy a new one,” said Liam.

“Guess I’ll have to do that tomorrow,” said Sam. “I’m in the market for a new car, or should I say a nice used one.”

“I might be able to help you out there. I have a couple for sale. As you’re a buddy of Cole’s I can give you a good deal,” said Liam.

“Really?” asked Sam.

“Sure, you want to swing by our place tomorrow? I have my own business I run from our home,” said Liam.

“Sounds good to me.”

“And don’t feel pressured into buying one of them. I can probably fix that flat tire or sell you a new one. I have those too.”

“I lucked out,” said Sam. She looked at Cole. “Well I suppose I should be getting home as I have to drive slowly. It was great meeting you, Lucy, Liam.”

“I’ll probably see you tomorrow,” said Cole.

“You will.”

“Sure, I’m renting the cottage at Liam and Lucy’s place.”

This was getting better by the minute.

“Knowing that, will you let me bring something for us all to eat? To thank you for helping me out with the car and to say sorry for being so late for our date, Cole.”

“That would be great. I hear it’s going to be nice weather so I’ll set up the picnic table outside,” said Lucy.

“Does 1 p.m. work for you?” asked Sam.

“That’s perfect,” said Liam.

Cole opened her door for her and she slid into the driver’s seat.

Sam waved, sounded the horn and carefully exited the parking lot, hoping she wasn’t going over anything rough. She glanced in her rearview mirror. As first dates went, and excluding the flat tire and grease covered face, it had been a pretty good one.

****

“I think she’s very nice,” said Lucy, on the drive home. It had made sense for Cole to ride with them. “I knew there had to be a reason for her being late.”

Liam reached over and squeezed her knee. “Yeah, humans are never impolite.”

“I didn’t mean it like that, and someone’s walking a fine line right now and might be sleeping on the couch tonight.”

“Did you hear that Cole? Let this be a lesson to you if you’re thinking of taking one of these human girls as your mate. They are lots of trouble.”

Lucy leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Sam couldn’t do better than to nab herself a bear.”

“How do you guys make it work?” asked Cole, edging forward on his seat and resting his arms on both the back of the passenger and driver’s seats.

“Does this mean there’s an interest in getting to know Sam on a whole different level?” asked Liam.

“Maybe.”

“I’ve heard that maybe before,” said Liam. “First trick is to set down the rules and show them who’s the boss,” said Liam.

“Really, and that’s the way you won me over?” asked Lucy.

Cole smiled. Boy, he was sure he’d just ignited a flame that would result in a martial spat.

“No, I’m not saying that. But human guys are wimpy compared to us bears and I think that’s what attracts you females to us.”

Lucy turned around to look at Cole. “He’s right, my darling husband is right. We love that take charge approach. However equal we think we want to be, we also want to be protected.”

“And what was your overall impression of Sam?” asked Cole.

“Does it matter what we think?” asked Liam.

“I’d like another opinion.”

“I think she’s perfect for you. Did you see the little sideway glances she gave you. Definitely interested in you, Cole,” said Lucy.

“And yes, for a human, she was okay,” said Liam.

“I think you should have kissed her goodnight,” said Lucy.

“It was their first date,” said Liam.

“I know but a peck on the cheek would have been nice. I think you should make up for it tomorrow when you see her.”

Yeah, maybe he would.

****

Maybe when first dates started on a bad note, it was a sign that things would be smooth sailing from here on out. Well, maybe not. The deli was out of the grilled salmon she wanted to take along as her thank you gift. She’d finally settled on the quiche and potato salad. She only wished she knew how to cook.

She checked the address and the directions Liam had given her. Always helpful having friends who knew about cars because hers always seemed to go wrong. She saw a house on a piece of land with a garage up ahead and guessed this was the place. She pulled into the driveway and saw Liam working under the hood of a car.

Sam turned off the ignition and got out of the car.

“Good morning,” she shouted over to Liam.

He waved.

“I have the food, anywhere I can put it until we’re ready to eat?”

“Sure, Lucy’s in the house, she can show you.”

Sam walked up the driveway and saw the front door was open. She knocked on the wood at the side.

“Hello.”

Lucy appeared wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

“Hi Sam.”

“I have quiche and potato salad for us, anywhere I can put it?”

“Sure, come on in and we’ll keep it in the fridge.”

It was a small but cutely decorated house. A wedding photo of Liam and Lucy hung on the wall as she walked to the kitchen.

“Let me take these for you. I’ve already set the table outside.”

Sam handed the bag to Lucy but got sidetracked when she glanced out of the window and saw Cole shirtless chopping logs. The bag fell to the floor.

“I’m so sorry,” said Sam.

“It’s okay.”

Lucy smiled obviously knowing what had distracted her.

“He’s earning his keep,” said Lucy

“What?”

“Cole’s getting firewood ready for the wood burning stove in his cottage.”