Samantha dressed in warm clothes for the day on the lake with Benjamin. She wore knee-high boots, thick leggings, a knitted sweater, her parka, and a hat and mittens. He’d promised her an escape from all of the stress of the missing statue and her mysterious family connection to Ambrose Morgan. He arrived right on time and stood outside her door holding a bouquet of white lilies in a vase. She put the bouquet near her bed and popped one of his chocolates in her mouth on the way out the door. The flavor was heavenly. If she hadn’t adored Ben already, she might have considered dating him just for the free chocolate.

“This is going to be so much fun,” he said, taking her hand.

When they made it to his house, he gave her a quick tour. He owned a two-story modern house with all of the modern amenities that one could hope for. It had high ceilings that swept up to a second story balcony, and big windows that covered an entire two-story wall and faced the lake.

He grabbed the picnic basket from the counter and they went out the back door, through the gleaming kitchen, into the wintery backyard. The ground was covered in a light dusting of snow. An evergreen hedge grew around the border, and a birdfeeder hung from a bare-limbed tree. They walked hand-in-hand through the gate and down to his boat house. His boat had a heated cab. They closed the door to the cold and he started up the engine.

Being from New York City, she wasn’t used to this kind of outdoor activity, but she was more excited than she had expected to be. Samantha sat beside Benjamin, smiling as warm air blew from the heater vents. She took off her hat and mittens while Ben drew anchor.

He started off onto the sparkling, silvery waters of the Lake of the Fates. They passed by other boats as Ben navigated through the waterway, and he waved to the drivers and passengers as they glided past. The lake was large and would take weeks to explore completely.

They drove past the town, where the public docks were packed with boats of all kinds: flat top fishing boats, sailboats, and yachts. They could see the town square from the boat and Samantha couldn’t help but notice that people were still milling around the statue podium, staring at the empty space where the statue had once been.

She shook her head and bit her lip. Today was about her and Benjamin, not the mystery of the missing statue. He turned away from the town and drove deeper onto the lake and away from civilization.

Though the weather was chilly, the sun shone like a bright orange ball across the lake waters. The light warmed her skin and made her smile with contentment. Ben found a little cove surrounded by bare trees and a sheer rocky cliff that jutted up from the water.

“This is a beautiful spot,” she said.

“This is one of my favorite fishing places. People don’t generally have as much luck fishing in the wintertime, but I know a few tricks.”

“Are you going to catch me a fish?” she asked with a giggle.

“I am, but first I’m going to give you some hot chocolate.”

He pulled the thermos out of the picnic basket and poured them both a cup of steaming hot chocolate. She took the cup and sipped and groaned.

“I’d love that,” she said, feeling the warmth of the hot chocolate radiating through her chest.

There was a little table that rose between the front seats and they ate a lunch of croissant sandwiches, hot chocolate and strawberries. It was delicious. She appreciated that Benjamin could not only make the best chocolate she’d ever tasted, but also a sandwich with so much flavor. It was like she’d died and gone to heaven.

She certainly had lucked out with him. Samantha looked across the table into his bright smile and sparkling eyes and her heart exploded with gratitude. It was the first time in forever that she really felt like there was somebody there for her, someone who cared.

After they were done eating lunch, Benjamin cleaned up the plates and napkins and put them away in the basket. He poured Samantha another cup of hot chocolate.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go fishing.”

He led her out onto the deck and pulled his fishing pole out of a cabinet. Sitting beside him as he baited his hook, she cupped her hot chocolate and carefully sipped the hot sweet brew. The warm sun kissed her cheeks and she smiled at Benjamin as his deft fingers threaded bait onto the hook. He stood and cast his line. She watched his profile as he reeled his line back and cast again.

He aimed for a little area of fallen logs near the shore. His patience was soon rewarded with a tug on his line.

“I’ve got one,” he said with the smile. He pulled strongly and carefully, reeling the fish up to the boat.

“Grab the net,” he said.

She scrambled to her feet and grabbed the net. She held it out in front of Benjamin and he pulled the huge bass out of the water. She shrieked as she held the net out for him to drop his catch into. The wriggling fish was strong and heavy, and she nearly lost her grip. Samantha gripped the handle with both hands and hoisted the net up over the railing and onto the deck of the boat.

“Good job. You’re a natural.”

He knelt on one knee and pulled the hook out of the fish’s mouth before tossing it into a water-filled compartment in the deck. Samantha’s heart beat fast and she let out a relieved exclamation as the fish splashed in the tank.

“I think that’s probably enough excitement for the day,” he said with a laugh.

They he stowed the fishing pole and showed her where she could wash her hands. Clean, warm and with another cup of cocoa in hand, they went back into the cab and started out along the water. He gave her a tour of the lake, noting his favorite places to picnic, to go fishing, to take hikes, or go hunting.

For a confectioner, he was awfully outdoorsy. She loved hearing him tell her about the little cove where he and his younger brother Maverick used to steal away to go fishing. It was heartwarming to know these little details about his life. Benjamin drove past a line of trees and pointed.

“Just above that rise, back about a mile, that’s where I shot my first buck when I was fourteen,” he explained.

The gleam of pride in his eyes was evident, and Samantha couldn’t help but feel it herself. She had never been hunting before, being a city girl, but she could tell how much it meant to him.

“I went by myself with my father. We had all been hunting before as a family, you know, in bear form. Us kids weren’t allowed to make kills, even in animal form. But when I was old enough, my parents gave me a rifle for Christmas. Dad took me hunting in human form that winter. It was a special day for me. As a shifter, we place special meaning on hunting. It’s kind of a rite of passage into life as a beast.”

“I had no idea,” Samantha said, finally understanding that this whole shifter identity was something totally different from what it meant to be human. “Shifters have such a rich culture. I envy you that.”

“We’re lucky. Especially in Fate Valley. The Shifter Community Association here is incredibly strong,” he said. “We take care of each other. Whenever a new shifter is changed, they become part of the group.”

Samantha imagined what it must be like to feel like she belonged the way the shifters of the community association did. She longed for that sense of belonging. It was something she had never experienced in her life, not even as a child, and certainly not as an adult.

Getting a job with the magazine, she’d felt that she’d found the right career. It was something she was passionate about and could do for the rest of her life. The staff of the magazine was as close to anything she had ever known as a family. The way Benjamin talked about his family and the Community Association, Samantha knew own experience paled in comparison.

It was part of what attracted her to him so much. She needed a home. She’d buried that need deep down inside, and usually tried not to think about. Now that she was with Benjamin, she was so close to that feeling she could taste it. It was like all that buried need was bubbling up from deep underground like a volcano that had been threatening to erupt for centuries.

She felt tears form in the corners of her eyes and she could barely keep them back. She sniffled, not wanting Benjamin to see that she was having these feelings. They were supposed to be on a date, not having a little pity party. He looked over at her from behind the wheel.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Oh yes, I’m fine.”

“I can see and smell the tears in your eyes,” he said gently. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s just… The way you talk about your family and the Shifter Community Association. I’ve never had anything like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like a family or a tight-knit community who really cared about me. I’ve never known anything like that.”

The tears finally broke, and he stopped the boat, leaning across the space between them to gather her in his arms. The tears fell in earnest. She shuddered and leaned against his shoulder, letting out the sorrow she’d felt for so long. She clutched the lapel of his jacket, sniffing wildly and trying to get the tears to subside. But that only made them flow more freely from her eyes. He held her close, rubbing her back and making soothing noises as he rocked her and held her warmly in his lap.

“It must’ve been hard for you to be alone for so long,” he said gently.

“I didn’t realize how hard it was until just now.”

“You don’t have to worry anymore. You’re never going to be alone again. I’ll always be there for you. I’ll always love and protect you. My community will become yours, and we will all care for you as long as we live. That’s what mates and family and friends are for.”

“It all seems too good to be true. Like some kind of dream out of my imagination. Or a movie that I’d watch during the holidays. It’s not my life.”

“Of course it’s your life, Samantha,” he said, rubbing her back. “Why shouldn’t it be your life? You’re a good, beautiful, strong, intelligent, loving woman with a heart as big as the Lake of the Fates. You, more than anyone, deserve a life of love and family. I can’t think of a person who deserves it more.”

“All those years of going from one foster home to another. I got used to the idea that I was an outsider. I wasn’t permanent. I wasn’t part of the unit. I was that kid that nobody wanted. And then, when I grew up, it was my accomplishments that got recognized. But it was never just about me, about who I am, regardless of anything I do. Now that I’m with you, I feel like I can just be myself, and I can be loved for it. It sounds crazy when I say it out loud, especially since we just met, but I believe it’s true. I can’t help feeling it.”

Benjamin cupped her cheek, and pressed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes as she tasted her tears on his lips. He kissed away all the sorrow, pulling her so close to him. He cradled her in his arms, and she knew that, from now on, she would never be alone again.