Scott
Dipping his brush in white paint, Scott Harrison wiped the sweat from his brow. The sun had beat down on his neck and back all day. But, he’d promised Jackson he’d help paint the guy’s house. Jackson had joined the land of the living after finding out he was about to become a grandfather. The bear didn’t want his grandson visiting him in a beat up, barely standing home.
Both his son, Gene, and soon to be son-in-law, Carter, were working on the construction part of things. While his daughter Grace helped with the decorating. Although, with Carter and Grace’s wedding only two days away, everybody was focused on that. Hell, Jackson could barely pay attention to where he slapped his roller. Scott wished he could tune into his old friend’s babbling about weddings and grandkids.
Instead, his mind concentrated on the woman who owned him, heart and soul. Betty Callahan. The woman he loved more than life itself, but who didn’t love him in return. His time with her was running out. He just knew it. How much longer would she put up with his puppy dog looks before kicking him out?
He’d done everything he could think of to show her how he felt about her. Well, everything except actually telling her his feelings. But how could he bring himself to tell her when he knew she’d reject him? Scott wasn’t a damn fool. Besides, maybe there was some way for him to win her love.
Like Grace had done with Carter. He still remembered sitting down with her and coming up with a plan to win over their mates. Of course, Grace being the stubborn young woman she was, had indeed gotten her mate’s love. The two young bears were lucky to have a second chance at love. A chance, that as far as Scott could tell, made them both very happy.
It sucked to be a seventy-six-year-old man and jealous of twenty-somethings. He hadn’t followed the plan Grace came up with. Scott should’ve told Betty that if she wanted him to leave, he would. Pretended he would move on, gotten Betty to realize how much he meant to her. There was just one problem.
His heart. To him, it was better to keep her close for as long as possible then lose her altogether. Why plant the idea of him leaving in her head? The plan may have worked for Grace, but Scott could admit he was too much of a coward to go along with it.
“Ah, speak of an angel and she will appear. Where’s my granddaughter?” Jackson chuckled, dropping his roller into the paint.
“Carter took her fishing.” She paused to give Jackson a kiss on the cheek. “I brought over your tux for the wedding. You and Scott are doing a fantastic job with the house.” Grace handed the plastic wrapped garment bag to her father, then gave Scott a quick hug.
“Both of you are sweaty. Let’s head inside for some lemonade, I need a break from all this wedding junk.”
“Junk? I thought you were excited?” Jackson poured three glasses, setting them on the rickety table. It was the one piece of furniture the man hadn’t been willing to part with. Kind of like Grace and her mom’s old Ford.
“Oh, I’m excited to be Carter’s wife. That isn’t the part of things getting on my nerves. Look, I love all my girlfriends like sisters, but they’re taking things a little too far. Just because mom is gone, doesn’t mean I need all these women hovering like bees on honey. I’d rather be fishing with Carter and Stella instead of running all over town to avoid my own friends.”
Grace slumped into her chair, sighing deeply. “Honey, did you consider telling them to back off?”
“You’re kidding me, right?” She raised a red brow at her father. “Ella will burst into tears since she’s pregnant again. Lani is so bull-headed even if I did tell her, she wouldn’t listen. Annie isn’t all that bad so she can stay.
“Lily and Evie are new to us and I don’t want them to feel excluded. Vivienne and Grams think they know everything about everything…” She trailed off, giving Scott a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I know she’s your mate-”
“We’re not mated.” Goddess, his voice had taken on that wistful, sad tone. The one which only seemed to come out whenever he talked about Betty.
“Why the hell not? It’s been, what, two months and you still haven’t made a move?”
“Grace Elaine. Leave the man alone, it’s his personal business.” Jackson chuckled, “And you say Lani is bull-headed.”
“It’s alright, Jackson. She means no harm, besides she’s just like your Isabella.” At first, Scott almost swallowed his tongue. Talking about Isabella Dodson in the past was a huge no-no. Now though, Jackson smiled at the comment.
“That’s for damn sure. She’s her mama through and through, even down to the ‘wedding junk.’”
“Really? Will you tell me more about her? Gene too, he won’t say anything, but I know he has a tough time remembering her.” Jackson’s face dropped some, he hadn’t been the best father. Drinking away his heartache and pain for over a decade.
“Of course, I will. I have an old scrapbook of hers somewhere around here, you’ll have to remind me to pull it out.” He paused, sipping his drink, a smile coming over his face. “Your mama didn’t want a wedding, but your grandma did. So, for a year we went through the whole process.
“Finally, two weeks before the date, we found out she was pregnant with Gene. The two of us ran off and got married the same day. Our families disowned us and we moved out here.”
“I like that story. Thanks, dad.” Grace cleared her throat, wiping her face with the back of her hand. “Anyway, I gotta get going. Someone has to make dinner at the Montgomery house. Scott, tell Grams how you feel already and make the woman your mate.
“Dad, I love you. Just think, the next time you see me, it’ll be my wedding day.” The men walked Grace to her old Ford. Carter had fixed the bullet-ridden windows, along with its dying engine for her. They must’ve been inside longer than Scott realized because the sun had already started to set.
“I’m going to miss my dinner date if I hang around here anymore today. I’ll see you in two days, my friend.”
“You know, my daughter’s right. Don’t pass up a chance for happiness, tell the old bat how you feel.”
“Old bat?” Scott knew he should’ve been offended on Betty’s behalf, but he couldn’t help imagining Betty laughing at the intended insult.
“Yeah, we’re all getting old. Now get outta here.” Jackson didn’t even bother for Scott to disagree with him, just went into his house and shut the door. Scott did laugh then; his friend had found a way to live again. If Jackson could muster up the courage to face people after all this time, then Scott could do the same thing with Betty.