Chapter Two – Dean

Dean felt physically sick. When he’d seen Elizabeth and recognized her as his mate, he had been overjoyed. Stunned, but overjoyed. But that joy had turned to fear as she turned and ran away from him.

Suzie had followed, and only Karen’s steadying hand on his arm had stopped him from going too. He had to make this right. He had to show her she belonged with him.

“Give them time,” Karen advised, and of course she was right. Suzie would know how to handle the delicate situation. Suzie, whom he’d grown to admire and love as a confident, professional young woman, whose heart was in the right place. Suzie, who’d talked about her mom, who suffered from social anxiety. Damn, how could he have been so insensitive to her needs? How could he have hurt his mate in such a way?

“Do you think she’s OK?” Dean had asked, as the minutes ticked by and his resolve to stay put waned.

“Yes, Elizabeth is not fond of meeting new people,” Karen informed him.

“I know. But I’m her mate,” Dean had replied as if that made everything right.

“She’s self-conscious because of her birthmark,” Karen said.

“What birthmark?” Dean had asked. He couldn’t remember Suzie having mentioned a birthmark.

“The one on her face.” Karen put her hand up to her left cheek and moved it in a circular motion.

“I didn’t see it,” Dean replied. All he had seen was the most beautiful woman in the world, more beautiful than any of the roses in his garden.

“That’s because it doesn’t matter,” Karen said. “Especially not to you.” Karen gave him a knowing look. A look of experience, of a woman who knew all about the shifter bond and the joys it would bring.

The door opened, and Suzie came back into the garden with Elizabeth following. Her eyes were on the ground, but then she lifted them to Dean’s face and studied him for a moment before looking away.

Damn, she didn’t like what she saw. He stood up taller and breathed in. He’d always tried to keep himself in shape as he got older. Had he failed? Or maybe she didn’t like his face, not a lot he could do about that. But when you were as beautiful as Elizabeth...

“Dean, this is my mom, Elizabeth.” Suzie broke the silence, a piercing smile on her face. “Mom, this is Dean.”

“Hello, Elizabeth,” Dean said, holding out his hand and then dropping it. Were they supposed to hold hands…or hug? Or maybe a hug would be too forward. He lifted his hand again, while Suzie giggled. “She won’t bite.”

“Hello, Dean,” Elizabeth said, stepping forward and taking his drooping hand. It was about the only thing that was drooping. There was a stirring in his pants that was going to be a whole lot of embarrassing if he wasn’t careful.

Think of something else, his bear advised.

What else is there to think about? Dean replied.

Good point, his bear agreed with a sigh.

“Hi, Elizabeth. It’s so good to meet you.” Finally.

Understatement of the year, his bear chuckled.

“And you—Suzie has told me so much about how you raised her,” Dean said, trying not to gush. Wow, this was harder than he thought. He’d been around shifters his whole life, knew this day might come one day, but was still totally unprepared for the full force of the mating bond.

“You foster children, don’t you?” Elizabeth asked. They were searching for things to say to each other, small talk that would get them through these nervous first few minutes.

“I do. That’s how I met your daughter.” Dean glanced at Suzie, who was still smiling while she watched the exchange with avid interest. At least she looked happy. If Suzie had been disappointed, he didn’t know what he’d do.

“Suzie told me.” The conversation stalled.

“Tea?” Karen asked brightly.

“Yes, please,” Elizabeth replied, grateful for the interruption too.

“Do you want me to give you a hand?” Suzie asked, to which she received a horrified don’t leave me look from Elizabeth.

“No, I can bring a tray out. Why don’t you see where you are going to plant Dean’s rose bush?” Karen suggested.

“Good idea,” Dean said with relief. Why did his tongue feel as if it was three times too big for his mouth? And his brain was filled with cotton balls?

He picked the pot up proudly. “The buds are just forming and should open just in time for the wedding. I should have brought it over earlier, but I’ve been so busy.”

“How are Louise and Storm doing?” Suzie asked.

“Good, really good. Storm is starting to talk. She calls Louise mama. Zak is dada, and I’m deda.” Dean spoke with love and pride; he couldn’t help it. Louise and her baby Storm had entered his life when they needed a home, and he had taken them in. Even after Louise turned eighteen and social services no longer supported them financially, Dean had been happy to pick up the bill, which Louise had not found out about until much later. But by then she had met her own mate, another of his foster kids, bad-boy-turned-good Zak. They were mates, and Dean could not be happier.

“Storm is adorable,” Suzie said wistfully. “She’s certainly growing up fast.”

“Kids always do,” Elizabeth said, her comment aimed at her own daughter.

“I’ll always be your daughter,” Suzie said, and then returned to admiring the blood-red petals, half hidden in their green sheaths. “I love the color. Deeply romantic.”

“This is my favorite, and the scent is divine.” Dean chuckled. “I’m a red-blooded male, honestly.”

“There is nothing wrong with a man who likes to nurture,” Suzie said, linking arms with him, and then with Elizabeth. “Where are we going to plant it?”

“I think over there.” Elizabeth pointed to a sunny spot. “It gets the full sun, so the buds should open in time for the wedding, and the warmth should make the scent fill the air.”

“Just the right spot.” They walked over to the flowerbed Elizabeth had indicated.

“I’ll go grab a spade,” Suzie said and slipped away before anyone could protest.

“It’s a beautiful rose,” Elizabeth said, her attention fixed on the ground.

“Roses are my favorite.” He sighed inwardly, hadn’t he already told Elizabeth that?

“I love jasmine,” Elizabeth began, her voice faltering. “Night-scented. I love to sit outside as the sun sets and let the scent envelop me.”

Dean swallowed. She was one sexy lady; her voice had the power to carry him away. “I don’t have any jasmine in my garden.”

“I can take a cutting for you.” She smiled, and his heart pounded in his chest so hard she must be able to hear it.

“I’d like that.” He swallowed again, wanting to step closer to her, to bathe in her presence, but instead he placed the rose bush on the ground and held out his hand for the spade as Suzie approached. “Let me do the digging.”

“Are you sure?” Elizabeth asked.

“I have spent so many hours babysitting lately, I need the exercise,” Dean replied. In truth, he got plenty of exercise, but didn’t want to sound like an overbearing male. He was all for equal rights.

Nothing to do with showing off your muscles? his bear asked, a comment Dean chose to ignore.

“It’s going to look beautiful.” Suzie glanced around the garden nervously. “I can’t believe the wedding is so close.”

“It will be ready,” Elizabeth said. “The wedding tent is arriving tomorrow. Karen and Scott are going to take care of that. And I’ll come around the next day to check the garden again.”

“Oh, I’m not worried about the garden, I’m worried about something going wrong, or messing up my vows.” Suzie bit her bottom lip. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous.”

“You’ll do fine,” Dean replied, looking up at her as he paused in his digging. “Just remember, you will be surrounded by people who love you and care about you. If you mess up, it doesn’t matter.”

“Thanks, Dean.” Suzie didn’t look convinced.

“Dean’s right, it’s your special day, and everyone will be behind you. Don’t worry.” Elizabeth gave Suzie a comforting hug, but didn’t look as if she could believe her own words.

“And if anyone upsets you, they’ll have this old bear to deal with,” Dean said, giving her a wink. “There.” He stood up, looking pleased with himself. “Perfect.”

“I have some compost we can put in the hole, let’s give this rose bush the best start.” Elizabeth went to fetch the compost from the shed, just as Karen appeared with a tray of tea and homemade cake.

“I’ll set it down over here,” Karen said, placing the tray on the table. “We can sit and admire the garden while we drink tea. You deserve a break after all the work you’ve put in.”

“Thanks, Karen, we’ll just finish planting the rose.” Dean stood next to Suzie, and asked, “Are you sure you are OK with all this?”

“All this? You mean you and my mom?” Suzie asked. “Sure. I couldn’t be happier. It’s like all my wishes have come true.” Her eyes filled with emotion. “I sometimes worry it’s all too perfect. I see so much unhappiness in my job…”

“Don’t ever think that,” Dean replied. “You deserve this.”

“Thanks, Dean.” Suzie hugged him and kissed his cheek. “You do too.”

Elizabeth came out of the shed with the bag of compost, and Dean immediately went to take it from her. “Here, let me.”

“I can manage,” Elizabeth said, not letting it go.

“I know you can.” He loosened his grip and straightened up. “I apologize.”

Elizabeth blushed, and said, “I’m used to doing everything for myself, Dean. It’s going to take a lot for me to let that go.”

“I get it.” He grinned. “It’s going to take a lot for me to not want to do everything for you. This old bear is kind of out of his depth.”

Elizabeth stopped. “Here, you can take it this once. I don’t want to stomp on anyone’s chivalrous good nature.”

He took the bag from her with a sigh of relief. “Why don’t we plant the rose together?”

“I’d like that,” Elizabeth said, blushing beautifully, but smiling all the same. “There is something about a rose bush that just can’t be beaten.”

“Here, if you hold the pot, I’ll grasp the rose and try not to get a thorn in my hand.” He held the stem carefully, and between them, with a lot of wriggling, they worked together to remove the rose bush from the pot and place it in the ground.

“Is that straight?” Dean asked, and Elizabeth backed away to take a look. “A little to the right. Perfect.”

As they worked at filling the dirt back around the roots of the plant, Elizabeth’s body language softened and relaxed. She was getting used to him. A warm flood of emotion coursed through him. He wanted her to more than just get used to him, but he could not afford to rush it. But damn, he wanted to.

“Tea?” Karen called, as they both straightened up and admired their handiwork.

“Sure.” Dean looked at his hands. “I should wash up first.”

“Me too,” Elizabeth said.

“Elizabeth, can you show Dean where to go?” Karen asked. She was sitting in the sun, with Suzie by her side. Both of them were trying not to stare at the newly bonded mates.

“Sure.” Elizabeth sounded more relaxed already, as she led him toward the house. “There’s a washroom just inside the back door.”

“Suzie told me you’ve been spending all of your free time over here. I should have come and helped out sooner.” Dean opened the back door for Elizabeth and allowed her to enter first.

Never let it be said that you are not a gentleman, his bear guffawed.

“You’ve been busy. Anyway, Suzie made sure there was always someone here to help, especially in the first couple of months when we were mostly digging the new beds over.” Elizabeth switched on the faucet and began to wash her hands. “It’s helped.”

“In what way?” Dean asked, as he began to wash his hands, while Elizabeth dried hers.

“You know, the wedding.” Elizabeth smiled shyly. “Honestly, I’m still not sure if I can handle it, though.”

“You will.” He nodded thoughtfully. “If there is anything I can do to make it easier, just holler.”

“Thank you.” Elizabeth took a step toward the door, but hesitated and turned back to him, her expression changed to one of worry. Dean took a step closer to Elizabeth, and longed to reach out and touch her, to wipe the frown off her face. “It’s such a responsibility, giving your daughter away. I don’t want to embarrass her.”

“Why would you?” Dean asked, wanting to puff his chest out and act all protective, but he kept his cool and let her answer.

“What if I trip up? What if people stare?” Her hand twitched, and she half raised it, then forced it back to her side.

“Everyone thinks the same thing. Just visualize it all going well in your head. You get to choose the story you replay in here,” Dean suggested as he pointed to his own head.

“I’ll try.”

“It will be fine. And I’ll be there for you.” He placed his hand on Elizabeth’s arm, and although he felt her flinch slightly, she didn’t yank her arm away.

“I know.” Elizabeth turned and walked away from him, and he followed, just as he would follow her wherever she went if she asked him to. They shared a bond that would never be broken.