Chapter Seven – Kim

“How is he?” Fiona asked, when the Remington family filed into the kitchen.

“Asleep,” Kim replied. “Thank you for letting us stay.”

“As long as you need,” Harlan replied. “Are you okay?”

“I am.” Kim nodded. “Or I will be. It’s going to take some time to get used to having a man around.” She blushed. “You know what I mean.”

“Of course I do.” Harlan grinned and placed a box of groceries on the table. “This ever-expanding household sure takes some feeding.”

“I can give you some cash toward food.” Kim turned away, looking for her purse.

“No, you won’t.” Harlan’s firm voice made her stop. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“And it’s not as if we’re short of money,” Ruby replied, tickling Archie’s tummy and making him giggle.

“I don’t want to take you for granted,” Kim replied.

“You don’t. We’ve loved having you here. Haven’t we, Harlan Jr.?” Fiona set her son down on the floor, and he ran off on wobbly legs. Archie tipped his body forward in Kim’s arms and leaned toward the floor, trying to follow.

“Go on then.” Kim set Archie down, feet first. Archie held on to her legs, then reached for the nearest chair, and took a stumbling step forward before falling to all fours and crawling after Harlan Jr. as fast as he could.

“Did Jay tell you anything about his time away?” Fiona asked, getting straight to the point as always.

“No. He’s tired.” Kim smiled apologetically. “I thought it best he sleep. As soon as he tells me what happened, I’ll let you know.”

“It’s none of our business, Kim,” Harlan replied gently. “You don’t owe us an explanation.”

“I do. Since you are all involved in this…whatever it is.” Kim shrugged. “I don’t know what it is. I thought when we were reunited with Jay that it would be all automatically fixed. As if we could draw a line under it and move on. But we can’t. It’s not that easy.”

Ruby crossed the kitchen, putting her arm around Kim’s shoulder. “We’re here for you. Whatever you need. You and Archie are part of this family.”

What about Jay? Kim wanted to ask, but didn’t. They didn’t know him like she did. A cold dread crept into her bones. Did she still know him at all?

“It will turn out okay,” Fiona assured her.

“I hope you’re right. I don’t know what he’s seen. What he’s done.” Kim closed her eyes briefly. “I’m such a traitor saying that.”

“It’s only natural. A year is a long time with no contact,” Harlan unpacked the groceries. “But you’ll get to know each other again. Take some time together, reconnect.”

“Are you a shrink now?” Ruby asked, leaving Kim and going to help Harlan put the groceries away.

“I live in a family of females. I have learned to be many things,” Harlan retorted.

“So it’s a good thing we’re back!” Sapphi stood in the doorway, with Alex behind her.

“How did you do that?” Fiona asked. “No one can sneak up on me.”

“While we were away, Alex taught me some sneaky tactics.” Sapphi looked different, older somehow, despite only being gone for a short time. She also wore a ring on her finger.

“You two got engaged!” Kim exclaimed, and hugged Sapphi and then Alex. “Congratulations, both of you.”

“Thank you,” Sapphi replied, hugging Kim back. When she drew away, she asked, “Any news?”

They all exchanged glances, before Kim replied, “Yes. Jay is upstairs asleep.”

“He’s here? How?” Sapphi asked, taking hold of Kim’s hand and leading her to the kitchen table. “Sit down, you look pale. Is he okay?”

“He’s got a wounded shoulder, but aside from that, he seems unhurt. We haven’t had time to talk, he’s exhausted. Wyatt found him in the mountains.”

“And why don’t we know any of this?” Sapphi asked accusingly.

“Because you don’t check your messages,” Ruby said frankly.

“We only found him a couple of hours ago,” Kim added. “I expect you were flying.”

Sapphi pulled her phone out of her pocket. “You’re right.” She scrolled through her phone before putting it away. “So, details.”

“Coffee?” Harlan asked. “Then you can tell us all about your trip.”

“I want to know about Jay,” Sapphi insisted.

“There’s nothing to tell,” Kim said apologetically.

“We’ve just grilled Kim, and she knows nothing,” Ruby said, hugging her sister and then Alex. “The ring looks good on you.”

Sapphi looked at her left hand, admiring her engagement ring. “It does.” Ruby took hold of Sapphi’s hand. “Thank you.”

“I figured it was only right, since you found your mate. And I might never find mine. I’d hate for the ring to sit in a box for centuries.”

“It’s my mother’s ring,” Sapphi said by way of explanation.

“Ahh. It’s beautiful.” Kim took hold of Sapphi’s hand to take a closer look. “Flawless.”

“Dragons know their gems,” Alex said. He reached out for Kim’s hand. “Hey, I’m pleased Jay’s back.”

“Me, too.” Kim nodded. “In fact, he asked me to marry him. Although I don’t have a ring yet.”

“You are welcome to any from my hoard,” Alex told her.

“No, you’ve done enough for us,” Kim insisted. Or was she afraid the offer would spark Jay’s jealousy?

“I insist.” Alex looked genuinely happy for her.

“I need to talk it over with Jay.” Kim sighed. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but he may have something else in mind.”

“Of course,” Alex replied. “Either way is okay with me. Oh, coffee.” He took a cup from Harlan. “If I have to drink another cup of my mom’s special green tea, I think I’ll turn green myself.”

“You are green,” Sapphi reminded him, causing a ripple of laughter around the kitchen.

As Kim sat and listened to the tale of two dragons, she couldn’t help wishing that her relationship was carefree and happy. But her relationship with Jay had a long way to go. As much as she hated to admit it, he had changed. And so had she.

“I’m going to check on the boys and then check in on Jay,” Kim said as Sapphi and Alex finished talking.

“Thanks, Kim,” Fiona said, watching her leave the room.

Kim was sure there would be some discussion about her and Jay while she was out of the room, but she couldn’t blame them. Alex’s arrival in Bear Creek with Archie had set in motion a chain of events that had affected them all.

“Hi there, boys.” Archie gave her his best cheesy grin and a squeal of delight. Harlan Jr., who was older and steady on his feet, with a handful of words in his vocabulary, was the ringleader in any escapades the two boys took part in. “Are you behaving?”

“Yesh,” Harlan Jr. replied. He held up a building block and placed it on the high tower he was building. As soon as it was secure, Archie passed him another one. They made a great team.

“Bear and dragon working together.”

One day they would no doubt terrorize the mountain together. Brothers in all but name. As Kim left them to play, she imagined them causing havoc on the mountain, playing as friends, living life to the fullest. Safe because Archie’s dad had sacrificed a year of his life to take down bad men.

Kim left them playing happily and went to the bedroom. With her hand resting on the doorknob, she turned it slowly, and pushed the door open carefully. Jay lay asleep in bed, his breathing heavy, but even. Unable to resist, she walked over to the bed and stared down at him. In his sleep, Jay whispered her name. Did he know she was here? Did some sixth shifter sense tell him his mate was close?

Kim crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall, just watching him, in the same way she’d stood and watched Archie sleep a hundred times or more. Jay had promised to love and protect her forever, but watching him asleep on the bed, Kim realized it was her duty to love and protect him, too.

Jay turned onto his side, a frown crossing his face as he jarred his shoulder. For a moment, Kim thought he was going to wake up. He didn’t, but he stirred, muttering her name as if he was calling out to her from the dream world in which he dwelled.

Not wanting to disturb his sleep, Kim slipped out of the room. As she closed the door behind her, she closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer to whoever might be listening, asking for someone to watch over Jay. He’d been through enough.

Yet a deep-seated fear gripped her. One she could not shake off. This was not over. Kim had seen it in Jay’s face, heard it in his words.

“Is he okay?” Alex asked, coming upstairs to join her.

“Yes. I think so. I hope so.” She gave him a crooked smile. “I dreamed of finding him. But what if the dream turns into a nightmare?”

“It won’t.” Alex put his hand on her upper arm and squeezed it. “I’m not saying it won’t take time. But you will get through it, and on the other side, you have the rest of your lives.” He gave her an awkward smile. “I’d like to help you. It’s not normal for a dragon to give away his treasure, but I have more money than we could spend in a lifetime.”

“Is that because dragons don’t like spending money?” Kim asked, earning her a wide grin from Alex.

“You know me too well. But I want to help you and Jay. And Archie, of course. I can buy you a house, or give Jay a job, when he’s well.” Alex gave her a searching look. “I assume he’s not going back undercover.”

“No,” she confirmed. “Not that we’ve spoken about it. But no.” Kim would never tell Jay what to do, except for in this one thing. “Archie needs his father at home. And I need to know where Jay is. I don’t think I could spend another year not knowing.”

“Then think about it, talk it over with Jay when he’s stronger.” Alex gave her a quick hug. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Kim asked.

“This.” He put his hands out as if to encompass the world. “Without you, I would never have found Sapphi.”

“In that case, you are welcome.” Kim remained outside of the room where Jay slept as Alex walked away. One day Jay would be happy and carefree, just like Alex.

But Kim was not going to pretend there wouldn’t be a long road ahead of them.