Chapter Four – Michael

There she was, the woman of his dreams. His mate. What were the chances of them finding each other? At a Renaissance Faire of all places.

Michael took a deep breath and walked across the room. In his mind, a sea of people parted for him, and somewhere in his head, heavenly music played. But that was just his bear howling like a wolf with excitement. No wonder he lived an unconventional life.

Can we behave normally for a few minutes, while I speak with our mate? Michael asked his bear.

I’m showing my appreciation of her, his bear replied.

Do it a little quieter. Michael plastered a smile on his face, but his top lip stuck to his teeth. He was so damn nervous. Now that the initial shock had worn off, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do or say. Sure, years ago he’d given a lot of thought to the first conversation he would have with his mate.

But those days were long behind him, and the words forgotten.

Michael ran his tongue along his teeth, took a deep steadying breath, and tried to look natural. Ruth was a grown woman, an intelligent woman, and she’d see through any pretense. Schoolteachers were good at that.

“Hello again.” Michael was aware of Dani, another schoolteacher, and her family. They stood a few feet away and could hear everything he said. When Ruth’s eyes flickered from Michael to Dani, he realized they were here for moral support, too.

“Hello.” She smiled, looking nervous. “You found me.”

“I did.” His bear looked pleased with himself, insisting it was thanks to his super enhanced senses. “My shifter senses could locate you anywhere. Now that we’ve got your scent.” He winced. “That makes me sound like a bloodhound.”

Ruth smiled. “I’m not a shifter myself, but I have spent enough time around them to know how this all works.” Although, there was a brief flicker of emotion across Ruth’s face that made him question whether she liked how this all works.

“Would you like to go get some coffee?” Michael asked. “I could help you put your art work away.” He moved closer, circling around to look at her drawings. “Wow, not what I expected.”

Ruth stepped forward, putting herself between him and the drawings, which were caricatures of people. “I can manage.”

“Are you hiding something from me, Ruth?” Michael asked with a twinkle in his eye.

“No.” She shuffled her drawings together.

“You drew me, didn’t you?” It was a small gesture, and Michael didn’t care what it looked like, but it meant she at least had him on her mind.

“It’s not finished.” Ruth gathered the drawings up and put them in a folder.

“Can I see it, when it is finished?” Michael asked, watching her as she packed up the rest of her stuff.

“Maybe. If I finish it.” Ruth was flirting with him.

“If you want me to pose for you, I’d do it. Clothes on or clothes off, your choice.” That got her attention. She laughed.

“I don’t do those kind of portraits.” Ruth handed him a stack of easels. “I’m sure if you like taking your clothes off, you can find an art school in need of a live model.”

“I’ll pass. You are the only artist I’d take my clothes off for.” He shook his head. “Not that I am offering to take my clothes off.”

“At least not on the first date?” Ruth raised her eyebrow at him.

“Not unless you asked me to.” Michael got the feeling they were heading down a road he didn’t want to go. “I’m not an exhibitionist, is what I am trying to say.”

“And yet here you are. At a Renaissance Faire, dressed up.” Ruth cast an appraising gaze over his costume. Luckily he’d stowed the hat in his truck along with the rest of his equipment.

“For a good cause.” Surely that would work in his favor?

Ruth picked up the rest of her drawing paraphernalia. “I’m ready to leave.”

“And I am ready to follow.” He nodded his head. Michael would follow wherever she led, her scent was unmistakable even in a room full of people. But beyond that, he could sense her, as if they were joined by an invisible thread.

“Bye, Dani.” Ruth spoke to the other women as they made their way outside into the bright sunlight. “It’s been a good day.”

“It has, we should have raised a lot of money for the nature garden.” Michael spotted Jason and Jenny walking alongside Dean and Elizabeth.

“Hello,” Ruth said to Jenny.

“Hello, Mrs. Bishop,” Jenny replied.

“Miss Bishop,” Ruth corrected and Michael sighed with relief. He hadn’t checked out her ring finger. If she’d been married already, he would have died. “Have you had a good time?”

“Yes. We saw the alpacas and ate cakes. And bobbed for apples.” Jenny’s face shone with excitement.

“It’s good to meet you, Miss Bishop,” Dean said, juggling the boxes in his arms to free up a hand, which he held out to Ruth. “I’m Dean and this is my wife, Elizabeth.”

“Hello.” She shook Dean’s hand. “You’re fostering Jenny and her brother.” Ruth looked at Jason. “We haven’t met yet, have we?”

“Nope,” Jason replied.

“I’m Miss Bishop, or Ruth when we’re not at school.” She winked at both the children.

“So?” Jason asked.

“So, if you want to say hello any time, now you know my name.” Ruth smiled winningly.

“We’re only staying for a couple of weeks,” Jason said.

“Oh, this isn’t a long-term placement?” Ruth asked.

“Yes, it is. But Jason doesn’t believe us,” Dean replied evenly. “No matter how many times we assure him.”

“Everyone says that. Then we move,” Jason replied.

“You don’t know that,” Jenny told her brother.

“Yes, I do.” Jason looked sullen as he answered his sister.

“I guess we are just going to have to show you,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “Miss Bishop will have you in her class all year, Jenny.”

“And Mr. Scott will have Jason in his class all year.” Dean grinned. “I expect Mr. Scott will have a lot more gray hairs before the year ends.”

“Jason’s going to be good, aren’t you, Jason,” Jenny told her brother firmly. “Because if you aren’t, we might not stay here long. And I like Bear Creek.”

“And we like having you here,” Elizabeth said. “Now, let’s get all these leftover plants into Dean’s truck, before my arms drop off.”

“See you in class, Jenny,” Ruth said. “Good to meet you, Jason.” The boy grunted in response and followed Elizabeth.

“Michael, I still plan to twist your arm on adopting those two,” Dean said when the children were out of earshot. “Ruth, maybe you can persuade him… Wait…” Dean looked from Michael, to Ruth, and then grinned. “You’re mates, right?”

“We are,” Michael admitted.

“You never said,” Dean accused as his grin widened.

“We’ve only just met,” Ruth said quickly.

“Then I have to persuade you both to adopt two children.” Dean looked like a man on a mission. “You would have your own readymade family.”

Ruth shuffled uncomfortably. Perhaps she thought they were too old for children. Perhaps she was right. Were they too old to adopt two young children? No, he was young at heart, and as fit as a man half his age. Plus Ruth was a school teacher. What better role model for Jason and Jenny.

“We should get going. Feel free to drop by with Jason and Jenny anytime. Tell Jason I’ll help him make that wooden sword.”

Dean nodded. “I’ll take you up on that, Michael. He’s full of energy, it would be great to focus it.”

“Anytime,” Michael confirmed.

“Bye, Dean.” Ruth continued on toward her car.

“Good kids,” Michael said as he caught up with her.

“Yes, Jenny is lovely, although I think Jason is a rascal.”

“Boys, I remember when I was that age and my mom used to despair. She figured I’d end up in juvie or in a gang.”

“Why didn’t you?” Ruth asked bluntly.

“Why didn’t I end up in trouble?” Michael asked.

“Yes, I’m interested.” Ruth balanced a box on her knee while she unlocked the car and opened the trunk. “It’s difficult for kids to get themselves out of trouble once they are in it.” She placed her box in the trunk and shook her arms with relief. “I worked in a poor neighborhood before I came here. Gangs were a way of life. A rite of passage if you like.”

“Sounds like the place I grew up in.” Michael placed the easels in the trunk and brushed off his hands. “I got lucky. I became interested in music, and joined a band. We toured for some time and it gave me a different view on the world.”

“Ahh, seeing outside of your bubble. That’s hard for a kid. I hope Jason can let go of whatever is holding him back from trusting Dean and Elizabeth. If not, his idea that they won’t be staying long in Bear Creek might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” Ruth shut her trunk. “What now? So far all I know about you is that you like to pose nude and you might adopt two children.”

Michael chuckled. “I’m not sure which of those two options scares me the most.”

“You don’t like children?” Ruth asked.

“No, I do. But you get to a certain age and you begin to think that’s all behind you. Not an option.” Michael sighed and looked at his mate, taking in the way her hair curled around her face, and her eyes sparkled as she talked. When she smiled, laughter lines appeared around her mouth and her eyes. Ruth gave off an air of fun and enthusiasm. She would make a wonderful mom.

“Do you have kids?” he asked suddenly. “I mean, are you married, have you been married?”

All these questions he’d never considered. Just because he had lived his life alone, didn’t mean Ruth had. She might have ten children for all he knew. That might explain why she looked uncomfortable when Dean talked about adopting the children.

Or he might be reading too much into everything. They had only just met. Gaining a husband and potential children in one day was a big step for anyone.

But not for Michael. He would take the whole package given half the chance.