Chapter One – Cath

“I’m in your way.” Cath’s statement was met with her son’s usual good-natured smile.

“Of course you aren’t,” Liam insisted. He reached up to place a tin cup on a shelf that formed part of a display, then crossed the store to where Cath had retreated out of his way. She’d only meant to dust them, but instead, she’d knocked the whole display off the shelf, sending it clattering to the floor.

“I need something to do.” Cath placed her hands on her hips. “If I’m going to stay here in Bear Creek, I need a job.”

“Mom, I thought you enjoyed your walks over the mountains. And it’s not as if you need the money. The store has paid you back a large chunk of the money you put into it.” Liam wrapped his arm around his mom’s shoulders and guided her out the door leading to the main street through Bear Creek. “Spend some time enjoying yourself. There’s so much for you to explore. And isn’t it time I looked after you for a while?”

They stood together outside the store that Liam had taken over when his brother was convicted of drug smuggling. The days after Cath’s youngest son’s arrest and subsequent imprisonment had been some of her darkest. Sleepless hours, lying in bed, trying to figure out where she’d gone wrong had left her with no answers, only a sense of failure.

“I do enjoy hiking. I really do, but I’ve always been active. Not just physically, but mentally too. I need something to stimulate me. And I’ve always had to work for what I need. That doesn’t just vanish. Unfortunately.” Cath turned and looked back at the store with a sense of pride at what Liam had achieved. “Bear Creek Mountain Store. Why didn’t you put your name up there?”

“Because I never thought I’d live here permanently,” Liam admitted. “Bear Creek was just a stopover. I only planned to stay long enough to build the business up, so I could sell it and pay you back the money Mike borrowed.”

Cath sighed. “Mike.” Her son was never far from her thoughts. She visited him as often as she could, and constantly fought her own guilt at his failures. Ridiculous, since Mike was a grown man, but true nonetheless.

“Don’t do that. He made his choices. He decided to go the easy route, just like always. It’s not your fault,” Liam’s voice was firm. And he was right, of course. Mike was the one who’d decided to move to Bear Creek and open the store, and then instead of working hard, he followed the easy route and smuggled drugs.

“And I have you to prove I did something right,” Cath told him.

“Hello!” Beverly, Liam’s fiancée, called out as she walked along the street toward them. She carried a box in her arms. Even from this distance, Cath could smell what the box contained. “Anchovies!” She spoke the word at the exact same time as Liam, and they both burst out laughing.

“How did you guess?” Beverly wrinkled her nose and then laughed along with them.

“Hi there, Beverly.” Cath smiled warmly at her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

“Hi, I have to take these to the hotel in Bear Bluff, I wondered if you wanted to come along for the ride?” Beverly asked as Liam leaned toward her and gave her a kiss. They were such a sweet couple. A pang of longing rocked Cath, but she put a bright smile on her face. There was no point dwelling in the past and thinking about what might have been.

“I’d love to,” Cath replied. “I think my son would like me out from under his feet.”

“That’s not true, Mom,” Liam assured her.

“Not even a little bit?” Cath held up her hand, her thumb and forefinger squeezed together, but not quite touching.

Liam shook his head. “Not even a little bit. But I know you’ll have more fun with Beverly.” He opened the door to the store and went back inside. “I’ll see you two ladies later.”

Cath looked at Beverly. “I guess I’m coming with you. If you don’t mind?”

“Not at all.” Beverly’s eyes widened; she had a devilish streak a mile wide, and Cath loved her for it. She was fun, but her heart was in the right place, and she had a good business head on her shoulders. “I thought we could have coffee in the hotel restaurant, and you can tell me some stories about Liam from when he was a kid.”

“Oh, so you did have an ulterior motive,” Cath teased.

“Just a little one,” Beverly replied, as she shifted the weight of the box to balance on one arm, then mimicked Cath’s actions by squeezing her thumb and forefinger together. “It would be great to get to know you. And you can tell me how you are settling in.”

Cath sighed. “I’m settling in well. I love it here, but I need something to do.”

Beverly unlocked her car, opened the trunk, and put the anchovies inside. “I hope these don’t stink my car up.”

“We’ll open the windows and enjoy the spring air,” Cath replied as she slid into the passenger seat and rolled her window down.

“I can’t believe I’ll be married in a couple of weeks. Although I can’t wait to be Liam’s wife.” Beverly pulled out into the traffic and headed out of town. When she got to a road junction, she followed the signs to Bear Bluff. It was the next town over, and Cath was looking forward to seeing it. She had walked over the mountains in the direction of Bear Bluff a few days ago, and caught a glimpse of the large overhang of rock that gave the town its name. Impressive didn’t do it justice.

“Is there anything you need my help with?” Cath asked hopefully.

“I’m sure we can find something, but honestly my mom has everything under control. With my dad hanging over her waiting to take over given half the chance. I can’t figure out if it’s because they love me, or want to get rid of me.” She giggled. “If you want to get stuck between them, be my guest.” Beverly glanced sideways at Cath.

“I think I’ll pass, but if you need me, give me a shout.” Cath settled down in her seat and admired the scenery. “This sure is a beautiful place to live.”

“Isn’t it?” Beverly sat up a little straighter in her seat. “You know, the hotel owner is kind of a sexy silver-fox. Maybe you could invite him to the wedding as your plus one.”

“I’m quite used to going to these things on my own,” Cath told Beverly. She appreciated the younger woman trying to play matchmaker, but Cath wasn’t interested in men. Once bitten, twice shy. And she had been bitten, and lied to. She might feel guilty about how Mike turned out, but she sure knew the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree with that boy.

She was thankful Liam would stay true to his mate. Seeing the love they shared, only compounded the lie Liam and Mike’s father told her. It was the worst lie, one she had struggled to forgive.

“Here we are.” Beverly pulled into the parking lot of a large hotel. “What do you think?”

Cath looked up through the car windshield. “What a beautiful building!”

It was built of old brick, giving it an almost Gothic feel, the kind of building that held secrets and mysteries. She would love to spend some time exploring the rooms and hearing the history of the place. Oh, the stories a house like that could tell.

“I was thinking more of the name.” Beverly watched Cath’s face as she switched her attention to the sign hanging up outside the hotel. “The Catherine Hotel.”

“What a coincidence!” Cath said, even more excited.

“Shall we go in? I’ll be glad to get those anchovies out of my car.” Beverly got out, and Cath let her cool expression drop for just one moment. If only a man had loved her enough to name a hotel after her. Or even enough to stay, instead of leaving, with only a note to explain his mistakes.

A melancholy mood settled on her shoulders. Seeing Liam and Beverly together, Cath understood the mating bond more. Theirs was a bond that would hold them together through whatever life threw at them. While her own bond with the father of her boys was like a broken thread in comparison.

“Coming?” Beverly called as she slammed the trunk shut.

“Yes.” Cath got out of the car and fixed a smile on her face. She didn’t want Beverly asking her what was wrong, she wasn’t ready to share her feelings with anyone. She doubted she ever would be.

“Do you think the owner, Mr. Harrison, named the hotel after his true love?” Beverly mused as they approached the large ornate door that served as the guest entrance to the hotel. “Maybe I should take this around back.”

“Yes. The owner might not appreciate you stinking up his reception area,” Cath agreed.

“Why don’t you go in the front, and I’ll go around the back. If Mr. Harrison is on duty, let him know I’m here.” Beverly walked off, taking a stone path that led around the left side of the building.

“I could come with you. Or take the anchovies, while you speak to Mr. Harrison,” Cath offered.

“No, you go in.” Beverly shooed her with one hand, while balancing the box in the other. “I’ll join you and we’ll have tea.”

Cath smoothed her black slacks and wished she’d thought to change. She hadn’t expected the hotel to be so grand. But who was interested in what a forty-something woman wore? Young Beverly was the kind of woman who turned heads. Cath would be invisible once the two women were together again.

Focusing on their afternoon treat, which she hoped would include tiny cucumber sandwiches and little fancy cakes, Cath pushed the door open and walked into the hotel reception area. She paused, getting her bearings. The reception desk was to her left, the dining area to her right. Straight ahead led to the elevator, where a bellboy was helping a middle-aged couple with their luggage.

Checking in or checking out? She watched the two people as they laughed together, holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes. They would be here on a mid-week break. He would have arranged it all in secret to surprise her. She would think it was so romantic.

Checking in, she decided. They were about to go up to their room and make mad passionate love, just as they had every day since they married. She stood and watched as they got into the elevator, then the doors closed, and they were gone from Cath’s life, never to be seen again.

Just as the father of her children had vanished, never to be seen again.

“Catherine.” Her name came to her across the room, a shocked whisper from a voice she didn’t recognize. Cath turned, her gaze resting on the man who was coming toward her, his eyes wide in recognition, his arms outstretched.

Cath took a step back. This must be the silver-fox Beverly mentioned. He was handsome certainly, distinguished in his looks, with the air of a predator. The look of hunger on his face made her want to turn and run, and keep on running. Yet her body insisted that was never going to happen. Sensations that had long been dormant unfurled like the petals of a flower in the early morning sun.

“Catherine, is that you?” He slowed his pace. Did he sense her fear?

“Do I know you?” Cath clutched her bag in both hands, holding it like a shield against this man. And what a man he was. Raw animal magnetism emanated from him; she was like a deer caught in headlights. The opportunity to run had long passed. She was his.

“Mr. Harrison, there you are!” Beverly’s voice sliced through the moment, and the two halves fell to the floor. Cath wanted to pick them up, and put them back together again, to breathe life back into the moment, and see where it would have taken them.

But it was gone.

Mr. Harrison stopped dead. His hands dropped to his sides, and his expression glazed over with a professional smile, used for greeting acquaintances, not lovers.

Cath blushed furiously. She didn’t know this man. Why she had the notion he was attracted to her, she had no idea. Needing a moment to compose herself, she opened her purse and rummaged inside as if searching for something. In her peripheral vision, she saw the handsome Mr. Harrison turn around, and greet Beverly.

“Beverly. Good to see you again.” Mr. Harrison took two steps away from Cath. Was she imagining that it cost him dearly? As if she were a magnet, drawing him in.

“I finally brought the anchovies you ordered. Sorry for the delay.” Beverly’s attention was on Mr. Harrison. Cath stopped pretending to search her purse, and instead smoothed her hair into place and took a deep steadying breath to calm herself.

“Thanks, Beverly,” Mr. Harrison replied. He looked over his shoulder briefly, noting where Cath was, before turning back to Beverly.

“No problem.” Beverly looked amused, as if she had picked up on the tension. She looked from Cath to Mr. Harrison, and her eyes gleamed with humor. “Have you met my fiancé's mom?”

“No.” Mr. Harrison turned around, his eyes flicking up to Cath’s face, where he held her gaze for a second too long.

“Funny story,” Beverly went on. “Her name is Catherine—like your hotel.”

“Just a coincidence, Beverly,” Cath replied. Beverly looked as if she were enjoying herself too much.

“We were wondering if the hotel was named after someone special.” Beverly was not going to let this go.

Mr. Harrison’s eyes gleamed. They were a deep bronze with amber flecks, unusual and intriguing. Cath could stare at them all day. And all night.

Her breathing quickened, and her heart raced. Mr. Harrison was mesmerizing, in the most incredible way. He could likely charm his way into the bed of any woman he desired.

“It was named after a woman who stole my heart some years ago. But alas, she was lost to me.” His voice betrayed his sadness, and a sense of loss welled up inside Cath.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Beverly said quickly and then dropped her voice. “Was she your mate?”

“Indeed she was.” His eyes flashed once more, with sorrow, and there ended Cath’s dreams of being the woman this man desired. He was a shifter, he’d lost his mate. All she would ever be was second best compared to that true love.

And she’d lived one lifetime as second best. She would not put herself through that again. Not even for a man who made her tremble with desire.