Chapter Eight – Adam

Last night had been amazing. This morning threatened to be less so.

Jordan was due to arrive with his mate, Skyla, something that had sent his usually calm and patient mother into a meltdown.

“Mom. Mom, come and sit down, here’s a cup of tea. And a cookie. You need to breathe, or you’ll make yourself sick.” Jon sounded concerned as Adam entered the kitchen, where their mom was rushing around, checking that she’d done all the necessary preparations for lunch.

“Thank you, Jon. And thank you, Adam, for seeing to the bedroom. I could have sworn I made the bed up yesterday.” Judy sat down, looking exhausted.

“You probably did, and then stripped it again.”

“I’m not that bad, Jon,” she said. “But you might be right. I couldn’t decide whether to go with the lemon and white, or the floral bedspread.”

“It looks fine. Remember, this is Jordan, not a stranger coming to stay. He doesn’t care what color his bedspread is.”

“But it’s the first time he’s bringing his mate home.” Her face went pale. “I know we met at the wedding, but apart from that, I don’t know Skyla.”

“She seemed about as normal as you could expect. For a woman who has to put up with Jordan.” Jon grinned, and was about to launch into one of those do you remember when stories, when Judy stopped him.

“No. No embarrassing stories. No telling tales about when you were kids. We want her to like us,” Judy said.

“Then let her get to know us, warts and all,” Jon said.

“No warts. Absolutely no warts,” Judy insisted.

“Shame, I have a cool story that includes warts,” Adam broke in, and grinned as his mom swatted him with the nearest dishcloth.

“Please, this means a lot to me. After his accident, I didn’t think he’d ever come home. I thought it would be too painful.” Her eyes misted up, and Jon and Adam both hugged her, remembering those dark days when no one thought Jordan would walk again.

“He’s back to normal now. Thanks to Skyla. So don’t worry if she’s going to like us, because she has to, we’re part of Jordan’s life, and so is she. I’m sure she is equally as nervous,” Adam said.

“Yes, as our mates will be, whenever we meet them,” Jon said.

Adam fell silent, and his mom picked up on it right away. “Adam?”

“What? I didn’t say anything,” he said defensively.

“Exactly, is there something you need to tell us?” she asked.

Judy Williams was a bear shifter herself. And she had a mother’s instinct unlike no other. Adam would have to lie, and lie very convincingly, if he wasn’t going to tell them about Lynn. But he didn’t want to lie; she wasn’t some dirty secret.

“I may have met someone,” Adam said evasively.

“Oh my. The Hawkins girl?” Judy asked, her tea and cookies forgotten, along with the impending arrival of her oldest son and his mate.

“Yes.”

“Holy cow!” Jon exclaimed. “Does Dad know?”

“Nope. I’m not sure how he’s going to take it,” Adam admitted.

“You mean you’re not sure if he’s going to insist on taking back the Hawkins place when you marry her?” Jon said, voicing his concerns bluntly.

“Exactly.”

“Does she know? About the feud?” Judy asked, picking up her cookie and nibbling on it.

“She didn’t. But she does now, I told her,” Adam replied,

“Good. Be honest with her from the start. And don’t tell your father. Not yet,” Judy said quickly.

“I don’t plan on it. Not least until things are settled here,” Adam said.

“Settled here?” Jon asked. “Don’t tell me you are going to pass on your inheritance too?”

“Not exactly,” Adam admitted.

“Adam, what are you up to?” Judy asked.

Adam lifted his head, and listened. “They are here.”

“Oh my. Do I look all right?” Judy asked.

“As always, you look beautiful, Mom. Skyla will love you. Jordan will be glad to be home. And everything will be perfect.”

“Thank you. I think I’m a little nervous, because… He’s not my boy anymore.” She smiled wistfully. “I remember when…”

“Now who’s reminiscing,” Jon said. He hugged Judy tightly. “We will always be your boys. Even when we have mates. I say that as someone who doesn’t have a mate, but I’m sure that is the truth.”

“It is. Mom, we love you, and Dad. Finding our mates is simply another part of our lives. And then you’ll have grandkids and more memories to share,” Adam reassured his mom.

“Grandkids. Does that mean you and the Hawkins girl have already…?” Jon asked.

“Jon!” It was Jon’s turn to get the look, followed by a dig in the ribs. “That is none of our business. Adam will take his time.”

“Yes, I will. Especially since she wants to take things slow.” They were leaving the kitchen and walking through the house toward the front door, where their father was waiting.

“Who wants to take things slow?” he asked. His father must have the best hearing out of the whole family.

“Adam. When he takes on the ranch,” Jon said, trying to cover their words, and then realizing what he’d said. He grinned, and tried to make it into a joke. “He wants to slow the pace down. I’m not going to complain, he’s not a hard taskmaster like you are, Dad.”

“Well, he’d better get hard, it’s a tough role.”

“Which you do very well, dear,” Judy told him. “Now, can we drop the subject of cattle, at least until we’ve had lunch. Where’s Samuel? He said he’d be here.”

“He’s been out in the forests. That boy spends more time as a bear than he does as a man,” Russell said.

“I thought after lunch, we could go for a ride, take Skyla out to see the ranch,” Adam suggested, trying to stop his mom fretting about Samuel, who just liked to do his own thing. Adam had no problem with that—it was his choice, as long as he came home and did his chores, as far as Adam was concerned.

“So that she can see what you are taking from her husband?” Jon asked.

Adam swung a scowl his way. “No, that is not what I meant. I just thought it would be good for us to get Jordan back on a horse.”

“Not afraid he’ll want to take back his decision about inheriting?” his dad asked.

We’re counting on it, Adam’s bear answered.

“This is his home, Dad, always will be. I want to make sure we are all happy with whomever takes on the responsibility of the Homestead,” Adam said.

“I thought we had that settled.” His father’s eyes narrowed. “Are you backing out?”

“No. But…”

“But nothing,” Judy stated. “Your brother is home, and we are going to behave like a family, and put all talk of the ranch to one side, at least through lunch.” She fussed over her hair; her nerves had returned. “Please. For me.”

“Of course, Judy,” Russell said quietly. “You look perfect. Everything will be perfect.”

When he spoke to his mate, he became a different man than the rancher who ruled over his domain in the name of family. Judy softened him like no one else, not even his children, could. Adam had always found it amazing, how the need to care for and please your mate could turn a bear who always had a sore head into a cuddly teddy bear. OK, so that might be an exaggeration, but it wasn’t too far from the truth.

There were times when they were growing up, that the boys would spill noisily into a room to find their father reading to their mom while she sewed. He would talk quietly, his voice lilting, full of emotion, only for it to harden as he tried to control three headstrong boys. That wasn’t to say he hadn’t been a good father. Before they moved back to the Williams Homestead, he had always taken the time to teach his sons how to work with their hands. Each of Russell’s sons knew how to fix a car, fell a tree, and make something out of nothing, if they needed to, using bits of junk and a lot of ingenuity. Coming home to the ranch had hardened Russell.

Watching his dad now, as he took hold of his mate’s hand, and kissed it with a smile and a wink, made it clear what a mate meant. And how a mate could change a bear. He could feel it when he was near Lynn: he wanted to be something more, to strive to be better than he was. To be happier, so that she would be happier. To let go of the old feud, so that they could live together in harmony.

If only he could tap into that part of his father that was saved for Judy alone, he might be able to make him see reason. If not, Jordan’s visit might well signal a rift between him and his father, which the family did not need.

Better that than shutting your brothers out of the ranch business, his bear said.

True, Adam answered. We either drive a wedge between us and our father, or between us and our brothers.

We must be able to make him see reason, his bear responded.

We will try, Adam replied. We will try.

Adam, Jon, and their parents went out to meet the car as it drew up in front of the ranch house. His dad held his mom’s hand, squeezing it as if giving her comfort as they walked. In return, Judy turned and smiled at her husband, seeing something in the man no one else ever would. Just as Adam saw things in Lynn no one ever would. It made the bond all the more special.

The same bond that was evident between Jordan and Skyla, who looked as nervous as his mom.

This nervousness triggered something in Judy, who let go of Russell’s hand and took a couple of faltering steps toward her eldest son and his mate. “It’s so good to see you both.”

“It’s good to be here, Mom.” Jordan hugged Judy, while still holding on to Skyla, who looked as if she might bolt like one of the young fillies in the corral. Her eyes kept flickering to Russell’s, and then back to Judy.

“Don’t worry, he won’t bite,” Judy said, hugging Skyla.

“Oh, I didn’t…” Skyla began.

“Hello, Skyla,” Russell’s tone was friendly. “My reputation has a habit of preceding me.”

“And whose fault is that?” Judy asked, arching an eyebrow and looking more at ease.

“Mine. My sons think I’m a tyrant,” Russell said, his voice charming as he spoke to Skyla. Then he turned to Jordan and stepped forward to embrace his eldest son and pat him on the back. It was the most emotion Adam had ever seen in his father. “It’s good to see you looking so well, Jordan.”

“Thanks, Dad, it’s all due to my mate.” Jordan’s eyes filled with love as he looked at Skyla, who had been his nurse when he left the hospital to recuperate. Or, as he put it, get used to not having the use of my legs. Jordan had been lost until Skyla had found him.

“Give yourself some credit,” Skyla told Jordan. “You did it all yourself. You just needed a push in the right direction.”

“And what man doesn’t need a push in the right direction?” Judy asked.

“Very true, Judy.” Skyla stumbled over the name as if not sure what to call her mother-in-law.

“Call me Mom.” Judy, as usual, had tuned into her daughter-in-law’s uncertainty. “We’re family now.”

“And since you are the only daughter-in-law on the horizon, you two are going to have to band together to keep us boys in line,” Jordan said. “Unless my brothers have some news to share?”

A short silence, which was not missed on Skyla and Jordan, was ended with Judy saying, “Let’s go eat.”

“Yes. Your mom has been cooking your favorite. Roast beef,” Russell said. “Home raised, of course.”

As if he knew food was about to be served, Samuel appeared out of the ranch, his hair slicked back from where he’d just showered. “Good of you to join us, son,” Judy told him archly.

“Sorry, Mom. I got sidetracked.”

“By a rabbit?” Jon asked.

“Boys,” Judy warned.

Adam and Samuel fell in beside Skyla as they walked inside the ranch house. Samuel was not the talkative type, so Adam tried to put his sister-in-law at her ease. “It’s good to see you again, Skyla. I never had a chance to speak to you much at the wedding.”

“It was a little hectic,” Skyla agreed. “Which is why it’s so good to come here and see the ranch. Jordan talks about it a lot.”

“Does he?” Adam asked, his interest piqued.

“Yes.” Skyla stopped walking and turned to Adam. “That does not mean he wants to take it over. We have a life in Bear Bluff, don’t worry about that.”

“I’m not worried. At least not in that way,” Adam said. “But it is something I want to talk to you both about.”

“What is?” Jordan asked, coming back to see if everything was all right with his wife.

“I wanted to talk to you, Sam, and Jon, about the ranch.” Adam stared at his father’s back. He had entered the dining room, and so they were free to talk, without being overheard. “But not at lunch. I thought after, we could all take a ride around the ranch. I wanted to propose something to you all, before I speak to Dad.”

“A ride?” Skyla didn’t sound too sure. “I’ve only sat on a horse a couple of times.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll find a quiet old ranch horse for you to ride,” Adam assured her.

“I’d love you to see the ranch, and you can’t see it better than from the back of a horse,” Jordan said.

“OK,” Skyla agreed. “On one condition.”

“Which is?” Adam asked, not sure he liked more conditions being laid down on him.

“You invite your mate along.” Her eyes danced as shock covered his face.

“I knew it!” Jordan looked triumphant. “When I said Skyla was the only daughter-in-law. Why isn’t she here?”

“Because Dad doesn’t know,” Adam admitted.

“Why? He would be happy,” Jordan said, his brow creasing. “What’s wrong with her that you don’t want Dad to know that you have found a woman to give you an heir?”

Skyla elbowed him in the ribs. Hard. “There is nothing wrong with her. I’m sure Adam has his own reasons. Some people like to keep things private, unlike Dylan and the rest of the guys you work with.”

“I do have my reasons,” Adam said.

“Are you all coming?” Jon asked, coming back to fetch them. “Dad is getting suspicious.”

“We’re coming,” Adam headed toward the dining room.

“So you’ll invite her?” Jordan asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

“He told you?” Jon questioned his brother.

“About his mate, yes,” Jordan responded.

Jon laughed. “Dad might finally get his wish.”

“What wish?” Skyla enquired.

“Oh, he hasn’t actually told you who she is?” Jon asked.

“Jon, this can wait,” Adam said, about to do some rib-digging of his own.

“No, it can’t.” Jon took two quick steps back, putting himself out of reach of Adam’s elbow, and then said, quickly and quietly, “Adam’s mate is old man Hawkins’s grandniece.”

Samuel, who had kept quiet, cursed. “Hell, Adam, how the hell did you manage that?”

“It just happened,” Adam said quietly. “Didn’t it just happen for you, Jordan?”

“Yes.” Jordan looked lovingly at Skyla. “But why have you kept it quiet?”

“Because we’ve only just met, and she doesn’t know about… Well, the other side of us. And, I have no intention of taking back the Hawkins Ranch, no matter what Dad wants. She has plans for the place, and there is no way I am taking that away from her, even if it means I get disinherited.”

Skyla looped her arm through Adam’s. “I always knew I would like Jordan’s brothers.”

Together they walked into the dining room, leaving his brothers to follow. Adam could hear them talking quietly, but none of them said a word about Lynn throughout lunch. As he ate, Adam decided that it was right for Lynn to come on a ride around the ranch, since this decision should be hers, as well as his.

Maybe wanting to spend more time with her had something to do with it. OK, so a lot to do with it. He wanted to share in what his mom and dad and Jordan and Skyla had. He wanted her by his side in all things.

She was the other half of him. He just needed to make her see that. Without scaring her away.