Chapter Twenty – Adam

“Listen Dad, please don’t blow this,” Adam said quietly as they entered the house.

“What do you mean blow it?” Russell asked.

“I mean get into something with Lynn’s parents which makes things worse. For her, and for us.” Adam raised his eyebrows, making sure his dad understood exactly what he meant.

“You mean make it so Lynn sells?” Russell asked. “I’d never do that. And anyway, I like Lynn, and she is your mate.” He looked at Adam, and then said, “Hey, son, it will be OK.”

Adam rubbed his face, and then glanced at the kitchen where the sound of voices could be heard. “What if it’s not? Lynn doesn’t feel the bond like I do. What if her parents mean more to her than I do?”

“That is not going to happen, I see the way she looks at you.” Russell rested his hand on Adam’s arm. “It will work out. Trust in fate… And if not, trust in me.”

With that, Russell walked past his son and into the kitchen, where Lynn’s parents were opening cupboards in a quest to make tea. They both looked up as the two men entered the room, eying them suspiciously.

“Hello, you must be Lynn’s parents. I’m Russell Williams, and this is my son, Adam.”

“Williams? Williams?” Lynn’s father repeated. “I know that name.”

“The ranch next door,” Lynn’s mom said brightly. “I’m Helen, and this is Donald.”

“Good to meet you both.” Russell greeted them warmly. “You must be proud of her, striking out on her own like this.”

“Proud? Not exactly the word we would use.” Donald gave a short laugh. “We appreciate what she’s trying to achieve, but really, we think she should have accepted your generous offer.”

Now Adam realized why they had recognized the name Williams. Lynn must have discussed the offer with them before she decided to move here.

“Your daughter has made the decision to stay. She’s got a good business plan. She’ll make a go of it,” Adam said.

“That’s what she thinks, and she talks a good talk, we’ve taught her well, but we both know she can never make a real business out of alpacas.”

“Yes, she can. She has the land and the common sense. We’ve offered her all the help she needs,” Adam informed them.

“But she would do better to sell. And you want to buy,” Helen said.

“But she doesn’t want to sell. She’s made that very clear,” Adam told her plainly.

“What if it wasn’t up to her? What if I told you we were thinking of making a legal claim in court? I am the rightful heir to this ranch. Frederick was my uncle, and so the ranch should have been left to me.”

Adam felt a chill creep over him, making even his hot bear blood run cold. They were planning on stealing the ranch away from Lynn.

“Helen, Donald,” his dad said, very softly, and he held his hand out, as if trying to calm them. “Think very carefully about what you are saying.”

“We are. We have done nothing but think about it for the last few months as we watched Lynn prepare for this move. And only when she left did we understand it was up to us to save her from herself, and now from some beast who she thinks she is in love with.”

Adam moved forward, a rush of blood coursing through him at being called a beast. His dad reached out and took hold of his wrist, holding him back. “I don’t think your daughter needs saving. From anyone.” Adam knew those last words were meant for him, and he let the tension in his body dissipate. He would only prove to them he was a beast if he attacked.

“I think as Lynn’s parents, we know what is best for her,” Donald said firmly.

“Ahh, because you gave birth to her, does not mean you know what is best for her. Only Lynn knows that.” Russell smiled. This was the calmest, and the nicest, Adam had ever seen his dad, especially with people who had insulted his son, and the rest of the family of shifters, and who obviously thought a lot of themselves and their ideas.

“She thinks she knows,” Helen said. “But she’s simply gotten herself lost in a daydream, and now it’s time to face reality.”

“Let me tell you, Helen, about reality.” Russell took a long draw of air, and then let it out. “Reality is a phone call telling you your son has been involved in a helicopter accident. Reality is hearing all of his comrades are dead, boys you know, boys you loved. Reality is seeing your broken son lying in a hospital bed with legs that don’t work.”

“Dad.” Adam placed his hand on his dad’s shoulder. “It’s OK.”

“I’m all right, Adam.” Russell nodded. “Reality is seeing your son walk again, and knowing that nothing else matters but his happiness, even if his dreams mean the end of yours.” Then Russell turned to Adam. “And reality is seeing one of your sons be a man, a generous man, and share everything that could be his with his brothers, because he wants them to be happy.”

His father took a shuddering breath and then finished, his voice firm, controlled. “Learn to be happy that your child is happy. Let Lynn grow and find out about herself. Don’t try to control her and mold her into what you think she should be.”

“I don’t think we are talking about the same thing,” Donald said. “Your son was hurt, so I can understand how you feel…”

“Donald.” Helen came to stand next to her husband. “I think Russell is trying to give us some parenting advice that we used to know, but lost sight of somewhere along the way.”

“Are you saying you are happy for Lynn to stay here?” Donald asked.

“I’d be interested to hear your reply, too,” Lynn said, coming into the house.

“Where’s Pete?” Adam asked, looping his arm around Lynn’s shoulders, as she sidled up beside him.

“Wait, this is the man you said you’d met?” Helen said, shock filling her voice.

“Yes, it is. This is Adam, and we are going to make a go of this ranch, no matter what you think. You have to stop treating me like a child.”

“We don’t treat you like a child,” Helen retorted. “We let you run one of our biggest hotels, do you think we would have done that if we thought you were a child?”

“OK, so maybe I should rephrase it. Stop treating me like an employee.”

“I…” Donald stuttered. “We don’t.”

“When was the last time you called me up for anything other than the latest booking figures, or anything that wasn’t about business?”

Lynn’s parents looked at each other; neither of them had a response, which answered Lynn’s question. Adam felt a shudder pass through Lynn, the tension in her body telling him she was close to tears. He tightened his arm around her, letting all his love, and pride flood from him into her.

“I just want you to be happy. For me. To support me, like you did before the hotel. Adam is the best thing that could have happened to me, and so is this ranch. You love the hotel trade, and that is great, but I don’t. I want a home, a real home, and to raise my children in it. I don’t want to bring up a family in a hotel suite. I don’t want to be you.”

“I see,” Helen said. “OK. You’ve made it clear, now I think we should leave. You have made your choice.”

Lynn broke away from him and went to her mom, flinging her arms around her neck. “No, I haven’t made a choice. I don’t want a choice, I want my parents, and I want this life. Why can’t I have both?”

Helen kept her body tense, for a long, long moment, in which Adam wanted to grab hold of her and shake sense into her. But then she softened, and a sob erupted from her, and she clung to Lynn. “I only want what is best for you.”

“Then let me find out what that is.” Lynn lifted her head, and looked at her dad. “Want a hug, Dad?”

Donald faltered and then went to join his wife and daughter, holding them both tight. Russell edged toward Adam and said, “I think they need their privacy.”

“Let’s go outside and check on Pete,” Adam said, and left his mate alone with her parents, safe in the knowledge that she had made her decision and nothing would ever make her change her mind.

He would no longer have a bout of the cowboy bear blues; his life was changed forever. Was complete. Forever more.