Chapter Four – Buck

Buck had heard Haley’s name mentioned a lot in conversations with Mason. She was one of Tiana’s best friends and had been a bridesmaid at her wedding. Or matron of honor, he could never figure out what the difference was and from where he was sitting, Haley did not look anything like a matron.

Oh no, she looked like a goddess.

His bear laughed. If you want to impress her, I suggest you keep your mouth shut.

Buck shook his head and ran his hand along the side of the bathtub where it met the wall, trying to figure out where the water was leaking through. “There.” He pointed, and Haley leaned forward.

“There’s nothing there.” She leaned closer and he inhaled her scent, which made his mouth water. Honey and jasmine, if he wasn’t mistaken.

Buck pushed on the tiles. “See how this one moves. The grout behind it isn’t doing its job and the water is seeping under it and down the side of the bathtub. It’s been a slow process, but eventually, the water wins.”

Haley stood up straight and folded her arms as if warding him off. “Are you sure, about me not paying you for your labor?”

Buck stood up. He towered above her, and he wanted to pull her into his strong arms and shield her from the world. “I don’t need the money.” He closed his eyes as his words reached his brain. “I don’t mean it like that.”

Haley put her hand up as if to stop him. “I know what you meant. I know how rich Mason is. Well, not exactly how rich he is…” She smiled at him, and he was thankful he hadn’t offended her. “It stands to reason he would have rich friends.”

“I’ve worked hard for what I have, Haley. Just as you’ve worked hard to provide a home for your children.” He stepped forward, closer to her now. “I envy you.”

She let out a short laugh. “You envy not having enough money to treat your kids to luxuries?”

“I envy you their love.” His words made her swallow hard.

“They are everything to me.” She lifted her eyes to meet his. “I don’t know what this is between us. But I need you to know how important my girls are to me.”

“I can see it.” He took a step back. “I don’t want to come between you. As a shifter…” He raked his hand through his hair. He’d never talked about being a shifter with anyone who wasn’t one before. It wasn’t the kind of thing you blurted out to the world.

“As a shifter, family is important to you.” Haley gave him a small smile. “Tiana told me what Mason said to her when she was worried about whether he’d accept Rhett.”

Buck nodded. “Your family is my family now.”

Haley looked down at the floor, it was covered in faded linoleum, and like the rest of the house it needed freshening up. He would offer to make this house a palace for her and her kids if he thought she wouldn’t be offended and turn him down.

“I…” She looked up at him, her eyes misting with tears. “I’m going to need a bit of time. My first husband wasn’t a nice man.”

Buck’s hand tightened into a fist. He couldn’t stand the thought of anyone hurting Haley, either physically or emotionally. “I’ve never aspired to be nice until now.”

She gave a short laugh and wiped her eyes. “I’ll settle for kind.”

“I’ll be nice and kind,” he offered magnanimously. “I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”

“You. I need you to be you. Not what you think I might want you to be.” She took a deep breath. “My ex-husband flipped. One day he went from being Mr. Nice-Guy to a monster. I don’t know if that monster was always in him and he kept him chained up, or if he changed. So I need you to be honest with me. Warts and all.”

“Warts and all.” He raised an eyebrow. “Although I don’t have any warts.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“You could inspect me, if you want.” He raised his arms to shoulder height and turned in a circle on the spot. When he faced her again she was laughing, which was a good sound. “What?” he asked. “You said you wanted to see the real me.”

“And you’re the kind of man who offers to show off his body to a woman he’s only just met?” Haley said in mock shock.

“No,” he said, his voice low. “I’m making that offer to my mate and she is definitely not just any woman.”

Haley swallowed hard, he was unnerving her. In a good way, he hoped. If he needed to slow down and go careful, he hoped she would tell him he was going too fast. If not, he was going to make it clear she was his and he was hers.

“We should go back downstairs.” She took a step backward and then another until her back was pressed up against the bathroom door. Without taking her eyes off Buck, she reached for the doorknob. He could see her hand trembling as she turned the knob and opened the door. “I think we should take a rain check on the wart hunt until we’re alone.” With that she turned around and left the bathroom.

Buck didn’t move, except for his face which spread into a wide grin. She likes me.

Someone has to, his bear replied.

Original, Buck told his bear.

I am one of a kind, his bear replied, with a huff.

That’s not what I meant, Buck said.

I know. I just wanted to keep your feet on the ground and your head small enough to fit through the doorway. His bear chuckled to himself as he turned around and walked off. I bet she’ll like me more.

I’m sure Alicia and Marie will, Buck told him as he gathered up his tools and went back downstairs.

Yes, thank you for volunteering me as a fairground ride, his bear closed his eyes, ending the conversation as Buck chuckled, aware his bear actually liked the idea of bonding with what he already thought of as his cubs.

His bear had always shared Buck’s sadness at never having kids of their own. But maybe that might change. He would never pressure Haley, and she might not want to have any more children, but she was such a good mom to her two daughters he hoped she might one day bear his child.

“We should get going,” Mason said to Buck as he entered the kitchen. “Let these ladies pack.”

“Are you absolutely sure about us staying?” Haley asked Mason.

“Absolutely, Tiana will have my bear hide if I didn’t offer. It’ll be fun. Maybe this evening we can go for a walk in the mountains. Tire the kids out so they sleep. And then on Sunday we can come over and fix the ceiling. It should be as good as new.” Mason was heading for the door.

“I’ll give Tiana a call and warn her we’re coming,” Haley said as they left the house.

“Good idea,” Mason said. “We’ll see you there.”

“Bye,” Buck said to Haley.

“Bye and thank you again.” Haley stood and watched them until they drove off. It was all Buck could do not to run around and watch the house until he couldn’t see it anymore.

“Well.” Mason raised his eyebrows and glanced at Buck.

“Well,” Buck repeated, he didn’t know what else to say.

“This makes you almost family, Buck,” Rhett said, in a better mood after the visit to Haley’s.

“I like the sound of that, Rhett. They seem like a good family, supportive of each other.” Buck settled back in his seat as they turned the corner and the distance between him and his mate increased. He could still sense her, it was as if they were joined by some invisible thread. But the need for her was not so acute, not so overpowering to his senses. When he’d been in the same room as her, he’d wanted to reach out and grab hold of her and not let go. But he knew they couldn’t live their lives joined at the hip, so he had to learn self-control.

“They are a great family.” Rhett fell silent.

“Did you miss them when you were away at school?” Mason asked.

Rhett didn’t answer at first and then he nodded. “I missed you all.” He glanced across at Mason. “I wasn’t lying when I said I was homesick.”

Mason nodded. “I can understand that. Your family is here, your friends are here.”

“And my mom is about to have another baby.” His words were spoken quietly, as if he meant to say them to himself.

“She is.” Mason cast a sideways glance at his stepson. “And you’ve always been there for her, since your dad left.”

Rhett nodded but didn’t answer and Mason didn’t press for any further information. They’d made a step forward and if he was pressed too hard, Rhett might just clam up and not say anymore.

Mason steered the truck along a quiet country road and then took a right, driving along a rough track, which opened to reveal a couple of old warehouses. This was the project he and Mason planned to work together on. Buck couldn’t wait to get started. His business, like Mason’s had been centered around towns and cities for so long, it was like a breath of fresh air to be working out in the country.

“So this is your big project,” Rhett said as he got out of the truck and followed Buck toward the largest of the warehouses.

“It is.” Buck grinned and turned around to survey the view below them. “Who would not want to live here?”

“It’s a stunning view,” Rhett conceded. “But the buildings need a lot of work to make them habitable.” He didn’t sound convinced that they could ever be someone’s home.

“Work and imagination.” Mason held up the plans he’d retrieved from behind his seat. “Shall we take a look, try to get that imagination of yours all fired up?”

“Sure.” Rhett relaxed further as Mason walked him through the plans and Buck described how they would do the work. Rhett was fascinated by the idea of changing these disused buildings into homes where people would live and raise their families.

“What do you think?” Mason asked after they’d finished the tour. He and Buck had discussed some of the technical aspects of the build, and Rhett had put forward some interesting ideas.

“I like it. I like it a lot.” He turned around and looked wistfully at the building. “I’d like to be a part of it.”

“When you come back on weekends you can come and give us a hand,” Mason offered, but Buck was certain that wasn’t what Buck had in mind.

“Sure, that would be great.” A melancholy air settled on the young man’s shoulders once more and he turned away from the warehouse and headed for the truck.

“What did I say?” Mason asked Buck.

“It’s what you didn’t say.” Buck looked at the mountains in the distance. “The kid wants to be more involved in this. He wants to be part of it. If you ask me, he wants his old life back. His heart is here in Bear Creek. School isn’t for everyone.”

Mason nodded and ran his hand through his hair. “I’ll talk it over with Tiana. I’d hate for Rhett to feel unhappy or displaced, especially with the baby so close.”

“His family has changed, it’s a scary time. And I guess college is scary, too.” Buck turned toward the truck. “Then again he might just be testing you all and he’ll go back to college. He’s a bright kid.”

“He is. Mature beyond his years,” Mason said, with a hint of sadness in his voice. “Sometimes kids see too much of life before they should.”

“Like Haley’s kids?” Buck asked.

“Yeah. But that’s something you need to hear from Haley herself.” Mason put his hand on Buck’s shoulder. “They’ve had a rough time of it, which is why I couldn’t be happier they have you in their lives.”

“I hope I’m what they need,” Buck replied.

“You are.” Mason walked toward the truck. “You have to believe it.”

Buck breathed in a lungful of mountain air. He believed this was what he needed. From the mountain to the construction job to his mate and her children, it was as if everything was falling into place at last. He’d waited so long, had begun to believe he was too old, and yet here he was about to embark on an amazing adventure into the unknown.

It all started now.

He strode forward and got in the truck. Mason started the engine, giving Buck a sidelong grin before he turned the truck around and took them back home. Rhett sat quietly, consumed by his own thoughts while Mason and Buck made small talk about the plans and the project as a whole. They bounced around start dates and the number of workers they had to bring in to complete on time.

But none of it mattered next to the prospect of seeing his mate once more.

“They’re not here yet?” Buck asked with obvious disappointment in his voice when they reached the house. He’d daydreamed that Haley would be waiting for him, her arms open, welcoming him into her life. His disappointment was real, even if his daydream wasn’t.

“Not yet.” Mason got out of the truck and the others followed. “You know what women are like at packing.”

“No, I don’t,” Buck replied.

“They pack a lot,” Rhett joined in. He seemed happy to be home, especially when an elderly man waved to him from the front of the property.

“Rhett, I thought I saw you,” the man called. He moved with an awkward gait as he walked across the porch and leaned on the handrail.

“Granddad.” Rhett waved back and then bounded across the gravel and leaped onto the porch. “How are you?”

“Better for seeing you.” They hugged, although the old man had trouble lifting his arm. “When did you get back?”

“Late last night, and then I went out early this morning.” Rhett took a step back and assessed his granddad. “How are you feeling? You look good.”

“Ahh, I’m doing my exercises, managing to get out in the garden.” He smiled at Rhett. “It’s good to see you. I miss you.”

“I miss you, too. Is Grandma home?” Rhett asked eagerly.

“She is, want to come in and see her?”

Rhett turned to Mason. “I’ll see you later. I’ll watch out for when Haley arrives.”

“Okay. See you later. Afternoon, Norman.” Mason waved.

“Afternoon, son,” Norman replied with a wave and then ushered Rhett inside.

“Did the kid just dodge a bullet?” Buck asked.

“He did. I’m not sure how Tiana plans on finding out what’s wrong with Rhett. But he’s going to have to talk to her some time.” Mason led them around the house. It had been extended and cleverly split into two homes. Tiana’s parents lived on the ground floor so that her father didn’t have to use the stairs. He’d had a stroke a few months earlier and although better, an upstairs bedroom or bathroom would have been too much for him. The rest of the property belonged to Mason and Tiana, they had a couple of rooms on the ground floor and the whole of the first floor as their unique home. The new and the old portions of the house fit together seamlessly.

Almost seamlessly. To a trained eye such as Buck’s, the joins were there. “You did a good job on the house. What’s it like living with the in-laws on the doorstep?”

“They’re good people. Just like the rest of the folks around here. I don’t feel like an outsider, they’ve welcomed me into their town and their lives. They’ll welcome you, too.” He opened the door leading in and they entered the house. The smell of baking assailed them, and Buck’s mouth watered. “That smells good.”

“I thought I’d make some cookies and brownies for the kids. I hear they are camping out this evening.” Tiana came around the counter and kissed Mason. “Do you two big kids need a cookie?”

“Yes, please.” Mason rested his arm on her shoulders. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

“I have it all under control.” Tiana looked behind Buck. “Where’s Rhett?”

“He’s visiting with your mom and dad.” Mason went to the coffee maker and began making a fresh pot. “He was really interested in the building project.”

Tiana went back to her cookies and Mason handed Buck a fresh cup of coffee. “Thanks.”

“Do you think he wants to quit school?” Tiana asked thoughtfully.

“Is it a big deal if he does?” Mason asked.

“Not for me, but it’s all he’s talked about for so long.” Tiana sighed and rubbed her hand over her swollen belly. “All I want is for my kids to be happy.”

“I know.” Mason hugged her and kissed her cheek. “So, what can we do?”

“Could you go up to the attic and bring down all the camping gear?” Tiana put the brownies on a cooling tray. “How was Haley?” Mason and Buck looked at each other. “What?”

“She didn’t mention anything?” Buck asked, wishing he knew Tiana better.

“Anything about what?” Tiana put her oven gloves down, looking concerned. “What’s happened now? Not her asshole ex again?”

Buck’s grip tightened on his coffee mug. “Does he cause her a lot of trouble?”

Tiana shrugged. “He doesn’t support her or the kids…”

“Buck, you need to tell Tiana.” Mason’s voice was firm.

“Tell me what?” Tiana looked from Mason to Buck and then back again. “Tell me what?”

“Haley is my mate.” The words sounded strange on his tongue and if Mason hadn’t been there to witness the whole thing, too, then Buck could almost convince himself it never happened.

Almost.

“She’s what?” Tiana asked, looking confused.

“My mate.” Buck looked at Tiana with concern. “She never told you when she called?”

“No.” Tiana frowned.

“Did she sound okay on the phone?” Buck asked, his concern deepening. Perhaps Haley had second thoughts and didn’t like the idea of being the mate of a bear shifter.

Or maybe she’s finding it hard to believe it happened, too, his bear said. You were a little reserved.

Reserved? Buck went over the time he’d spent with Haley, and his bear might have a point. In not wanting to make Haley feel pressured or seem overpowering, he may have come over as cool and disinterested, when in fact he was very interested.

“She did sound as if she was holding back. But I thought she was trying not to get upset about the ceiling. She said she was grateful for your help but that she didn’t want to take advantage.” Tiana stopped talking. “I’m rambling.”

“Perhaps she thought I was making it up?” Buck asked. He rubbed his hand over his chin.

“No, she knows Mason wouldn’t stand for anything like that,” Tiana assured him. “It’s more likely that she feels a bit stupid saying it.”

“Why?” Mason asked, helping himself to another cookie.

“Well…” Tiana looked at them both and then returned to her brownies as she said, “You feel kind of stupid. I mean in what real world does a person turn into an animal and know their true love when they see them?”

“Our world,” Mason said simply.

“Which you and Haley don’t live in.” Buck understood now.

“Exactly. For us non-shifters, this comes as one big surprise. Then you feel stupid, as if the whole thing must be made up and someone is telling you a lie to make fun of you.” Tiana placed the cut-up brownies on a plate.

“But you know it’s real. So Haley must know it’s real,” Mason insisted.

“She’s never seen you shift.” Tiana stood still and waved a knife thoughtfully in the air. “Maybe she thinks I’m crazy and I made it all up.”

Mason laughed. “She knows you are not crazy and she knows it’s all real. I think she’s simply scared.”

Tiana’s expression faltered, and her mouth drooped at the corners. “She’s scared she’ll make the same mistake she did before. Haley blames herself for how her marriage turned out. And no matter how many times we tell her it’s not her fault, she still thinks it is.”

“Then I’ll show her it’s not. I’ll make sure she knows I could never hurt her and that I want the best for her and her children.” Buck’s honesty shone through. So much so that Tiana broke down in tears and sobbed.

Mason wrapped his strong arms around her and held her close. “It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.”

“I know you’ll be the best thing to ever happen to Haley and her kids. I just want her to be happy,” Tiana sobbed as a car approached the house.

“She’s here,” Buck said, and while Tiana wiped her eyes and composed herself, Buck went out to meet his mate.