“Dad was furious,” Julian says as we all laugh. He’s telling the story of when I brought a cow into his room while he was sleeping.
“Adrian tried to open the window to jump out,” Cameron continues, but he’s laughing so hard that he can’t go on. “But he—”
The girls are laughing too as they watch him doubled over with tears in his eyes.
“He got caught in the curtains and fell through it,” Julian continues. This time he’s laughing so hard that he can’t finish.
Logan takes over as I watch with my heart so full that it feels like it’s going to burst through my chest. “The curtain got wrapped around his ankle and he fell through the window.”
“The cow kicked me through it,” I correct. “He kicked me right in the chest.”
Courtney is giggling as she takes my hand under the table and squeezes it.
“So, he falls out,” Cameron says, recovering. “And his ankle is caught in the curtain, so he’s hanging upside down on the second floor of the old house, screaming at the top of his lungs.”
Julian wipes the tears from his eyes. “Dad wouldn’t let any of us help him. Said that we’d never taste a dessert for the rest of our lives if we helped him down.”
“How long were you hanging there?” Courtney asks as she laughs.
“Six hours,” I say and they all start up again. “Mom finally snuck in and helped me.”
After the food is long gone, we’re still sitting there telling stories and laughing. It feels like I’m part of the family once again and it’s all thanks to Courtney. I’ll never forget it.
“So,” Willow asks as she bounces the baby on her knee. “Are you two mates?”
Everyone goes quiet as they look at us. Even my brothers don’t know for sure since my mark is not on her neck.
Courtney looks up at me, her eyes full of love. “We are,” she says proudly. “I saw him yesterday and I just knew it.”
“Oh, you’re the one who was here with the class,” Logan says. “The teacher, right? I thought I recognized you.”
Seeing his eyes on my mate starts to rile up my jealous bear. He wakes up and lets his presence be known as he starts pacing around angrily. He doesn’t like it and lets out a low warning snarl.
My brothers pick up on it and their worried eyes snap up to mine. The girls are oblivious as they ask Courtney about her kindergarten class.
Mark her!
Mark her!
His demands are getting more forceful. More aggressive.
Courtney seems to realize something is up with me because she starts rubbing my flexed back.
“I could use some air,” she says as she smiles tightly at me. “Can you come with me?”
I nod and get up without a word. She’s doing this for me. She’s the perfect mate.
As soon as we step onto the porch, my bear starts to calm down.
“I’m yours, Adrian,” she says as she steps on her toes and runs her hand down my face. “You know that, right?”
“I do,” I say in a heavy voice.
She steps on her toes as her hand slides behind my neck. “Kiss me,” she whispers. “I can’t reach.”
I smile as I lean down and kiss her, tasting the orange juice on her tongue.
Cameron comes out a few minutes later and my bear growls, perking up once again.
He raises his hands. “Tell your bear I’m already mated. I’m not looking.”
“I’m sorry, bro. You know how he is.”
“It’s okay,” Cameron says with a nod. He slides his hands into the back pocket of his jeans as the three of us stand there awkwardly.
“I have a coffee to finish,” Courtney says as she reaches for the door. “So, I’ll head inside and let you boys talk.”
We both sigh as we lean on the porch railing and look out at the ranch. “It’s good to see you,” he says. “I’m sorry about the baby. I just…”
“You don’t have to explain,” I say, even though it hurts. “It was the right thing to do.”
We stand in silence for a moment and then he turns to me. “How are you able to even be here? What’s your bear like?”
I run my hand through my hair as I watch a cow eating some grass. “Still psychotic, but… I don’t know. Since Courtney walked into my life, he’s been different.”
“Calmer?”
“Yeah. He let me sleep in my human form, which hasn’t happened since… I don’t know.”
“That’s great!” he says with an enthusiastic nod. “Maybe that’s what he’s needed all along? His mate.”
“Maybe.” Another long stretch of silence passes. “I’m sorry. For everything, Cameron.”
“No…”
“How come you didn’t put me down?”
“You’re my brother,” he says, turning to me with anguish on his face. “I love you.”
My eyes start to tear up again. “You love me? I nearly killed you a few months ago.”