Chapter 7

Chapter

Seven

S hit.

Shit! Reed slid into work, and he was by no means late. He was half an hour early, and he had a coffee for him and for his boss thanks to Tyler. But there was clearly a buzz in the office, half the staff already there.

What had he missed?

He hadn't checked his phone. He'd charged it last night, but he hadn't turned it on. He was with Tyler, and he had been busy.

There were a dozen texts, all with more exclamation points, but only with dire warnings he needed to be in early. So here he was.

"Hey, guys. How was your weekend?"

"Teddy! Boss is looking for you. Is that for him? It will help." Leah patted his arm. "You look relaxed. I guess your weekend was better than mine."

"It is. What happened? I had the weekend off. I was busy." He deserved to have plans.

"We all had the weekend off. But he started calling all of us on Saturday that we had to come in early today." She rolled her eyes. "You're here. That's all you need to say. If you had your phone off, good on you."

She beamed at him. She could be really nice when she wanted to be. "Hey, how is that new Colorado coffee place?" Leah motioned at his cup.

"Good." His cheeks heated. "Really good."

"I'll have to try it." She breezed off, and he headed for the boss's office.

Reed told himself to chill the fuck out, remember Tyler's steady, sure heartbeat, his amazing calm.

He knocked on James's door, "Good morning, boss."

"Reed! About damn time. Get your ass in here." James slammed a hand on the desk. Hand slamming.

Never good.

He took a deep breath and sailed in. "Coffee?"

"Yes." James grabbed it. "There's an award show tomorrow. It was moved last minute due a venue problem. Three of our clients are going. We have to mobilize. Where the hell have you been?"

"I was off work." He lifted his chin, and James actually looked at him, which was new. He refused to back down though. It had been his first weekend off in eons, and he had no guilt. None. Zero. Zip.

Now he just had to remind himself of it.

"Huh." James didn't push it, and his usual willing-to-fade-to-the-background inner omega cheered at his courage. "Well, I need you to make calls." James handed him a printed sheet. "And reschedule anything I had today and tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." He headed out, grabbed his headphones, and got all logged in. All right. Go him. Working, la la.

He only got yelled at ten times before lunch, and his nerves were frayed enough for at least a Wednesday when the office receptionist came to his cubby. It was twelve fifteen. "Reed. This came for you."

She sounded stunned, and when he looked up, there was a bag from his favorite salad delivery place, and a bouquet of sunflowers, yellow lilies, and orange roses.

"Oh." He couldn't stop smiling, and he took the packages, murmuring his thanks as he looked for a card.

He found one in the flowers, down where a nosy person would have to dig, which was so sweet. It just said, "Miss you already—T."

Oh. Oh, that was so sweet. His cheeks were burning, and the flowers smelled like heaven.

"Ooooh." Leah stuck her head in. "Pretty! And chicken salad from Tomato Joe's too?"

"I know! My weekend." He lifted his flowers.

"Honey. Snap this one up." She winked broadly. "Flowers and food the boss will approve of."

"Thanks." He grabbed his phone and texted Tyler.

Thank you. Lunch is perfect and the flowers are amazing. I miss you too.

Hang in there. I'll see you tonight.

Maybe. It's crazy here. Award show got moved.

Ew. I'll be in the shop, waiting for you.

He smiled at his phone. Don't work too hard.

I'm running my legs off. Earning a piece of carrot cake. Hugs.

Mmm…carrot cake.

I'll save us some.

He was so spoiled already. I'll holler when I know what's happening.

It wasn't like they needed him, but that never stopped James. Ever.

Hugs.

He closed his eyes, imagining Tyler's amazing hug. Then he sent a hug back before settling in to eat his lunch.

It didn't matter what the boss pulled right now. Somehow, Tyler was wrapped around him.

"Hanging out late again, Boss?" Ginny asked. She'd finished cleaning the espresso machines and was turning out lights.

"Crunching numbers." He grinned at her from behind his computer. Truth was, he was waiting for his little bear again. It had been a brutal week for Reed, who worked too damn hard, but he knew Reed had taken off Monday off as comp time rather than the paltry bonus his boss had offered, and Tyler had special plans.

Reed came creeping in, looking like he'd been awake since they had been together last. "Yes, sir. Yes. I understand. I know."

He held out a hand, and Reed walked right to him, grabbing on like he was a lifeline.

Ginny waved at them and moved to clock out. She was a perceptive girl.

"No. No, I'm afraid I'm going to be out of cell range. In fact, you're getting fuzzy already. Bzzzz. Bzzbzz."

He slapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing. Lord have mercy. That cracked him up.

Reed snuggled in with a happy sigh, and spoke louder. "What? Sorry! Gotta go! Bye!"

He hung up, then turned off his phone.

Tyler laughed softly. "Look at you."

"He hired a management team to do the extra event this weekend because we'd all worked so many extra hours. If he's not prepared, tough."

"Good deal. I have a plan." Tyler took a kiss.

"As long as we're together, I'm happy."

"Me, too, honey. But I think we need to get away. We should stop by your place so you can pack a bag."

"All right. Come with me? My place is close you remember."

"Of course. Heck, I'll drive you there and then we can go on." Tyler hugged Reed close, reassuring him, he hoped. His little bear knew he wasn't a serial killer by now. They were going to the lake, and he'd found a cabin where they could be bears together. They could shift and he could see Reed's other form.

"I live just the next building over."

"You live down here." Down in this food desert? Seriously?

"Uh-huh. That makes it easy to get to work."

"Then we can walk back and forth." His heart hurt for Reed. This was…a concrete mess.

Reed led the way, taking him to an older building down an alley. They walked up to the fourth floor and down a long, dank hallway. Reed opened a door, leading him into what at some point, forty years ago, had been a hotel room. It was thread-bare and dark, with barred windows and no view.

Damn.

"I know." Reed's shoulders hunched. "But it's near work and I don't need a car that way."

"I'm not judging you, love." He smiled wryly. "Now, your landlord…"

"It's just a place for my shoes to live. Have a seat." Reed motioned toward the bed.

"Ah, now that's funny, sweet." He sat on the bed, which was meticulously clean. That was his Reed.

"Nice clothes? Casual clothes?" Reed's drawers were organized, the closet was perfect.

"Casual and warm, honey. We're going to be out and about."

Reed packed a backpack, and then he stripped down to change into jeans and a fleece shirt. Beautiful bear.

"Boots too. For the snow." He'd checked, and there was a good bit up by the lake.

"Boots too." Reed beamed at him, those dark eyes glinting with pure happiness.

He had to get up and go take a kiss. Had to. Reed moved right into his arms, face lifted for a happy meeting of mouths. So yummy.

He held Reed close for long moments, then patted that perfect, round ass. "We should get moving."

"I'm ready to go. I have my charger and a toothbrush."

He shouldered Reed's bag. "Let's hit it, then."

"Where are we going?" Reed stowed his phone in the backpack, hiding it away.

"To the lake. I rented us a cabin." He hoped that didn't sound horror movie.

"Oh? How fun! Are we going to cook together?" Reed did make him smile.

"We are. I thought we'd stop off and grab something tonight, but I got a bunch of groceries, and there's a little general store a few miles from the cabin." He'd done his homework. He wanted to make this so special.

"Oh. Excellent. That sounds like so much fun."

"Yeah?" He wanted to dance. Tyler figured he would wait and do that with his omega bear. Later. At this time of the evening downtown, it probably behooved him to keep an eye out.

Reed grabbed his coat and then they locked up and headed downstairs. Reed peeked out the door, then stopped him. "Wait for a second."

He almost ran up Reed's butt. "What is it?"

"One of the boss's spies. She'll move on in a minute."

"Oh." Tyler thought that sounded like a shit situation. "Your boss spies on you?" Were there laws against that?

"Yeah. He keeps tabs. It's weird."

"That borders on harassment." Tyler waited patiently. They had a long weekend. If it had to wait to start a few more minutes, then so be it. But he might have to have a chat with Reed's boss.

Finally the woman hailed a cab and headed off, and Reed relaxed. "She wants my job, which doesn't help."

"Mmm." He kept that noncommittal. "So you want to move up to what? Being an agent?"

"Yep. I mean, I would start by being a junior representative. Handling small events and lesser clients for James under his umbrella. Then I can go up to having clients of my own."

"Do you like it?"

"What?"

"Do you like your job?"

"No. No, but it's what I went to school for. It's what I've been doing. I don't know anything else."

"Oh." Ouch. That had to suck. But… Tyler was alpha enough to admit it gave him hope. He wasn't going to be in Valleywood forever, and he would want Reed to come with him.

He had a huge family corporation to fold Reed into, where he would be welcomed and adored. His people would love Reed, and Tyler could use someone as organized as Reed.

Not to mention Reed was his mate.

His smoking hot little bear.

They snuck out, and he hoped no other spies were lurking about. He hated the idea that his lover felt…hunted. Non-shifters might not know what that felt like, but as bears, they understood it from birth.

He got them moving and headed out of town before they stopped for food. They stopped at a diner to eat patty melts and share onion rings, and buy an entire pie.

"Peanut butter, French silk, or mixed berry," Reed mused.

"Well, we had mixed berry last time. We could drizzle the peanut butter with honey."

"Sold." Reed bounced, and they were back on the road in no time with full bellies and their prize.

They topped a little hill a while later, and there was their cabin, set against some trees, the snowy landscape like something out of a Robert Frost poem.

"Oh, bear. Look!" Reed's eyes were glistening, so wide.

"I know. It's as amazing as the pictures." He hoped the cabin lived up too. He wanted a cozy fire and a warm bed. A couch and some movies.

"Oh, thank you. This is—this is the nicest thing ever!" Reed leaned over and kissed him hard.

"You're welcome, baby. Let's go explore." He hopped out, crunching through the snow to get their bags out of the truck. Reed brought the pie in, and the place was a dream. Warm and rustic, with lots of plaid and moose. Just what they needed.

The fire was gas, the sofa was huge and leather, and soon he had a happy little bear in his arms.

"This is the life, huh?"

Reed nodded. "I love it."

He had a feeling Reed was gonna love the whole weekend.

Reed rested hard against him, snuggling into his side.

"Long week, I know." He kissed the top of Reed's head. "Not gonna upset me if we nap."

"I'm so glad I'm here with you. It's perfect."

"Thank you, sweet." He hugged Reed tighter, and it was as if he could feel Reed's muscles relax one by one. That was his reward, and made all the arrangements totally worth it.

Reed hummed for him, one hand stroking his belly.

His muscles pulled in tight, his breath catching. That felt so good, but this was about relaxing, cuddling. They had plenty of time for the rest as the night went on. Reed needed to rest, to recharge.

"Tell me about your week, love? Did you have good trainings?"

"We did. I have an assistant manager for the week. One coming on board for the weekend. I have some expert baristas. I just need a manager. My brother can't get anyone to relocate here, so I'm putting out way more feelers locally." There had to be someone who aspired to Valleywood business.

"I'd volunteer, but I'm not good at ordering people around."

"You're great at organizing though." He patted that round little ass. He loved how Reed was shaped. No one should ever tell him he was less than perfect.

Reed fit him like a hand and a custom-made glove.

"I am. I love making things work. What's your favorite part of your work?"

"Knowing I put a good team in place. That I picked people who can work together, who can make things a success. But also be happy. I hate it when people don't like working for us, especially if I could have made it work." Toxic design was so not his thing.

"Oh…you are a good bear. Like truly decent."

"I try." His brother was the hard ass, which meant he got to be the lucky one. He had the luxury of being nice. "I really do love coffee too." Tyler chuckled. "And pastry. I think you've seen how much I like pastry. I want to spread that joy."

"Yes! You offered me a honeybun. It was the most amazing pastry. I'll remember it forever, because it was our first."

"It was." He nibbled at Reed's ear. "I knew I could tempt you with one. You were so determined to say no." He knew now, though, from seeing the incredibly skinny, incredibly fashionable "spy" from the agency in the hall, why Reed felt like people were always judging him.

He was just a sweet little bear from Colorado. Swimming with sharks.

"Mmmm. We could have pie."

He chuckled, happy as could be. "We could. We'll warm up the honey to drizzle."

"Okay!" Reed bounced up, not at all self-conscious now.

This was the life his little bear deserved. Right here. Right now. Not stressed and worried.

He couldn't wait to see what a whole weekend of spoiling Reed made his bear look like.