Chapter Six

With the breakfast dishes done, I walked under the stairs to my study. Ansel had one too, but mine had a secret entrance. No real need for it—just seemed cool when we were weighing in on the design of our place.

I sat in my chair and sent a text to my brother, Heath, asking if he wanted to hang out sometime today. I hadn't seen him since we left for Greece. I missed my nieces and nephews as well.

My chair leaned back under my weight. I chuckled, thinking about Ansel's reaction to Monroe. He and I desired a mate to the same degree but to see the gleam in my friend's eyes, thinking that this could be our chance, realized, well, it made me happy.

My bear had stirred when we saw Monroe's picture. He clawed at me, trying to get out, as though he could claim her through the phone. Bears weren't very smart about technology, but if only the app gave us that option.

I checked my notifications when a text from Heath came in. He needed some time away from the house and wanted to meet me for a few rounds of pool and some chili cheeseburgers. He loved those sloppy, heartburn-inducing things.

I sent a text to Ansel and headed out after changing into some jeans and a gray T-shirt. The pool hall was just inside the local city limits. Our home sat far away from civilization, and the area surrounding was blanketed with trees and dense forest spreading to the mountain range in the distance.

"Hey." Heath was waiting for me outside the pool hall. I had ten years on him but raising kids made him look older. Give me dark circles anytime, if it meant I had cubs and a mate to go home to.

"You look like shit," I said, laughing and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Thanks. You look like Dad," he teased. We walked inside and ordered sodas and burgers, along with their crispy beer-battered onion rings. My breath was sure to stink, but well worth it.

We sat on barstools at one of the small tables at the edges of the room and dug into our food.

Finally, he looked up at me. "How was Greece?"

"Beautiful. Stunning views. Incredible food. You can never go wrong with Greece. How's Amy? The kids?"

He proceeded to give me all the updates, which were many since he had three cubs and his wife was just about the best thing that had ever happened to him. I'd stood up for him at his mating and rarely seen anyone so in love.

I envied him a bit that day.

"What's new with you?" he asked after finishing all the antic-filled stories. "What's the next thrill?"

I hesitated in telling him about Monroe. We'd only found out that morning and hadn't gotten a response yet. Heath would be supportive either way. He had a good heart. "Ansel and I joined a mating app."

"No shit?" His eyes got rounder.

"No shit. This morning, we were matched with someone. Her name is Monroe."

I stacked our empty baskets and slid off the stool. "Let's play and talk. I need all the details."

We set up the game and grabbed cue sticks. I told him everything since the night before. He said he understood. He couldn't believe how he'd had any happiness before Amy. "You two have been alone so long. I'm damned happy for you."

"Wanna see her picture?" My bear and I knew Heath was safe. Amy owned his heart.

"Yeah." He came around the table and leaned over my shoulder. "Whoa. Ed, she's a lot younger, right?"

"She is."

He snorted. "Damn, are you sure she knows how old you are?"

I showed him a glimpse of Monroe's preferences without scrolling down to the bottom where she'd revealed her more intimate proclivities. "See?"

My brother snickered. "You know what? A young, wild thing might be the perfect match for you two. And she likes older men. Might call you daddy if you ask nicely."

The punk might lose his teeth to the end of my cue stick, but I kept my anger at bay. Besides, the idea of teaching Monroe a lesson or two with my hand on her ass and her responding with Yes, Daddy didn't feel like the worst idea.

Shit. We hadn't even heard back from the female, and already I stood there, in the middle of a pool hall, fantasizing about her.

I was in deep trouble.

We finished playing and said our goodbyes after I let him win a few hundred from me. He worked for one of the companies we had overhauled, so I knew he was paid well, but with kids and a mate, everyone needed some extra green from time to time.

I got a burger order to go, minus the chili, and put it on the passenger seat on my way home. My phone pinged a few times, but I would talk to Ansel when I got home. I might be reckless in terms of seeking adrenaline hits, but getting into an accident over a text wasn't on my list.

When I came into the kitchen, he sat at the table and happily accepted my offering of a burger. "What do you think?" he asked. "I can't believe it."

"Believe what? I didn't check your texts."

"Monroe responded to our message and she accepted the match. The ball is in our court. I'm still in a stupor. I mean, what's the next step?"