Chapter Eighteen: Levi

Life is good.His bear sighed happily as they drove through the mountains from the ranch to Bear Creek.

It is good,Levi agreed as he glanced sideways at his mate and her son.

They were blessed. There was no other way to describe it.

“Smile any wider and your face might split in two,” Rosie murmured to him as she leaned closer, her arm brushing against his.

“I can’t help it,” he replied. “I never thought I could be this happy.”

“This is just the start,” she said and slipped her arm around Elliott.

“Now that is a great thought,” Levi said as he steered the truck across town to Camille’s, where Rosie had left her car.

It was a good move,his bear said. More time to spend with our mate.

It was not premeditated,Levi answered with a chuckle.

But his bear was right, and he eased off on the gas, wanting to prolong the closeness between them for as long as absolutely possible.

However, his good mood soon changed. Something was wrong.

As they drew closer, he sensed someone at Camille’s door, and he bristled, even though he had no reason to believe there was any danger. But since meeting Rosie, his protective streak seemed to have gone into overdrive.

“Is everything okay?” Rosie whispered, reading the tension in his grip on the steering wheel.

Levi took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. “Yeah, there’s someone with Camille, that’s all.”

Someone they did not recognize, but then it wasn’t as if they knew everyone in town.

We kind of do,his bear said. After all, we have lived here all our lives and whenever someone new moves in, it is not long before we get to know them.

I expect it’s someone who has heard good things about Camille’s pies and come to buy some,Levi said, but as he stopped the truck outside Camille’s house, and his eyes rested on the man at her door, dressed in leather pants and a leather jacket, rock star came to mind.

“Terry.” Rosie leaned forward and blinked as if she could not believe her eyes.

“Daddy!” Elliott sounded more confused than happy to see his father.

Didn’t he? Or was that wishful thinking on Levi’s part? Levi couldn’t be sure, but his bear growled softly, a primal echo of his own unease.

Did Terry really think he could just saunter into town and Rosie and Elliott would come running after the way he had let them down?

But part of Levi could not shake the feeling that was exactly what was going to happen.

And if it does?his bear asked miserably.

Let’s hope we don’t have to find out,Levi replied.

“Hey, kid,” Terry said as he turned at the sound of his voice, his voice smooth but edged with something that made Levi’s hackles rise. “How’ve you been?”

Elliott glanced up at Rosie, an unspoken question in his wide eyes. “This is a surprise,” Rosie said lightly, but Levi could tell it was forced.

She’s torn,his bear said. She wants what is best for Elliott, and she thought that was us.

It is us,Levi said firmly.

But Terry is Elliott’s father,his bear said. Flesh and blood.

“You’ve led me on quite the chase,” Terry continued, stepping closer. “The guy at Bear Creek Lodge said you were here. Then I get here, and the lady told me you were at a ranch.”

Camille didn’t tell him we were having a picnic at our place,his bear said.

Maybe that’s for the best,Levi said.

“The ranch is the best,” Elliott said as he ran to his father. “Look at my hat. It used to belong to Levi, but he’s grown out of it, so Mary said I could have it.”

Terry grabbed the hat off Elliott’s head and tried to put it on his own head. “I’d make a good cowboy, don’t you think?”

“What are you doing here?” Rosie asked Terry.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Terry said, as he tried jamming the hat on his head.

“I’m working, you know that. It’s why I wanted you to care for Elliott,” she told him.

“Well, you seem to have made friends real fast.” Terry’s gaze landed squarely on Levi and there was something malicious in his eyes that was quickly hidden.

“Levi is working on Camille’s kitchen,” Elliott announced, his eyes fixed on the hat that sat at an angle on Terry’s head. “He gave me some tools and I’ve been helping him.”

“Good with his hands, is he?” Terry asked with a sneering smile aimed at Rosie.

“He is,” Camille confirmed from where she stood, watching the events unfold in front of her.

“I guess there’s not much else to do in a small town like this,” Terry said.

“You didn’t say why you are here?” Rosie asked.

“I came to tell you some good news,” Terry said. “I have a record contract lined up. There’s going to be a big tour, and well, it’ll put us back right where we should be.”

“We?” Rosie asked.

“You and me,” Terry said, hooking his thumbs in his leather pants as he sauntered closer to Rosie.

“You and me?” Rosie asked incredulously.

“And the kid, of course.” He took the hat from his head and plonked it on Elliott’s head.

“We’re divorced, Terry,” Rosie said, as if she truly thought this fact had slipped Terry’s mind.

“Who’s to say we can’t get married again?” Terry said, offering her a disarming smile. “Isn’t that what you wanted? Us as a family in a nice house in the suburbs. Hell, if sales are good, we might even buy a big house.”

“A big house,” Rosie said.

“Yeah.” Terry closed the distance between them. “I know you think I acted like a jerk, but I had a lot on my mind.”

Is that his idea of an apology?Levi’s bear asked.

“Maybe we can talk about this…” Rosie began.

“In private.” Terry slipped his arm around Rosie’s shoulders and guided her toward the car.

“Can we show Daddy the mountains and the forests and the cabin?” Elliott said, happily trotting along behind them.

“I guess we can.” Rosie opened the car door but didn’t get in. Instead, she turned to Levi and said, “I’ll call you.”

He didn’t want her to go. He wanted to grab hold of her and tell her to stay. But if this was what she wanted, her family back together, then he had to let her go.

No,his bear wailed.

Terry helped Elliott into his car seat and then closed the door before getting into his car, ready to follow Rosie wherever she may go.

This was not how it was supposed to be.

Rosie had chosen to stay with him in Bear Creek. She’d chosen to build a life, a good life, for her and Elliott.

But perhaps it had all been a dream. Terry was offering her everything she wanted. A house in the city, and she would not have to leave her job, and start anew.

Better the devil you know,his bear said mournfully, as Rosie put her foot on the gas and drove away.

As Terry cruised past in his car, a sleek black number, he cast a glance at Levi and smirked.

Levi’s temper boiled. His mate and her son deserved better than this man, who had hurt them deeply.

“Levi.” Camille was by his side. He’d been so preoccupied by Rosie and Terry that he hadn’t even heard her approach. She rested a gentle hand on his arm, her eyes full of empathy. “You’re the one for her. She knows that.”

Levi nodded absently. But he wasn’t sure. “Terry’s Elliott’s father.”

“Terry’s blood might flow in Elliott’s veins, but you are the father he needs. Rosie told me how hard this has all been on Elliott. She won’t go back to Terry.”

“How do you know?” Levi asked. “He’s offering them everything they want.”

“You mean everything he threw away once already?” Camille snorted. “I’ve known men like him. They don’t dump their kid on Monday and want them back by Friday. He’s here because he wants something. My guess is Rosie just wants to figure out what that is.”

“Thanks, Camille.” Levi put his arm around her shoulders. He might not be completely convinced that was what was happening between Rosie and Terry, but he was grateful for Camille’s attempt to reassure him.

“Coffee?” Camille asked and patted his chest. “You look as if you might need a slice of pie, too.”

“Thanks for the offer,” Levi said. “But I’m going to head home.”

“Are you?” Camille asked with a raised eyebrow.

Levi chuckled. “Who needs shifter senses when you are a very perceptible woman?”

“I might not have known you Thornberg men long. And I might not have known about shifters for long either. But I know that look.” She slipped out from under his arm and turned to face him. “Just think it through. Rosie might not appreciate you storming in like a bear on the rampage right now.”

“Who said anything about a rampage?” he asked innocently.

“Think it through. Don’t act rashly,” she said.

Levi sighed, running a hand through his disheveled blond hair. “Yeah, you’re right. I don’t want to make things worse.”

“Good,” Camille nodded, satisfied.

“I’ll go on home and work on your cabinets. I have some minor alterations to make and working on them will take my mind off…” His gaze was drawn to the distance where he could still sense Rosie.

And Terry,his bear ground out.

“Okay, but you know where we are if you need us.” Camille squeezed his upper arm.

“I do.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks, Camille.”

“You are welcome.” Then her tone lightened. “And don’t think I am doing this just for you. We need more women in the Thornberg family, and Rosie is a perfect fit. And we all love Elliott.”

“He’ll make a great older cousin to that little one you are carrying,” Levi said as he stepped toward his truck.

“He will.” Camille smiled wistfully and ran her hand over her stomach. “I can’t wait to welcome this little one into the world.”

“You’re going to be a great mom,” Levi told her. “With all this good advice, your little one is going to do just fine.”

“I hope so.” Camille pressed her lips together as she looked at him. “And you are a great dad, Levi. Rosie can see that.”

“Damn, I wish I was a fly on the wall, listening to their conversation,” Levi said, his gaze drifting into the distance once more.

Or a shifter outside the window,his bear said.

No, Camille is right,he told his bear. We need to let Rosie make her own decisions, without pressure from us.

Camille might be right, he said, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it, his bear replied tartly.

Understood,Levi said.

“I’ll talk to you soon,” Camille said as he nodded and then headed for his truck.

“Bye, Camille.” Levi climbed in his truck and started the engine. The scent of Rosie still hung in the air. He breathed it in and closed his eyes, daydreaming of their lovemaking in the forest.

He knew she’d still had some doubts about moving here to Bear Creek, but after this afternoon, he’d been certain that she had made up her mind to stay.

Then Terry arrived. Levi gripped the steering wheel, the whites of his knuckles showing. Then he forced himself to relax.

He needed to trust in Rosie. Trust in fate.

And trust in the bond they shared.

With that, he put the truck in drive and headed home, even though every fiber in his body told him to head over to Bear Creek Lodge and declare his undying love for his mate.

But that might be the one sure way to lose her. And he could not take that risk.