Chapter Six: Henry

"Now can we go and explore the ranch?" Lewis asked for the sixth time as he perched on the couch while Henry came downstairs after taking the last of the boxes from Samantha's ruined house upstairs.

"If that's all right with your mom?" Henry asked, glancing at Samantha, who looked pale, the lines around her mouth deeper.

It has been a long day, his bear replied.

It was difficult to keep in mind that Samantha must have been exhausted when he was buzzing from meeting their mate. For them, the day could last forever, and they would not complain.

"I think it would be great to go outside and get some fresh air," Samantha said. "We've been cooped up in the car, and then in here…" She tilted her head to one side. "I didn't mean to sound…"

"It's okay, no need to explain," Henry assured her. "I much prefer being outside."

"That's settled then." Lewis edged toward the door leading out onto the porch.

"First," Samantha began, as Lewis made to follow. "Suitable shoes, and a coat…"

Lewis rolled his eyes, but then jumped off the sofa and ran upstairs to his bedroom…

His bedroom, Henry's bear said happily. I was beginning to think this house was going to be our bachelor pad forever. Instead, we're going to need to think about extending. His bear paused. I mean, if we are lucky enough to have children of our own with our mate.

That would be a dream come true, Henry replied. But if it doesn't come true, we have children. We have Lewis and Tilly.

"Ready!" Lewis came running down the stairs, dressed in a warm jacket, his face flushed with excitement.

"Tilly?" Samantha went to her daughter, who was curled up in the corner of the living room next to her box of books, reading Henry's copy of The Secret Garden. "Come on, let's go and get some fresh air and look around the ranch."

"I could stay here." Tilly looked up from the book.

Samantha glanced from Lewis to Tilly and said, "Lewis, why don't you go along with Henry, and I'll stay here with Tilly."

Henry stepped in, his voice gently coaxing. "You know, Tilly, there's a great reading spot out by the old oak tree. It's quiet, with a perfect view of the mountains. Maybe I could show it to you on the tour."

Tilly's eyes lit up with interest. "Really? I'd love to find somewhere quiet." Her comment was obviously aimed at her brother, but Lewis was too busy running up and down the porch to take any notice.

"It's in a small grove of trees. It's a little overgrown now since I don't get out there to read as much as I used to. But with a bit of work," Henry began, "it could be your own secret garden."

That did the trick. Tilly closed the book and placed it back on the bookshelf before heading to the door with the rest of her family.

You have a knack for this, his bear complimented.

I had five younger brothers, not to mention all our cousins, Henry reminded him.

Henry led the way out onto the wraparound porch, his bear's excitement bubbling just beneath the surface. It was late afternoon, one of his favorite times of day, when the light cast the mountains in a soft glow. There was nothing like sitting on the porch with a good book and a cold beer and watching the colors change as the sun slid lower.

But today, he had something even better—a chance to share his beloved ranch with his mate and her children.

"Wow!" Lewis exclaimed, his eyes wide as he took in the sprawling property. "This place is huge!"

Henry chuckled. "It sure is. Although the bigger you get, the smaller it seems."

"It must seem tiny to you," Lewis said, looking up at Henry. "You're so big."

"Lewis," Samantha said with a smothered smile.

"He's not wrong," Henry said with a shrug.

Samantha shielded her eyes from the late afternoon sun. "It's beautiful, Henry," she said, her gaze sweeping over the rolling pastures, toward the distant mountains. "I looked up Bear Creek online when I knew we were moving here. But the photos do not do it justice."

"I'm glad you like it," Henry said with more relief than he showed. "There's so much more to show you all."

"I can't wait," Samantha said as they turned away from the view and headed toward the stables.

As they walked, Henry wished he could reach out and take her hand. It would be so easy, so natural. At least for him.

Yeah, that might be one sure way to freak out our mate, his bear said.

"These are the stables. The horses live out in the pasture mostly, but we bring them in here to brush them down and feed them." Henry led them toward the stables, where a black horse stood with his head over the stall door, ears pricked forward with interest at the newcomers.

"Oh, he's beautiful!" Tilly exclaimed, her earlier reluctance forgotten, as she approached the stall. The horse nickered softly, stretching his neck to sniff at her outstretched hand.

"That's Midnight," Henry explained, watching with warmth as Tilly's face lit up. "He's a gentle giant, perfect for beginners. Maybe we can take him out for a ride sometime if you'd like."

Samantha looked hesitant. "I'm not sure about riding..."

"Mom," Tilly began.

"I meant me, not you guys," Samantha said quickly. "I've never ridden before and I'm not sure if I'm a little old to begin."

"Don't worry, we'll take it slow," Henry reassured Samantha. "We have some very calm horses perfect for first-timers. And I'll be right there the whole time."

Samantha seemed to relax a bit at his words. "Well, I suppose we could try it sometime."

If only she knew how we would not, could not let anything happen to her, ever, his bear said.

"Why are you a firefighter?" Lewis asked as he stroked Midnight's soft muzzle. "I mean, how did you choose between being a cowboy and a firefighter?"

Henry turned to Lewis, a smile playing on his lips. "That's a great question, and one I gave a lot of thought to, believe me."

And one it took our father a long time to understand, his bear said.

Yes, it did, Henry agreed. Being the oldest meant his father had just assumed that Henry would take over the ranch someday. When Henry broke the news that he intended his life to go in a different direction, he did not take it well.

But his father had eventually come around to the idea when he realized Henry would still be a part of the ranch. That was a bond that would never be broken.

Much like the one he felt for his mate.

Henry leaned against the stable door, his eyes thoughtful. "Well, Lewis, I guess you could say I didn't really choose between them. Being a rancher is in my blood—it's who I am. But being a firefighter...that's about giving back to the community. It's like a calling."

"A calling?" Lewis asked.

"Yes." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "You see, Bear Creek has always had a strong sense of community, of helping each other. When I was younger, there was a big wildfire that threatened the town. Volunteers from all over came to help, risking their lives to save our homes and livelihoods. I never forgot that. And that's why I choose to be a firefighter."

Lewis nodded, his eyes wide with admiration. "That's so cool! Do you get to slide down the pole and everything?"

Henry chuckled. "We do have a pole at the station, but we don't use it as often as you might think. Most of the time, we're just getting ready for calls or training."

"Don't you ever get scared?" Tilly asked.

"Scared." Henry mulled that over for a moment. Part of him wanted to say no because he didn't want his mate to know he sometimes felt afraid. But another part of him wanted, needed, to be truthful with her, always.

"Yeah, it must be scary going into a house on fire," Tilly said as she rubbed Midnight's face.

"It is scary," Henry admitted. "But that's a good thing. Sometimes being scared helps keep us safe."

Good move, his bear said. Honest without looking weak.

"But you don't need to go looking for it," Samantha warned them.

"Absolutely. Your mom is right. It's about respecting the danger while doing what needs to be done." Henry winced as he recalled Mabel telling him that Samantha's husband had died at the hands of poachers while trying to protect wildlife.

"But how do you know how to respect danger?" Lewis asked.

He turned to Lewis and Tilly. "That's why we train so much. So when we do face scary situations, we're as prepared as we can be."

Lewis nodded solemnly, clearly taking Henry's words to heart. Tilly, meanwhile, had returned her attention to Midnight, who was now contentedly nibbling at her hair.

"He likes you," Henry told her.

"I like him, too," Tilly said, dropping a kiss on Midnight's velvety nose. The horse nickered softly in response, as if returning the affection.

"Would you like to see the rest of the ranch?" Henry asked, his gaze moving from Tilly to Samantha. "There's a nice trail that loops around the property. It's not too long, and we can stop by the grove and visit the old oak tree I mentioned."

Samantha nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "That sounds lovely. What do you think, kids?"

"Yes!" Lewis exclaimed. "Can we see where the cattle graze, too?"

Henry grinned at Lewis's enthusiasm. "Absolutely. We'll pass by one of the pastures on our way."

As they set off down the trail, Henry felt a sense of contentment wash over him as he walked beside Samantha, close enough to feel her presence but careful not to crowd her.

"So, how are you liking Bear Creek so far?" Henry asked, glancing at Samantha.

Samantha took a deep breath, her eyes scanning the beautiful landscape around them. "It's...overwhelming, to be honest," she admitted.

"I can imagine this is not what you expected to be doing today," Henry said as they strolled away from the stables

"No, it's not." She sucked in the mountain air. "But I'm not complaining. This is incredible."

"Yes, it is," Henry replied as he watched the children running along the fence line, with the horses grazing on the other side, watching them with mild interest.

"Do you ever regret your choice in career?" Samantha asked.

"No." He glanced sideways at her. "You?"

"No," she said. "I love my job.

"I'm glad to hear that," Henry said, wondering if she was thinking of her late husband. "What drew you to fundraising for sustainability?"

"You know a lot about what I do," Samantha tilted her head toward him.

"Mabel," Henry said,

"Mabel." Samantha nodded.

"She is so happy that you are joining the team over at the wildlife sanctuary and helping with their vision to encourage sustainable tourism in Bear Creek," Henry explained. "She's been talking about it non-stop at the diner to whoever might listen."

Samantha chuckled softly. "I see news travels fast around here."

"It does," Henry admitted with a sheepish grin. "Small town and all that. But don't worry, folks here are friendly, not nosy."

"To answer your question," Samantha began, "I've always been passionate about environmental issues. When I was in college, I volunteered for a local conservation group and realized I had a knack for connecting with people and inspiring them to contribute to causes they care about. It just felt like a natural fit."

Henry nodded, impressed. "That's really admirable. We could use more people like you around here. Bear Creek has always been about preserving our natural beauty, but with more tourists coming in, it's going to be more of a challenge."

"And that's where I come in," Samantha said.

"We're so excited to have you here." Henry watched Tilly and Lewis as they stopped and leaned on the fence, watching the horses.

So very excited, Henry's bear agreed happily.

"I was unsure," Samantha suddenly admitted. "Uprooting us all after the de… Sorry, you don't want to hear about my problems."

"I do," Henry said and then winced inwardly. "I mean, if you want to talk. I'm a good listener."

Samantha ducked her head and kept walking in silence, then she said, "I appreciate the offer, Henry. It's scary moving to a new town. When I saw the tree on the roof when we arrived, the weight of responsibility hit me. I felt so alone. And then there you were."

There we were, his bear said happily. And there we will stay.