Boarlander Bash Bear 2(2)

He huffed a relieved sigh as his bear settled in his middle. Audrey waved and made her way to her Jeep. It was parked in front of 1010 for now, but she would move in with Harrison soon. That scar on her back meant she and Harrison were good as wed. A tiny sliver of pain slid through Bash’s chest. He wanted that—a mate to take care of, a bunch of cubs, all of it.

Bash took a quick shower and dressed in his best—a white T-shirt and his favorite pair of holey jeans—to meet up with Kirk. The silverback shifter was the quietest of them all, and Bash wanted to make lots of good impressions so that maybe someday Kirk would consider pledging to the Boarlanders. Harrison needed more good men under him so he could be the alpha Bash knew he was.

He didn’t bother replacing his tire-stack door, but instead jogged down his sagging, waterlogged porch stairs and sidled around his dark gray Dodge Ram pickup that sat in his weed-riddled front yard. Everything else in his life was old and dilapidated thanks to Clinton sabotaging any plans to fix it up, but his truck was the one thing he was really proud of. It shone like polished iron in the waning evening light.

He waved to Audrey as she drove out of the park on her way to a late shift at Moosey’s Bait and Barbecue, then Bash hopped up onto Kirk’s porch and yelped when his work boot went right through one of the planks. “Aw, hell,” he muttered, maneuvering his foot out of the hole. He would have to fix that for Kirk later. In fact, he made a mental note to order enough lumber to fix everyone’s porches. He would surprise them. He liked giving presents like Audrey did.

Yanking the screen door open, he called out, “Kirk, cover your dick, I’m coming in!”

Kirk sat at his two-seater kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal. “Hey, man,” he said around a bite of generic-brand frosted loops.

“Audrey said you wanted to see me. I broke your porch. I like your trailer. It’s clean and has a door.”

Kirk’s dark eyes crinkled in the corner with his chuckle, and he twitched his chin-length hair out of his face. “I know you’re on the hunt for a mate, and I thought it was really cool what you did for Audrey.”

Bash frowned and sat on the other seat across from Kirk. “What did I do for Audrey?”

“You took back your challenge for Second when she beat Clinton and let her have it.”

“I wasn’t doing her any favors. I just didn’t want Audrey bleeding me.” He probably could’ve taken Audrey, sure, but she seemed good for the Boarlanders. She would make a good Second. She was smarter than him.

“Mm,” Kirk grunted, his eyes narrowed like he didn’t believe one lyin’ word Bash had said. Clever monkey. “Anyway, I talked to Jake down at Sammy’s Bar, and we put together a little something special for you.” He pushed a flyer across the table in front of Bash.

Across the top, it read Meet-A-Mate Bash. Underneath was a grungy font on a black and white brick background. The Boarlander’s own Bash Bear is on the hunt. Serious potential mates invited. Everyone will be screened at the door. This Wednesday only, top three contenders win free drinks all night. Ladies, come get your man.

And along the bottom was a website. bangaboarlander.com/bash.

“A party for me?” Bash asked as he read over the flyer a second time.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean you have to pick a mate, Bash. This will just get some serious ladies in front of you. It’s important you take your time and let your bear choose, or it won’t stick.”

Normally, Kirk barely said a word to him. He hardly talked to anyone.

“Why are you doing this for me?” Bash asked, baffled.

Kirk gave him a sad smile. “Because once upon a time, my entire life revolved around keeping someone from finding a mate.”

“Kong?”

“Yeah. I see Clinton doing the same thing to you—ribbing you, cock-blocking when you’re out with humans, telling you you’ll be crap at being a mate. He’s wrong, Bash. If you feel ready, and your animal is calling for a claim, then you’ll do just fine.”

“I’m too rough,” Bash said low. “And I’m clumsy, and I don’t say smart stuff.”

“Then find a lady who likes all that about you.”

Bash stared down at the flyer Kirk had gone out of his way to make.

First Audrey’s claiming mark and now this?

For the first time in his life, Bash had been given two presents in one day.





Chapter Two




Emerson Elliot squinted at the computer screen, then turned her laptop away from the glare of the direct sunlight streaming through the window of Delilah’s. This was her favorite spot to work in Saratoga when she needed to get out of the house and be around people. Working from home had been fun for the first couple of months, but now she got excited about a squirrel eating a nut on her windowsill. She’d named him Ferdinand, and he was now her best friend. Work days at Delilah’s around actual people gave her the pretense of a social life.