Page 37 of His Determined Bear

“Why don’t you go get ready, then we’ll take him to the airport together,” Aaron said, pulling his arm from around my mom’s waist. I knew she’d refused to get ready, hoping she could make me change my mind.

She sighed and leaned back into him, almost like she drew strength from him. “Since my son won’t listen to reason, I guess I have no other choice.”

I looked away when she placed a quick kiss on his lips. That sweet intimacy between them made me feel like I was having heart surgery without anesthesia.

When it was just Aaron and I left in the room, I glanced his way and sighed. Okay, so maybe mom had sent him to carry on from where she’d left off. This should be fun.

“I know I promised not to mention it, but are you leaving because of Graham? Did he do something?” Aaron's eyes narrowed, and I noticed his clenched fist at his side. He was worried about me like a dad would be. And it almost made me smile. “Graham is my friend and but if he did anything that’s made you uncomfortable and has made you feel like you have to leave—”

I shook my head vehemently. “No, I promise it’s nothing like that.” I couldn’t stand the thought of Aaron thinking badly of Graham.

“I thought you guys were getting close.” The bare skin on his cheek above his beard colored. And that did make me smile. “You couldn’t meet a better man Cooper. If something happened and you think you can’t talk to him, I can promise you that you can. Graham is kind, and understanding and you guys looked like…well, you looked happy together, Cooper.”

I didn’t need this. I didn’t need to hear about how good a guy Graham was. It just made that boulder on my chest feel heavier.

I turned away from him and zipped up the last of my luggage on the bed, “Thank you for your input, and as much as I appreciate it, I really don’t need it. You might be marrying my mom, but I think we both can agree I’m too old for a father. I never had one, and I don’t need one now.”

Aaron sighed but didn’t say anything. I heard him pull up the handle and roll the suitcase out without saying another word. My throat felt like I could barely swallow, and I felt cold all over.

I took a seat on the bed and put my head between my thighs. Aaron hadn’t deserved that from me at all. He doesn’t deserve me taking out my fears on him. That just another reason why I had to get out of here. I could figure things out holed up by myself at the condo.

Mom and Aaron didn’t need my current mood in their house. It was time to go. I needed the separation from everyone, and taking one last look around the room, I grabbed the other bag and walked outside, closing the door and the sweet memories of Graham inside the room.

.Aaron and my mother were waiting for me out in front of the house when I reached them. Aaron had pulled her car around and was opening the back hatch when I suddenly had a change of plans.

“Actually, I changed my mind.”

Hope flared in mom’s eyes, and I felt like an ass for getting her hopes up.

“No, not about staying,” I added quickly. She sighed, looking resigned again. I looked at her and asked, “Do you mind if I take your car instead of flying? I think I’d rather drive. It might give me the chance to stop in at a few other places along the way.” What it really would do was give me some much-needed time to think, and maybe after almost twenty hours on the road, I would figure some things out.

You’ll do in twenty hours what you haven’t managed to do in a week? Fat chance.

“I’ll drive it back when I come for the ceremony,” I promised.

“Of course, you can Coop, but you have to promise to call me and check-in along the way. I need to make sure I know you’re okay,” she said and pulled me in for a hug. My arms tightened around her, and I suddenly didn’t want to let go. I whispered in her ears, “Love you mom.”

“Love you too, Coop,” she choked out.

Neither of us was prepared for this moment. We were supposed to have more time together before I needed to leave.

I turned and shook Aaron’s hand, then gave him a quick hug. But I refused to meet his gaze, scared he would see something I wasn’t ready to share. After putting all the luggage in the car, I put my laptop in the backseat then got in the driver's seat before out a breath.

“Everything will be fine,” I whispered to myself. You’ll get to LA and find out you’re not pregnant and feel like such a drama llama.

Yeah, that was what would happen.

I waved at mom and Aaron one more time before I pulled the car out of the driveway and down the long stretch of road that led off the ranch. I did my best not to look in the direction Graham had shown me led to his house and told myself to keep driving.

It seemed crazy how much I knew I would miss this town that I hadn’t even wanted to come to almost a month ago.

The moment I drove past the ‘Now leaving Asheville MT. We’ll Miss You.’ Sign, my phone rang. I swallowed the lump in my throat when the car’s Bluetooth announced his name. If I was fanciful, I would say he’d felt me leaving. That was why he was calling.

I considered not answering, but I wanted to hear his voice. So I pressed the button on the wheel connecting the call.

There was a moment of silence, and then his deep voice filled the car. At the sound of his voice, I could picture that chiseled jaw covered by his soft beard. The curly hair that always seemed slightly unruly, and his beautiful hazel green eyes. I sighed. I saw those eyes every time I closed my eyes.

“Cooper?” He sounded surprised, like he hadn’t expected me to pick up his call.

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