Page 16 of Bearly Believable Romance

Bram groaned, dropping his forehead to Tabitha’s shoulder as his family cackled and egged Noah on. She reached up to pat his cheek consolingly even as she trembled with giggles.

“Well, see, our Romeo here had it bad for little Suzie,” Noah continued gleefully. “So he decided to serenade her on the night of the spring fling dance. Picture this: Bram, all decked out in his rented tux, standing below Suzie’s window with a boom box blasting In Your Eyes, à la John Cusack.”

“Aww, that’s actually really romantic,” Tabitha said, smiling up at Bram. He puffed out his chest a bit, basking in her approval.

“Oh, it was very ‘Say Anything,’” Noah agreed. “Until our smooth operator here got so caught up in belting out the lyrics that he failed to notice Suzie’s dad sneaking up behind him with a garden hose. Next thing you know, Bram’s doing a drowned rat impression, the boom box is shooting sparks, and Suzie’s peering out her window wondering who’s strangling a cat on her front lawn.”

The table dissolved into guffaws as Bram buried his burning face in his hands. He felt Tabitha shaking with laughter beside him and peeked through his fingers to find her eyes dancing with mirth.

“In my defense,” Bram said, affecting a wounded air, “I sounded great until the impromptu bath. And Suzie did agree to go to the dance with me afterward. So really, you could say my brilliant plan worked.”

“Sure, if you don’t count the lingering pneumonia and your mother grounding you for a month for ruining your father’s best speaker system.” Noah snorted.

Bram wadded up his napkin and chucked it at his brother’s head. “Details.”

Tabitha looped her arm through Bram’s and brushed a consoling kiss to his cheek. “Well, I think it was very brave and romantic. Even if your singing does sound a bit like a drowning moose.”

“Hey!” Bram yelped in mock outrage as his family cackled.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” Tabitha held up her hands in surrender, eyes twinkling. “You have a lovely voice. For a grizzly bear.”

“Oh, that’s it,” Bram growled playfully. He hauled a shrieking, giggling Tabitha into his lap and attacked her sides with tickling fingers as she gasped and flailed helplessly. “Take it back, witch.”

“Never!” Tabitha wheezed through her laughter, squirming in his grip. “Unhand me, you brute!”

Someone, probably Noah, wolf-whistled. “Get a room, you two.”

Bram abruptly realized the rather provocative picture they must make, Tabitha straddling his lap, dress riding up her thighs, both of them flushed and breathing hard. He gentled his hold but didn’t release her, savoring her slight weight and the way her eyes had gone dark and soft as they locked with his.

“Later,” he promised in a whisper only she could hear. He felt her shiver as his lips grazed the shell of her ear before he plopped her back onto her own seat and turned to snag the last roll from the basket.

Tabitha straightened her dress and tossed her tousled curls, cheeks glowing pink. But she slipped her hand into Bram’s under the table and left it there for the rest of the meal. He stroked his thumb across her knuckles, marveling at how well they fit together. Like two halves of a whole.

The moment stretched, electric and full of promise. Until Aunt Louise launched into the story of the time a shifted Noah got his head stuck in the doggie door and the table exploded into raucous laughter once more.

But Bram held Tabitha’s hand tight and shot her a heated glance full of intent before diving back into dinner and lively conversation. She met his stare boldly, pupils blown wide, lower lip caught between her teeth.

Later, that look promised. Bram’s bear roared in anticipation. He couldn’t wait for later. Wooing his witch had just kicked into high gear. And he planned to love every second of this wild, magical ride.

Noah dove into another one of Bram’s embarrassing teenage stories.

“Laugh it up now,” Bram said, pointing a menacing finger at his still-snickering brother. “Just remember, I’ve got plenty of dirt on you too. And Tabby loves funny childhood stories, don’t you, sweetheart?”

Tabitha linked her arm through Bram’s and batted her lashes up at him. “You know me so well, honey bear.”

A thrill shot through Bram at the endearment, even as Noah blanched and shook his head frantically, mouthing “truce.” Bram smirked. That’s what he thought.

More embarrassing anecdotes flew as the meal progressed, each one prompting fresh gales of laughter. Bram found he didn’t even mind reliving his most cringe-worthy moments, not with Tabitha pressed warm and soft against his side as she giggled uncontrollably. Making his mate laugh felt like the biggest win of his life.

Avelyn stood and clinked her fork against her wine glass, calling the room to order. Bram tensed, sure she was about to launch into a speech about grandbabies just to see him squirm. But his mother surprised him.

“I’d like to propose a toast,” Avelyn began, meeting Bram’s gaze with a tender smile. “To my beloved son and the beautiful, brilliant woman who’s brought him so much joy.” She turned misty eyes on Tabitha. “Tabby girl, I know you haven’t been part of this family for long. But seeing you with my boy, how happy you make him... well, it feels an awful lot like fate.”

Bram’s heart seized as Tabitha reached under the table to squeeze his thigh, her own eyes suspiciously shiny.

“So here’s to Bram and Tabitha,” Avelyn continued, raising her glass high. “May your love story be one for the ages. And may you always face life’s ups and downs the same way you approached my meatloaf tonight--with heaping helpings of laughter and second portions all around.”

“Hear, hear!” The chorus rang out as glasses clinked and Bram swooped in to brush a quick, fervent kiss against Tabitha’s smiling lips. She tasted of red wine and something sweeter that Bram wanted to chase forever.

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