Page 5 of Bearly Believable Romance

“Fancy meeting you here,” Tabitha said, sliding onto a stool.

Bram grinned, leaning against the bar. “Well, I do sort of work here. What brings you in?”

Tabitha shrugged, her blue eyes sparkling. “Do you know Elsie?”

“Everyone knows Elsie.”

“She mentioned I had to check out Hartley Brewery. Something about the best craft beer in town.”

Bram laughed, shaking his head. “Elsie, huh? I should have known.” He grabbed a glass, filling it with their signature amber ale and sliding it across to her. “Well, far be it from me to disappoint. On the house.”

Tabitha took a sip, her eyes widening. “Wow. Elsie wasn’t kidding. This is amazing.”

“Glad you like it.” Bram hesitated, then decided to take a chance. “So, what brings you to Whispering Pines? Besides the beer, of course.”

Tabitha sighed, her fingers tracing patterns in the condensation on her glass. “It’s a long story. Short version - I inherited my grandmother’s house, but there are some... conditions attached. I have to live here for a year and get to know the community, that sort of thing. But if I happen to fall in love, I get the house once my engagement is announced publicly.”

Bram nodded, understanding dawning. “Ah, I get it. Family pressure, right? Believe me, I know all about that.”

Tabitha looked up, curiosity in her gaze. “Oh?”

Bram ran a hand through his hair, chuckling ruefully. “Let’s just say my mom is very invested in my love life. Or lack thereof. She’s constantly trying to set me up with every eligible bachelorette in town.”

“Sounds familiar,” Tabitha commiserated. “My parents are the same way. They keep hinting about how I’m not getting any younger and how I should be ‘settling down.’” She made air quotes around the last words.

Bram shook his head, a sudden, wild idea forming. “You know,” he said slowly, “we could kill two birds with one stone here.” At Tabitha’s raised eyebrow, he continued. “What if we pretend to date? It would get my mom off my back and help you fulfill those pesky inheritance conditions.”

Tabitha stared at him for a long moment, and Bram was about to backtrack, to laugh it off as a joke, when a slow smile spread across her face. “Works for me. Would your family believe it?”

“I’m a shifter. It’s in our nature to meet, claim, and mate. That’s the most realistic story we can give.”

“You- you do that?” She stared at his mouth and he smelled the sweet scent of her desire.

He leaned forward on the table, his finger caressing her palm and his gaze locked on hers. “All shifters do. It’s part of who we are.”

She gave a nervous chuckle. “Right. Right.”

He didn’t want to scare her off so he pulled back and relaxed into his seat. “We should probably come up with a good story and details for when we’re asked questions. You know, so we don’t look like bumbling idiots.”

Tabitha laughed, her eyes alight with joy. “Absolutely. Tomorrow afternoon I’m free.”

They exchanged numbers and made plans to meet up at the cafe, sealing their agreement with a playful handshake that lingered just a beat too long but not long enough in his opinion. As Tabitha left the brewery, Bram found himself staring after her. Great. He wanted his fake girlfriend naked. Had he just made his life more complicated?

He finished work in a daze, his thoughts constantly drifting to a certain blonde beauty and their impending scheme. When he finally locked up for the night, he took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders.

Time to break the news to his mother.

Avelyn’s shriek of delight when he casually mentioned his “new girlfriend” nearly shattered his eardrums. She peppered him with questions, her eyes shining with unbridled joy.

“Oh, Bramwell! I knew it! I knew you’d find someone. When can I meet her? You must bring her to dinner. Tomorrow. No, tonight!”

Bram held up his hands, chuckling. “Slow down, Mom. You know how it is. I knew the moment I met her, yesterday.”

She raised her brows in surprise. “Yesterday?”

“It was love at first sight.”

“Aw, honey. I love it!” She gave him a conspiratorial wink. “I bet you had a wild night. I can’t wait to meet her.”

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