Cooper lunged forward, catching me with his body, then gently nosing me to my feet. The fur of his muzzle was baby-soft, like his human beard when stroked in the right direction. The thick layer of fur around his neck was coarser, but equally good for nuzzling.
So much for ferocious,I sighed.
You’ll get it. You’ve already learned so much, so fast,he said.
I had — and not just about being a bear. I’d learned how deeply Cooper slept in the off-season. How gentle his touch was. He much he loved me, and how much love I was capable of too.
And then there was the icing on the cake: the dream weaving part. I’d finally figured it out.
For years, I’d dreamed of living a normal life with loving parents who were there for me and cared. Well, I had that now — in Mike and Greg, if not my mother or Ed.
I’d dreamed of happy days in a stable home and being part of a family.
I inhaled, savoring every sweet, familiar scent of the ranch. Home. Happiness. Family.
Check, check, check.
I’d given up on dreams of ever finding true love, but then Cooper had come along and rekindled them.
My eyes misted as I added another check to my list.
All those dreams had come true — and more.
So, had I learned to weave dreams? Yes and no.
I could. I had. But not with magic, and not overnight. That wasn’t how it worked, I’d come to realize.
Now, I knew how. Bit by bit, over many years, I’d been slowly weaving my dreams. All those hard hours, earning respect in the metal shop. All those endless nights with baby Claire, who had turned out to be a great kid. All the mistakes I’d learned from — and the few smart decisions I’d made…they all wove together into what I had now.
My dreams had come true. I was living my very own happy ending.
And that wasn’t a magic power only certain special people had. It was something anyone could do with persistence, drive, and determination. A sprinkle of luck didn’t hurt, but the foundation of my dreams was mostly hope and hard work.
Nothing magical about that.
Cooper bumped his shoulder against mine.Are you okay?
I nuzzled him, hiding my misty eyes, and rumbled my reply.
Doing great,my love.
* * *