Page 3 of Fire Bear

Heads turned toward Ash. He grimaced, though he couldn’t resist a grin. “Aw, Dad, you just had to bring that up.”

Reed snickered. “I remember. You insisted you could handle Roman candles by yourself.”

Ash coughed in mock embarrassment. “I was young and had an overabundance of confidence. The yard got an unplanned fireworks display, and the compost pile nearly went up in flames.”

Ivy smirked. “Mom freaked out. I remember you grabbed the garden hose and tried to stomp out the smoldering grass.”

Corey chuckled. “You took fire safety so seriously after that. That was when your mother and I realized you’d found your calling in firefighting.”

Ash felt a wash of warmth and a hint of sadness. His mother’s absence always made these recollections bittersweet. He thought about how he’d grown from a reckless teen to a responsible Fire Patrol Chief.

After dinner, Holly stood up and disappeared into the kitchen. She reappeared carrying a decadent chocolate cake brimmingwith candles. “Time for the big moment,” she announced, setting it in front of Corey.

Corey groaned about the candle count, but a playful grin curved on his lips. Everyone sang a rowdy version of “Happy Birthday,” and Corey blew out the candles to a round of applause.

After he sliced the cake, Holly distributed slices. The rich chocolate melted on Ash’s tongue. Family nights like these reminded him what life beyond the station could be.

Zoe waited until they’d all had a few bites of cake before she said, “I heard that mate.com has had an uptick in popularity lately. Are all of you young Brights signed up?”

Rolo grinned. “It worked for me and Zoe.”

Holly winked. “And Elias and I.” She smiled at her mate. “Not to mention Mom and Dad.”

“I’m signed up,” Reed said.

Ivy sighed, “So am I.”

Everyone turned to look at Ash.

He tried to maintain composure, but he felt warmth creeping up his neck. He glanced at his dad. “Your mother believed in fate,” Corey said, a wistful look on his face.

A hush settled for a moment as they recalled Willow. Holly broke it with a soft laugh. “She used to tease that a big old grizzly needed a partner to share his honey.”

The table chuckled. Ash took a swig of water to mask his slight discomfort. “I still haven’t signed up if that’s what this is about. My job’s plenty fulfilling.”

Ivy adjusted her glasses. “Sure, but a job isn’t exactly going to keep you warm at night, big brother.” Her tone was playful but carried genuine concern.

Holly nodded. “There’s more to life than firefighting.”

Ash exhaled slowly. “I appreciate your concern, truly. But if it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen.”

Corey patted Ash’s hand. “If you ever change your mind about giving mate.com a shot, it’s there. But tonight’s about me being old.”

That earned a round of good-natured laughter. The conversation shifted to Zoe and Rollo’s latest travel escapade and their new antique hunting obsession. Ash listened, content to let the chatter swirl around him.

When they finished eating birthday cake, Corey opened his stacks of presents, to rounds of appreciation and laughter. As the clock ticked toward bedtime for the older members of the family, they began their farewells.

Zoe and Rolo invited the family to join them at the orchard festival next weekend. Holly and Elias took a portion of leftover cake home. Reed teased that he’d come crash at Ash’s cabin sometime soon for a bachelor brother jam session.

Ash stepped into the night, arms laden with leftover pork roast and a small container of cake. Crickets chirped, and the waters of Fate Lake shimmered. On the drive home, the full moon hovered above the mountain peaks, painting everything in silver. A fleeting thought crossed his mind. Wouldn’t it be nice to share nights like this with a mate?

After a ten-minute drive through the mountain, he parked in front of his one-bedroom, rustic cabin. He took the leftovers inside and placed them in the fridge. The cabin felt extra still after the lively chaos of the family dinner. Ash switched on the lamp by the couch and sank down with a groan. A wave of restlessness coursed through him.

Impulsively, he fetched his laptop from a side table. He flipped it open and typed in the address for mate.com. The front page loaded, splashed with playful branding and a bear paw motif from Corey’s original brand aesthetic. He hesitated, but the echo of his family’s voices prodded him on.

The sign-up form popped open, asking for basic details such as name, age, and shifter type. He typed “grizzly.” Then it wanted a photo. He rummaged through his laptop for a picture from last fall, standing by the brush truck.

Next came the personality questionnaire. Some questions were simple, like favorite color or dream vacation. Others were odd. If you were a vegetable, what would you be? He nearly snorted, selecting corn out of sheer randomness. The final page asked for a short introduction.

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