Page 10 of Beast Bear

“Sounds good,” she said.

Theo grinned, though she could see the apprehension in his eyes. She felt a swirl of fear in her chest about this out-of-control grizzly. Her father always used his inner dragon as an excuse for how he treated her mother. Serena swore she’d never get trapped with a mate who did the same.

Chapter

Twelve

Theo satin a booth by a large window in Fate Mountain Diner. It was just past seven, and the dinner rush had thinned slightly. One of the waitresses smiled at him, sensing he was waiting for someone special. He checked his phone one last time, thinking Serena might have sent him a text telling him she’d changed her mind.

Then headlights swept across the window. The car parked and Serena stepped out. She wore blue jeans and a zip-up jacket, her thick black hair falling softly around her shoulders. A twinge of anticipation stirred in his chest as she approached the diner’s door.

When she entered, she paused, taking in the warm lamplight and the faint scent of coffee and grilled onions. She caught sight of him and walked over, shoulders relaxing.

“You’re here,” she said, giving him a small smile. Serena slid into the booth and reached for the laminated menu, glancing over the classic diner offerings. A warm glow lit the pages, reflecting in Serena’s eyes as she studied the burger section.

“I’m in the mood for a jalapeno burger tonight. A little walk on the wild side,” Theo said.

Serena flipped a page, then nodded. “I think I’ll get a bacon cheeseburger. I had it my first night in Fate Mountain. I figure, why mess with a good thing?”

The sound of muted chatter filled the diner around them, while the faint hiss of a fryer in the kitchen hinted at fresh fries in the making.

The waitress approached. “Ready to order?” Serena set the menu down and gave the waitress her order. The server jotted it down, then turned to Theo. “And you?”

He handed her the menus and told her what he wanted. The waitress flashed a quick grin. “Great choices. Anything else?” They both shook their heads, and the waitress stepped away, menus tucked under her arm. Serena leaned back in the booth, resting her hands on the table.

Theo leaned forward. “How was your day? I heard you were on a rescue earlier.”

Her shoulders tensed. “It was a mess. The sabotage, or whatever it was, changed an orienteering session’s schedule. People left early, walked straight into a landslide zone. I ended up treating a sprained ankle.”

He frowned. “Feels like every day the academy has a new problem.”

The waitress returned, setting down two frosty shakes topped with whipped cream and a bright red cherry. “Burgers will be out soon,” she said with a smile before hurrying back to the kitchen.

Theo took a sip of his shake, savoring the cool sweetness. Serena drew on her straw, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment at the taste. “So good,” she murmured. She met his gaze and exhaled. “I really needed to get away from all that for a while. This is nice.”

The waitress reappeared with two plates of burgers and golden fries. The smell of grilled beef and melted cheese rose in a warm wave, making Serena’s mouth water. She picked up the burger, took a bite, and let out a soft moan of approval.

“This is better than I remember from my hotel room,” she said with a faint grin.

Theo smiled at her reaction. “I’m glad you like it.” He lifted his own burger, taking a bite. The savory, spicy flavor hit just right.

She dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “After you told me about your famous dad, I looked you up online. Seems like you were famous in the local restaurant scene in Portland yourself. You even had a write-up about rescuing hostages in a bank robbery.”

He set his burger down. “I suppose you read the article about how I got arrested in a Portland park.”

“I missed that one.” She took a sip of chocolate shake, watching him intently. “What happened. How did you get arrested in the park?”

Theo revealed his story in a burst. “I’d been losing my grip on my bear since the bank robbery. It was an issue I had in childhood that I’d thought I’d overcome a long time ago. After months of barely holding it together, I lost control when I saw what looked like a stalker in the park. I shifted and chased down what turned out to be a married couple and then several other humans. I was tranquilized and arrested. Charged with criminal threat. Thepapers officially stripped me of the hero status they’d given me just months before.”

She watched him carefully. “Wow. That’s a lot to process. I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“I’m dealing with it,” he said, wanting to change the subject. “Your pictures looked like they were taken in San Francisco. Is that where you’re from?”

“I’m from Las Vegas. But after I left home and got paramedic training, I roamed around a lot. I was in San Francisco when I found the paramedic-integration course at the academy. It sounded like a new challenge. I figured, why not? At this point, I don’t want to lose my investment.”

Theo grabbed a fry, swirling it in ketchup. “Do you have any siblings? What are your parents like?”

“I’m an only child,” she said. “Thankfully, I’m the only one who was subjected to my parents’ horror show of a marriage.”

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