Page 71 of Hero Mine

She wanted to show him that the feminine side of her that she was finally expressing with Velvet Mornings extended to her as a woman.

And although everyone would get to see the food truck, only Bear was going to see this side of her.

But first, she needed to get dinner prepped. She had plans for Bear Bollinger, and that was going to require he was fed.

She almost hated to mess up the kitchen in any way, but it felt good to actually use it again to cook rather than just run in to warm something in the microwave like she had for the past six weeks.

She was keeping it relatively simple tonight, a jarred pasta sauce that she was fancifying by adding some fresh ingredients: herbs, garlic, and Italian sausage. She turned it to low and ran upstairs to get ready.

The wooden box she slid from beneath her bed wasn’t dusty.

Unlike everything else in this house that had been coated with a fine layer of neglect, this long and short wooden chest had remained pristine. Joy ran her fingers over the carved lid, taking a deep breath before lifting it open.

Inside lay the secret she’d kept from everyone in Oak Creek—the collection she’d started on her eighteenth birthday and had been quietly adding to ever since. Delicate fabrics in soft colors spilled over one another, a stark contrast to the practical clothes everyone assumed filled her drawers.

“I’m not just what they see,” she whispered to herself, lifting a sheer pale pink teddy from the pile.

She sifted through the collection, each piece bringing back memories of shopping trips to Reddington City, always alone, always feeling like she was living a double life. The tomboy who climbed trees and jumped into freezing lakes also loved lace and silk against her skin.

Her fingers stopped on a bra and panty set she’d purchased just weeks before the attack, a deep midnight blue, almost black in the shadows, with delicate lace trim that looked like it had been painted on the fabric. She’d been saving it for something special.

Forsomeonespecial.

“This one,” she decided, lifting it out.

In her bathroom, she took her time. The hot shower washed away the last traces of cleaning supplies from her skin, leaving behind the scent of her favorite jasmine body wash. She dried her hair until it fell in soft waves around her face rather than yanking it back into her usual ponytail.

Standing before the mirror wrapped in a towel, she applied a light coat of mascara, a touch of blush, and clear lip gloss. Nothing dramatic—Bear wouldn’t expect or want that—but enough to make her feel beautiful. To make her feel like herself.

The lingerie fit perfectly, molding to her body like a second skin. The bra pushed her breasts up just enough, the midnight blue contrasting with her creamy skin. The matching panties rode low on her hips, connected to thigh-high flesh-colored stockings by delicate garters that made her feel both powerful and vulnerable at the same time.

She studied her reflection, barely recognizing the woman who stared back at her. This wasn’t the Joy Davis that Oak Creek knew. This was the Joy she kept hidden, the one who dreamed of pink food trucks and beautiful things, who wasn’t afraid to be soft.

Bear would be the first person to see this side of her completely. Her throat tightened at the thought.

The soft silk robe slid over her shoulders, the material cool against her warmed skin. She tied it closed, letting the hem fall just above her knees, hiding her secret for just a little longer.

Downstairs, she checked on dinner, stirred the sauce, set the table with her nicest plates—the ones she’d had tucked away in a cabinet for years, waiting for an occasion that felt important enough to use them.

Tonight was that night.

The doorbell rang at exactly seven.

Joy’s heart slammed against her ribs. She took a deep breath, smoothed her hands down the silk of her robe, and crossed to the door.

Bear stood on the porch, a small bakery box in one hand, his other stuffed into the pocket of his jeans. His eyes widened slightly when he saw her, his gaze traveling slowly from her loose hair down to her bare feet.

“Hey,” he said, his voice rougher than usual.

“Hey yourself.” She stepped back, making room for him to enter. “Come in.”

He moved past her, close enough that she caught the scent of his soap. Her pulse quickened as she closed the door behind him.

Bear stood in her living room, turning slowly, taking in the transformed space. He looked at her in shock.

“You did all this?” He set the bakery box on the coffee table.

Joy shook her head. “Not alone. Sloane rallied the troops. Lincoln, Callum, Theo, Scarlett, Eva—they all helped. It would have been impossible without them.”

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