Page 79 of Bear Creek Valentine
“You’re welcome to come and stay anytime, and it’s always my treat.”
It seemed half the tables contained members of Dash’s family. The younger kids were paired with Jean and Lamont or the teenage cousins, leaving Bram, Isobel, Sorcha, Kamdyn, and their mates at the large ten-top with two empty seats. As with Dash’s parents, they all required scenting and hugs before settling down for the meal. Conversations overlapped, with questions and comments coming from multiple sources at once. Aiden often had difficulty keeping up unless he was the one answering.
As expected, they asked about the fire,Delicious, and the resort. Dash also updated them about his involvement with the Cub House and other philanthropic projects he was working on. Aiden noticed Bram had seated himself right next to Dash, and he observed the brothers covertly during the meal. The two were almost physical opposites—Bram bigger and taller with his mother’s facial features, versus Dash’s compact body and face, which strongly resembled his father. His mate referred to himself as the runt of the litter, but his reduced height was only noticeable in human form.
A litter. Dash was part of alitter! Why hadn’t he understood what that meant? Jean and Lamont’s cubs were all born at the same time, making the siblings the same age. Just like he and Ashton were twins, Bram was basically Dash’s twin, too. Watching them interact brought a new appreciation for their relationship as brothers. While Dash was also close to his sisters, he and Bram enjoyed a bit more intimacy... closeness... camaraderie? There must be a word for whatever made the difference, even if he couldn’t name it properly.
Whatever doubt he’d had about reuniting with Ashton disappeared at that moment. If there was any chance at all of regaining his brother, he’d take it. The sudden change in hisscent caused Dash to break off his conversation and pull him close.
“What is it, love? Are you all right?”
The table went quiet as everyone watched the scene play out, listening to every word they said. After his epic meltdown the last time they were together, Aiden didn’t want to embarrass his mate with more tears.
“I’m okay. Just thinking about the importance of family. You’re lucky to have such great siblings.”
Dash guessed what Aiden what really talking about, but deflected the attention with a joke instead.
“Well, I suppose they’re all right. I think they’re jealous because I’m the best-looking.”
The table erupted in laughter and teasing. Aiden pecked Dash’s cheek.
“Since there’s no safe answer, I’ll let the rest of you duke it out.”
Dessert arrived just then, and everyone’s attention was refocused on the food. Aiden would explain after lunch when he and Dash were alone, but he already felt better about his decision to see Ashton again.
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Later, at the Watershed
Aiden felt a little self-conscious being the only one there in human form, dressed in swim trunks. The Watershed was nearly the same size as the water park but built differently. Here, the space was filled with actual trees and plants of every kind and cozy dens for snoozing—all soaked with sunshine through the overhead dome. The vibe was different here, too; laid back, with the soothing sound of flowing water—no raucous laughter, shouts, or the hum of myriad conversations.
Between the wide walking paths were the various water features, including a meandering stream, waterfalls, shallow soaking pools, a play pond with floating toys, and a large central lake for swimming. From a distance, Aiden couldn’t really tell who was who except his beautiful mate, and then only because he sported a white chest blaze. He hadn’t spent enough time with the family in ursine form to remember the minor differences between them.
Most of the kids were in the play pond, batting around the water toys and dunking one another, watched over by several adult females. A pair he assumed was Lamont and Jean moved from one feature to another, investigating for a few minutes before moving on to the next. Dash and his siblings ended up in the lake for a swim, and Aiden joined them. The water was clean, sparkling, and warmer than he’d expected.
The couple swam together for a while, never too far from the others. Aiden couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in the water, and certainly never among bears! They were accomplished swimmers, despite their size, using their enormous paws in a dog-paddle method to go anywhere they pleased. When Aiden began to tire, Dash simply dipped under the surface and came up underneath, with Aiden riding on his back.
The others decided this was a game of keep-away and soon came after the pair. Dash was determined not to let anyone capture his mate, though Bram dunked his brother and snatched Aiden several times. They were very gentle with him, though not necessarily with each other—baring teeth, growling ominously, and slapping the water with their front paws. Bears could be social creatures at times, but also vigorously protect what was theirs when necessary.
After a while, Aiden grew weary of the intense game, and Dash, ever attentive, brought him to shore. The rest followed,and the group split up to find other amusements, check in with mates, or sun themselves on one of the large boulders. For the rest of the afternoon, they interacted with various family members wherever they found them. The kids, of course, wanted to play with Uncle Dash, and Aiden mostly watched from the sidelines to avoid their sharp claws.
The day ended with a meal in the foodpark; a strange but interesting experience. Along one wall of the open room were several traditional tables and chairs for human guests. They chose a spot, flashed their key cards at the reader on the table, and the food was brought out to them—Aiden’s from the Delaware Room, and Dash’s from the attached kitchen. Aiden was given one of several meal choices he’d made at check-in, whereas Dash received whatever was on the menu at the time.
His arrived on a large flat tray, held up off the floor by sturdy foldable legs, and placed next to Aiden’s table. It appeared to be an enormous serving of mixed raw vegetables and hearty chunks of rare beef roast, drizzled with a savory sauce. If Dash wanted more, he simply pressed the nearby floor button, and the staff brought an additional serving. For dessert, Aiden received a slice of apple pie à la mode, and Dash was given a gigantic serving of warm berry cobbler, sweetened with raw honey.
The rest of the family ate the same way, and the amount of food they consumed was... impressive. Bears didn’t dawdle when it came to meals—they dove right in and snarfed it down with alacrity, just as they would have done in the wild. Since interaction wasn’t necessary, no time was wasted on conversation, reading menus, ordering, or paying the check. When they were finished, the bear in question simply walked out.
Dash claimed the system was cost-effective, and since bears rarely left anything behind, little waste occurred. A lot of thought went into creating a memorable experience, and guestsgave the foodpark rave reviews following checkout, along with suggestions to make it even better. Once the odd nature of the place wore off, Aiden understood why bears would appreciate dining in a place like this.
After supper, the couple returned to their room, where Dash shifted and joined Aiden in the shower. Afterward, they made love and curled up on the reinforced bed; Dash in bear form holding his precious human mate.
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As vacations always do, this one passed quickly for the busy entrepreneurs. They’d enjoyed activities as a couple and family outings, including time on the ski slopes. Lunch each day took place in human form, and on Tuesday, Jean slipped Aiden a written note.
Meet me,alone, at the Hungry Bear. Bring your car keys!
The odd, clandestine request must have been a setup because Dash’s father and brother suddenly asked his mate for a behind-the-scenes tour of the resort as they left the Delaware Room. Aiden begged off.
