Page 18 of The Bear's Second Chance Mate
He was certain she could feel the connection between them. That’s what his brothers’ mates had told him. That it wasn’t as strong for a human as it was for a shifter, but it was there from the start. An intenseknowing.
She’s got that right, his bear said happily.
Stanley handed her the mug and gestured to the nearby table where they could sit. June followed him over, and Oli trailed close behind.
They settled into the chairs. Oli was on the edge of his seat, turning his cookie carefully in both hands before taking a bite.
He chewed for a moment, then declared with absolute authority: “This is really good.”
June raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed. “High praise. My son doesn’t hand out compliments lightly.”
Stanley chuckled. “I’ll take it.”
June bit into her own cookie and gave a hum of approval. “Okay, I admit it. You’ve got skills.”
Stanley felt something ease in his chest. Not just because she liked the cookie, but because her expression had softened again. Her body was more at ease. Whatever tension had been holding before had begun to loosen its grip.
And that made him happy. More than she could ever know.
Chapter Six – June
The coffee was warm, smooth, and comforting. Much like Stanley Thornberg.
Oh dear. She needed to stop thinking of the pet store owner romantically and focus on nurturing their friendship. Because if Aunt Barb was right about shifters and fated mates, Stanley would have acted on his primal impulses by now. But he had not, so it was time to accept the truth and let go of any idea of Stanley being anything more than a friend.
June sipped her coffee and focused on Oli, crouched beside the chinchilla enclosure.
For once, he didn’t fidget.
Didn’t pace.
Didn’t look to her for reassurance.
He was calm. Completely, astonishingly calm. And confident. Yes, that was perhaps the most surprising thing. He’d gained confidence through his interactions with animals.
She let out a breath she felt as if she’d been holding for months, maybe even years. This wouldn’t last. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe her son had undergone some miraculous transformation. Not that she’d want him to. She loved him just as he was. With his sharp edges, soft heart, and all the messy bits in between.
That was what being a mother was all about. No child was perfect.
It was just that hers was imperfect in a different way from most children.
The chinchilla had pressed its nose to the mesh, and Oli had responded with quiet reverence as he tried to gain the creature’s trust. He was murmuring something. Likely facts about nocturnal habits or dust baths. June couldn’t hear the words, but his tone—gentle, lulling—was one she knew well. It was the same one she used when the world overwhelmed him.
Her throat tightened.
What Stanley had created here was perfect. A little haven of tranquility, away from the outside world that so often confused those like Oli. And for mothers like her, too.
“You’re staring.” Stanley’s voice was low, amused, and much too close.
June blinked and turned to find him sitting beside her on the bench. She’d been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t even noticed him come to join her. But now that he was there, it was as if her body was attuned to his. As if they shared…
No. Just friends!
Friends who made her laugh. Friends who might remember Oli liked his food set out separately on his plate.
Friends who made herfeel. That kind of friend?
She was a lost cause!
