Page 19 of The Bear's Second Chance Mate
“Thank you so much for this,” she murmured, her eyes still on Oli. “It’s wonderful to see him so calm and engaged.”
Stanley nodded, his gaze following her son. “Animals are wonderful that way. They expect nothing. Don’t judge. They just…are.”
June glanced sideways. He sat forward slightly, elbows on his knees, coffee mug cupped in both hands. His flannel shirt was creased from work, and a flake of sawdust clung to his sleeve.
He was so her kind of man. A man who woke early to tend animals. Who taught kindness by example. Who made cookies. Who showed up. Who stayed.
Her need for that kind of man was almost unbearable.
“They’re easier than people,” she said. “Animals. They don’t ask questions you don’t know how to answer.”
Stanley nodded. “Sometimes that’s exactly what we need.”
She glanced at him again.
And that’s when she realized. It was not just how easygoing he was with Oli, but how easygoing he was with her. He didn’t push for answers. Didn’t pry. He was simply attentive, and kind, and accommodating. As if it meant a lot to him that she and Oli felt safe here. Felt happy.
And if she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine what it would feel like to rest her head on his shoulder. To not do it all alone. To let someone else carry the weight, just for once.
But she didn’t close her eyes.
She just sat there, sipping her coffee, letting herself believe, just for a moment, that maybe there was something between them. Maybe he was just biding his time before revealing his true self, their true relationship. Maybe he wasn’t simply being kind.
Maybe it was something more.
To distract herself, she took another sip, but it didn’t work. Beside her, Stanley shifted slightly, and the brush of his thigh against hers made her acutely aware of every inch of him.
“Do you mind if I ask…” he began, his voice kindling a warmth in her core that had nothing to do with the coffee.
“Ask away,” she said lightly, although her voice sounded breathy.
“What kinds of things help Oli feel settled? I’ve been reading as much as I can, but I know every child’s different. So I’d appreciate any personal tips from someone who has firsthand experience.”
June blinked. It wasn’t the question she expected. Usually, she got asked what’s wrong with him, or how can I fix him. As if Oli were a problem that could be solved.
June knew most people thought they were trying to be helpful, but weren’t.
Stanley sounded more like he just wanted to understand.
Her heart gave a slow, surprised thump.
“Routines help,” she said, her gaze fixed on her son. “Knowing what’s coming. Predictable transitions. Clear choices. And time. Sometimes he just needs time, you know, to take a breath, to process it all. Whenever we go somewhere new, I try to prepare him ahead of time—what it’ll look like, sound like, who’ll be there. But even then…” She trailed off. “Sometimes it’s just too much.”
Stanley nodded slowly. “He seems really comfortable here.”
“He does.” June nodded. And Oli wasn’t the only one. It had been a long time since June had felt so relaxed. Here, she didn’t need to be on edge, waiting for the next sensory trigger. “The animals soothe him.”
“They have that gift,” he said, like it mattered. “How’s he settling in here in Bear Creek?”
She glanced sideways at him. “We’ve only been here a few weeks. He’s still finding his feet.”
His eyes met hers. Calm, steady. But was there a spark there? Or did she imagine it? “What about you?”
June hesitated. She hadn’t meant to open that door. But there was something about the way he made her feel that left herwanting to open up to him. To trust him with her innermost thoughts.
“I’m…getting there,” she said eventually. “Moving here is meant to give us a fresh start.”
She didn’t say from what. He didn’t ask.
