Page 32 of The Bear's Second Chance Mate
The question caught him off guard. It wasn’t what he’d expected, not by a long shot, but he liked that she wanted to get to know him.
“I grew up surrounded by them,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “Not just pets. Wild animals, too. My brothers and I spent most of our childhood exploring the mountains around Bear Creek. And my uncle has a ranch, so we spent a lot of time over there.”
She’s interested in you.His bear seemed more settled now.This is good.
“We’d follow tracks, learn to recognize bird calls,” Stanley continued, warming to the subject. “My dad taught us to move quietly, to observe without disturbing. To respect their space.”
June leaned forward slightly, her coffee forgotten. “That sounds...peaceful.”
“It was,” Stanley said, memories washing over him. “Still is, when I get the chance to go up there. There’s something about being in the wilderness that just...centers you, you know?”
“I don’t, actually,” June admitted with a small laugh. “I grew up in the city. The most wildlife I saw was pigeons fighting over pizza crusts.”
Stanley chuckled. “Well, we’ve got better dining options for the local wildlife here.”
“I bet,” June said, and this time her smile reached her eyes. “Oli would love that. Being in nature, I mean. He’s always been drawn to it, but we never had much access.”
“I could show you both sometime,” Stanley offered before he could stop himself. “There’s a trail near the edge of town, easy walking, lots to see. Perfect for beginners.”
His bear practically purred with satisfaction.Yes. Get her into our territory.
June’s smile faltered slightly, that guardedness returning. “Maybe. We’ll see.”
Stanley backpedaled, sensing he’d pushed too far. “No pressure. Just an offer.”
She nodded, taking another sip of her coffee. A silence fell between them, but it felt different now, less strained, more contemplative.
“The animals really do help, don’t they?” June said, finally, her voice soft. “With staying grounded, I mean.”
Stanley looked up, surprised at the perceptiveness of her question. “They do. They live completely in the present. No worrying about tomorrow, no regrets about yesterday. Just...now.”
“That’s what I’ve noticed with Oli,” June said. “When he’s with Herbert or feeding Clive, he’s just...there. Not trying to make sense of a world he finds confusing.”
“Over the years, I’ve seen how pets can help people. And not just those with special needs. But they can help people cope with bereavement, be a constant when there is an upheaval in life,” Stanley said, thinking back over the people and pets he’d met while owning the store.
June’s eyes met his, and the guardedness that had shrouded her since she walked in seemed to melt away, replaced by an openness that made Stanley’s breath catch.
She’d finally let down her barriers.
Thank goodness,his bear sighed.For a minute there,I thought you’d blown it.
“That’s exactly it,” she said, leaning forward slightly. “With the animals, Oli doesn’t have to translate the world. They accept him exactly as he is.” Her voice dropped lower, more intimate. “Just like you have accepted him. Do you know how rare that is?”
Stanley nodded, afraid to break the spell that had fallen between them. The morning light caught in her hair, turning the dark strands to amber at the edges.
“Most people expect him to be different,” she continued, her fingers tracing the rim of her mug. “They want him to make eye contact when it hurts him, to sit still when his body needs to move, to process noise and light and touch the way they do.” She took a deep breath. “But you didn’t.”
“I understand maybe more than you could imagine,” Stanley said simply.
June studied him, her head tilted slightly. “I think maybe you do.”
Chapter Ten – June
June watched Stanley through her lashes as she sipped her coffee. This morning, as she drove to the cafe, she’d decided to follow Barb’s advice and keep things cool, neutral with Stanley. Friends. That’s what she’d kept telling herself.
After all, this was not a date; it was two professional people sitting down for coffee and talking about how to help children with special needs feel more relaxed in Stanley’s pet store.
But slowly, he’d chipped away at her resolve. Not that anything had changed between them. If they were mates, he still had given her no sign, no clue to his true feelings. But she could sense something there, a connection between them.
