Page 47 of The Bear's Chosen Mate
He briefly joined Alex and Cooper at the base of the stairs that led to the stage, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as he let it out slowly.
A heavy hand landed on his shoulder.Cooper.Solid and reassuring.“I’m sure she’ll be here soon.”
A low grumble escaped Alex followed by a gasp.
James opened his eyes to discover Alex rubbing his shoulder.Cooper shook out his fingers as if his fist had recently been in action.His older brother glared meaningfully.
“Fine.I’m sure Kaylee is safe as well, but I’m mad at her, okay?”Alex admitted.“I hate to see you like this, bro.”
“See me how?”James asked.
Alex shrugged.“I know you said you chose her, but today’s the loneliest I’ve seen you in a long time.It’s not right.I like Kaylee plenty, but if she’s not able to be there for you, something’s got to change.”
Like a switch being thrown and the light coming on, that was all it took.The missing bit of information.The idea that had eluded him.
James’s heart beat wildly, smashing against his rib cage.He slammed his hands down on Alex’s shoulders and squeezed tight, sheer joy rushing his veins.“You’re absolutely right.”
Alex cringed as James’s hands made impact—probably figured he was about to be taken apart by one pissed-off bear.Instead, James hauled him in for a tight hug, pounding him between the shoulders before shoving him away and grabbing hold of Cooper.He offered his oldest brother the same enthusiastic back-pounding before stepping away.“You guys are the best.I mean that.”
Cooper’s expression turned suspicious.“What are you up to?”
“Making a change,” James announced before whirling.He took the stairs three at a time, only slowing when he reached the edge of the auditorium stage.
Grandpa Giles was holding court in the middle of the stage.The spotlight on the debonair gentleman turned him into the feature presentation at a rock star’s sold-out farewell tour.
But alert as usual, he spotted James and motioned him forward.“There he is.I guess it’s time for me to stop boring you all with my stories.I’ll let my grandson carry on the festivities.James?”
Grandpa Giles held his arms out welcomingly.James marched forward.He took the old man’s hand and shook it while out in the audience, polite applause rose.
James took control of the microphone, but then when his grandpa would’ve walked away, James held him back.
“Before I get started, I wanted to say a few words to my grandpa.”James knew how to work a crowd, and if there was ever a time to do it, this was it.
Maybe Kaylee wasn’t there, yet shewas.She was there in his heart, and while he needed to get this done so he could get off the stage and go find her, there was something important that had to be accomplished first.
He looked his grandpa in the eyes and offered a wink, just to get the old man wondering, before he turned to the audience before him.“Not all of you have the pleasure of a close-knit family like mine.I’ll tell you that usually it’s a wonderful thing.Although occasionally…” He pulled a face, tilting his head as he looked out over the invisible crowd before him.
A trickle of laughter rose.
“But between the rare times we don’t get along, and the many times that we do, there’s something that binds us all together.Borealis Gems, it’s a true family operation.You all know my oldest brother, Cooper, and my brother Alex are involved with the intricate details of running the place on a daily basis.My parents, although not here in Canada, are doing what they can to help out, looking for new sources and making sure that everything is being done in a way that’s ecologically sound and follows the family mandate.Because that’s important to us here at Borealis Gems.”
Applause again, this time stronger with a few shouts of approval.
James glanced back at his grandpa, his grandma waiting in the wings with curiosity on her face.“Here is part of the reason why we have such a strong family ethic.This man, my grandpa.He’s the one who taught all of us the business.He taught me how to tell a joke, how to pick the perfect setting for the perfect situation.Hell, he taught me how to fish.With a rod, and with the paw—and if you want a good story, ask him to tell you about the time we got caught in a flash flood up on the White River in the Yukon.”
Grandpa Giles wore a huge grin.He shook his head, waggling a finger in James’s direction.
The sweet sensation inside James’s chest was growing.As if something was unraveling.The need to go find Kaylee increased until it was a pulse inside his body, urgent.Dire.
It was a good thing he was nearly done, yet he owed it to his brothers and the family to finish this properly.“Yes, everybody needs to have somebody in their life like Grandpa Giles.Not only does he teach us things, but he’s one of those people who light a fire under you and make you do the right thing even when you don’t feel like it at the time.Which is why right now, before all of you, I want to say thank you, Grandpa Giles.Thanks for your leadership and guidance and encouragement, I couldn’t have done it without you.”
He glanced over at the wings of the stage where Cooper and Alex had moved into the very edge of the light.He met their eyes steadily.Alex looked worried.Cooper seemed rock solid as if he suspected what James was about to do.He dipped his chin in approval.
James took a deep breath and turned back to his grandpa.“I’m handing in my resignation, effective immediately.”
A gasp went up from the crowd.Grandpa Giles blinked, his mouth opening and closing, but no words came out.
Wow.Amazing.It was a moment to savour.It wasn’t often that anyone managed to make the old man speechless.
