Page 53 of The Bear's Forever Mat
How long did she have to wait for maximum impact? She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, a soft note of sadness brushing the air. “Oh, nothing.”
He moved as if the years were nothing, instantly at her feet as he looked into her eyes with concern. “Now, darling. No secrets between us.”
“You keep plenty of secrets from me,” she declared, fighting her amusement to keep the façade of sadness in place.
“Only when I think the secrets will make you happy down the road,” he promised.
“Charmer.”
“Yourcharmer,” he insisted. Then in a typical Giles move, he swept her up and resettled in the chair, this time with her on his lap. “Now tell me what’s got your sweet expression sliding into a frown of worry.”
Laureen didn’t push it—she was a good actress, but Giles was no fool. She fed him her prepared story.
“With Giles Jr. and Glenda away for over a year, it’s going to be a little lonelier for me. Oh, I know I have you”—she laid a hand on his chest in honest adoration—“but the grandchildren are so caught up in their own plans. Especially now that they’ve been given more responsibility with the company.”
“They’re good workers,” Giles told her proudly. “Going to do amazing things for Borealis Gems. All of them are so strong and gifted in their jobs.”
“They are. They take after their father, and their father’s father.” She tapped him briefly on the nose and watched his grin bloom at her playfulness. Then she sighed softly. “But all work and no play is a bad idea, Giles. It took a long time for me to teach you to relax. And Glenda is the one who makes sure our son takes time to smell the roses. Who is going to be there to help our grandsons realize there’s more to life than a bottom line?”
Giles blinked. “Oh.”
She snuggled against his broad chest, the way she had for years and years. While there she marveled a little that this sweet, determined polar bear shifter who had won her heart had no idea she could read him like a book.
“Well, workisimportant,” Giles began.
“Work isveryimportant,” she agreed. “I couldn’t want more for the company than to have our grandsons in charge. But if it means that they keep pushing off falling in love and starting their own families, well, then.” She snapped upright, not just acting but sharing the truth she felt to her core. “I’d give the entire business to Midnight Inc. and be done with it if Borealis Gems proves to be a detriment to Cooper, Alex and James finding mates and forever loves.”
Giles chuckled at her tone. “You’re magnificent when you’re fired up.”
“It’s just that I love you so much,” she said honestly. “You’re my heart, Giles Borealis, and don’t you forget it.”
“I love you, Laureen Borealis, and you leave the boys to me. I think I can deal with your worries easy enough,” he promised.
* * *
And he had,or so it appeared.
Giles didn’t need to be reminded about the times she’d spent with Kaylee and James when they were younger, guiding the two youngsters into a rich, deep relationship that would be ready to bloom at the perfect moment.
There wasn’t a reason to mention that Laureen had first met the Lazuli family years earlier, back at college. That she’d encouraged the parents to move to Yellowknife in the first place.
And when Lara had gone away to college, Laureen had kept in touch with the Orion pack through monthly “book club” visits with Amethyst Lazuli. Oh, yes, there’d been behind the scenes work done all around to be sure when Lara returned, she’d find a place to call home with Alex.
And the bits of help she might have provided Amber to make sure that she was ready to meet her challenge—well, that had simply been a woman helping another woman find her feet in the wilderness of the north.
Laureen glanced again at the pages of Giles’s journal.
It was tempting to post a sticky note. To add a couple of lines referring to the itemsshe’dset in motion, but then again, this wasn’t about who had done what.
Her grandsons were mated. That’s what counted. It had taken some doing, but every bit had been worth it. Giles was happy, she now had granddaughters, and soon there would be great-grandbabies to cuddle.
He didn’t need to know the rest of the story.
Contented, she pressed a kiss to his lips.
Giles smiled without opening his eyes. “What a wonderful dream I’m having.”
“Not a dream. Just an everyday, ordinary event,” she whispered.
