Page 20 of Snowed in with the Bear Shifter
He shook his head. “Nothing like that.”
“Well?” she said, reaching out to give him a poke in the side. “What happened? Spill and give me specifics. Leave nothing out.”
He wasn’t going to get nearly as specific as she wanted, but he gave her a solid rundown of events. She was smart, his sister, and he needed a second opinion because he was lost in the worst-case scenario right now.
“Huh,” she said, cradling her cup in her hands. “So she just left?”
He nodded.
“And you haven’t heard from her?”
“Just a short text that she’d made it home safely.”
“Huh,” she said again.
That was not what he was looking for. He’d hoped that, by spilling his guts to his big sister, she’d come up with a solution or at least give him some suggestions for him because, as much as Eloise leaving this morning felt like the end of it all, he kept a teeny spark of hope burning in his heart. Instead, Briar’s noncommittal reaction made his stomach cramp.
“Just say it, Briar,” he growled, his hands clenching as he braced himself.
“It’s just…” Briar puffed out a breath. “That’s not the Eloise I know. Granted these days, we have a long-distance, check in once a month kind of friendship, but I know for certain that El isn’t the type to leave a bear hanging. Especially not after smexytimes.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Could you please not call it that?”
“Call it what? Smexytimes?” She flashed him an evil grin as he fake-gagged. “Anyway, she isn’t the type to just up and disappear like that. Not after learning she’s your mate. She wouldn’t do that. Because she hasn’t given you an answer yet, has she?”
He kicked a sock-covered toe against the waterfall edge of the island’s granite countertop. “No. This morning, I drove her to her car. She gave me a quick kiss goodbye, said thanks, and then drove off.”
“Roarke, have I told you lately what a giant dingdong you are?” she said with a disappointed shake of her head.
“Very helpful.”
“It’s barely been half a day,” she said, pursing her lips.
“Okay, but…”
Outside, there were some loud growls and a couple of high-pitched squeals, followed by the scariest sound of all: silence.
“Shit,” Briar said, sliding off the barstool and quickly gathering up the cubs’ clothing. “I’ve got to go. But you need to use your head, little brother. You told her to take all the time she needed to decide if she wanted to be your mate. And she didn’t leave you; she just went home, so stop moping around.” She stuffed everything into a bag and threw on her coat. “Bear up, leave your hideaway, and go track down your woman. Make it crystal clear how you feel about her. Get the answer you need. And bring her flowers or chocolate or something. A bit of wooing goes a long way.” Shoving her feet into her boots, she slung the bag over her shoulder. “Oh, and don’t forget to invite her to Christmas Eve dinner. Mom and Dad will want to see her.”
With that, she slammed the door behind her, leaving Roarke once again alone with his thoughts.
15
ELOISE
“And then you left?” Rowan asked, straightening the area around the cashwrap. She raised an eyebrow, her bright green eyes wide. “Just like that?”
“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Eloise said, straightening a shelf of soaps so the labels all faced out.
It was early afternoon on Christmas Eve, and The Mortar and Pestle had been doing a brisk business thanks to a steady stream of last-minute shoppers. Usually, her mother would’ve been right there with her, happily wrapping packages and chatting with the customers. Instead, the woman was on her way to Charlotte to drop their visitors off at the airport, leaving Eloise on her own.
She called for reinforcements.Thank the goddess for besties willing to drop everything to help a girl out,she thought, shooting Rowan a fond look. Besides, she needed moral support.
“And you haven’t talked to him since?”
“I texted him yesterday that I made it home safely and then a couple of times today,” she said. “He hasn’t responded.” She tried not to read too much into his silence. After all, cell serviceup at the cabin was spotty, as she could attest. She didn’t want to assume he was ignoring her.
“Probably because you ditched him the day after he said you’re his mate. Oh, and right after you fucked his brains out.”
