Page 54 of Goldie and Her Bears (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 3)

“I realize I’m not an expert on this topic, but have you considered perhaps the cause has something to do with Cassie?” he asked. “She’s almost back to one hundred percent. Which also means she’ll want to find her family’s cabin soon.”

I shrugged, then turned around and leaned my back against the counter. I stared at the floor for a few moments before crossing my arms over my chest. “Maybe.”

He nodded.

“I don’t want to see her go,” I said as my heart ached even more. Jasper must have been right. The things inside me must have tied into Cassie.

“Nor do I,” he said. “But I don’t think she will want to stay. Her family’s cabin is important to her.”

“I get that.” I turned around and settled my attention on the dishes that still filled the sink. It wasn’t a secret she was searching for her inheritance. She had mentioned as much from day one. In fact, that was what brought her into our home in the first place.

Such a strange happenstance had brought her into my life. Into all of our lives. She was like the glue holding us together. She was the one thing we all didn’t know we were missing, and now that she was about to leave, I had no idea what to do with myself. I wasn’t able to think straight.

I wanted nothing more than to give her what she wanted. Including helping her find her family’s cabin. The problem was, there wasn’t another cabin around here for miles. During some of the trips I took hunting, I had searched.

Something wasn’t adding up.

Perhaps, if she didn’t find the cabin, she would come back. Then again, she might leave. Go back to Seattle and continue her life there as though we were nothing but a dream. A vacation. Surely, we didn’t mean so little to her. I could tell by looking into her eyes. But the fear from the small sliver of doubt had created a weight in my stomach that brought a sour taste to my mouth.

I wasn’t used to behaving or thinking this way. I didn’t like it. So much so I tried desperately to cling to every ounce of hope there was. I took in a shuddering breath. “Maybe her leaving doesn’t have to be the end for us.”

“I certainly hope you are right, my friend,” Jasper said.

Kai pranced into the kitchen, appearing extremely relaxed. Though that too was unusual, the new Kai was a blessing to see. He headed to the fridge and started rummaging through it. “What are you guys talking about?”

I said, “Cassie and how she’ll be leaving soon.”

Kai’s shoulders slumped. But he quickly shrugged off the motion by clearing his throat and muttering something about nothing being in the fridge before closing the door and leaning against the counter. He crossed his arms over his chest and was clearly trying to hide just how much her leaving affected him. But it was too late. I saw what he had done. And judging by the expression on Jasper’s face, he did too.

We all fell in love with her. And we were mere moments away from losing her.

“We have to do something for her. What if we can find the cabin for her?” I offered.

“We already promised her we’d help her do that,” Jasper said.

“Yes. That’s right,” I said. “But I mean find it first, and then take her to it. We could decorate it or fix it up or something beforehand… make it extra special.”

“You know as well as I do,” Kai said, turning around to rummage through the cabinet where we normally kept our snacks, “there isn’t another cabin around here for at least fifty miles in any direction. Is there nothing to eat in this damned house?”

“As far as I knew,” Jasper added. “This was the only one in the region.”

“I haven’t been out to the store since Cassie came here,” I said. “Tell me again, how you found this place.”

“Why?” he asked as he continued to search every inch of the cabinet for something to eat.

“I just had the thought this might be the cabin that she had been searching for,” I said. “I understand it’s a long shot, but there is a possibility the reason why she couldn’t find it is because she already had.”

“This place was abandoned and up for grabs at auction. I got it at a steal,” Kai said as he turned around and leaned against the counter again. “The title is considered reclaimed. When are you going back to the store again?”

I shrugged.

“I recall that too,” Jasper said. “If we found the deed, we could compare it with the address Cassie has. If this is her place, that would be incredibly coincidental. Do you remember where it is?”

Kai nodded. “Yeah. I have an idea. I can go find it so long as Cassie didn’t move it in one of her cleaning sprees.”

“Before you go,” Jasper said, holding his hand up, “Have we even thought about what would happen to us if we learn she is the rightful owner of this place?”

“Do you think she would kick us out?” Kai asked and snorted. “I highly doubt that.”

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