Claiming the White Bear: White Bear Series, Book 2 Read online

  “There’s always Joy,” Ben said to Edward as he was headed back to one of his own tables to serve.

  Edward ignored his cousin’s suggestion. Joy wanted a dozen kids, and she was serious about it. Worse, she wanted a mate to stay home and babysit while she continued to work as a ski instructor at the nearby ski resort. She was eagerly searching for a mate, but most of the guys they knew were steering clear of her, except for having friendly chats with her.

  Ben delivered the food to a table, then headed back to the counter for more platters.

  When Edward reached the woman and her two kids, he greeted them. “You look cold. Come with me, and I’ll find you a table by the fire so you can warm up.”

  He smelled her and the boys’ scents and realized the woman was the same one who had left him some six years ago. Robyn Conibear. His heart rate sped up. The woman he had never stopped loving had his heart doing flip-flops again.

  The boys were polar bear shifters too. He’d fallen so hard for her and she had seemed to feel the same for him, until he had to kill her brother in self-defense right in front of her eyes. She left and it was over between them. He understood why she’d left him, but the old interest roared to life. It didn’t matter that she was mated now and had a couple of boys. The gnawing need to have her for his mate took hold and he had the greatest urge to pull her into his arms for a warm, bear hug.

  He didn’t blame someone else for falling in love with her either. He completely understood.

  He’d never fallen out of love with her either. Even now his damn heart was tripping as she pulled down her dickey and lifted the fur-trimmed hood back off her face. She was older, like he was, but just as beautiful. Maybe more so now.

  Robyn’s and the boys’ snow boots were covered in snow, their cheeks and noses red from the cold, their lips slightly blue.

  “Are you okay?” He led them toward the fireplace where four tables were already occupied. The occupants watched him, as if wondering what he was up to when they’d already taken their seats at the tables. The three snow leopards hadn’t been served yet, and he was certain when they saw how cold Robyn and her kids were, they wouldn’t mind moving to another table.

  “My truck broke down a couple of miles out of town,” Robyn stuttered between shivers. She had the most beautiful red hair, and now it was hanging loosely about her shoulders.

  “Hell. All right. I’ll call to have someone tow your pickup to the garage, if you’d like.” Edward paused. “It’s been a long time.”

  “It…has. Thanks, Edward. I’d appreciate that.”

  She seemed wary, maybe worried he would be mad that she’d left him and mated another bear. As much as he wished it had been him, he couldn’t find fault in her leaving him.

  “Are these your boys?” Edward looked them over, thinking if she’d stayed with him, like he thought she was going to, they would have been their sons. They looked like her to an extent. And like him too. Which made him wonder just how old they were.

  He’d get them some coloring place mats and a package of crayons each to keep them occupied until he served up their food.

  “Yes. I…I thought you might be busy with your tour business and not be here.”

  Had she hoped she wouldn't run into him here? Then why come here to eat, instead of at one of the other restaurants? “Rob and I always help Uncle Ned and Aunt Genevieve during the holidays. No tours at this time.” Edward reached the snow leopards’ table first. “Hey, guys. The lady and her sons’ pickup broke down some miles out of town, and they’re about frozen. Do you mind if I put them at your table by the fire, since you haven’t been served yet?”

  Jasper Wright winked at her. “Sure, come on, brothers. Let the lady and her sons have the table.”

  “Yeah,” Simon said. “Anything for the young lady and her sons.”

  “I’ll make sure you guys get a free dessert. Thanks,” Edward said.

  “We’ll take you up on it, though we would have been good Samaritans without having to be bribed.” William smiled.

  “That’s why I asked you and not anyone else,” Edward said. And because they hadn’t been served yet.

  Robyn thanked them and the three men moved to another table farther away.

  “Do you want me to take your coats?” Edward asked.

  Robyn shook her head.

  “Later, when you get warmed up, I can, if you’d like. Menus are on the table there. What would you like to drink?”

  “Hot chocolate,” she said, “for the three of us.”

  “All right, three hot chocolates coming up. I’ll make that call about your vehicle. The tow-truck owner will drop in and get more information from you. It’s…good to see you again, Robyn.”

  “Thanks, Edward. I’m glad to see you too. This is Garrett and Bryan.”

  “Nice to meet you, Garrett, Bryan.” Edward shook their hands. “I’ll bring something for you to color on.” Edward thought she looked as worn out as the boys. He couldn’t imagine trekking with two little boys in the cold for that long.

  He hurried off, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket while he went to the hostess station, though they rarely seated anyone. Most of their patrons just found a table they wanted to sit at. He picked up the small packages of crayons and a couple of different coloring sheets—one of a Christmas tree with lots of lights and ornaments and another of a gingerbread house. All he could think of was he needed to stay away from her and have someone else serve her instead of himself, but he’d always been drawn to her. He swore it took him a good two years to get over her, thinking any woman who had the same color of hair was her, returning to tell him that she understood he’d had no choice about defending himself against her brother, that she’d made a mistake in leaving him, and she was ready to return and renew their relationship. Though the woman would turn around and he would realize it had been wishful thinking. He suspected Robyn was the reason he’d never found a woman to settle down with.

  “Who’s the woman and kids?” Uncle Ned asked, setting another couple of plates on top of the counter for pickup, his hair and beard white.

  They always told him he should be Santa Claus for Christmas and he always said he would be, once Rob’s kids were older.

  “Someone from out of town. She had car trouble. I’m calling Joe to pick up her vehicle and take care of it. And yes, they’re some of our kind.” Edward didn’t know why he didn’t just flat out say who she was. He guessed he was worried his family might be upset with her for leaving him, but they knew the reason too.

  Uncle Ned smiled.

  “She’s got kids. Sheesh.” Edward couldn’t believe his uncle was even pushing to get him hitched. But when his aunt and uncle couldn’t get their own three boys married off, they’d been eager to see Rob and Edward mated. Rob and Edward’s parents had been killed in an avalanche and they’d adopted the boys to raise alongside their cousins. They had hoped Rob and Edward would provide them with grandchildren, well, great nieces or nephews, but they considered them their grandchildren. Now that Rob had twins, Edward thought they would be satisfied. But no, their aunt and uncle loved them so much, they wanted more.

  “You chased off the Wright brothers to give them seats so you could still wait on the woman and her kids.” Uncle Ned loaded a couple of more platters on the counter, while Edward tried to contact Joe on his cell.

  “They had to walk some distance into town, and they were half frozen. They needed a seat next to the fire,” Edward said. Then Joe answered the phone. “Hey, Joe, I've got a job for you.” Edward told him what had happened.

  “Okay, I’ll be right over.”

  “Thanks, Joe.” Edward entered the kitchen and made up three steaming mugs of hot chocolate topped with twice the whipped cream they usually added.

  Aunt Genevieve had returned to the kitchen while Alicia and Rob were finishing their meal, the babies in their carriers sound asleep. His aunt was studying Edward. “The hot chocolates are for someone special?” She arched a br
ow.

  He explained what had happened again.

  His aunt looked out from the kitchen to see what the woman looked like. His aunt’s eyes widened, and she tsked. “Robyn Conibear? She has a mate?”

  “That usually comes with the territory when you’ve got a couple of kids.” Edward gave his aunt a kiss on the cheek and with the tray of hot chocolates, papers to color on, and crayons, he headed back to Robyn’s table. He set the whipped cream-topped mugs on the table. “Here you go, boys.” He gave them each the packages of crayons and the coloring pages. They eagerly took them. Their mom helped Garrett open his package, and Edward helped Bryan. “Did you decide what you want to eat?”

  “We’ll have the hot chicken soup, hamburgers, and french fries.”

  “Okay, got it. Joe, the tow truck operator, is coming over and will talk—” The door opened and Edward glanced to see who it was. Joe. He was always completely dependable. Edward waved to him and he waved back and headed for their table. “That’s Joe Cavender. He’s an honest guy and he’ll figure out what’s wrong with the pickup, no problem.”

  “Thanks for everything.”

  “You bet. I’ll just put this order in and get the hot soup out to you right away.”

  Joe joined them and began talking to Robyn. Edward returned to the kitchen to fill up bowls with chicken soup. His aunt just shook her head. “Do you know how many times you’ve come in the kitchen to help serve up anything to customers? Never.”

  “She and the boys are half frozen.”

  “Uh-huh. And she’s a former girlfriend.” Aunt Genevieve peered over the ledge to see what Robyn looked like. Then she smiled. “Well.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Edward lifted the tray of bowls of soup.

  “She’s still a looker and the boys are cute.” Aunt Genevieve frowned. “They look a lot like you and your brother at around that age.”

  “She’s still mated.” Edward carried the tray to Robyn’s table.

  Joe inclined his head to Edward on the way out of the restaurant.

  Ben and Rob were leaning against a post, arms folded across their chests as they watched Edward leave off the bowls of soup at Robyn’s table and head back to the counter. He walked right past his brother and cousin to grab another tray, except this time to deliver to another table. He was trying to ignore Ben and his brother, but they followed him to the kitchen to pick up more meal orders.

  “Who is she?” Ben asked.

  “She’s one of us. Robyn Conibear.” Edward repeated what had happened.

  Both Ben and Rob swung their heads around to get a better look at her. “Hell,” Rob said.

  “He made the Wright brothers move from their table,” Ben said.

  “He fixed them hot cocoa with mountains of whipped cream,” Rob agreed.

  “And bowls of hot chicken soup,” Ben added.

  “And she has two kids. Which means she has a mate. Either of you would have done the same for her, if you’d seen how cold she was when she first arrived,” Edward reminded them. He glanced at the table where Alicia had been sitting, but realized she was leaving, and Aunt Genevieve was carrying out one of the sleeping babies, while Alicia had the other.

  “So, Joe’s going to tow her truck into town for her?” Rob asked, grabbing another platter.

  “Yeah.” Edward suspected that everyone was going to hear about his helping the woman and her kids out and it would be the talk of all of White Bear. Well, as far as the shifter population went. Especially since she’d been an old flame of his.

  When he finally returned to her table with the hamburger and fries, the kids set aside their crayons and coloring pages.

  “If you need anything else—” Edward said.

  “Just a place to stay for the night.”

  Edward paused before he said anything. Rob had moved out of their home to one he shared now with Alicia and the babies. Edward was free to have house guests. But he chided himself for even giving it a thought. He could see having another black eye when her mate learned of it.

  “Do you have a hotel in White Bear? I’m afraid my phone has gone out, and I couldn’t check the internet,” Robyn said.

  “I can charge up your phone.” Edward handed her his phone. “Here, use mine. We have three places to stay: a small hotel, and two bed and breakfasts. The hotel and one B & B is owned by our kind, and the other B & B are wolf run.”

  “Thanks so much, Edward,” she said.

  He was glad to see she’d finally warmed up enough to remove her hat, scarf, and coat. The kids had also.

  Only shifters were sitting near her table, so he wasn’t worried about talking about the shifters with her. Three tables of humans were seated on the other side of the tavern, and everyone was careful to watch what they said when they were around them. Not that anyone would believe they were shifters if they overheard some of the conversations. His aunt and uncle had thought about making the place a private club with membership only for shifters, though they would have to say it had a high-dollar membership to keep the humans out. And in truth, the shifters wouldn’t have to pay the “club” fees.

  But they decided they would rather have more business and not have the hassle of keeping track of who all entered the tavern. That meant they had to watch what they said around the humans though.

  He took Robyn’s phone back to the office where he could charge it up. He wondered where she was headed for Christmas without her mate. Unless she was joining him. And why she wouldn’t be contacting her family. She’d made no mention of it, just that she wanted to stay someplace for the night.

  If she was seeing her family, surely she would want to notify them as soon as she arrived at the tavern safely to tell them she’d had problems with her pickup. She was a total mystery, and he couldn’t help being curious about her and her boys and wishing all over again that her brother hadn’t attacked him with the intent to kill him that fateful day, causing Robyn to leave him so long ago.

  3

  When Robyn couldn’t find a place to stay at the hotel or at the other establishments, she was exasperated and worried. At least Edward had helped her out with her pickup truck and the phone. But she needed to tell him about the boys too. Not here in the tavern though. In private. She was glad to see him, but anxious too.

  Hopefully, Joe wouldn’t find much of a problem with the pickup. What would she do if she couldn’t find a place to stay? Surely, someone would put her up for the night. At least with her pickup in a garage, no one would see it, if anyone had realized she’d left Yellowknife and followed her in this direction. But she did have a problem. If anyone should follow her, they would be able to track her scent, indicating where she had walked with the boys and where she was going.

  She should have picked up hunter concealer, but she hadn’t thought she’d need it. If she’d purchased some in Yellowknife and anyone had gotten wind of it, someone might have questioned why.

  If she didn’t do something though, and anyone stopped here, they would learn soon enough that she’d been at the tavern. She was torn between soliciting Edward’s help, and not getting him or his people involved. If she did get stuck here for a day or more, and they did follow her here, she needed to let Edward know the trouble she could be in. Then again, she worried that he and the others of his own sleuth might not believe she had the right to take her children away from her mate’s sleuth. But when she told him the truth? That the boys were his? She didn’t think the damage between them could ever be undone. Yet, she knew in her heart, she needed to tell him as soon as she could.

  She still didn’t even know if he had a mate. Or if he was seriously dating another woman.

  Still, she couldn’t help but appreciate all of Edward’s aid, especially when his brother and cousin were giving him such a hard time. She’d noticed them talking to him several times as he returned to get mugs of cocoa, bowls of soup, and then their hamburgers and french fries for them. And each time, they would glance in her direction, as if they
knew she was going to cause the family real conflict. Which she could, if they took her in and didn’t turn her over to her late mate's sleuth if they found her here. She suspected it also had to do with not wanting her to break Edward’s heart all over again.

  As much as she was afraid to tell him, she needed to warn him. He might be willing to cover for her, but it didn’t mean the rest of his family would.

  The food was really good, and they all were enjoying the warm fireplace, the hamburgers and french fries, and the kids were having a ball coloring the menus. Edward even brought them each slices of hot blueberry pie. She wondered if Edward still preferred chocolate, which was unusual for a bear shifter. And she remembered his brother teasing him that he would turn into a Kodiak bear if he ate too much chocolate.

  She was glad they had reached the tavern all right, and that everyone had treated them well. Maybe Edward knew someone else who would put them up for the night. But she still needed to tell him about his boys.

  EDWARD RETURNED to the counter to pick up more food trays, noticing Robyn kept looking in his direction. He kept thinking she would wave her hand at him, letting him know she needed something else, but when he caught her eye, she would look at her food and continue eating. Was she interested in him still? He scolded himself for even letting his thoughts drift in that direction.

  Ben met up with him to grab another tray. “Has she warmed up a bit?”

  “Yeah.” Though Edward knew his cousin could see she and the kids had removed their coats already.

  “I saw you exchanged phones with her.”

  Edward tilted his head to the side, trying not to look too exasperated. “Yeah, because hers died.”

  “Well, she’s mated, cuz.” Ben shook his head.

  “I think that’s rather obvious. I’m not interested in dating the lady. She’s just had a bit of bad luck, and she needs a little help. She’s past tense as far as I’m concerned.” If he could have changed what had happened back then, he would have done anything to have made it happen.

  “Right. A couple of women at table 12 look promising.” Ben smiled.