She drew her knees up and rested her chin on them, turning to look at him sideways. “And half of Bear Creek,” she said with a smile.

  “And half of Bear Creek, and Bear Bluff. The guys I work with, they would do anything for each other. We’re part of that, part of the community.”

  “That’s the thing.” She sighed, and wiped away a tear. “There are some things that no one can do anything about. They can’t mend everything. Can’t heal everything.”

  “Tell me, Dani, please, before I go insane with worry,” he said, looking at her with real fear in his eyes. He’d lost his best friend already: would fate be so cruel as to take his mate from him too?

  “I’m not sure if I can give you the children you want,” Dani said. “And before you say it doesn’t matter, I want you to be sure. I’ll walk away, leave Bear Creek if it makes things easier. You can find another mate…”

  “No,” Jamie said roughly. “I can’t. You are the one and only. No returns. This is it, and if we can’t have children, our own children, then that makes us blessed to have Juliet and Jasper,”

  He held her close, he didn’t ask her why she couldn’t have children, he didn’t say the words … but we don’t know for sure, we might get lucky… This wasn’t the time. He didn’t want her to think he was living with false hope, that he would cling to her in the belief that one day she would have his child. Because that would leave her open to the fear that if she didn’t bear his children, he would one day cast her aside for someone who could.

  And that would never happen. Not ever.

  Chapter Eighteen – Dani

  Jamie held her in his arms while she cried. He kissed her cheeks and her lips, and murmured all the words she needed to hear. Yet still there was a hole in her heart that would never heal. Life was unfair.

  But as Juliet and Jasper stirred, and she and Jamie got dressed, and went into their rooms to say good morning, she also believed life was a miracle: that you took love and laughter where you could find it, and made the most of life. Fair or unfair, this was it, no second chances, no repeats. Each day lived, was a day to be celebrated. Big moments or small, they were part of the richness of living.

  Dani held that thought in her head, until there was a knock at the door, and Jamie left the kitchen where they were having breakfast, only to return with a face as pale as the snow on the mountain peaks.

  “What’s wrong?” Dani asked.

  “I have to go out,” Jamie said.

  “Can we come with you?” Juliet asked, and then picked up on his mood. “What’s wrong?” She jumped down from her chair and went to Jamie, taking hold of his hand. As she moved, her head tilted to the side, looking out of the door, and she looked up at Jamie in horror. “Who died?

  “No one, sweetheart,” Jamie said. “I have to go with Brad, though. He needs to ask me some questions.” Jamie hugged Juliet, and kissed her and Jasper, before saying, “Can you watch Jasper for me, while I talk to Dani?”

  “Sure,” Juliet said, going back to her seat, while Dani followed Jamie outside.

  “What’s wrong?” Dani asked, fear filling her.

  “This is Brad, town sheriff,” Jamie said. “Brad, this is Dani.”

  “Hi Dani, Kayleigh has mentioned you. Sorry we are meeting under such circumstances.” Brad looked genuinely apologetic.

  “What circumstances?” Dani asked, keeping her voice low.

  “Someone has made an allegation against Jamie,” Brad said.

  “What kind of allegation?” Dani asked.

  “Brad is taking me in for questioning over an assault,” Jamie said.

  “Alleged assault,” Brad corrected.

  “An alleged sexual assault.” Jamie met her eye and placed his hand on her arm. “Will you stay with the kids?”

  “Sure,” Dani said, and then hugged Jamie fiercely. “What can I do? There must be something. I could be a character witness. Do you even know who made the complaint?”

  Jamie nodded. “I have a pretty good idea.”

  “Who?” Then her eyes widened. “Wilma?”

  “Sheriff, could you give us one minute?” Jamie asked.

  “I’ll be outside. I’m trusting you not to run,” Brad said.

  “I have too much to lose if I do,” Jamie said.

  “I know. I’m sorry I have to do this, Jamie. Dani, I hope we get to meet under better circumstances next time.”

  “I’m sure we will, Brad.” Dani watched the sheriff leave, and then asked, “Something happened? When I came here last night, you looked past me, as if you thought someone might be watching.”

  “Wilma came here. She wanted us to, you know, fool around.”

  “Sex. She wanted sex.”

  “Yes. When I said no, she wanted to know why I turned her down. She guessed we were seeing each other. Then she turned nasty, said that she wanted money, Juliet and Jasper’s inheritance.”

  “She did what?” Dani asked, her anger threatening to overspill. She lowered her voice. “You said no.”

  Jamie nodded. “Yes. I told her to get out.” He shook his head. “I may have pushed her out of the door, but that is all.”

  “I’m going over there to give her a piece of my mind,” Dani said.

  Jamie put his hands on her arms. “No. I need you here.” He looked her straight in the eye, and she knew she had to do as he asked.

  “It’s not fair.”

  “I know. But we’ll get through this,” Jamie said. He hugged her, and then his voice broke. “What if I lose the kids?”

  “Well, I am here to see that does not happen,” a voice said from behind them.

  “Fiona?” Jamie said, and groaned quietly. “How did you know?”

  “Brad gave me a call. In case you needed someone to look after the children.” Fiona stepped closer. “Don’t make that face. I paid Brad a visit when you first took on the children. Asked him to let me know if there was ever a need for concern. I’m very persuasive.” She smiled. “Now, you go with Brad. And I will make a nice cup of tea, and Dani can fill me in.”

  “Go,” Dani said. “You have to.”

  “Just promise me you won’t do anything to make this worse,” Jamie said. “No interfering. Either of you.”

  “We promise,” Dani said, although Fiona simply pressed her lips together.

  “Right, where are these children?” Fiona asked, going to the kitchen.

  “Looks like you have a fan,” Dani said. “You must have made quite an impression on her this last week.”

  “Yeah, pity I made such an impression on Wilma,” Jamie said.

  “You should go.”

  “Can you give my sister a call? Her number’s on the fridge. I might need a lawyer.”

  “It won’t get that far,” Dani said. “I’m not going to lose you, not when I’ve just found you.”

  Jamie pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you, Dani Darling.”

  “I love you too, Jamie. And that is never going to change.” He kissed her cheek and then pulled away from her, walking out of the door, but she was not going to let him walk out of her life.

  Dani marched into the kitchen, where Fiona was making tea. “Sit down, dear, we need to talk.”

  “Fiona, look, I know you mean well. But we have to be careful. Wilma is not the kind of woman to be intimidated,” Dani said.

  “Even by a dragon?” Juliet asked.

  “Not helpful,” Dani said gently.

  “Oh, there are not many people this dragon cannot intimidate,” Fiona said, giving Juliet a quick wink. “But we won’t go that far. At least I hope not. Now, tell me what you know. We can talk in the sitting room, while Juliet goes upstairs and gets dressed. You can come with us, Jasper.”

  Fiona wiped Jasper’s face and then picked him up out of his seat. Juliet scampered off upstairs to dress, giving Fiona a glance filled with wonder and awe.

  “She really does think you are a dragon,” Dani said.

  “And she would be right. I am. But that is neither here nor there.” Fiona put Jasper down on his play mat and watched him indulgently for a moment before she turned to Dani. “Pick your jaw up off the floor. I didn’t tell you to shock you. I told you because I want you to know I am old, and I am noble, and if someone is lying, I will get to the bottom of it.” Fiona looked fierce, and Dani could almost imagine there was smoke coming from her nostrils as she spoke.

  “OK, here’s what I know. What Jamie told me,” Dani said.

  “That will do for starters, and then I have one important question for you,” Fiona said.

  Dani recounted what Jamie told her about Wilma’s visit; she also told Fiona about her encounter with Wilma at the store earlier in the day. “You have to believe that Jamie would never hurt anyone, he would never jeopardize his future with the children.”

  “I know. And there is one piece of information that will cement that for me.”

  “Which is?” Dani asked.

  “Are you his mate?” Fiona asked.

  “Yes,” Dani said. “Yes, I am.”

  “That is all I really need to know. I’ll go talk to Brad. See if we can’t make this all go away. Any shifter would understand Jamie could never be interested in another woman when he has his mate. But the police still have to take the case seriously. Because a sexual assault accusation is serious.” Fiona got up and took Dani’s cup from her. “I’ll wash these for you before I go. I like to leave everything shipshape.”

  “Thank you, Fiona.”

  “Don’t mention it. Your Jamie reminded me of why I trained for this job, something I had let slip away.” Fiona smiled, and then looked up as someone rang the doorbell. “You get that. I’ll slip out the back door, unless you need me.”

  Dani got up and went to answer the front door, not really in the mood for company, no matter how well-meaning they were. She still had to call Jamie’s sister, and then she ought to go to see if there was anything she could do for Jamie.

  She paused, composing herself before she pulled the door open. Fixing a smile to her face, she fought back tears as she undid the latch. But before she had a chance to pull it open, the door was pushed toward her and Wilma, in dark sunglasses and a hat, barged in, and then slammed the door shut behind her.

  “You have nosy neighbors,” Wilma said. “I went to your house, but your next door neighbor came out and wanted to know what I was doing. Then he said you hadn’t come home last night, and I figured you were here.” She placed her hands on her hips. “I saw Brad take Jamie away.”

  “What do you want?” Dani asked.

  “I told Jamie last night,” Wilma said. “This is just a visit so that you can pass on a message to him.”

  “What message? The one where you try and blackmail him?”

  “Blackmail is such a dirty word,” Wilma said. “More of a business arrangement.”

  “You can’t do this,” Dani said. “No one will believe you.”

  “Oh, I play the victim so well. It’s how I came out of divorce number two and three with everything I asked for. But I have expensive tastes.”

  “And so you thought you would steal from two bereaved children?” Dani asked.

  “Oh, please. It’s simple. Tell Jamie if I get what I asked for, I’ll drop the charges.”

  “Just like that.” Dani shook her head. “You would lie about this. In court?”

  “Oh, it won’t go that far. But it will go far enough that he will lose those kids, and the inheritance. So he might as well give me half, and keep half.”

  “It’s not his to keep. He is working so that he doesn’t have to use that money.”

  “Well, he’s a soft-hearted fool. Which is why he turned me down for a woman like you. All soft, and squidgy, what does he see in you?” Wilma asked.

  “Dani, can you help me with my hair?” Juliet called from the top of the stairs.

  “Coming. Let me just see Wilma out,” Dani said, walking to the front door and pulling it open. “Goodbye, Wilma.”

  “It would be sad if Juliet had no one to do her hair,” Wilma said. “Tell Jamie what I said.”

  Dani shut the door and leaned against the wall, shaking with rage. There was no way that woman was going to get away with this. No way at all.

  “I thought you handled yourself with dignity,” Fiona said, coming out of the kitchen. “I also thought that Wilma creature should have kept her big mouth shut.” Fiona held up her smart phone. “I recorded most of what she said.”

  “Was it enough?” Dani asked, holding her breath as she waited for the answer.

  “It won’t stand up in court, I’m certain. But I’m going to make sure the right people hear it,” Fiona said. “That creature brings disrepute to her fellow women.”

  “Thank you,” Dani said, and hugged a surprised-looking Fiona.

  “You are welcome, Dani. Very welcome.” She disentangled herself from Dani, and from Juliet, who had come down the stairs to join in the group hug, which included an excited Bailey.

  “Jamie will be so thankful. And so am I,” Dani said, brushing away a tear.

  “I know.” Fiona said, and then let herself out of the front door. “I’ll send him back to you.”

  Juliet and Dani stood on the doorstep and watched Fiona get in her car and drive away. “I like dragons,” Juliet said.

  “Me too.” She kissed Juliet on the top of her head. “Now, let’s go and do your hair.”

  Chapter Nineteen – Jamie

  “Have a seat, Jamie,” Brad said as they entered his office. “Let’s start the paperwork, and I’ll ask you a few questions. I’m not arresting you. Not until I have more proof.”

  “More proof?” Jamie asked. “So at the moment it is just an allegation?”

  “It is,” Brad said. “The victim came to me this morning. Her shirt ripped, and in distress. She has a cut on her top lip. And I took scrapings from under her nails.” He frowned, and looked apologetic. “I’m going to have to ask for a DNA sample.”

  Jamie closed his eyes, one hand covering the scratches on the other. It all began to make sense. The whole thing was premeditated. “Of course, Brad. But I’m certain it will come back as a match,” Jamie said, defeated. All he had fought for, his country, the kids, Dani. They were all going to be taken from him.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Let’s get your statement down on paper.” Brad sat down, and went through the formalities. Jamie had to hand it to the sheriff, he kept himself completely impartial. If he thought Jamie was guilty, he never insinuated it. But his statement left Jamie deeply concerned. The evidence, both physical and material, was against him.

  He’d had to admit that Wilma came to his house. From Brad’s questions, Wilma had said that Jamie had invited her over since Dani was out for the evening. Jamie could imagine her words. “Jamie wanted a bit of fun—with a real woman. I told him I’m not the kind of woman to take another woman’s man, but he forced himself on me.” What had Wilma said about her husbands, and gaining sympathy?

  Maybe if he got in touch with Wilma’s ex-husbands, they would testify against her. Character witnesses. But a big part of Jamie hated the idea of destroying Wilma in court. She had a child… Damn, this whole thing sucked big time.

  It’s not our fault, his bear reminded him sternly. We never started this, and we are sure as hell not going to prison for something we have not done.

  His bear rose up on his haunches and roared. Jamie had to fight for control. His bear was in a fierce frenzy, wanting to burst out and tear Wilma apart for threatening them. His anger wasn’t just about the threat posed to Jamie himself, he would survive prison. But what about Dani? What about Juliet and Jasper?

  “Excuse me,” Brad said, as his phone rang, and he got up, moving away from Jamie so the conversation could not be overheard.

  Jamie put his head in his hands, and tried to figure out what he was supposed to do. Had Dani called Caroline? Because it was looking more than likely that he was going to need a lawyer. And if he wanted to keep the children, he was going to need an expensive one. Damn it! He was going to have to dip into the inheritance money to keep himself out of prison. And that was going to be Wilma’s bargaining chip, he was sure.

  Sooner or later, Wilma was going to renew her offer, and Jamie was going to be hard pressed not to accept it.

  But it made his stomach churn to think of Wilma receiving a penny of the money. There should never be a reward for making up false allegations.

  “Thanks for the update,” Brad said as he returned to Jamie. “Things have changed somewhat…” But before he had chance to speak, the door to the Sheriff’s office opened. Brad frowned, and said to Jamie, “I’m asking you to stay seated, and stay calm.”

  “You have my word,” Jamie agreed

  He could see why Brad had given him a warning—Wilma stood by the door, looking nervous, before she planted a bright smile on her face as Brad approached. He reined his bear in, knowing he longed to throw his weight across the counter, and knock Wilma to the floor.

  That is most likely what she wants. If we assaulted her for real, in front of the sheriff, then she would have a real case against us, Jamie warmed his bear, who snarled and backed into the corner.

  “Hi, Wilma. I thought I said I’d be in touch when I have an update,” Brad said, glancing at Jamie. “This is not a good time.”

  “Sheriff. Brad. May I call you Brad?” Wilma asked, her hand reaching out to stroke his arm as she batted her eyelashes. This woman was unbelievable.

  “Sheriff would be better under the circumstances.” Brad kept his tone light, but firm, telling Wilma he did not like tricks, and no amount of feminine wiles were going to make him look on Wilma as anything other than a victim of a crime. No amount of arm stroking was going to sway him in her favor. Jamie could almost hear the words in Brad’s head. Let me do my job.

  “OK, Sheriff,” Wilma said with a soft smile. “I have been thinking. And I have decided to drop the allegations against Jamie.”

  “You have?” Brad’s frown deepened. “May I ask why? Because if someone has intimidated you, I can assure you, it is my duty to ensure your safety.”

  “No. No one has intimidated me,” Wilma said, although her eyes didn’t meet Brad’s. Whether she was trying to imply she had been intimidated, Jamie couldn’t tell from where he was sat. “I have just been thinking about those poor children. And how they have already lost their parents. What kind of a woman would I be if they lost Jamie because he is so overwhelmingly attracted to me?”

 

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