Doreen pressed a hand to her mouth as laughter burst out of her, bright and unrestrained. Her whole face lit up, eyes twinkling like the fairy lights strung across Christopher’s porch.
The sight knocked the air straight out of James’s lungs. His pulse kicked hard in his chest.
His bear rumbled with pleasure.That sound. We need to hear that every day.
We will,James said.Unless you scare her off.
I am very charming, thank you,his bear sniffed.
Being wrapped in soft fur doesn’t automatically make you less terrifying,James pointed out.
I’ll make sure she sees my gentle side,his bear replied primly.
Christopher clapped his hands once, drawing everyone’s attention. “All right, everyone! Let’s eat before this wonderful meal gets cold.”
Chairs scraped softly against the wooden floor as they all took their places around the table. Jake scrambled into the seat beside James, bashing his knee into the chair leg with a wince he pretended wasn’t painful. Bash flopped down beneath the table as if he intended to supervise dinner. Or catch any crumbs that might fall his way.
Doreen slid into the chair across from James and took a sip of her cider before placing it on the table. For a heartbeat, James let himself simply watch her, the way her cheeks flushed with color after being outside in the cold, the careful way she helped Jake settle, the small, nervous smile she sent Sorcha when she sat down at the table.
“Dig in, everyone,” Sorcha urged. “There’s more than enough. At least I hope there is.” She shot Christopher a look filled with pure love.
How he wanted Doreen to look at him like that. For her to know her place in his world.
But first, he had to get through dinner without drooling. Not over the food, but his mate!
The low hum of gathering plates and murmured thanks filled the warm cabin. Jake was first to load his plate, piling potatoes with the enthusiasm of a boy who’d spent most of the day outside. James reached for the chicken, passing it across the table toward Doreen, who murmured a quiet thank you.
Conversation blossomed easily as hands reached, dishes swapped, and steam curled upward from roasted herbs andbuttered vegetables. It felt…right. Familiar in a way James hadn’t expected. Almost like they’d done this before.
“Jake, slow down a little,” Doreen said gently as he shoveled potatoes into his mouth. “The food isn’t going anywhere.”
She was so good with him, firm but always kind. A sudden realization struck him with surprising clarity: this—quiet domestic chaos, good food, Jake’s chatter—this was the life he wanted. With her. With a family of his own.
An ache pierced his chest. He’d watched other shifters settle into lives filled with noise and chaos. He’d eaten dinner with them, witnessed the warmth, the love, the laughter. And every time he’d driven home afterward and unlocked the door to his own silent house, the quiet had hit him like a hollow space he wasn’t sure how to fill. Sitting here now, with Doreen’s smile and Jake’s excited chatter, he realized how badly he wanted this for himself…not someday, not theoretically, but soon.
His bear hummed in warm agreement.Yes. Soon.
As if they’d shared a silent communication, James passed the bread basket toward her just as she glanced around for it. Their eyes met briefly, and the corners of her mouth lifted in surprise and thanks.
She is meant for us,his bear whispered, the certainty vibrating through his bones.
After the main course, they left the table. Sorcha began collecting plates, stacking them with practiced efficiency, and Christopher refilled wine glasses, while Jake kneeled on the floor, showing Bash a new trick involving a napkin and a treat.
James found himself drifting toward the sideboard where Doreen was arranging dessert plates beside a steaming apple crumble. He stood close enough that their elbows nearly touched, intimately aware of her proximity. The scent of hershampoo mingled with the cinnamon from the dessert, and he inhaled deeply, letting it fill his senses.
“You’re good with him,” James said quietly, nodding toward Jake.
Doreen flushed slightly, her fingers pausing on the edge of a plate. “I don’t know about that,” she replied with a self-deprecating smile. “But I try.”
“You succeed,” James assured her, as the color in her cheeks deepened.
She liked that. Say more,his bear urged.
No. That would make it weird,James countered.
Coward,his bear grumbled.
She’s already blushing. Behave,James replied, trying not to smile.
