I look from her to the paper and back down again.I don’t know what to think.A few minutes ago, I was thinking of escaping town forever.
“Maisy, I know you’re going through it.And I know it’s hard.I just want you to know…you are everything to me.I want you to know that I wouldn’t still be alive if it weren’t for you.You keep me young.You give me purpose.You light up my life.”
Tears spring into my eyes.“Thank you.I’m so grateful you became my guardian after–”
Daisy cuts me off.“I should’ve taken guardianship of you sooner.Before your mom died.”Her voice clogs, and her eyes swim.“I knew she and your dad were using, but I wasn’t sure how bad it was.”
I reach across the desk and pick up her thin, papery hand.“You couldn't have known.”Poor Daisy.I know she’ll never get over losing her only daughter to drugs.Losing my mom was rough, but I was so young.And I had Daisy.
Oh.I guess she’s telling me she feels the same way.
“If you’d had a normal life, you would’ve moved out after high school.I know you stayed in Bad Bear because of me.”Daisy chokes up again.
I rise to my feet and make my way around the desk to her.She stands, so we can hug.She’s smaller than me, yes, but so strong.It’s a relief to be in her arms and have her here for me to hug.I’ll never take this for granted,I tell myself.Never.For a moment we just hold each other.
“Well.”Daisy lets me go and dabs at her eyes.I’ve rarely seen her cry.She’s like a soldier, stoically forging on, but doing that for decades comes at a cost.“That’s that.Half the cafe is yours.And if you want to take off and leave, well, we’ll hire some people and eventually be able to send you owner’s profits to wherever you go–”
“I’m not leaving,” I say.“I’m staying.”As soon as I say it, I know it’s true.I’m still a wreck, I still have a broken heart, but I love Bad Bear.And I have big plans for the cafe.
“Okay, good.Whatever you want to do.”
“Actually, there are some things I’d like to do for the cafe.I want to expand.I even made a business plan…” I trail off as I realize something.
“What?What is it?”
“I just was going to say, we don’t have the money to do it now.But we might.I might.”And I start laughing.The inheritance Allen wanted to get so badly.It’s mine.I guess technically Matthias controls it, but he won’t stand in my way.
Maybe it’s time I claim what belongs to me.
ChapterTwenty-Three
Matthias
I stand in bear form in the woods on the edge of town, staring at the Daisy Day Cafe.
Maisy Maisy Maisy?—
I haven’t slept in five days.Haven’t been in human form in as long, either.I stay up all night watching Maisy through her window.I followed her to the cafe, keeping to the forest, so she couldn’t see me.I shouldn’t let myself be seen in bear form, even if half the town knows what I am.
The trouble is, I can’t stay away from Maisy.
Even now, I’m waiting for her to come to the front door to unlock it for the day.Maybe I’ll get a glimpse of her sweet smile as she greets her regulars.
Maisy Maisy Maisy?—
I catch the scent of my brothers in the wind.Everest is nearby.He smells like bees wax and honey because of the hives he keeps.He’s been watching over me as I watch over Maisy.But I also scent the peppery smell of the twins–in human form.
I veer to the left and race up the mountainside.I don’t want to talk to them.I don’t want to talk to anyone.
“Catch him, Everest,” Darius yells.
Oh, fuck no.I turn again and run faster, but Everest catches me in a flying tackle.The two of us roll together in the snow.His bear is bigger than mine, but mine is ragey from being deprived of his mate, so he can’t keep me down.
Except then, Teddy and Darius join the fray, pinning me down in the snow.
I bare my teeth and roar.Everest cuffs my ear with a swipe of his giant paw.I roar again.My three idiot brothers ignore my rage, and drag me up the mountain by my arms and legs.
When we get to my cabin, they throw me on the floor inside and slam the door behind them.They leave Everest outside because of the rule we made that he has to be in human form if he wants to be indoors.
