Page 58 of Once Upon A Bear

Arriving at a grand ball in a fine carriage was incredibly different from arriving at the Rendon estate to help with an injured man.

She might not have known much about nobility, but she knew enough to know that she did not belong here.

“I can’t do this,” Guinevere whispered as she leaned against the seat and covered her face with her hands.

“I think you can do anything you put your mind to,” Alexander said, and she moved her hands away to look at him in surprise.

Alexander didn’t usually say much to her.

“You are one of the best people I know, and Gideon lights up when you’re around. Whether you think you can do this or not, I don’t think you have it in you to keep Gideon from being happy if there’s something you can do to prevent it. Because I think, deep down, he makes you happy too, and it’s okay if you’re scared by that. It’s scary. There aren’t a lot of constants in this world, but I can tell you that the Rendon boys are. And if you’re lucky enough to have Gideon Rendon want to be a part of your life, it would be foolish to throw that away because you think you’re not good enough or you’re intimidated by his status.”

“It’s not just that,” Guinevere said miserably.

Alexander shrugged at her. “We’ll figure out the magic thing,” he said. “You have us. And you would have the Rendons. We can discuss it with them, if you’d like.”

Guinevere sighed as the carriage rolled to a stop. She didn’t want to talk to them about it…but perhaps she should.

Alexander turned to his wife. “Now, my love, shall we go see our friends?”

“I would love nothing more,” Beatrice said with a smile. She took Alexander’s hand and followed him out of the carriage.

Guinevere paused for a moment, her heart in her throat, but then Lord Alexander reached back to offer his hand to her like she belonged there.

With a lump in her throat, she accepted his help, then followed Lord and Lady Dunham into Lord Rendon’s estate, her heart feeling as if maybe she did belong.

But that feeling didn’t last.

Chapter twenty-two

Gideon

His fur rose on end when Guinevere walked into the room. Gideon shook himself. He didn’t have fur anymore, but every fiber of his being was completely in tune with Guinevere as she made her way into the ballroom.

It took everything he had not to let go of the young woman in his arms and rush to Guinevere’s side. That would be unkind, and the young lady he was dancing with had done nothing to deserve that unkindness.

But as soon as the dance was finished—thankfully, only a few short moments later—Gideon bowed and brought the young lady back to her mother before making his way across the room to where Guinevere was standing with Beatrice and Alexander.

She looked incredible. The green gown with gold trim hugged her figure and made her glow like honey when the light hit it.

But she didn’t look confident.

She looked nervous.

If only he could find a way to give her the confidence that she deserved. Guinevere was the most beautiful woman in the ballroom, and she deserved to feel like it.

He approached her slowly, not wanting to scare her off. She seemed more skittish than a hive of bees when he visited them in his bear form. The last thing he wanted to do was make her run away.

She was glued to Beatrice’s side and didn’t even notice when he sidled up next to her.

“You came,” he said quietly, breathing in her scent.

Guinevere gasped, but then her shoulders relaxed when she noticed it was him, and that was the best feeling in the world.

He made her relax.

“I wasn’t sure you would come,” he admitted.

“I wasn’t sure I would, either,” Guinevere chuckled, “but I knew that if I didn’t, you would never let me live it down, and neither would Beatrice.”