Husband Fur Hire (Bears Fur Hire #1)(46)

“Josiah, stop it.” Elyse was doing her best to hide her laughter. Her brother didn’t need encouragement, and she had a sneaking suspicion where this was headed.

“So Marta told her she wouldn’t look good with a boy cut and forbade Uncle Jim from going anywhere near her with the scissors. But Elyse here, being the head-strong person she is, decided she didn’t need Uncle Jim, and she cut her own hair in the bathroom mirror before everyone woke up one morning.”

Elyse’s shoulders shook uncontrollably with her laughter now, and she set her spoon down with a clink on her metal bowl. “I was sixteen and had always wanted to try short hair. Marie Dryver had her hair cut in school, and she looked so cool I imagined I was going to look the same.”

“Except Elyse shaved entire notches out of the back of her hair, and she was in braces for a pair of impressive buck-teeth at the time. She’d fallen off the porch a few days before, so she was sporting one helluva shiner to boot.”

“And when Marta saw my hair, she burst out crying. I mean…body wracked with sobs kind of crying, and she said my mom was going to kill her. I’d done it at the end of summer and there was no saving the haircut without burring my head completely—”

“Which Uncle Jim did—”

“Okay, but in my mind, it was going to be short on the sides,” she explained, gesturing to her hair, “and longer up top. I wanted to look like a badass.”

“Yeah, but you used sheep sheers.”

Ian was leaning back in his chair belly laughing now, and Elyse’s cheeks were on fire.

“That was the year of no boyfriends at school.”

“That was the one benefit to you looking like a deranged beaver,” Josiah muttered.

“Oh God,” Ian groaned, wiping moisture from the corners of his eyes. “I’m so attracted to you right now.”

Elyse made a single clicking sound from behind her teeth and rolled her eyes. “Thanks a lot, Josiah.”

Gold eyes dancing, her brother murmured around a bite of stew, “Anytime. I’ve got pictures at my cabin. I can show you them when you come pick up the cattle.”

“I’d sure appreciate it,” Ian said, dodging a swat from Elyse. “I want a picture of her to put in my plane anyway.”

“Fantastic,” she muttered.

“When are we driving the herd?” Josiah asked.

“Mmm,” Ian murmured, looking thoughtful as he chewed. “I want to take Elyse up to Afognak in the next couple of days. Maybe get a deer or two. If we can get some venison, I’d feel a lot better about our freezer.”

“Afognak?” Josiah asked, sandy brows rising high on his forehead.

“Have you been there?”

“Can’t say I have, but I’ve heard things about that place. Haunted as shit if rumors are right.”

“Nah,” Ian said, ghosting Elyse a glance. “I’ve spent a lot of time there. No ghosts but there is wildlife as thick as the woods themselves.”

“You have a boat to get there?”

“Yeah, I parked it on Kodiak Island in April. There are a few cabins on Afognak for hunters, and I figured Elyse and I would hole up there for a day or two and see if we can’t fill a couple hunting tags.”

“It’s brown bear territory,” Josiah warned. “Elyse got lucky the first time, but you can understand my concern, yeah? Besides Mom, she’s all the family I have left.”

“I get that. I respect that you are protective of her, and I promise to keep the risk as low as possible. I’m seeing zero sign of big game around here, though, and we need red meat.”

Josiah leveled Elyse with a thoughtful look and nodded slowly. “When will you go?”

“Day after tomorrow. We’ll do a two-day hunt, then come back here and ride up your way to collect the cattle if you have time.”

“Yeah, that’ll work for me. I can come out here on Wednesday and check your animals for you.”

“We’d appreciate it,” Ian said. “We’ll take the pup with us, so it’ll just be the chickens, goats, and horses. If we get anything, we’ll bring you back a roast.”

Josiah’s face lit up, and he ripped open his biscuit. “I do love venison. You planning on getting a bear this season?”

As if she were lightning struck, Elyse jolted in her chair. “What?”

“Bear meat?” Josiah offered her a baffled look. “It’s your favorite.”

Elyse blinked slowly and gritted her teeth against the ill feeling unfurling in her stomach. She couldn’t look at Ian even if she tried right now. “It used to be my favorite, but I don’t have a taste for it anymore.” Her voice cracked and dipped to a whisper. “Too gamey.”

Ian’s hand slid up her thigh under the table, and he squeezed her leg reassuringly. “No plans for bear this season.”

Elyse intertwined her fingers with his against her leg. No plans for bear meat any season. Not when it reminded her so much of the massive animal that lived inside of the man she loved.

Except for the bones, Josiah scraped his bowl clean, then leaned back in his chair. “Elyse, this stew is as good as Uncle Jim’s.”

“You want to crash in the guest bedroom?” she asked hopefully, stalling for more time with him.