Boarlander Boss Bear (Boarlander Bears #1)(32)

With an adorable self-conscious giggle, she smoothed her hand over her jean shorts and made her way around the table. “Hey,” she said as soon as she was a few feet away. With a quick look at Duncan, who had his back turned, she lifted up on her tiptoes and gave Harrison a peck on the lips.

It wasn’t enough though, so when she eased back, he chased her, angling his head and deepening the kiss. Every strand of tension that held his body so taut relaxed as hugged his neck and nibbled his bottom lip.

He let off a sigh of relief as she rubbed her cheek in cat-like affection against his. “How is your first day going?” he asked low.

She practically hummed with excitement. “Good. Everyone is so nice, the menu was super easy to learn, and this place stays busy so the day went by in a flash.” She bumped his shoulder as he made his way inside where the crew was waiting in line. “I like this place a lot more than the diner I worked at. It’s more laid back, and Joey introduced me to a lot of regulars today. How was your day?” she asked, fidgeting with the damp rag in her hands.

“Uh,” Harrison murmured, glaring at Clinton. “It was a day. It’s better now, though.”

A frown marred her delicate, dark eyebrows, and his fingers itched to smooth it out. He didn’t like her worrying when she’d looked so happy a second ago.

“We’re going to talk about your rough day later, but right now, I’m going to take your order. I learned how to do that already. Meat and beer will make everything better.” Audrey sauntered off toward the opening in the counter, hips swaying. “Hey,” she said, turning with a happy grin. “I’m really glad you came to see me.”

She didn’t know it, but Audrey was the one who’d done him the favor. He’d been on the verge of an uncontrolled Change all day, but one look at his mate, and that pretty smile on her lips had turned his entire day around. God, he loved her, and soon, he was going to find the right time to tell her just how much. She deserved to hear how he really felt about her. She deserved to hear it every day because she was open with her feelings. She’d given him so much, and he’d been holding back, but as he watched her chatter happily with his crew as she took their orders, something struck him.

His life had lacked depth without her in it.

She was growing and gaining confidence, but he was changing, too.

He felt hope for his crew’s future for the first time in a long time, and that was because of her. Because she looked at him like he was invincible and made him feel stronger than he had in years. She made him want to be a better alpha.

Clinton might not realize it yet, but Harrison did.

The Boarlanders needed her.





Chapter Thirteen




Today had been awesome! Audrey had a great first day working at Moosey’s, had made thirty-two bucks from the tip jar on top of her hourly wage, and the Boarlanders had showed up at the end of the night like her very own personal, muscle-bound herd of cheerleaders.

They’d been hilarious and loud and had teased her mercilessly any time she worked close enough to their table, but she hadn’t minded. If all the crew ignored her, like Clinton did, it would mean they didn’t like her. But since they ribbed her like she was one of the guys, she took that as a sign of acceptance. And Harrison’s eyes and easy smile had stayed pointed in her direction any time she’d glanced at him.

She’d never felt like this before—so happy and carefree. She’d never looked at her future and thought she could have it all—a man she loved more than anything, friends who understood her, and a chance at controlling the animal inside of her. Everything was falling into place for her in a way she’d never dreamt of.

Humming happily under her breath, Audrey peeled out of her Moosey’s T-shirt and threw it in the washing machine. She had ordered enough differently colored work shirts to last a week, but until they came in, this one was all she had. In a rush, she pulled a red tank top on and made her way into the living room. She startled to a stop when a little, brown field mouse crossed the kitchen floor in front of her. He was dragging half a chocolate chip cookie, as well as a humongous set of testicles.

“You must be Nards,” she murmured as she waited patiently for him to amble out of her way.

With a shake of her head at the strange turn her life had taken, she made her way across the squishy flooring. The second she hit the night air, she inhaled deeply. The air was so clean and crisp here, and the moon above was full and a gorgeous orange color. Feeling like a million bucks, she jogged down the stairs and headed for Harrison’s trailer at the opposite end of the park.

Mason was replacing the decking of his stairs with the leftover lumber from 1010’s newly built porch, and he waved to her as she strode by. “If you’re looking for your man, he left a few minutes ago.”

Audrey frowned at Harrison’s parked truck in front of his trailer. “Where did he go?”

“Checking the border probably. He headed off through there.” Mason pointed across the road to a trail that led between Kirk and Bash’s trailers and off into the woods.

“Thanks, Mason.”

Audrey altered her route and grinned as an idea struck her. Harrison had said she should let her tiger out more often, and in her downtime between the lunch and dinner rush today, she’d thought about her Change last night. What if he was right? What if someday, with enough practice, she could have instant, painless Changes like Harrison and the others? She knew one thing. She sure as hell didn’t want a repeat of last night when her mate watched her suffer through a Change.