A Heart to Bear (Bear Creek Forever #4)

Chapter Three – Tammy

Tammy heaved the last of her veterinary equipment into the bed of Uncle Gavin’s truck, her muscles straining from the effort. She’d soon have muscles on her muscles if she did this day in, day out. It sure was different from the small animal clinics she was used to.

But she liked the exercise, and the fresh air…and the view.

Her gaze inadvertently locked onto Dougray across the yard, and a jolt of recognition made her catch her breath.

No. She couldn’t let herself feel this. It was too soon. She was on the rebound.

Tammy quickly averted her eyes, focusing instead on securing the equipment in the back of the truck. But even as she worked, she could sense Dougray’s presence, like a magnetic pull she was desperately trying to resist.

“All set there, Tammy?” Uncle Gavin called out as he leaned against the truck passenger door.

“Almost,” she replied, forcing a smile. “Just double-checking everything’s secure.”

As she fiddled with a strap that didn’t need adjusting, Tammy’s mind raced. The connection with Dougray was undeniable, but so was the pain still raw in her heart. Peter’s betrayal loomed large, a specter that would haunt her life forever.

Especially her romantic life. She doubted she would ever trust a man again. Not with her poor, tattered heart.

“Need a hand?” Dougray’s deep voice startled her. She’d been so wrapped up in her thoughts that he’d approached without her noticing.

“No, I’ve got it,” Tammy said quickly, perhaps too quickly. She dared a glance at him and immediately regretted it. The warmth in his eyes, the hint of longing...it was too much.

Dougray nodded, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features before he masked it. “Right. Well, if you need anything...”

“Thanks,” she said, forcing herself to sound normal. “And if you are in any way worried about Lucy, give me a call.”

“Will do.” As he walked away, Tammy’s skin tingled where their fingers had brushed earlier. She clenched her fists, willing the sensation to fade.

But no amount of willing could stop her body from reacting to him.

And maybe there was a reason for that. She knew about shifters, about fated mates. Was that what this pull toward Dougray meant? No, it couldn’t be. She’d thought Peter was her destiny, too, and look how spectacularly that had imploded.

“Ready to go?” she asked her uncle as she reached the driver’s door and opened it.

“I will be glad to get the weight off my ankle.” Gavin hooked his hand around the roof of the truck and hoisted himself inside. “Everything all right?” he asked as he settled himself into his seat.

“Yes.” Tammy cast one last glance toward Dougray, who stood by the side of the stables, his hand resting on the neck of a black horse. Then she started the engine, determined to push all thoughts of Dougray Thornberg out of her head.

She’d come to Bear Creek to escape gossip, not create more. Opening her heart to Dougray would only lead to whispers about rebounds and poor decisions.

However, as they drove away, Tammy couldn’t shake the feeling that she was leaving something vital behind. But she steeled herself, focusing on the road ahead. She had a job to do, and animals to care for. That would have to be enough.

“Today went well,” Uncle Gavin said, casting her a sideways glance. “Don’t you think?”

“About?” She shook her head. “Yes, sorry, miles away.”

Uncle Gavin chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I can see that. Want to talk about it?”

Tammy sighed, watching the landscape roll by outside the truck window. The mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist. She found herself searching for words to describe the tumult of emotions swirling within her.

“I just... I’m fine, Uncle Gavin,” she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I have no doubt,” Uncle Gavin said. “But life is about more than being fine .”

“You’re right,” Tammy replied. “Maybe I should visit the animal shelter and find myself a canine companion.”

Uncle Gavin chuckled. “I believe you are meant for more than canine companionship. Don’t you?”

Tammy slowed the truck as they reached the gate leading from the Thornberg Ranch onto the road. “I don’t think I’m ready for more than that.”

“Ah,” Uncle Gavin nodded sagely. “Well, there’s no rush. A love that is true is worth waiting for.”

Tammy nodded absently, her mind drifting back to Dougray. She couldn’t deny the spark between them, but the thought of opening herself up to that kind of vulnerability again made her stomach churn.

Even if he was a shifter.

She’d visited Uncle Gavin since she was a teenager, which was longer ago than she liked to admit. During that time, she’d learned about shifters, learned that the bears, cougars, and wolves that she might encounter might not be as wild as they looked.

She’d even seen one of Uncle Gavin’s friends shift. A sight she would never forget. A night where she imagined magic was real.

And she’d gotten caught up in the romance of it all, of fated mates, and eternal bonds.

But for some reason, she had never believed she would be anyone’s fated mate.

A thought struck her. One that pierced her heart.

Was that the reason Peter had walked away from her? Had fate been behind his sudden job offer abroad? Was fate responsible for her heartbreak?

She tightened her grip on the steering wheel. If that were the case, she did not like fate that much.

How could she when it had treated her so cruelly?

Tammy climbed out of the truck and walked to the gate, pausing for a moment to appreciate the breathtaking view of the mountains and the peacefulness of the forest that bordered the road. Maybe when they got back to Uncle Gavin’s place, she’d take a hike into the mountains and clear her head. The fresh mountain air always seemed to put things into perspective.

As Tammy swung open the gate, a rustling in the nearby bushes caught her attention. She froze, her heart rate quickening. Living in bear country meant always being alert, even if some of those bears might be more than they appeared.

But instead of a bear or a wolf, a rabbit hopped into view, pausing a moment, nose twitching before it scurried into the undergrowth.

Tammy smiled to herself as she headed back to the truck. Was that fate’s way of telling her she was overreacting about this whole fated mate thing? That she was seeing problems where there weren’t any?

She wasn’t even sure Dougray was a shifter, let alone that she was his fated mate.

“Okay?” Uncle Gavin asked as she climbed into the truck and drove through the gate.

“Yes, I think I am. Or, at least, I think I will be.” She stopped the truck and reached for the door handle.

“I never had any doubts about that,” Uncle Gavin told her.

“I like your confidence,” Tammy replied as she got out of the truck and went to close the gate.

As Tammy secured the gate, a sense of calm washed over her. The rabbit’s appearance had been a gentle reminder that not everything in life was as complicated as she was making it out to be. Sometimes, things were just simple, natural, and meant to be.

Did that mean she would accept Dougray if they were fated mates?

Oh goodness, how was she meant to explain a new relationship to her mom? It would be simple if her mom knew about shifters. If her mom understood the connection shared by fated mates.

But her mom did not.

There she was, letting her mind run away with her again. It was time she stopped dwelling on what might have been and what might be. Time she lived in the present for a while.

It was time to get Uncle Gavin home. He’d tried to hide it, but she could see by the deepening lines around his mouth that his ankle was hurting. She’d get him settled in his favorite chair on the porch with one of the mystery novels he liked to read. Then she’d take a shower, wash off the day before making dinner, and then head out for an evening walk.

“Do we need to stop for groceries on the way home?” Tammy climbed back inside the truck, casting a concerted eye over her uncle.

“No, I don’t think so, unless there is something particular you need,” he answered. “Mabel, from over at the wildlife sanctuary, has been checking up on me twice a day since I hurt my ankle. There are a couple of casseroles in the fridge, so there’s no need to cook tonight.”

“Mabel from the wildlife sanctuary?” Tammy glanced sideways at her uncle. Perhaps there was a certain someone in his life after all.

Uncle Gavin chuckled, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. “Now, now, don’t go getting any ideas. Mabel simply took pity on me, helpless as I am.”

Tammy raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Uh-huh. Just a friend who brings you home-cooked meals and visits twice a day?”

“That’s right,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “She’s an animal lover and likes to make sure Pumpkin…”

Tammy burst out laughing. “Pumpkin? You are trying to tell me that she visits twice a day to check on your cat, who is probably more capable of taking care of himself than you?”

Uncle Gavin harrumphed, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Pumpkin’s a very special cat, I’ll have you know. And Mabel...well, she understands that.”

Tammy shook her head, still chuckling as she steered the truck down the winding mountain road. “I’m sure she does, Uncle. I’m sure she does.”

“Ah, I’m too old for whatever that head of yours is thinking,” he told her firmly. “I’m fine on my own.”

“What is it you said to me earlier? Something about life being about more than just being fine ?” Tammy teased gently.

Uncle Gavin grunted. “Using my own words against me, eh? You always were a clever one.”

“Oh, I don’t know. If I was that clever, I might have seen what happened coming sooner.” She steered the truck along the mountain roads, looking straight ahead. She didn’t want to see the pity in her uncle’s eyes. She’d seen enough of it to last a lifetime.

Not that she wasn’t grateful to all her friends and family for their unwavering support. But she didn’t want to be a person to be pitied. It didn’t sit well with her.

“Don’t you ever blame yourself for what happened,” Uncle Gavin said gruffly. “This is all on Peter. No matter what, he should not have treated you like he did.”

“He changed his mind about marrying me,” Tammy began. “That does not happen overnight. So, I do blame myself. For not seeing it. For not realizing he wasn’t committed to me or the life we had together.”

Uncle Gavin reached over and patted Tammy’s hand on the steering wheel. “Now listen here. Sometimes people are just cowards. They put on a good show, convincing themselves as much as anyone else until the moment of truth arrives. That’s not on you.”

Tammy nodded, blinking back tears. “I know, I know. It’s just... I keep replaying everything in my head, wondering if there were signs I missed.”

“That’s natural,” Uncle Gavin said. “But it won’t change anything. The only thing that matters now is how you move forward. And from where I’m sitting, you’re doing a mighty fine job of that.”

Tammy smiled weakly, touched by her uncle’s unwavering support. “I don’t think I would have agreed with you before I got here. But it’s easier to see a way forward when there’s some distance between my past and my future.”

“And do you think your future might be here…more permanently?” Her uncle’s question caught her off guard.

“What are you asking?” Tammy turned off the road and drove along the short drive to the farm.

Uncle Gavin patted his leg. “I’m getting old. And as stubborn as I am, I am not stupid. I need help in the clinic. And I’d like you to be my partner.”

“Partner?” Tammy shook her head slightly.

“Is that a no?” Uncle Gavin asked, crestfallen.

“No.” She shook her head more firmly. “That was a yes. Or at least, I need to give it some thought.”

“I preferred your first answer.” He cracked a smile. “Take all the time you need, Tammy. Me and this place are not going anywhere.”

And deep down, Tammy was already certain she was not going anywhere either.