Chapter 27
Bear drummed his fingers against the polished oak table at the Eagle’s Nest, his stomach a knot of tension. The lunch crowd buzzed around him, but he barely registered their conversations. His thoughts remained fixed on last night’s argument with Joy. All he wanted to do was make things right with her.
He saw her across the restaurant, balancing three plates along one arm with practiced ease. When she turned and spotted him, he raised his hand in a tentative wave. She hesitated only briefly before making her way to his booth.
“Hey,” she said, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear.
“Hey.” Bear’s throat felt suddenly dry. “I’m sorry about last night.”
Joy’s expression softened. “I know you are.”
“I shouldn’t have kept things from you. Even thinking I was protecting you?—”
“I know why you did it, and I understand. We’ll work it out,” she interrupted, squeezing his hand. “We need to talk, really talk. But everything will be okay.”
The relief that washed through him was so intense it nearly took his breath away. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.” A genuine smile touched her lips. “You eating here alone?”
“No. Actually, I, uh, invited Mom and Dad to meet me. I’m going to tell them about the IED and my scars.” Maybe a public place like this hadn’t been the best idea, but he hadn’t wanted to make it formal.
She squeezed his hand again. “Thank you.”
“It’s time. Past time. And you’re right. I have to stop trying to carry everything myself.”
“I’ll bring your usuals when they get here.” She gave his hand one more squeeze before heading back to her tables.
Bear watched her go, feeling the tightness in his chest ease slightly. They weren’t fixed, but they would be. That certainty steadied him.
The door swung open, and his parents walked in. His father held the door for his mother, a gesture so familiar it made Bear’s chest ache. Charlie—all five foot two of her—spotted him immediately, her face lighting up as she rushed to his booth.
“There’s my boy,” she said, enveloping him in a hug that smelled like home. “This is a lovely surprise.”
Finn clasped his shoulder firmly. “What’s the occasion, son? Not that we need one to have lunch with you.”
“Just thought we were overdue for some family time,” Bear replied, motioning for them to sit.
As they settled in, Bear’s gaze drifted back to Joy. She caught his look and offered a small smile that helped loosen the knot in his chest further.
“So that’s it,” Charlie said, following his gaze. “You and Joy finally a thing?”
Bear dragged his attention back to his parents. “Yes, and while I can’t wait to talk to you about that, it’s not why I asked you here.” He took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something. Something I should have told you two years ago.”
Finn’s posture straightened, his relaxed demeanor shifting to alert concern. “What is it?”
There was no easy way to say this than to just say it. “Remember two years ago when I sent that email telling you I was going to be out of pocket for a few months and not to worry if you didn’t hear from me? Bear’s voice dropped lower, conscious of their surroundings.
“Yes.” Charlie reached for Bear’s hand across the table, a reflexive gesture of support.
“But that wasn’t what was going on, was it?” Finn asked.
“No.”
His parents looked at each other. Obviously, this wasn’t the first time they’d discussed this possibility.
“Tell us,” Finn said.
“My team and I were clearing a building, and an IED went off. The blast threw me into a building wall and killed over half my team. I sustained second-degree burns across my back and shoulders.” Bear kept his voice steady, as if delivering a mission report. “And it damaged my hearing. I have tinnitus—constant ringing. Some days are worse than others.”
Silence fell between them, heavy with unspoken emotions.
Charlie’s eyes glistened with tears, but her voice remained strong. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Derek was having the worst of his PTSD episodes. You had enough to worry about.”
“That wasn’t your call to make,” Charlie said, the words striking him like physical blows.
“I know that now,” Bear replied, meeting his mother’s gaze. “I’m sorry.”
“Can I see them? The burns?” she asked softly.
Bear glanced around the crowded restaurant. “Not here. They’re just scars now, but I’ll show you next time at my place.”
“What made you decide to tell us?” Finn asked, studying Bear’s face. “After all this time?”
“Someone helped me realize I’ve been asking others to trust me with their vulnerabilities while hiding my own.”
Understanding dawned in Finn’s eyes. “Joy knows about this?”
“She’s the only one I’ve told. Until now.”
He instinctively sought Joy out again. He grimaced as he saw Daniel was back again and talking to her. But Bear couldn’t focus on that now. He had more important things to deal with.
Finn reached across the table and gripped Bear’s arm.
“I understand why you kept it from us,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “But, son, there is nothing— absolutely nothing —you could go through that we wouldn’t want to know about. No matter what else is happening.”
His mom nodded, discreetly wiping a tear. “Protecting us by suffering alone doesn’t work. It just means we weren’t there when you needed us.”
The words hit Bear like a punch to the gut. It was exactly what he’d been doing with Joy—thinking he was protecting her when he was actually shutting her out.
Across the restaurant, Joy looked up, concern evident in her expression as she observed their intense conversation. Bear gave her a small nod, and after a moment’s hesitation, she made her way toward their table.
“Everything okay over here?” she asked, her eyes moving between the three of them.
“Better now,” Bear said, reaching for her hand. “Join us? I’m sure Hudson can spare you for a few minutes.”
Joy settled into the booth beside him, her shoulder brushing against his.
“We’re having a family conversation about the dangers of keeping secrets,” Finn explained, his eyes warm as they took in Joy. “Especially when we’re trying to protect the people we care about.”
“I may know something about that,” Joy replied, her fingers tightening around Bear’s.
“I’m sorry,” Bear said, turning to face her fully. “For not telling you about the break-ins. For making you feel like I didn’t trust your strength. Because I do trust your strength. I trust everything about you.”
“And I’m sorry for walking away instead of talking it through,” Joy responded, her green eyes steady on his. “For not being honest about what I was feeling.”
Charlie smiled gently. “Communication isn’t as easy as it sounds, is it?”
“Especially when you’re both trying to be the strong one,” Finn added with the wisdom of decades of marriage. “We both know a little about that too.”
Joy nodded, a small smile playing at her lips. “I need to be better at admitting when I’m struggling. Which is why I also need to tell you…” Her voice dropped, meant only for their table. “I spent the last two nights in the playhouse. After feeling paranoid about being watched. That’s why I got so upset about the break-ins—they confirmed I wasn’t just sliding backward for no reason.”
“I should have told you,” Bear said, guilt washing through him. “I’m going to do better.”
“Me too,” Joy assured him. “I talked to Dr. Diaz today. Made an appointment for tomorrow. I know I need more help than just trying to power through on my own.”
Pride and relief surged through Bear in equal measure. “That’s really good.”
“I think we should give you two some privacy,” Charlie said, standing suddenly. She slid out of the booth and walked over to Bear, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Next Sunday, dinner at our place. And I want to check those scars myself.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
After his parents left, Bear turned to Joy, still holding her hand. “Thank you for telling me about the playhouse. And Dr. Diaz.”
“I want us to be real partners,” she said simply. “That means sharing the hard stuff too, not just the good.”
“I agree.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “No more secrets.”
“Speaking of, I decided to set up Velvet Mornings in the town square tomorrow,” Joy announced, her eyes bright with determination. “Just pull the trigger and do it.”
“Yeah?” Bear asked, pride swelling in his chest.
“It’s time to stop keeping it a secret, stop waiting for the perfect moment.” She smiled, that familiar spark of the old Joy shining through. “Besides, I’ve got pretty amazing support now.”
“The truck is going to be a hit,” Bear assured her, meaning every word.
“I hope so. I already told Hudson I need to cut back my shifts here to focus on it.”
“You’re all in.”
“I am.” She glanced around at the curious onlookers, then laughed. “Um, and apparently, you and I have become a main attraction in here. Everyone is staring.”
“Let them,” Bear said, not caring who saw them. “I’m pretty damn lucky.”
Joy’s expression softened, her fingers intertwining with his. “We both are.”