Chapter 43
Not telling Mattie the truth was driving Gunnar crazy, but there was no point. She’d think something was wrong with him if he told her everything they’d done over the last few days. She’d think he’d lost his marbles. That he’d escaped an asylum.
Worse, she’d want nothing to do with him.
So instead, he sat in her passenger seat and played along. All the while inhaling her fragrance, wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and kiss her, but also being extremely grateful that she was no longer lying unconscious in a hospital bed because of him.
“What’s it like being a ranger?”
“It’s a great job,” he said. “I get to be outdoors most of the time. I have to deal with tourists, which is a mixed bag.”
She smiled. Boy, did he love that smile. “Yeah, they can be something, can’t they? Do you know Delaney—that’s the woman who owns Delaney’s Delectables.”
“I know her,” Gunnar said.
“She once told me that a woman asked if the nuts in the fudge were real.” Mattie laughed. “Can you imagine? What did she think they were? Plastic?”
He grinned. “The stories I could tell you about tourists and the falls. Seems like I fish one out of there at least once a week.”
Her expression changed, her eyes narrowing slightly. “That would be … bad, wouldn’t it? Falling off those rocks.”
He watched her face, wishing he could tell what she was thinking.
He glanced at Blueberry to make sure the imp couldn’t read minds, but Blueberry showed no signs of understanding what had just passed through Gunnar’s head.
“Most of them don’t hurt themselves more than a twisted ankle or some bruises.
They get off the trail and try to get closer for a selfie, and the next thing you know, they’ve slipped in. ”
“The rocks are slippery, aren’t they?” She still had that faraway look on her face.
“They can be.” He needed to change the subject. “What’s it like keeping bees?”
She smiled again. “I love my bees. They’re such interesting little creatures. They build whole worlds in those hives. I’ll show them to you sometime. If you want.”
He nodded. “I’d love that. I love honey.” He shrugged. “I don’t think you’ll find a bear shifter who doesn’t.”
She glanced at him. “You know, Delaney’s working on a bunch of honey-themed sweets for spring. Chocolates with honey, cakes with honey, all kinds of stuff.”
“I’ll have to try some. I have a pretty serious sweet tooth. Again, it’s a bear thing.”
“Well, you can probably tell by looking at me that I rarely say no to dessert.”
He’d looked at her all right. At her beautiful face and equally beautiful curves. But he didn’t think he should say too much this soon. But he had to say something. If he didn’t, she might think he didn’t like the way she looked. “You look fine to me. Too many women are on a perpetual diet.”
That earned him a little grin. “Well, if I had a shifter’s metabolism, I’d probably be a couple of sizes smaller.”
He shook his head. “A number on a tag means nothing. You look like someone who actually lives her life instead of starving her way through it. That’s a lot more attractive than being a size two.”
“You actually mean that, don’t you?” Aaron had never made a fuss about her being on the curvy side, but he’d never exactly complimented her figure either.
“Yep.”
Blueberry, who was sitting on the console between them, piped up. “Gunnar has an entire freezer full of ice cream.”
Gunnar snorted. “It’s not an entire freezer. Just a shelf.”
“It’s a big shelf,” Blueberry clarified.
“Why do you have so much ice cream?” Mattie asked as she turned onto Main Street.
“Because I only come into town once a month for supplies. Or at least, that’s what I try to do.”
“Do you live that far away?”
“No, I just …” He’d been about to say I just don’t like people that much.
But he couldn’t say that to her. He didn’t want her to think he was talking about her, but also, it wasn’t true anymore.
Being around people wasn’t that bad. He found new words.
“I thought I didn’t want to be around people. But I’ve changed my mind about that.”
“Yeah?” She seemed amused by that as she drove through town. “How come?”
This was the hard part. Opening up. Being completely honest. He hadn’t been raised to be a liar by any means, but he hadn’t been brought up to share, either. “Bears are loners by nature. But I’m finding out it’s not the best way to live.”
She nodded. “Friends are great. I feel pretty blessed to have the ones I do.”
“I don’t have many.” Or any.
“Gunnar has a cousin who works at Insomnia,” Blueberry volunteered.
“Is that right? I can’t say I go there very often. I’m not really into the whole club thing. I’m more of a homebody.”
“So am I,” he said. “But I’m working on that. It’s hard when you don’t know how to talk to people.”
Pulling into the parking lot at the Shop-n-Save, she laughed. “You’re doing all right with me.”
That’s because I already know you, he wanted to say. Because I care more about you than just about anyone else in this world. But he couldn’t say that. “I guess you’re just easy to talk to.”
“I try to be.” She pulled around to the back and parked by a door marked Receiving. “First stop. I won’t be too long. You want to babysit Blueberry?”
Angry buzzing answered her. “I am not a baby. I don’t need sitting.”
“Hey, calm down, buddy,” she said. “I wasn’t implying you were a baby. It’s just a word.”
“He’ll behave,” Gunnar promised, hoping the imp didn’t make a liar out of him. “Besides, I was going to carry the crates for you.”
“You really want to do that?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay, let’s go.” She put the truck in park and got out.
Gunnar met her around the back, Blueberry accompanying him. “Which crate?”
She pointed to the one closest to them. “That one and the one behind it.”
“You do a lot of business with the grocery store, huh?”
“Enough to pay my light bill.” She shrugged. “It’s a living.”
He stacked one crate on top of the other.
She eyed him closely. “Careful, there. That’s a lot of honey. You break those jars and—”
“And I’ll pay for them. But I’ve got this. Promise.”
He followed her in, holding on to the crates until directed by the receiving manager where to put them. Blueberry stole a grape from a pallet of produce but otherwise behaved himself.
Gunnar was glad of that. He made sure Blueberry was accounted for as they got back into the truck, too. The imp was not going missing again on his watch. “Where to now?”
“The spa.”
“The town has a spa?”
She grinned. “You really don’t get out much, do you?”
For the next few hours, he helped her at each stop, carrying the crates in, keeping an eye on the imp, and doing whatever else he could to make her day go easier. They talked about all sorts of things, including the wishes she thought he had to make.
It was getting a little easier not to tell her what had happened between them, but the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her hadn’t faded at all. If anything, he was falling for her even harder.
They got back in the truck.
“How many more stops?”
“Just one,” she said. “Usually it takes longer, but your help has sped things up.”
“What about after the last stop, we go by Apollo’s, that new Greek deli, and get some lunch. My treat. They have great moussaka.”
Her mouth came open. “I love that place. You’ve had their moussaka? Isn’t it amazing?”
“It’s so good,” he said, thinking about how he’d tried it for the first time with her.
“That would be sweet. But you don’t have to buy me lunch.”
“Yeah, I do. You’ve been super helpful today with all the wishing tips. You didn’t have to do that. You’re a good person, Mattie.”
“I’m just a regular person trying to live in a way that means something. There’s nothing special about that.”
“I think there is.” He put his seat belt on. “What’s the next stop?”
“Chocolate!” Blueberry said the word like he was announcing the next fighter about to enter the ring.
They both laughed.
“Delaney’s,” Gunnar said.
“That’s right.” She started the truck and got them back on the street. “That stop will probably take a little longer. Delaney’s a friend, and I usually talk to her a bit.”
“Doesn’t make any difference to me how long it takes. I’m probably going to buy some chocolates to take home while I’m there.”
“Will you buy me one?” Blueberry asked.
Mattie answered before Gunnar could. “Blue. You know she always gives you samples.”
Gunnar laughed. “Working all the angles, huh?”
“Can’t blame an imp for trying.”
She parked outside of Delaney’s. All three of them went in. Delaney greeted Mattie as soon as she saw her. A moment later, she realized Gunnar was with Mattie, his arms full with the crate of honey he was carrying.
“Are you here for your order? I don’t remember getting it.”
He shook his head. “I didn’t call it in. I’m helping Mattie out with her deliveries and figured I’d just pick it up.”
A twinkle lit Delaney’s gaze, and she gave Mattie a look. “Isn’t that nice? Well, why don’t you come on back?” She touched Mattie’s arm. “I’ve got a few samples for you to try.”