9. HAVING MY CAKE AND EATING IT TOO

LUKE, HAVING MY CAKE AND EATING IT TOO

It is nearly six weeks before I’m able to make it back to the lodge and Juliet. I told her I’d visit but now that I’m actually doing it – I’m nervous. Will she be happy to see me or was she just being polite because we were stuck together?

“Luke! You made it back!” She has a cup of coffee on the table in front of me before I’m even sitting down and in no time, Quentin makes an appearance to say hello. As if sensing I’m not here to see him, the owner doesn’t stick around long and leaves the two of us alone again – well, the four of us. The girls are chattering away as they play inside a corralled area, content and happy. “I have a treat for you, when you’re ready,” she says with a smile. Intrigued, I tell her I can’t wait after a tease like that so she disappears into the kitchen for a few minutes before returning with a plate and fork.

On the plate is a piece of chocolate cake and a piece of white – both with pink and white icing, as well as a scoop of both vanilla and chocolate ice cream. She presents it to me and I eagerly take it, but I don’t understand the relevance or excitement.

“I’ve been saving these for you – they’re from the girls’ birthday cakes. They turned one a couple of weeks ago,” she tells me with a brilliant smile. She saved these pieces for me?! Holy hell – am I ever glad I made the decision to visit! Not only is she the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, she’s also the kindest and most considerate. I waste no time digging into the warmed cake and rapidly melting ice cream, giving her a big smile of my own when I finish.

“That was incredible – thank you for thinking of me,” I say and she blushes in response. Encouraged, I continue, “I was wondering if you’d spend the day with me, Juliet? You and the little ladies that is,” I ask. Outwardly I appear calm but, on the inside, I’m freaking out – I’m not asking as a friend and I’m quite sure she knows it so now would be the time to send me packing but I’m really hoping she doesn’t.

“That sounds great, Luke. I’d like that very much,” she says in response, with another smile. ‘Chase’ fights me to jump onto the table and do his own version of a happy dance but thankfully, I’m the stronger of the two of us and I resist – barely.

“That’s because you’re no fun,” he grumbles at me, but still elated at the prospect of spending time with Juliet. These past several weeks away from her have been agony and neither of us have coped well. I spent a lot of time in ‘Chase’s’ form, preferring to spend much of the countless hours apart in solitude.

The rest of the day goes by in a blur and far too quickly. We play with her daughters whenever they’re awake and when they’re not – we talk. We simply spend time together and get to know one another better – it’s incredible. After lunch we moved to her cabin for the girls’ nap and neither of us give it a second thought that it might be uncomfortable or even inappropriate, both of us in her place like that.

Nothing happened!

Juliet relaxed and opened up about her past, the how and why of her being here alone. I now know there will be no creepy ex showing up unexpectedly but my heart breaks for these two little girls who will never know their daddy. I now understand better why they took to me so easily – they have no male influence in their lives beyond their limited exposure at the lodge.

“The fact that I’m a big teddy bear has nothing to do with it, I’m sure,” ‘Chase’ boasts, confident the girls can detect my other half. I haven’t told Juliet anything about shifters or the fact that I myself am a shifter – even though she’s my mate, until I know for sure she’s going to stay I can’t risk exposure. If she leaves and accidentally says something it could be the end of shifters everywhere.

I can’t risk everyone for my own happiness.

All too soon it starts to get dark and it is time for me to leave – she wants me to stay the night in the lodge but with no true reason to stay, I can’t. It is even harder to leave them this time and we linger at the door. Taking a chance, I lean down and brush a soft kiss against her forehead then turn and leave her cabin without saying a word. I trust my actions to say for me what I can’t and can only hope I haven’t offended her or chased her away for good.

Because there’ll be no staying away for me now.