Bearly Healed: Pacific Northwest Bears: (Shifter Romance) (6 page)

C
ash took in the words
, a list of injuries that if this Cassie had been a shifter, would have healed in a matter of weeks. Here she was human, fragile, and suffering. It didn’t seem fair.

“I think her seeing me was a big step. She even laughed. She’s very pretty when she laughs. I can see that naughty streak in her that Effie mentioned,” Sophie said with a smile.

The group was quiet, thinking about their charge in the other room.

“Well, I know I think better with dessert,” Wyatt announced. Jinger gave him a none too subtle slap on the arm.

“Really? You stuffed yourself, and you’re after more?” she said exasperatedly.

“What? Mom has leftover Christmas cookies. Sophie made so many the freezer is still bursting with them. I’m just trying to help mom out. Don’t want them lying around going to waste,” Wyatt said, giving her a sad face.

Jinger rolled her eyes and stood up to start clearing the table. The rest of the group followed, picking up items and moving around the kitchen. In the Rochon family, everyone helped. So the guys started rinsing dishes while the girls put away any leftovers.

No one noticed Cash slipping out the front door silently with a bundle in his hands.

Sneaking around the outside of the house, the night had cooled off significantly. Springtime in Washington was still cold weather. He made it to the window of the bedroom that he knew Cassie was in. The edge of the ground on this side of the house sloped down a bit bringing the bottom of the window to just the top of Cash’s shoulders.

He positioned himself with his back to the house, out of the view of the window and raised his hand to the glass. He gave it two sharp taps and called out, “Cassie?”

He heard some rustling, then nothing. He tried again knocking on the glass. “Cassie? I’m Cash, a friend of Dax and Effie’s?” He hoped knowing her friends would make her realize he wasn’t some psycho outside her window. But then he realized, he was standing in the pitch dark, knocking on a lonely scared girl’s window.

“Dumbass,” he muttered to himself.

He looked up to see the window start to slide open. It was only open about two inches, when he heard a faint, “Hello?”

“Hey, I know this is weird, but I didn’t know if you’d see me. I mean, I know you talked to Sophie earlier. She said you weren’t up for visitors yet. But I wanted to bring you something,” he said, lifting the napkin wrapped bundle up in the air next to the opening.

Cash watched as a small delicate hand slipped through the opening and wrapped around the bundle. Her soft hands brushed his fingertips, and he sucked in a breath at the electric shock that travelled over him.

The hand and the package disappeared inside. There was silence for a moment then he heard a small giggle. The giggle was like a tiny wind chime that made him smile. His bear made his opinion known that he also liked hearing the tinkling laughter. He wanted to hear more of it.

“Cookies?” came the soft voice inside.

“Yeah, Christmas cookies. Those are the best kind you know? Cookies, in general, are good. I’ve almost never met a cookie I didn’t like,” he said softly. He liked that he was getting to talk to her. Her voice was sweet like her scent. He wanted to keep her talking so he could soak it up.

“Almost?” she replied curiously.

“Hmm, once I got too excited about a chocolate chip cookie. Bit into an oatmeal raisin. Ruined my whole damn day,” he said gruffly.

More tinkling laughter came from the dark on the other side of the window.

“Don’t like oatmeal raisin?”

“Oatmeal yes, raisin no. Raisins are just sad grapes. The life has been sucked out of them. Nobody can tell me that raisins aren’t just mini prunes,” Cash said seriously.

More giggles.

“What kind of cookies do you like?” he asked when no more questions came.

“Anything dipped in chocolate. You ever had those shortbread ones with marshmallow on top that are coated in chocolate? Those are da bomb!” she said enthusiastically

“The bomb huh?” he laughed.

“No DA bomb. Get it right, Jethro,” came the smart reply.

“Cash,” he said softly.

There was silence for a moment and then he heard her say, “Well, that will never work.”

This made him and his bear pause. He was almost afraid to ask. Not knowing what wouldn’t work, it made his gut clench that there might be something in doubt. Weird.

“What won’t work?” He felt like he was holding his breath along with his bear. Not that his bear ever held his breath per se.

“Our names…We can’t start a torrid love affair and have everyone saying Cash and Cassie. That’s terrible, it’s worse than a tongue twister. Worse, someone will pull a Brangelina on us and start calling us Cashy. That just won’t do.”

Cash took a moment to realize she was joking, but his bear was fucking happy as hell at the idea of a torrid love affair. He wasn’t even sure what that was but it sounded damn fine. Cash hadn’t realized his bear was so interested in meeting this girl until now.

“Well, my middle name is Queets. I don’t particularly like it, and it wouldn’t be much help,” he supplied.

“Queets?”

“Little town by the ocean, guess where I was conceived?” he said laughing.

“Wow, nothing like your parents giving you a constant reminder of them doing the deed.”

“Gross, I never thought about it that way,” Cash admitted. “What’s your middle name? What’s your last name for that matter?”

“Mom was being unique when she tagged me with the middle name Spirit. I’ll give you a moment to let that bad boy sink in,” she said, then paused dramatically.

“Spirit isn’t that bad. I kinda like it,” he said with a rough noise. His bear could sense the spirit in her. Even hurt and wounded inside her flame was just low, not snuffed out completely. Thank goodness.

“So what is your last name?” he pressed.

“Hackett, nothing too exciting,” she responded.

“Cassidy Spirit Hackett? You know, one more letter and your initials are my name. Don’t you think that’s a sign?” he teased.

“I don’t believe in signs.” This was said with a seriously sad tone. Cash’s bear chuffed in his head. He didn’t like it.

“Well, I do. I think signs are all around us. We just have to be willing to read them. If we don’t take the time, the fates often will use them to smack us upside the head. Or at least that’s what my momma always says.”

“Hmm, I’ve been smacked around enough this year, thanks,” Cassie responded with annoyance.

“Yeah, sweetie. Sounds like you’ve had your fair share. I’d like to help you. I know you aren’t real keen at being the center of attention. But I think if you met us one at a time, it would get easier.” Cash hoped he wasn’t pushing her, but he really wanted to meet her now. He had to see who was attached to that sweet smell.

“Wow, already to sweetie. This relationship is moving at lightspeed. You’ve brought me sugar and used an endearment. You know in Cassie world that’s practically a proposal.” She laughed.

“Sounds like you have no idea how a lady should be treated,” Cash remarked.

Cassie paused a moment to ponder that. How do you admit that you’ve had a habit of dating assholes so you wouldn’t get too attached to them? That you didn’t want to think about the future with someone that couldn’t keep their shit together for more than a week? Her near death experience made her realize she really didn’t have anyone to impress.

“No, you’re right. I haven’t met too many good men. Dax, he’s a good man. You must be too since you came out to help Effie, and you hadn’t even met her before.” Cassie was surprised when Effie told her the tale once she was back home safe and sound. She also described Cash for her. So now Cassie was trying to put a mental image to the man outside her window. She was tempted to hoist herself up and look out. But this was the longest conversation she’d had with anyone that wasn’t Effie in months. She didn’t want it to end.

“I did what anyone would do. I was close, and I could help. Besides when a man like Dax finds the woman meant for him, you guard her like she’s a precious jewel. Those are the kinds of relationships that the more you feed into caring for your partner, the more you get back. I couldn’t let a friend of mine lose that. Now I’m going to be a godfather to their baby. A sign that I was right to help like I did.”

Cassie liked that answer. A year ago, she would have scoffed at a man saying anything close to that. Mostly because she grew up with men calling women bitches in either anger or as a pet name. She spent months waiting for the real Dax to come out and show his true colors. Instead, he fell more in love with her best friend. Showered her with affection and love. It was amazing to watch.

“Maybe,” she responded.

“I’m tiring you out. I should let you rest. Can I stop by tomorrow?” He knew it was pushy, but he needed to hear her again, to see her face, to know her.

Cassie hesitated, “Uhh….”

C
ash thought fast
. He didn’t want her to say no, so he offered up another solution. “I’ll make a deal with you. You accept a visitor tomorrow. One of the wives. I know Kenzi wants to see you. You let her visit, and I’ll sneak you anything you want through the window here. We can talk again, just like today. Nothing face to face. What do you say?”

Cassie thought about it. She’d briefly met Kenzi at Everett and Layla’s wedding. Everett was Dax’s brother. She didn’t know how to mingle, so she’d said a polite hello and stuck by Effie for most of the party. That was until she happened upon some guests changing into cougars in front of her; then shit got weird.

But Cassie liked talking to Cash. It wasn’t hard; it was like they were old friends. And she liked the anonymity of having him a wall away, not staring at her scar.

“Okay, but I want something good,” she demanded.

“Anything your little heart desires. If I can’t get it, I’ll have Sophie figure how to make it,” he promised.

“I want corn chip burritos. The kind with that fake squeezy cheese you get with drive through Mexican food. With that sour cream they squirt out of a caulking gun. The good stuff,” she said seriously.

“I’m sorry, corn chip burritos with fake cheese and caulk gun sour cream? Is that a real thing?” he asked in horror.

“Yup, I want at least two. And some of those deep fried churros too,” she added.

Cash wondered what he’d gotten himself into. He liked treats now and then too. But what she described was nauseating. But she sounded excited about the possibility, and he wanted her to be excited. Even if it was about a burrito. Fuck it, if she wanted it, he’d get it.

“I’ll see what I can do. Will this feast maybe garner me an in-person introduction?” he pushed.

“Maybe, depends on a number of factors,” she mused.

Cash looked out into the darkness. He liked playing this game, so did his bear, and from the sounds of it, so did Cassie.

“You gonna tell me or keep those to yourself?” he said sarcastically.

“Hey, stow the ‘tude man. Haven’t you heard? I’m a fragile head case,” Cassie declared.

“You’re no head case. You just need cheering up. I’d be pissed and blue if I was all laid up, my muscles getting weak. Hell, that would drive me crazy. I run regularly so even a few days in bed would make me lose my mind,” he told her. “Do you run?” he asked.

“Depends who’s chasing me,” came the acerbic reply.

Cash let out a low rumbling laugh. He’d met a few people like her. If they were running, it meant something bad was coming, and you should probably run too.

“You have a nice laugh,” came the feminine voice from the dark.

“Yours ain’t bad either. So you gonna tell me what the factors are to be granted a face to face?”

Cassie hadn’t thought of any reasons; she was just being snotty. She was out of practice being a smart aleck.

“Well, for starters, burrito integrity of course.” Cass wasn’t sure what that meant, but it sounded good.

Cash was still chuckling to himself when he said, “Burrito integrity. I’m assuming you mean form and function with taste not withstanding.”

“Not sure what you mean there, Billy-Bob. I mean it can’t be all mushy and cold,” she replied.

“It’s still Cash. And that’s what I said before. Next?”

Cassie rushed to think of something else. “Uh, sugar to cinnamon ratio on the churros. Nobody likes to start hacking when they snort up a cloud of cinnamon.” Sure that sounded reasonable, she thought.

“All right, I’ll do my best to procure the best fast food burrito feast I can. Which, might I remind you, we are not anywhere close to a major city, so my options are limited. But I will endeavor to prevail. But then will you let me welcome you to the Rochons?” Cash said that last part softly, hopefully she’d realize he was truly trying to be a friend to her.

“Can I say maybe?” she softly asked.

“Yeah, darlin’ you can say maybe,” Cash replied. He was smiling. His brain had cooked up an image of this friend of Effie’s, and he wanted to see how close he’d gotten. Not that he was some expert on post car accident depression or anything, but being alone was against everything he knew. Humans and shifters weren’t that much different. Shifters just understood that they needed their packs or clans to survive. Humans always wanted to be so independent. It didn’t make you less to rely on someone for support.

“Thanks, Cash,” she said.

Man, he liked hearing her say his name. Shit, what was up with him? He realized he was getting hard just at the sound of her voice. He wasn’t some school kid, getting a boner over a pretty girl in the hallway. He was whispering to an injured girl in the dark through a window. Not exactly romantic in his book.

“Anytime, Cassie. I mean that. You’re a friend of Effie’s; that makes you family.”

He didn’t hear anything, he waited for another moment then figured she must be done. Tapping on the siding on the house twice, he turned to walk away.

“Cash?” came the small voice again.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” she said. Then Cash saw that small pale hand come out the window again. He reached for it and gently encircled her hand. His hand dwarfed hers while wrapping her cold digits in his warm palm.

“Like I said, anytime.” Giving her another squeeze, he went back to the front door and slipped inside.

The family was sitting around in the great room drinking coffee and chatting. All eyes turned to him when he strode in. He hung up his jacket and walked to the kitchen for coffee without saying a word.

“Hey man, we thought you left on us,” Wyatt called out from one of the overstuffed chairs flanking the fireplace. Jinger was in his lap curled up looking like she was about to fall asleep. Having twins mean they’d become expert catnappers.

“No, just went for some fresh air,” he replied, spooning sugar into his coffee.

“Fresh air huh?” Cage said. Not believing his cousin for a second. He’d walked down the hallway looking for him after dinner and paused when he heard Cassie talking to someone. At first, he thought she was watching a movie then, he heard her say Cash’s name.

“Good for the digestion,” Cash said, coming over to lean up against the fireplace. He took a sip and met his cousin’s eyes. Cage was a crafty one and being Alpha never missed much.

“Alright, I’ll let you have it this time. Just tread lightly,” Cage said.

“Plan to,” Cash replied. His eyes telling his Alpha that his intentions were on the up and up.

The rest of the group was looking back and forth between the two men as they spoke. No one else seemed to have the slightest clue what was going on. There were confused looks all around.

“Better,” Cage said, low but not angry. Cash understood and appreciated the fact his Alpha was so tuned into everything.