Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 16943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 85(@200wpm)___ 68(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 85(@200wpm)___ 68(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Being the last unmated Bearly sibling isn’t a problem. Not for me. My twin and the others can have their fated mates and cozy little lives, but I’m perfectly happy as Glacier Pass’s fun-loving bachelor. No mate, no strings, no complications. That’s the way I like it.
Until Louisa Baldwin moves to town.
She’s human. Gorgeous. Feisty. Her ice cream shop is the new hotspot in Glacier Pass, and every polar bear in town is smitten with her—myself included. But when I try to charm her, she doesn’t seem interested.
Louisa is human, and she isn’t looking for a shifter mate. But I’m not giving up so easily. Something about her calls to the bear in me, and for the first time in my life, I’m starting to think a mate might not be so bad.
Can I convince her to take a chance on me?
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter 1
Gabe
I shuffle out of bed, feeling like I wrestled with a mad momma seal all goddamn night long. Glancing in the mirror, I see my hair standing up on end. Fuck. I need to shift a few times to help get rid of the run-over-by-a-truck look I’m rocking right now. I scratch at my stubble, wondering if it’s worth the effort today. Coffee first, grooming decisions later.
The kitchen is quiet except for the goddamn loud ass birds chirping outside the large window. I walk into my large, stainless steel kitchen and glance around. I’ve spent the last few years making sure this house is perfect, but lately, as I stand in this spacious, two-story log cabin, I’m starting to feel a little lonely.
With my siblings all mated and happy, I’m starting to fucking feel left out. I keep asking myself who needs all that mushy stuff anyway. Not me. My life is perfect the way it is. I answer myself.
“No, it isn’t. You’re fucking lonely and grouchy, and I’m tired of dealing with your stubborn ass,” my inner polar bear argues.
“Shut up.” I mentally flip him off before pouring myself a mug of the dark, strong coffee. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I already know who’s calling. Twin intuition tells me it’s Grant interrupting my peaceful morning ritual. Of course, he'd call now. He probably sensed my unease and decided to stick his nose in my business. I consider letting it ring out, but I know he’ll just call back.
“What the fuck do you want?” My voice comes out gravelly, even to my own ears.
“Morning, Sunshine!” Grant's annoyingly chipper voice ruffles my feathers.
“Bite my hairy ass,” I grunt into my mug, inhaling the rich aroma.
“No, thank you. I have a much prettier ass to bite here at home,” Grant teases, and I can practically hear his smirk through the phone.
“Not in the mood to listen to your shit. I haven’t even had my coffee yet,” I growl and take a sip of the black gold in my mug.
“You’re a goddamn polar bear shifter.” I can picture my twin rolling his eyes. “Coffee isn’t going to do shit for you.”
It’s true. Human stimulants don’t really have much effect on shifters, but I’ve learned to make my coffee strong enough to give me just a little kick. At least, that’s what I tell myself. Plus, I fucking love the taste. “Just let me enjoy my coffee without your goddamn input. Now, why the fuck did you call?”
“I felt your unease,” he expresses his worry like only a twin can.
The thing is, he's right. I have been feeling off. Restless. Like there's an itch in my bear skin I just can't seem to scratch. But I’m not sure what to do about it.
“I just need to spend a day in my bear form hunting,” I counter, trying to sound convincing. “Enjoying my peace and quiet now that you lot are all off playing house.”
Grant snorts. “If playing house means being exhausted as hell from nightly—”
“Stop right there,” I interrupt him before I’m forced to listen to his bragging. “I don’t need you to go into play-by-play detail.” I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see it.
“You don’t know what you’re missing,” he practically sings.
“If that’s all you need, I’m gonna hang up.”
“Grumpy fucker,” he growls under his breath. “I have another reason for calling. I thought you might want to check out the new ice cream parlor in town with me. I’ll buy you a banana split.” Oh. My inner polar bear perks up and nudges me hard. Grant knows how much my inner bear fucking loves banana splits.
I run a hand through my hair, trying to process why he thinks I’d want to eat ice cream right now. “Seriously?”
Grant laughs, completely ignoring my point. “I’ve heard it’s the best ice cream on earth.”