Bearly Begun (BBW/Bearshifter Romance) (Bachelor Bears of Yakima Ridge Book 1) by Isadora Montrose Read Free Book Online Page B

instead of working in the food line.
    Her employers paid a lot less for making sandwiches rather than delivering them. But working six hours Monday to Friday meant she could be around when the boys were out of school, so she had taken a pay cut to try to keep them out of trouble.
    Today, Erin was working three to three. She had started loading her truck in the afternoon, and would be filling vending machines with sandwiches and snacks, and delivering to convenience stores until the small hours.
    He had told Erin that it made more sense if the boys more or less moved in since she was working odd shifts. He had bought some mattresses and an old dresser and put them in the middle bedroom. A trip to the Walmart and he had sheets and pillows.
    It was feeding them that was the issue. The boys ate as much as he and Joe did and just kept getting larger and hungrier.
    Joe kept sniffing them and saying they stank of bear. Stank yes. Len concurred with the stinky label. But getting them into the shower helped with that. He didn’t think they were shifters. What were the odds? He figured they were just growing up fast.
    But Hunter’s revived sullenness was different and unmistakable. He had to deal with that right quick.
    “Let’s take Tracker for a walk,” he told Hunter when the dishes were done. Cord looked up from his homework hopefully but Len shook his head.
    “What’s the matter, son,” he asked Hunter as Tracker made his usual dignified exploration of the neighborhood.
    “I’m not your son,” said Hunter fiercely.
    “It’s what we call youngsters in French Town, but if you don’t like it, I can call you something else,” Len said peaceably.
    “I have a dad,” said Hunter.
    “Hmm.”
    “You put my dad in jail,” Hunter accused.
    “You reckon?”
    “If you hadn’t of called the cops, he wouldn’t be back in jail.”
    “You think your dad should be out of jail teaching you and Cord to burgle houses?” Len asked mildly.
    Hunter kicked a stone. Len looked at the boy’s shoes. They were ordinary athletic runners that he had bought to replace the expensive high tops that Pacey had given his son. And it looked like Len would be going back to the store because they now looked a bit small. Jesus. No wonder Erin worried about money all the time.
    Len looked at the boy’s slumped posture. Hunter was confused. He liked Len. He liked the rhythm of work and play and eating, but he felt guilty for liking it when his dad was in prison. Or maybe someone had put a bee in his bonnet.
    “Did your dad teach you stuff?” Hunter asked.
    “My dad? Some. He died a long time ago. My mom says he always took me and Joey places with him, but truth to tell I don’t remember him much.”
    “My mom died in an accident. How’d your dad die?”
    “He was a soldier. He was killed in combat.”
    “Huh. Mom was killed by a minivan.”
    “I know.” Erin had told him the story. Her mother had been standing at a bus stop when a minivan had spun out of control. She had died at the scene. The boys had been three.
    Len squeezed Hunter’s shoulder comfortingly. He whistled for Tracker who was marking some garbage cans.
    “I don’t remember her. Me and Cord were babies. But we had my dad.” His voice trailed off.
    “And your sister,” Len reminded the boy.
    “She’s only my half-sister. She’s not really my sister.”
    Now this was the heart of the matter. “Erin’s been a mother to you boys since you were six. She loves you, and you better believe she’s your sister.”
    “She’s not like my dad.”
    No, she wasn’t, and wasn’t that a good thing? Erin was honest, hardworking and loyal. Everything Hunter’s father was not.
    “He bought us cool stuff. He was going to get me an iPad. Cord too.” Hunter kicked at a stone and watched it rattle into the street.
    “Your dad didn’t have a job. How do you think he paid for that cool stuff?” Len returned.
    Hunter kicked another stone. “That’s why he had to