Lisa's Bear Read online

  Lisa’s Bear

  Bryant Station Curves

  Rayne Rachels

  Kindle Edition

  Copyright © 2013 Rayne Rachels

  All rights reserved.

  For more information about the author, please visit http://raynerachels.blogspot.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the Author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  CHAPTER 1

  “Miss Mathers?”

  Lisa Mathers looked up from the stack of papers she was grading. “Hello, Ben, what can I help you with?”

  “Aren’t you going to eat lunch?” Ben Anderson asked as he studied his English teacher. He knew she rarely ate in the cafeteria with the other teachers and the fact he didn’t see any food on her desk bothered him. She shouldn’t be starving herself.

  Lisa smiled. “I don’t really think you came here to ask me that did you?”

  “No, but you need to eat.” Ben was frustrated. It was all he could do not to pull out his lunch and give it to her, but she wouldn’t understand his need to take care of her because she was human. But if his hunch was right and he was sure it was, Miss Mathers would soon be mated to his uncle. Too bad she wasn’t his dad’s mate then she would be his mom. He was sure Miss Mathers would make a great mother, just not for him. At least having her for an aunt wasn’t too bad. She would be family and the males took care of their mates and made sure they ate.

  “Don’t worry. I have something to eat if I get hungry.” Lisa put on a huge smile to hide the face she almost made at the thought of the protein bar in her desk drawer. She really hated them, but she couldn’t afford to put on any more weight. “So, what is the real reason you came here to see me during your lunch?”

  Ben reached into his back pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Carefully he unfolded it and hand it to her. “Dad can’t chaperone the dance, but my Uncle David said he would, and he’s already got all that clearance stuff the school needs because he chaperoned a science trip at the beginning of the year.” Ben made sure she knew about Uncle David’s school clearance because he didn’t want her to not let his uncle chaperone the dance. This was too important. He just felt it in his bones. Uncle David and Miss Mathers had to meet tonight at the dance.

  “Great! I’ll put his name on the list. Tell your uncle the dance starts at 7:00 p.m., so if he could get to the gymnasium about twenty minutes earlier, to help with some of the last minute stuff, that would be fantastic.” Lisa pulled a file out of the rack on her right and slipped the paper into it.

  “I’ll do that.” Ben nodded his head. “I’ll just go back to lunch. Don’t forget to eat.” He frowned but turned and left the room.

  Lisa closed her eyes and shook her head. Ben had a gentle kindness when it came to others around him, but he was also very protective of those he deemed worthy. And here he was, a child, telling her to eat when most adults were telling her not to eat.

  Lisa opened her eyes and stared out the window. Maybe one day she would have a child like Ben. Maybe she would find a guy who didn’t see her as the fat girl everyone loves to make jokes about but doesn’t want to take home after the dance.

  She sighed.

  The men she was attracted to weren’t attracted to her. There was just too much padding on her curves at least that’s what Jerry, her ex-boyfriend, told her. In fact he had even compared her to an overstuffed chair. Everyone wants to sit in it, but they don’t want it taking up space because it was so ugly, and that’s why he was in Dallas and she was now in Bryant Station, Texas.

  It had taken her years to accept her curves.

  When she was in high school, she had found out the hard way trying to be a bony stick wasn’t fun, especially when she fainted in the middle of gym class. The only things she got from that little stunt was a trip to the hospital, several sessions with an eating disorders counselor, a very angry mom and dad who couldn’t understand her need to be skinny, and a whole lot of jokes directed at her when she went back to school, and it was all because she was starving herself to keep the weight off. But after college and a lot of work on her self-esteem, Lisa found herself actually liking her soft hourglass curves, and sooner or later, she told herself, she would find a man who appreciated them too.

  But then Jerry came along.

  When they first met at the coffee shop Lisa frequented, Jerry was sweet and very caring. He always had something nice to say to her about how she dressed, and for a while Lisa thought she had found the right guy. But after a few months of dating, things changed. Jerry changed. He started expecting her to pay for their dates, and then he started asking her for money and wanted to move into her apartment. When she refused to let him move in or to give him money, the ugly comments about her size started, and she realized he didn’t care for her. He just wanted her to support him.

  Lisa broke up with Jerry, but he told her she owed him because he had compromised his dignity by going out with her, except now he called her a fat cow among other things. His harassment got worse. He showed up everywhere she went, and then his friends joined in. It was like a game to them to see who could come up with the cruelest, meanest comments about her. By the time she moved away from Dallas, her self-esteem was riddled with holes.

  But since she moved to Bryant Station, she was slowly rebuilding it, and maybe one day, she would find a decent man who wasn’t embarrassed about her curves. She was just tired of waiting for him to find her.

  Thirty was around the corner, and she had already wasted a lot of years on all the Mr. Wrongs. Mr. Right needed to find his way into her life pretty quick. Lisa want a family with lots of kids but she was beginning to wonder if she would ever have it, because her biological clock was ticking away like a time bomb ready to explode. Maybe it wasn’t her fate to have a husband and children of her own. Maybe she was destined to be alone for the rest of her life.

  Lisa shook her head and picked up the red pen she was using to grade the papers. Her stomach growled. She thought about eating the protein bar, but gave a little shudder of disgust at the idea of trying to force it down her throat. Maybe she would have time to stop by the diner before she went home and get a burger or something to go.

  “Ben, didn’t you even think to ask me if I had plans for tonight before you volunteered me to do something like this?” David Anderson stared at his nephew.

  “Do you have any plans for tonight?” asked Ben.

  “Not really, but that’s not the point. You should have asked me first before you signed me up to chaperone the dance.”

  “I did ask you,” said Ben. He plopped down on the sofa.

  “Don’t you think I would remember if you had asked me? It’s not like I go to school dances on a regular basis.” David shook his head.

  “I told you about the dance last week and you told me if I needed anything, you would help, and now I need your help.”

  “I wasn’t talking about chaperoning the dance. I meant like a ride to the dance or help picking out clothes, not chaperoning it. Your dad really needs to be the one who is chaperoning, not me.” David stared at Ben.

  “You said you would help me, and that’s what you’re doing. You�
��re helping me by chaperoning the dance as well as giving me a ride to it.”

  “But I’m not dance chaperone material.”

  “If you don’t chaperone, they may have to call off the school dance.” Ben figured he might as well pull all the stops. “And if that happens, they probably won’t have any more dances. Besides, you didn’t do too bad a job on the science trip at the beginning of the school year. It’ll be no different than that. All you have to do is stand around, talk to the other chaperones and make sure the kids aren’t doing anything they aren’t supposed to be doing.”

  David rolled his eyes. He knew he had been defeated by his thirteen-year-old nephew, but he just couldn’t admit it. If the rest of the family found out, he would never hear the end of it.

  “Do you really want to be the reason I don’t get to go to the dance?” asked Ben. “Or not have any more dances? It would be pretty pathetic if I had to go through the rest of my school career without ever going to a dance.”

  “Fine! What time do I have to be there?”

  Ben smiled. “Miss Mathers said to be at the gymnasium at about 6:30 so you can help carry in some of the last minute items.”

  “And what time is the dance over?”

  “About ten.”

  David shook his head. “Don’t ask me for anything else this year. Do I make myself clear? I am not chaperoning anything else.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Ben. He could barely contain his excitement, and then the voice in the back of his brain that even his bear stopped and listened to with awe, whispered, this is the time for my bears to thrive and find their mates. David’s mate is waiting for him.

  “Ben, are you okay?” David stared at his nephew. A frown creased his forehead. Jason, his older brother and Ben’s father, told him about the glazed looks Ben was getting lately. It was happening more and more often, and Jason was worried because Allison, Ben’s mother went through the same thing, except she always returned with knowledge. Allison had been gifted with a connection to the Great Mother Bear and it seemed Ben had the same connection to the Great Mother Bear as his mother had had.

  “Huh? What?”

  “Are you okay?” David asked again.

  Ben’s eyes cleared. “Yeah, why are you asking?” He blinked a couple of times.

  “I just thought—never mind.” David pressed his lips together. He glanced at his watch then back at his nephew. “If we’re going to get to your dance on time, you need to get ready.”

  “What about you?”

  “I think what I’ve go on is fine, but you need to change. I don’t think those holes in you jeans will make a good impression.”

  Ben grinned and ran up the stairs.

  “Clean clothes, preferably!” David yelled after the boy. He looked around Jason’s house as he pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket. At least he had an excuse to break the date with April. He still wasn’t sure how he had gotten tied up in that mess, but at least he had an out. David doubted she would want to go to a junior high dance, and knowing April, she would throw a hissy fit because she wasn’t getting what she wanted. Not exactly something he wanted to deal with today or any day for that matter.

  David snorted. No way was he giving April what she really wanted. No way was he marrying her, let alone mating her. He would rather spend the rest of his life without any female rather than being tied to April Davenport. It was bad enough he had to put up with April at the family gatherings. He didn’t want the headache his brother was having with his marriage to her sister, Tina.

  April’s phone rang several times.

  “Hello, this is April.”

  “Hey, April, it’s David.”

  “I can’t come to the phone but you know the drill. Just listen for the beep and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

  David grinned. Fate was being kind to him for once. He wouldn’t have to listen to April whine about how inconsiderate he was for breaking their date. “Hey, April, I forgot but I have to chaperone Ben’s dance in Jason’s place. I didn’t think you wanted to hang out with a bunch of junior high kids. Talk to you later.” He ended the call and put his phone on silent.

  David knew as soon as April got the message, she would call, and keep calling until he answered. He was glad to break the date but he didn’t want to listen to her whining. It even made his bear wince.

  “I’m ready.” Ben loped down the stairs.

  David raised an eyebrow.

  “What?” Ben had a lopsided grin on his face.

  “Aren’t those your new clothes? The same clothes you told Tina you weren’t ever wearing?”

  “Yeah, so what’s the problem?”

  “But didn’t you lie to Tina?”

  “Tina wanted me to wear them to school instead of my regular clothes. I told her I wasn’t wearing them to school. I didn’t say anything about not wearing them to the dance.”

  “You could be a little nicer to Tina,” said David.

  Ben shrugged his shoulders.

  “Ben.”

  Ben rolled his eyes. “She doesn’t care about what I wear. She was just trying to sound concerned in front of grandma.” Ben’s face changed. “She doesn’t care about dad or me. She hates the thought that dad can shift into a bear, and she’s even forbidden him to shift anywhere around her. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be.”

  David sighed. “You’re right. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be, but just because your dad and Tina aren’t getting along doesn’t give you the right to be rude to her.”

  “I know, but she doesn’t have to be such a fake either. She’s not fooling anyone. They all know she doesn’t care about the family. She only went after dad because she thought he had a lot of money.”

  “It doesn’t matter. She’s your step-mom.” David couldn’t think of anything else to say. In all honesty, what could he say, when Ben spoke the truth? “You ready?”

  Ben’s face lit up. “Yeah, let’s go.”

  David shook his head as he followed his nephew out of the house. It amazed him how fast Ben shifted between topics. David closed and locked the front door before he headed to his truck in the driveway. Ben was already waiting in the passenger seat.

  David sighed. It was going to be a long night, but at least he didn’t have April clinging to his arm.

  Lisa put the last of the bottled water into the huge buckets of ice maintenance had set up behind the table they were using for a makeshift concession stand.

  “Are there any more sodas?” asked Becky Perryman as she folded the soda carton and tossed it into the trashcan.

  “I’ve got several more cases in my car.”

  “Great. It wouldn’t hurt to get them on ice. The last dance we were sold out of almost everything we had, that’s why I don’t think we have enough for tonight,” said Becky.

  “Principal Hughes said something about that, that’s why I also picked up some extra snacks too.” Lisa put the plastic wrap from the case of water into the trash. “I’ll go get the stuff.”

  “Let me get Henry to help you.” Becky rubbed her back. “I think I need to sit down for a few minutes.”

  “When’s the baby due?” asked Lisa.

  “We’ve got another month before junior decides to make his appearance.” Becky patted her stomach.

  “Maybe you should go home. I don’t want anything to happen to you or the baby.”

  Becky smiled. “I’m fine. I just need to sit for a little bit. I’ll be fine.”

  “If you’re sure, but I don’t want you to lift any of the soda cases.”

  Becky shook her head. “You don’t have to worry about me. I know my limits.”

  “Is everything okay?” A tall, blonde haired guy walked over to Becky and put an arm around her.

  “I’m fine, but I need you to help Lisa carry in some stuff for the concession stand.”

  “Anything for you,” said Henry. He kissed Becky on the check.

  Lisa stared at the couple. A streak of jealousy s
lammed into her heart. She wanted what Becky Perryman had—a loving husband, twins, and a baby on the way. Lisa sighed. She doubted she would have it anytime soon. Her Prince Charming had taken a detour.

  “It’s outside in her car.”

  Henry turned to Lisa. “If you’ll give me your keys, I’ll go get the stuff.

  “I’ll go with you,” said Lisa.

  “You don’t have to,” said Henry.

  Lisa shook her head. “Two sets of hands mean fewer trips from the parking lot.”

  Henry shrugged his shoulders. “Lead the way.” Henry turned to his wife. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Becky sat down in one of the folding chairs.

  Lisa turned and walked toward the gymnasium’s main exit. Henry closely followed her. “Everything’s in the trunk,” she said as they exited the building.

  Henry nodded, but didn’t say anything.

  Lisa raised an eyebrow, but kept quiet.

  As soon as they reached her blue sedan, she pressed a button on her key ring. The trunk popped as the latch released. Lisa reached down and pulled the lid up. “Everything in here goes to the concession stand,” she said.

  Henry grabbed several cases of sodas and left Lisa standing alone.

  “I hope it wasn’t something I said.” Lisa shook her head. She started stacking boxes on top of each other.

  “Here, we’ll get those.”

  The deep, rich voice startled Lisa and sent a shiver of longing through her body. Her desire to turn around and see the man was as strong as her need to run from her body’s reaction to his voice. Lisa slowly turned around and found herself staring at a broad chest clad in a dark blue sweater. Slowly she tilted her head up until her blue eyes locked with a set of the richest, chocolate brown eyes she had ever seen.

  “Miss Mathers, this is my uncle, David Anderson.” Ben looked from his teacher to his uncle. A huge grin lit up his face. “Uncle David, this is my English teacher, Miss Lisa Mathers. She’s in charge of the dance.”