Going Polar: A Stand Alone Holiday Howls Polar Bear Shifter Romance Read online

  Chapter Seven

  Lainey

  With several hours to kill, Lainey went back to her room to chill. She had enjoyed the trip, thanks to Finn and Beau and their friendly banter, but she hadn’t been entirely joking when she said she’d used up her courage quota. Even mitigated by Finn’s soothing presence, the fear and exhilaration of flying were draining.

  Plus, having the time to sit back and relax was a luxury she was going to savor. Her job required her to be on call twenty-four/seven; sick and injured beasties didn’t punch a time clock. Here, she had no one to see to but herself. It felt good to simply put her feet up, relax, and recharge before the welcome dinner.

  She wasn’t thrilled about attending. Socializing, making small talk, and feigning interest for the sake of courtesy weren’t things at which she exceled. She much preferred exploring on her own to participating in group activities. Plus, with the hot tub and the fireplace and the luxuriousness of her accommodations, she would have been perfectly content to spend the remainder of her vacation in her suite with her e-reader and the room service menu.

  Although she wouldn’t totally rule out a few additional, semiprivate explorations, especially if Finn was involved. He was great company and fun to be around. It was rare that she felt so at ease with another person, and that, too, was something she was going to savor while she could.

  Lainey enjoyed the comfort and solitude of her suite for as long as possible before she forced herself to get ready. She briefly thought about blowing it off and then decided she could handle one dinner. It would give her the chance to meet her fellow guests and find out what was planned for the rest of the week—if for no other reason than to know what to avoid.

  She put on a tiny bit of makeup, twisted her hair into a quick chignon, and changed into nice black stirrup leggings, selecting a festive but conservative tunic sweater. After putting in some simple crystal-stud gold earrings to complete the ensemble, she gave herself a critical once-over in the bathroom mirror. Her outfit wouldn’t win any fashion awards, but it was a step up from her preferred attire of scrubs or jeans and a hoodie.

  With the backdrop of the snow-covered landscape visible through the picture window, the restaurant did look cozy and inviting. A fire burned in the hearth, the mantel of which was covered with boughs of fragrant evergreen and silk bows. Candles flickered and glowed from within hurricane glass centerpieces on every table. A large, lush evergreen stood sentinel in the corner, void of decoration.

  Several smaller tables had been pushed together to form one big one in the center. A group of people she didn’t recognize were standing together near the window when she arrived, looking outward and conversing softly, but there didn’t seem to be any other guests in the dining room.

  “You look lovely, dear,” Mo greeted with a warm and friendly smile from the hostess podium.

  “Thank you. I’m here for the welcome dinner. Am I in the right place?”

  Mo laughed softly. “Yes. The dining room is closed to the public tonight. VIP guests and hosts only.”

  Lainey smiled through the disappointing news. Their group had to be pretty small to be able to fit at one table and that meant more pressure on her to be sociable. At least if it had been a large gathering, she could have floated along the fringes and left the conversing to others better suited to it.

  “Dinner won’t be served for another half hour.” Mo nodded toward the bar, where a bow-tied bartender was waiting patiently and trying not to look bored. “Help yourself to complimentary champagne and feel free to mingle. Mayor Bill won’t start until everyone’s here.”

  Lainey wasn’t much of a mingler, but she did her best, smiling politely and engaging in social niceties as other guests and members of the Aurora Falls Tourism Committee continued to trickle in and introduce themselves.

  Finally, Mayor Bill called everyone over to the table, and after a brief welcome speech, the dinner began. On the plus side, the food was excellent, and conversation was limited, as they were treated to several mouthwatering courses. Mayor Bill was a funny and gracious host, regaling them with stories of local history and the polar bear antics that gave Aurora Falls its claim to fame.

  After the meal, however, things took a turn for the worse. As guests got up to stretch their legs and move around, Lainey somehow found herself cornered by the older couple celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary. They seemed like nice people, but it became increasingly difficult to feign interest after they showed her hundreds of pictures from their latest whale-watching cruise.

  To make matters worse, Mae, the woman who’d attached herself to Finn earlier that morning, kept shooting visual daggers her way, as if it were Lainey’s fault she hadn’t gotten to spend the day with Finn. Mae’s unfriendly, possessive behavior reminded Lainey a lot of Vicki’s when Vicki and Henry had started seeing each other. Lainey simply smiled politely and avoided her.

  Then, there was Bradley, the wealthy entrepreneur who kept flashing his expensive watch and bragging about himself and his accomplishments. Lainey supposed that some women might find his good looks and allegedly substantial bank account attractive, but she wasn’t one of them.

  The only guest who didn’t grate on her nerves was a guy named Liam. Thin, pale, and wholly distracted, he reminded Lainey a lot of Henry and didn’t seem to be enjoying the festivities much either. He did loosen up a little when he found out she was a vet and told her that he had come to Aurora Falls to interview for an opening at the nearby research center.

  When she felt she’d stayed long enough to be polite, Lainey made her excuses, firmly declined Brad’s offer to “continue the party in a more private venue,” and returned to her room. She breathed a sigh of relief when she closed the door behind her. The hot tub and book beckoned.

  And maybe, just maybe, she’d see the bear again. A tingle of anticipation sparked deep in her chest.

  Lainey was just about to step onto the deck when her cell phone chimed with a distinctive ringtone, the one she’d assigned to Henry.

  She tapped the Answer icon. “Hey. Did you make it to Vail okay?”

  “Just got settled in,” Henry told her. “It’s absolutely beautiful here. Eight inches of fresh powder with another twelve expected. You’d love it.”

  The town and scenery? Yeah, she probably would. Spending time with Vicki and her family? Not so much.

  She gazed beyond the deck railing at her own pristine, snow-covered landscape. “It’s pretty nice here too.”

  “Nice? It was sleeting when we left this morning with a nor’easter predicted.”

  “I’m not in Vermont.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Aurora Falls, Canada. I told you I had plans.”

  “You were serious about that?”

  Lainey pushed down her irritation. “Yes, I was serious about that. I figured it was better than spending the holidays in the house alone.”

  “Aren’t you alone now?” he countered.

  Well, he had her there.

  “Yes, but I’m treating it as a vacation, so it’s not the same thing.”

  “You don’t have to be alone. Please reconsider. There’s still time to make it here by Christmas.”

  Lainey bit her lip. In their nearly thirty years, she and Henry had never been apart for Christmas, and for the last ten years, it had been just the two of them. Was she being selfish and unreasonable in choosing to spend the holiday alone rather than by setting aside her personal dislikes for her brother’s benefit?

  “What does Vicki think about that idea?” she asked.

  Henry was quiet for several long moments before he said, “Vicki’s stepmother knows someone with a place nearby who is spending the holidays in Switzerland this year. She thinks she’d be willing to let you stay there. I could get us lift tickets for the day after Christmas when Vicki and her mom go shopping.”

  Translation: Lainey was supposed to bide her time out of sight until Vicki let Henry off the leash.

  The so
ftness Lainey had been feeling vanished. “Thanks, but no, thanks.”

  “Lainey ...”

  “I have to go, Henry. Have a great time in Vail, and please wish everyone a merry Christmas for me. I’ll talk to you when I get back. Love you.”

  Finn

  FINN LOOKED AROUND at the adolescents gathered at the rec center. He knew them all, having had coached most of them in youth ice hockey. The polar bear shifter community was a close-knit one, and mature males and females were expected to provide hands-on support and be good role models for the younger boars and sows.

  “All right, boys and girls, the VIPs should be finishing up dinner by now. You know what to do. Just a quick glimpse tonight to give them a thrill. Amble around outside the restaurant, peek in a window or two, but keep a safe distance, yeah?”

  “When do we get to airlift?” one eager bear asked, her eyes bright with anticipation.

  Finn withheld his grin. Before the Alliance, local residents used to capture “nuisance” bears who wandered into town and airlift them back out to the ice floes. It had since become a favorite reward among adventurous shifter youths and was usually all the incentive they needed to put on a good performance.

  “At the end of the week, if you’ve done well. You have to earn it. No stunts. I’ll be watching. Screw up, and you won’t be coming back tomorrow, got it?”

  Confirmations of, “Got it, Coach,” mixed with more nods and grunts of agreement.

  Finn shifted into his bear form. It was easier to keep an eye on them that way. In the unlikely event that one of them did get a wild hair and go rogue, he could remove them from the situation quicker as well.

  The young bears moved toward the center of town, their excitement palpable. Finn followed along at a safe distance, his eyes watchful, ears alert.

  When they got to the lodge, the kids put on a little show, parading in front of the window. A few of the more outgoing ones went up to the window and peered inside, turning away and trotting off when someone inside squealed. Soon, the guests could be seen against the glass, looking out and pointing with smiles on their faces.

  The one face Finn had been hoping to see wasn’t among them. Where was Lainey? Was she standing back in the shadows, out of sight, or had she retired early?

  All was going according to plan. The kids were doing well and having a good time. Finn took the opportunity to wander off to the side to see if the lights were on in Lainey’s room.

  He heard her before he saw her. She was in the hot tub again and appeared to be on the phone with someone. Stealthily moving closer on silent paws, he stayed out of sight and was able to overhear snippets of her conversation.

  Who was Henry? And why did Finn feel that spear of possessiveness when she said she loved him?

  Watching her as he was, he saw her eyes widen. She sat up abruptly, and then she stepped out of the hot tub and stared at the wandering bears over the rail. Only then did he realize some of the youngsters had followed him over and were standing in a pool of light.

  “Are we doing a special show for that one, Coach?” one of them chuffed in bear speak.

  “Not tonight,” he answered. “Good job, everyone. Back to the center.”

  Chapter Eight

  Finn

  “Coming to the lodge for breakfast two days in a row,” Beau commented as Finn joined him at the table the next morning. “You must really like this woman, huh?”

  Beau knew him well. Maybe too well.

  “She intrigues me.” Finn raised the mug to his lips and drank, his eyes scanning the nearly empty dining room.

  At that early hour, it was mostly locals, grabbing a bite to eat before starting their day. Finn was hoping that yesterday hadn’t been a fluke and Lainey would be up and about before the other guests. It was a calculated risk, one he was willing to take to see her again.

  “I mean, I get it. She is your type. Beautiful. Smart. Has a thing for four-legged beasties.”

  Finn grunted, a sound as bear as it was human.

  “But she’s also human and a VIP guest. You know the rules, dude.”

  “I haven’t broken any rules.” Yet. “And you were on that helicopter tour too.”

  Beau’s brow furrowed. “You haven’t seen her since then?”

  “No.”

  Finn knew Beau too. Knew that Beau had assumed he’d follow up that VIP chopper tour with additional personal service—because that was what Beau would have done.

  He gave Beau a few minutes to digest that. He waited patiently and quietly, his eyes peeled on the door. It wasn’t unlike spending hours on the ice, biding his time until a tasty seal popped up for air. Only he wanted to devour Lainey in a completely different way.

  “So, what are you planning to do exactly?” Beau pressed. “Lie in wait and then pounce?”

  “I don’t know,” Finn answered honestly. He knew he needed to be careful, but he also needed to see her again. “I’m winging it at this point.”

  Beau piled his mug, silverware, and napkin on his empty plate and rose. He patted Finn’s shoulder with one hand. “I wish you luck, my friend. But step lightly with those big paws of yours, and don’t do anything reckless that’s going to put us all in danger, yeah?”

  Beau walked away, leaving Finn with his thoughts. Was he doing the right thing? Or would he be better off leaving now and keeping his distance? His bear pawed at his insides, wholly rejecting that idea.

  Activity in and around the lodge began to pick up. Finn was just about to leave when it hit him—the sweet and crisp fragrance that roused his bear. Seconds later, Lainey appeared in the entranceway. She scanned the room, much the same as he had been doing, her eyes lighting up when she spotted him.

  He waved. She waved back. Lightness filled his chest, and he decided to stick around.

  He watched as she went to the buffet and got herself some coffee and something to eat, then approached his table.

  “May I?” she asked, nodding toward one of the empty chairs.

  “Be my guest.”

  She sat down and took several sips off her coffee before smiling apologetically. “I’m afraid I’m not much for conversation in the morning.”

  He chuckled. “My sister’s the same way. I’ve learned not to say anything to her until she’s at least on her second cup.”

  He liked the fact that she didn’t feel the need to chatter incessantly and was content to wait as she savored her breakfast and sipped her coffee. When she finished, she set her empty plate to the side and picked up her second mug.

  “Okay, I think I’m ready to be civil now. Thanks for being patient with me.”

  “No problem. Have you given any thought to what you’d like to do today?”

  “I was thinking of doing a self-guided walking tour of Aurora Falls.”

  “Not into the group thing, huh?”

  Her eyes shuttered as she looked down at her coffee. “No, not really. I’m not much of a people person, to be honest, which is probably why I do better with animals than with people.” She raised her gaze to his and regarded him curiously. “You seem to be the exception.”

  He was thinking exactly the same thing about her. “I’m honored. Thank you. And in that case, would you like some company on your tour? I do know a little bit about the area.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind? I don’t want to keep you from anything.”

  “No worries. I don’t have anywhere to be until later tonight. My day is completely open.”

  “In that case, I gratefully accept your generous offer.”

  Lainey

  UNLIKE THE DAY BEFORE, the sky wasn’t a perfect clear blue. Steel-gray clouds loomed above as the edge of the storm front moved closer. It made it easier to walk around town without the blinding reflection of bright sunshine on snow, ice, and water—as well as to spot and avoid the official walking tour group, led by someone named Roy.

  Lainey stifled a giggle as Finn tugged her into the shadows of the crumbling building and put a finger to
his lips. Sure enough, the group passed by, pausing only briefly as the guide recited a few facts and anecdotes.

  It wasn’t the first time they’d done a duck-and-avoid. Each time, it made her feel like a mischievous kid trying not to get caught doing something naughty even though they weren’t doing anything wrong.

  Then again, maybe it was just spending time with Finn that made her feel younger. He had a way of making her feel lighter.

  “You must have incredible hearing,” she told him in a hushed voice.

  He tapped his nose and grinned. “Nah. It’s Roy’s Old Spice. We’re downwind.”

  “You must be part polar bear. Did you know polar bears have one of the keenest senses of smell in the animal kingdom? They can sniff out a seal on the ice over twenty miles away.”

  His arctic-green eyes twinkled. “You know your polar bear trivia, eh?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve always liked polar bears. Confession? I have a collection of stuffed ones on my bed at home. I never sleep without one.”

  Finn looked away and peered around the corner. “I think it’s safe now.”

  I probably shouldn’t have admitted that, she thought as Finn led her back out into the open.

  She’d never told anyone about her ice bear obsession. Even Henry believed she’d grown out of it years ago. She made a mental note not to mention her Swarovski crystal bear collection or the polar bear–themed oven mitts and dish towels she had in her kitchen. Finn might start to think she had a problem.

  Over the course of the next several hours, Finn took her to old Inuit whale-meat racks, the remains of rusty and old shipwrecks, and several sites that had some importance to the local community. She enjoyed every minute. Not only was Finn charming and funny, but he was also quite knowledgeable. Rather than simply recite facts, he talked about the people behind the stories, too, bringing them to life the way only someone who really cared about the area and its inhabitants could.

  When she told him as much, he replied, “I do care. I come from a long line of fishermen who’ve made this area their home.”