CARMEN
I nodded slowly.
Right.
Of course, there was wildlife. That made sense.
Except Mr. Bear’s presence had felt more complex than just wildlife—it felt like something deeper, and harder to explain. That knowledge tugged at me.
Mr. Bear.
He felt warm, protective, and gentle all at once.
Thinking about him tightened my chest again, a blend of longing and confusion that I tried to stifle.
I glanced at Tim out of the corner of my eye.
I noticed a shift in warmth, from Mr. Bear to him, and the feeling of safety he offered was familiar. The impossible pull between us was the same.
The similarity in energy was weird.
Really weird, but I didn’t say anything else about it.
We reached the Bed and Breakfast soon—a cozy place off the main road, with warm lights in the windows and flower
