Raising The Stakes (Heartwarming Romance) Read online

  “Hey! Knock it off, you two!”

  Jinx crashed down, then slunk under the table, her tail lashing. Scooter continued, unhearing, until Vivie tugged his collar. She tempted him away with a bone and eventually he subsided and splayed on the floor, chewing.

  Her shoulders sagged. She’d been up for what, thirty minutes? And it was already a long morning.

  In the quiet, a small bleat sounded. High and paper-thin. Her chest constricted. Did she dare open the door and risk Jinx snaking between her legs and scaring the cub to death? Or Scooter muscling through? She loved her pets but they were as protective of their home as she was. If she put them outside again, a chance she’d had to take earlier given Scooter’s unreliable bladder, would they cross paths with the mother bear? Possibly. She pushed back her hair and sighed. Nothing to do but wait for the officer.

  The officer... She stiffened. Possibly a man. One who would arrive soon. And she was still wearing her sleep shirt...

  The doorbell rang.

  Darn.

  She grabbed an apron and hurried to the door. Scooter scrambled after her, reading the familiar signs for “visitor” that roughly translated, for him, into “person I must scare to death.” She kind of wished he would.

  She unlatched the door and hip checked a baying Scooter out of the way. Jinx’s collar bell rang as the cat bolted after them. It seemed the Harris family welcoming party was in full force this morning. She stopped her eye roll before opening the door...and was glad she did.

  Wow.

  A powerfully built man, well over six feet, stood on her front porch. His green uniform stretched across broad shoulders and a wide chest that tapered down to a lean waist. Matching pants went on forever, ending in black boots bigger than Jinx. Too bad newly single Maggie wasn’t here. Her weakness for men in uniform was legendary and vocalized often.

  Reining in her wandering thoughts, Vivie finally glanced up.

  A Stetson covered his hair, the brim throwing shadows that pooled beneath high cheekbones and a cleft chin.

  He resembled an actor playing an officer. Not the real deal. Not the kind of man she’d meet wearing a faded nightshirt covered by a poultry-patterned apron. She flushed. It shouldn’t matter...especially given who he worked for. Who he was...

  “You—” she breathed. Her fingers tightened on the door handle.

  “Miss Harris. A pleasure.”

  She gave herself a shake, determined not to be swayed by his deep voice and twinkling light green eyes. This was anything but a happy reunion, she reminded herself.

  Scooter butted her leg and she stumbled forward, banging her head on the door. Smooth. Real smooth.

  “May I come in?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  His full lips curled at the edges. “Not if you’re harboring wildlife again.”

  She drummed her fingernails on the molding, wishing she still had her skillet in hand. Infuriating man. The last time she’d seen him, he’d given her a citation for leaving out leftover fresh vegetables and fruits behind her diner during last year’s brutal winter.

  “Some would call that protecting.” She cocked an eyebrow and made to shut the door...only his steel-toed boot kept it from closing.

  “That’s what I aim to do, ma’am,” he drawled, his confident expression making her flush hot.

  “Protect what? Your promotion? Christmas bonus? It sure isn’t the animals because I’ve heard what you people do to injured wildlife.”

  He leaned close, his eye flush with the open space of her door. “Is the bear injured?” he asked, his voice low but insistent.

  She pictured the cub’s swollen jaw and felt a twinge of guilt. It did need medical attention and help finding its mother. But could she trust him to put the animal’s—not “nature’s”—best interests first? What choice did she have?

  “Yes,” she muttered at last and slid the chain back. She paused before pulling the door open farther.

  “Could you sort of come in sideways while I hold Scooter?”

  “Pardon?” He pulled off his hat to reveal thick, dark hair that curled around the tops of his ears. He shooed the morning gnats away before settling the Stetson back on his head.

  “The animals are a little—ah—spirited.” She pushed Scooter back. Relentless dog. Meanwhile Jinx leaped on the curved arm of a nearby chair, looking ready to pounce and take out this stranger. All eight pounds of her.

  “Your domestic pets or the wild animal?”

  She sighed. Was there a difference? Still, she couldn’t love them more. She thought of the terrified cub in her pantry, her affection including it as well. What would happen to it once this horrible man got hold of it? She eyed the officer.

  “Pets.” She grabbed Scooter’s collar and body blocked Jinx, whose leap landed her on Vivie’s shoulder. She winced, then grimaced harder as the officer slid through her door.

  “Not sure if you remember my name. I’m Liam Walsh and you’re Vivienne. Vivie, right?” He squatted and held out a hand to Scooter. “Come.”

  His firm command quieted Scooter who trotted over and held up a paw. Unbelievable. It was a trick the shelter workers had taught him, one he only did to impress. Officer Walsh gave Scooter a high five, ruffled his ears and stood.

  “Nice dog.”

  She pressed her lips together to stop the forming smile. She would not be charmed. “Occasionally. The rest of the time, he’s a stinker.”

  A low chuckle sounded and Officer Walsh’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Got one like that myself. A collie. Extra Pickles.” Jinx flung herself between them, landing neatly on Officer Walsh’s shoulders.

  “You named your dog Extra Pickles?” She blinked up at him, surprised. How odd that this official, by-the-books man would name his dog something so unusual. Maybe he wasn’t just a policy-spouting drone in uniform.

  He plucked Jinx from his neck and nuzzled her before setting her on the floor. “Her mom was Pickles so—”

  “—she’s extra...” Vivie finished for him, staring.

  He cleared his throat and pulled out a notebook and pen, suddenly appearing self-conscious. Her grandfather clock chimed seven times while Scooter sprawled at Officer Walsh’s feet, spit shining his boots.

  “The dispatcher mentioned a bear cub...?”

  Vivie nodded. “Last night. It came in through my open window. Must have smelled my pies.”

  Officer Walsh lifted his fine nose and sniffed. “Is that raisin pie?”

  She nodded, proud, despite her sour mood. “It didn’t get ruined, at least.”

  “Your customers will be relieved.”

  “And Maggie, my co-owner. She’s an amazing cook but hates baking. She was on vacation the week you ordered me to stop feeding the wild animals and let them starve.”

  His eyes narrowed on her for a long moment. “Teaching them to fend for themselves rather than relying on handouts would be closer to the truth.”

  “We had record low temperatures,” she snapped, her anger rising fresh and raw over the year-old incident.

  “And the animals best equipped to survive it, did. Natural selection,” he observed with a mildness that infuriated her more. Didn’t the man have feelings?

  “You really don’t care, do you?” she exclaimed.

  “I care about doing my job.” He pocketed his notepad. “I’d like to see the bear now. Since my vacation starts tomorrow, I need to get this wrapped up.”

  She glared, then turned without a word. Of course he’d be more concerned with his free time than the well-being of an animal. Oblivious to his abominable attitude, Scooter and Jinx trailed him into the kitchen as if he were their new best friend.

  “It’s in the pantry. I’m not sure, but I think there’s something wrong with its jaw.”

  S
he held Scooter’s collar while Officer Walsh eased into the food closet. Jinx paced while they waited, the officer’s murmuring voice coming through the thick door, indistinct, but reassuring in tone.

  At last he emerged, his face grave.

  “The cub’s about five months old. Probably not long out of the den. Definitely the first time without her mother. Her jaw looks dislocated, like you said. Probably fell out of the tree her mother chased her into when she sensed danger. Did you happen to see any lights outside last night?”

  Vivie had been so focused on baking. “I might have seen a light, but it was far away. Back there.” She pointed out her kitchen window. “I guessed it was fireflies, or heat lightning. Why?”

  His mouth thinned and he glanced down at her rambunctious pets. “It’ll help me narrow the search area. Would you keep your animals inside while I scout the property?”

  Her hand rose to her jumping heart. A large predator could be near. One who might confront the officer. As much as she disliked the guy, she didn’t want him hurt. Much. Not that he seemed concerned. In fact, his no-nonsense attitude projected confidence. The pistol on his right hip heightened the impression. “Sure. I’ll put some coffee on.”

  “That’d be kind of you.” He tipped his hat and let himself out the back door. “Thanks.” His reassuring smile lingered in her mind’s eye, flash lightning in a pale blue sky. She shook the unwelcome sentiment away.

  She untied her apron and raced upstairs. No telling how long he’d be gone, but she wouldn’t wear this crazy outfit another second. Within minutes she’d whipped on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, thrown her hair into a messy bun and dashed back downstairs.

  In the kitchen, she paused at the pantry door and pressed her ear against it. Silence. Fear pulsed through her. What if the cub wasn’t well? Guilt welled up inside, filling places she hadn’t known existed. She should have called 911 last night instead of waiting for morning. Maybe they would have responded instead of Officer Walsh. Someone reasonable. With a beating heart.

  She glimpsed his hat in the thicket behind her house and hurried to put on the coffee. He’d better take care of the cub. Protect it. Or she would. Hopefully it’d be in a good place soon—maybe with its mom—and she could breathe easier.

  A burbling sound, punctuated by a hazelnut aroma, permeated the room in minutes. Officer Walsh talked on his cell outside, pacing alongside her back porch.

  What had he found and who was he speaking to?

  She set out two mugs of coffee and the sugar doughnuts she’d fried up a couple days ago. She eyed the creamer and sugar and left them beside her mixer. He looked like the kind of guy who took his brew black. Her diner-honed instincts were rarely wrong. At last, the back door creaked and she whirled, swallowing a bite of doughnut.

  “Any sign of the mother?”

  His features sharpened, his expression grave.

  “Possibly. Did you hear any gunshots last night?”

  Her heart swooped low. “Maybe. When I turned off my oven timer, I might have heard something. But it was faint and ended too fast for me to be sure.”

  “What time?”

  She glanced at the cuckoo clock beside her wall calendar, trying to remember. “Somewhere between nine and nine-thirty, I think. Was a bear shot?” Her throat tightened. “The mother?”

  His pen flew across his pad and his eyes, more hazel than green now that he was closer, rose to meet hers. A smattering of light freckles dotted his nose. “It’s possible. There are tracks and blood a couple hundred yards east. Looks like big game. Have you seen any strange vehicles or people around your property lately?”

  Her gaze swerved to the pepper spray still on her table, a ribbon of nerves moving through her stomach. She might well and truly have confronted an intruder last night. Someone armed. Again.

  She held herself, hiding her shudder.

  No. Not here. This remote, sleepy town was largely immune to random violence, a major factor in her decision to settle here rather than sell the house.

  “My neighbor Muriel and her husband have some nephews from the Midwest house-sitting while they’re away. The guys are here on a fishing trip.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Have you met them?”

  “No, just heard about it from Muriel. They’re her sister’s sons.”

  “Names?” His voice clipped, he sounded different from the guy who’d joked about a dog named Extra Pickles and high-fived Scooter. Back was the man who’d once ignored her pleas to let her keep feeding the animals last winter.

  A breeze rushed through the open window above her sink, carrying the crisp smell of a spring morning—pine sap, fresh earth and growing things. It loosened a strand from her bun and sent it fluttering across her mouth.

  She handed him a mug, then lifted her own. “She didn’t say. Just told me they’d visited during hunting season last fall and had come back to fish. Would you like a doughnut?” She cursed her ingrained manners, wishing she could give him the boot instead of baked goods.

  “Thanks.” He split one in half and dunked it in his coffee before taking a bite. “These are good.” He chewed another piece, his expression intent as he stared outside.

  She grabbed a dish towel and wiped up a bit of pie filling she’d missed last night. “Do you think they killed her?”

  He gulped more coffee and lowered his mug, his mouth in a straight line. “I’ll find out.”

  “What about the cub?”

  His gaze swerved to hers. “I’ll have to put it down if I can’t find the mother.”

  Vivie clutched the back of a chair, light-headed and nauseous. “What? No!” How could he say that so casually?

  “I’ve called around and our wildlife rehabilitators are overloaded. Since the cub is too young to fend for itself, the humane thing to do is—”

  “Kill it?” she stormed, interrupting. “How is that humane?” The cub’s frightened eyes came to mind and she backed up against the pantry door. Officer or not, he wouldn’t take the bear. Stop her from helping. It’d come to her home. Had sought refuge here.

  He pulled off his hat and rubbed his forehead. “Ma’am, I don’t expect you to understand. But you need to trust me and move aside so that I can do my job.”

  “Not a chance,” she ground out, wishing her pepper spray wasn’t across the room.

  “Please be reasonable.” He raised his eyebrows, looking harmless. His holstered weapon told a different story.

  Maybe she could reason with him, though she’d failed before. There had to be a way to save the cub. “How do you become a wildlife rehabilitator?”

  He drew in a long breath and crossed his arms over his chest. “Pass a certification test, then work under the supervision of a rehabilitator for six months.”

  Tests. She hated them. Had only ever done well on presentation-style exams in culinary school. Still, for the baby bear...anything. “And when is the next one?”

  “In a week.” He made a vague motion in the air with his hand. “Look. I’d be happy to discuss that with you another time, but the cub might be suffering. Please step aside so that I can take it.”

  She raised her voice over her drumming heartbeat. “I’ll pass the test. Get certified.”

  He ran a hand through his hair, making the curl-tipped ends stand up. “You’d have to study hundreds of pages of online material. It’s not easy. Trust me. I took it and barely finished my apprenticeship before my academy training started.”

  “So you’re a certified wildlife rehabilitator? You could care for it.”

  His chin jerked. “I already have a job.”

  Her mind shifted into overdrive, churning up possibilities. “Not next week. You said you’re on vacation. You could take her while I study for the test.”

  He blew out a long breath. “I don’t have an enclosure—s
omething you’ll need along with someone to supervise you.”

  She tried to come across as commanding, though at five-foot-three inches that was always a challenge. “You could help with both.”

  He shook his head, his earnest expression replaced with a wash of annoyance. “Out of the question. There are too many ifs in that idea.”

  She tried keeping the heat out of her voice. The DEC. Always so difficult. Especially Walsh. “Why? I’m sure you could call in a favor. Ask one of the rehabilitators to find temporary space for the cub. Then I’ll pass the test and, with your help, be approved to care for it. Don’t you want to do the right thing?”

  Wasn’t that his job?

  “I do. Which is why I’m taking the bear. Now.”

  “Not a chance. You’ll have to go through me first.” She hated to sound dramatic, use a cheesy line from bad TV, but there was no other way to say it.

  A crease appeared between his brows, his eyes scanning hers. Finally, he released a long breath.

  “How about this—I’ll take her to the vet where they’ll check her jaw, give her some food and a safe place to stay, temporarily, while I continue investigating.”

  She considered, wishing she could trust him. But after her dealings with him before, her faith was on the short side.

  “Let’s try this,” she countered. “I’ll go with you and stay with the bear until you come back. Then we’ll talk about what happens next.”

  He settled his hat back on, pinching the indented top. “There’s no reason to get more involved, ma’am.”

  She pulled out her cell and tapped in Maggie’s number. Someone could come by and pick up the pies. Another worker would be called in for an extra shift. The Homestead would manage without her today. She wasn’t leaving the cub’s side until she knew it’d be safe—from nature and the DEC.

  “It’s much too late for that, Officer Walsh.”

  She studied him for a long, heavy moment, then moved aside. If the cub’s mother was dead, then she’d take on the role.

  And nothing was more ferocious than a mama bear...