Big Bear Daddy: Werebear Surprise Baby Romance (Sweetwater Father Bears) Read online

  As was expected, those places weren’t exactly forthcoming with that kind of personal information, especially over the phone. There was a woman in one of the Texas agencies, however, that took Jessy’s story to heart. Her name was Jill, and Jessy called her every few weeks, just to see if there was any new information.

  That had been going on for a couple of months now, and while Jill couldn’t give Jessy any specifics, she promised that if she heard of a baby born in early September being adopted in one of the states Rachel could have travelled to, she would tell her.

  Getting to the end of her Twizzler, Jessy dialed Jill’s number and waited, her mouth tasting of strawberries and her spirits low. After a couple of rings, Jill picked up, and she sounded a lot more excited than usual, making Jessy perk up.

  “Jessy, I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I might have something.”

  The words sent a surge through her, making her grip around the phone tighten.

  “What is it?”

  “A little girl was adopted in Rockport after having been abandoned by her mother in September.”

  Jessy’s heart began to pound. There had to be more to the story for Jill to be this enthusiastic. If there was one thing Jessy had learned during this ordeal, it was that babies got abandoned and adopted all the time. Jill had said early on that she wasn’t going to divulge any private information unless there was a reason to believe Rachel was somehow involved.

  “And?”

  “The girl’s name is Lana.”

  “That was my mother’s name…” Jessy mumbled into the receiver, starting to feel lightheaded.

  “I know, that’s why I’m telling you about it.”

  Oh my God. This could be it.

  Five

  Colt

  Lana was trying hard to climb the steps to the sheriff’s department, but her little legs just weren’t long enough. Frustrated, she puffed up her chest and crossed her arms, staring the stairs down as if that would somehow intimidate them into submission.

  Tiny flecks of brown appeared in her baby blues, but they disappeared so quickly, Colt wasn’t sure he hadn’t imagined it.

  So small yet already so stubborn.

  Chuckling to himself, he picked his daughter up and carried her inside.

  “It’s okay, daddy’s got you.”

  Lana giggled as he swung her up, holding her above his head for a second before tucking her into his shoulder. He opened the door as Lana snuggled into the crook of his neck, and was greeted by Deacon and a couple of the other officers, standing around a table full of nachos and cake. Denise was also there, carefully staying near the back and finding her shoes very interesting all of the sudden.

  “It won’t be the same around here without you, chief,” Deacon said, giving Colt a firm handshake.

  “You’ll make a great sheriff, Deacon. These guys won’t even notice I’m gone,” he replied, drawing a couple of laughs from around the room.

  The Rockport sheriff’s office had been like a second home to Colt for a long time and looking around at the familiar faces and surroundings, the reality of leaving really hit him. He cared about the community and keeping it safe, but as a father, his priorities had changed.

  Ever since Lana had been dropped off on the same steps she had been attempting to climb a minute ago, he’d had a nagging feeling something wasn’t entirely right. As the search for Lana’s mother wound down due to no new leads, his concerns only deepened.

  The loving note and promise to return spoke of a mother reluctant to leave her child. And then there was the fact she had left Lana outside of a sheriff’s department. It wasn’t unheard of, sure, but usually mothers left their babies at hospitals, where there were designated drop-off areas set up under Safe Haven laws.

  All put together, Colt couldn’t help but feel like the mother was running from someone and wanted to make sure her baby would be as safe as possible when that person caught up with her. He didn’t have any concrete evidence to back that up, but his instincts hadn’t let him down yet, so he was inclined to listen to them.

  If he was right, there was no way of being sure that the trouble Lana’s mother had gotten into wouldn’t follow Lana, as well. Seeing as she was now officially his daughter, he was free to leave Rockport behind and start fresh, leaving the past and anything that might come with it behind.

  And if his suspicions about Lana’s lineage were correct, returning to his hometown and his clan in Sweetwater, Wyoming, would be good for both him and his little girl.

  It had been a while since Colt had been around other shifters, and it was making his bear restless. Werebears like him thrived when they were around their own kind, which is why most belonged to a clan, like his father had before him.

  The members of a clan were like brothers, protecting each other and the land they lived on. The ties between them were primal and powerful, and allowed them to draw strength from each other, either in battle or when they were injured.

  Now that Colt had a family of his own, it felt right to return to a place that was part of his heritage, even though he remembered very little of Sweetwater. He vaguely recalled that his family had been happy there, but after his father passed away, Colt’s mother found it too painful to stay.

  So they had moved to California when he was little more than a cub, and he hadn’t been back since.

  His mother did her best to put him in contact with other shifters and to teach him about his father’s legacy, but he still felt disconnected from it for most of his childhood. Now the urge to be part of something bigger than himself was suddenly returning.

  Funny way to get a midlife crisis, Colt thought wryly, glancing at Lana and then the goodbye cake.

  Officer Matthews appeared next to him, holding a plastic plate with a huge slice of cake piled onto it and handing it to Colt.

  “Serving with you has taught us a lot. I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say we’re sad to see you go.”

  Coffee cups were raised as the other officers saluted him, nodding at Matthews’ words.

  “Thank you. It’s been a pleasure working with every single one of you. Rockport is in the best of hands,” Colt said, meeting everyone’s gaze.

  Well, almost everyone’s.

  Denise was still avoiding looking at him. Stretching out her hands, Lana tried getting her chubby fingers into Colt’s cake.

  “Oh no, you don’t,” he warned, pulling the plate away from her reach. “That’s a little too much sugar for you.”

  With Deacon done handing out cake, everyone scattered to get some more food or coffee and chat amongst themselves. Putting his plate down, Colt walked over to Denise, shaking hands as he went along.

  “Hey, what are you doing back here all by yourself?” he asked.

  She hesitated before answering, smiling wistfully at Lana.

  “I’m happy for you two, but there’s a selfish part of me that doesn’t want you to leave. I’ve grown attached to the little one, which is not at all professional, but I couldn’t help it.”

  “Denise, you’ve done so much for us, I couldn’t even begin to thank you for everything. You are always welcome to visit us, you know that.”

  “I don’t even know where you’re going,” She protested mildly.

  Colt smiled to himself. No one did, that was the point. But Denise was the exception. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have gotten through those first few months with Lana.

  Who else would he have been able to call in the middle of the night to ask how warm the milk should be or what to do when he thought Lana had a cough?

  “Sweetwater, Wyoming. I’m going home.”

  Now we’ll have to see if I’m still welcome there.

  Six

  Jessy

  It had taken two days of nonstop driving for Jessy to get to Aransas, and it showed in the way she looked. Pulling up her GPS, she set her sights on the local Child Protective Services building while doing her best to tame her wild hair by running her finge
rs through it.

  After pulling up to her destination, she climbed into the backseat and rummaged around the clothes piled there. Removing her shirt, she picked out the blouse she hadn’t worn since she’d been fired and pulled it on, squirming around in the tight space to get her hands through the holes.

  Grabbing her purse and getting out of the car, she drew in a deep breath. The CPS building was pale blue with peeling paint and dirty windows and she let out a relieved sigh when she stepped inside.

  At least they have air conditioning.

  The receptionist’s chair was empty and Jessy was in no mood to wait around, so she stomped onward through the maze of hallways, looking at the signs next to the doors.

  Denise Grant. Senior Child Protection Officer, one of them read.

  That’s a start, Jessy thought, knocking on the door.

  “Yes?” a voice responded from the other side.

  Pushing the door open, Jessy stepped inside, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. The woman sitting behind the desk opposite the door was in her mid-forties and looked impeccably put together, making Jessy tug at the hem of her wrinkly shirt. Being on the road for lord knows how long didn’t really allow for decent upkeep, Jessy had learned.

  “Do we have an appointment?” Mrs. Grant asked, arching a brow at her.

  Closing the door behind her, Jessy rushed to sit down in one of the chairs facing the woman, as if it would be harder to kick her out when she was already seated.

  “I’m sorry to bother you. My name is Jessy Sarli and no, I don’t have an appointment, but I desperately need your help.”

  Leaning back in her chair, Mrs. Grant studied her curiously, as if deciding whether to call security. Not wanting to give the woman an opportunity to decide for the idea, Jessy rambled on, trying to throw as much information as possible at the officer.

  She has kind eyes. That’s a good sign.

  “My sister went missing almost a year ago and she had a baby with her. I think she was running from someone and left her baby behind to keep it safe and you may have helped that child get adopted.”

  “Look, Miss Sarli,” Mrs. Grant started with a sigh, and Jessy knew she was going to get dismissed.

  “My mother’s name was Lana, and I believe my sister named her daughter after her.”

  That got Grant’s attention as she perked up in her seat.

  “Who have you been talking to?” she demanded, looking at her suspiciously.

  “Mrs. Grant, I’m not some crazy person. I’m just trying to find my niece. I couldn’t even convince the police that Rachel – my sister – had been pregnant, but I know she gave birth shortly before she went missing and the timeline fits with when Lana was found,” Jessy said, reaching into her purse to pull out a couple of faded photographs.

  With her hands slightly shaky, she laid them on Mrs. Grant’s desk, praying she was getting through to the woman. Everything hinged on whether the woman believed her or not.

  “Here’s me and my sister, three years ago, before she went on the road. And here’s one when we were little. Rachel is the baby and that’s my mother, holding her in her arms,” she explained, holding back tears.

  The tip about Lana was the first real lead she’d had in a long time and she was gripping on to it tightly.

  It might all be a coincidence, she reminded herself, afraid to get her hopes up.

  But it was already too late for that. Her heart was telling her she was on the right track. Now all she had to do was convince this lady to let her meet her niece. They could do a DNA test to prove their relation, and she’d finally get a piece of her family back. There had to be something to this. Jessy couldn’t take another failure, not at this point.

  Jessy realized she was getting ahead of herself, but who wouldn’t in her situation? Holding her breath, she waited for Grant to study the photos. The woman’s eyes widened as she stared at the baby picture and pulled it closer.

  “She looks just like her…” she uttered under her breath before looking up at Jessy. “I knew there was something familiar about you, too. I’ve seen those peculiar blue eyes of yours before.”

  With her heart pounding, Jessy struggled to stay in her chair.

  “Mrs. Grant, are you saying you believe me?”

  “I’ll have to verify everything you’ve said, but I think I do. And call me Denise.”

  Reaching back into her purse, Jessy pulled out detective Jones’ card and handed it to Denise.

  “You can call the Portland Police Department and ask for this man. He was in charge of my sister’s case. But can you just tell me, how is Lana? Is she safe and loved? The family you placed her with, what are they like?”

  The questions flowed out of her, one after the other, her excitement making her overly eager. After all this time, she was so close to finally solving at least one mystery – what happened to Rachel’s baby.

  Getting up from behind her desk, Denise gave her a patient smile.

  “I can assure you Lana is fine, but before I can say anything else, I need to make some calls. I know this is hard, and I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, but if you could wait outside, I would greatly appreciate it.”

  Jessy deflated in her seat before gathering herself. She’d been waiting for a long time. She could wait a little longer. And she couldn’t object to Denise being thorough in her job.

  Just a little more. I can do this, she told herself.

  “Okay, I’ll be right outside,” she said, getting up and walking to the door.

  Time stood still as she sat in one of the chairs in the hallway, flipping through worn magazines and not retaining a single word that was written in them. All she could think about was Lana and how she couldn’t wait to see her.

  Aunty Jess is finally here for you.

  At least now she knew Rachel’s little girl was safe. That was a huge weight off her shoulders, and she hoped finding Lana would also lead her to Rachel. Anxious and impatient despite her best efforts to stay calm, she started pacing around the hallways, chewing on another Twizzler stick hanging from her lips.

  She’d basically been living off of those for a while now.

  When the door to Denise’s office opened again, she quickly yanked the candy from her mouth and stuffed it in her purse, squaring her shoulders and trying to look calm and in charge.

  “You can come back in,” Denise said, waving her inside.

  Jessy scrambled inside quickly, closing the door behind her with shaking hands. They sat down, each on either side of the desk, and Denise folded her hands in front of her. Restlessly jiggling her knees, Jessy leaned forward, resting her hands on the table while also trying to hide her chipped nail polish.

  “I’ve verified who you are and everything you’ve told me, and I’m reasonably sure Lana could in fact be your niece.”

  Jessy let out a breath, her whole body sagging in relief.

  “So you can take me to see her now, right?”

  She could already imagine holding Lana in her arms. If Denise’s reaction to Rachel’s picture was any indication, she was bound to be a spitting image of her sister.

  Her spirits sunk when Denise shook her head, however.

  “Lana was adopted by Sheriff Colt Hennessy, the man that found her, left on the sheriff’s department’s front steps. They bonded instantly and have been inseparable ever since.”

  Denise moved in her chair uncomfortably, pursing her lips, and Jessy knew whatever the woman was about to say next, she wasn’t going to like.

  “The sheriff quit his job and left Rockport a week ago.”

  So close, but still always a step or two behind.

  Seven

  Colt

  Glancing at the backseat, Colt made sure Lana was still fast asleep in her car seat. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, and the brown teddy was still clutched in her hands, its fur faded and sticky. The sleepy town of Sweetwater came into view before him, and his bear growled with anticipation, sensing the presence of shifter
s all around.

  Taking the road into town, he kept his eyes open, curious to see if any of the houses struck him as familiar. He got all the way to the center of town without seeing anything he recognized, until the fountain in the middle of the square sparked a long-hidden memory in his brain.

  Colt grinned, slowing down the car.

  It had looked bigger when he last saw it, tossing nickels into the water as a little boy, with his father by his side. Not having many memories of his father, he carefully tucked the image away in his mind and parked the car near the fountain.

  Lana stirred in her seat, yawning wide and rubbing the backs of her hands against her nose. Now that her nap was over, she would be hungry. Colt had already picked out a nice Bed & Breakfast for them to stay at for now, so he picked up a bag of essentials from the back, grabbed Lana’s car seat, and off they went.

  “Ready to go, baby girl?”

  Lana muttered something unintelligible back as he began to cross the square, with people milling about and enjoying the sunny weather. The buildings around mostly belonged to businesses and a park lay just behind a grocery store to his left.

  “Look at that, Lana, we can go play there later.”

  Not one, but two men sniffed the air curiously when he passed them by, looking from him to Lana. There was no way he could hide the smell of bear emanating from him. Without even meaning to, he had made his presence known to the local shifter community within a couple of minutes of being in town, and he was sure the word would spread quickly.

  Especially since he had shown up with a baby and no mate.

  Doesn’t matter, I was going to have to introduce myself to the head of the clan sooner rather than later, anyway, he thought, keeping his eyes and nose sharp.

  Unwanted attention aside, it felt good to be back in Sweetwater. It was as if the air itself was familiar to his bear. And the mountains shooting up in the distance were all but calling to him.