him touch her in ways that she can’t stop dreaming about. But there’s something at stake.
* * *
A secret. And Jessie would do anything to protect it… to protect them. She never meant to become a single mother to six bear shifter cubs, but her heart couldn’t handle their bad treatment. Now, the bear sleuth is after her and Jessie is the only one standing between these kids and the dangerous sleuth.
* * *
Cody will discover her secret sooner or later, and when he does… will he be able to protect her and accept her family as his own?
* * *
***
35
Cody
Cody Strauss checked his watch for the third time in fifteen minutes and blew a sigh through his lips. His quiches for lunch were still setting for the rush and the rest of the kitchen staff of Black Bear Lake Lodge was, by now, running like clockwork. As the head chef, Cody ran his kitchen tight as a drum. His brother, Eric, called him “fussy.” Cody thought that was rich coming from a concierge who pouted if his shirt collar was even a little bit crooked.
Cody leaned on the counter and a pantry chef blowing by handed him a plate because as the head chef, he actually forgot to eat sometimes. He frowned and set the plate on the long kitchen island, sitting on a stool to dig into the turkey sandwich.
It was summer at Black Bear Lake Lodge, the sprawling ski resort that sat at the foot of a snowy mountain not too far from the Colorado Rockies. That meant it was the off-season. Yet the off-season at Black Bear Lake Lodge was as busy as other lesser resort’s busiest seasons. The lake was pristine and perfect for canoeing and other water sports, and the hiking trails were busy with the guests who populated the place.
It was the Strauss brothers, four bear shifters from Oregon, who owned and ran the lodge, together sharing in the labor and decision making that went into owning one of the most luxurious ski resorts in the country. As the Alpha and the oldest, Connor Strauss made the big decisions and gave out the orders, and usually his brothers followed along. Cody ran the kitchen and made all food-related decisions himself and Eric was the concierge, fulfilling any guest’s request no matter how odd or demanding.
Nathan Strauss was the handyman, though lately, they’d hired a couple more backup maintenance people to share his load. Having recently found his true love and mate, Alanna, he had just become the proud papa of a baby girl bear shifter cub, Emily. He was still on paternal leave, cooped up in his residential suite with Alanna and his infant daughter. There was a particular air of joy around the place due to the happy news and “It’s a girl!” signs and balloons still littered the place here and there following the lodge-wide baby-shower and celebration of the newest member of the Strauss clan.
“Hey!” Connor blew through the kitchen doors and threw his brother a nod before sitting next to him at the table and grabbing half of the turkey sandwich without so much as asking. But that was typical of Connor. “Where is everybody?”
Everybody meant Eric and Nathan. It was quasi-tradition to eat breakfast or lunch in the kitchen with Cody unless things were particularly hectic.
For Eric and Nathan though, things were particularly hectic and Connor definitely knew that. Cody raised an eyebrow at his brother and neatly caught the baggie of homemade potato chips tossed to him before swallowing and answering the question. “Papa Nate is up there with Em letting Lydia nap. Eric went to have some schmoopy lunch date with Lydia. Ever since her semester ended, you can’t get them apart.”
Lydia was Eric’s mate and the long time love of his life. He had narrowly lost his own life and hers in the pursuit of her after attracting the attention of murderous bear shifter and a dark witch who had attempted to seduce him into marriage only to steal his fortune for herself. But together, along with the other Strauss brothers, Eric and Lydia had defeated the witch and found each other. The fight had nearly killed Cody and he felt that sometimes Eric felt guilty and attempted to overcompensate in doting over his brother as a result. It wasn’t necessary to Cody’s mind. Family was family and blood was blood. He would have died for his brother in a heartbeat.
On the other hand, if