Sweet Mercy - Lynn Hagen Page 0,11

might be falling for someone.

Lincoln was sort of thickheaded when it came to matters of the heart. Besides, his brother was also overprotective, and Mercy didn’t want to stir up any trouble between the two.

“Talk to me,” Red said. “I see those wheels in your head turning.”

“Is Lincoln awake?”

“Still knocked out.” Red grabbed a mug from the cupboard. “What’s on your mind?”

Mercy wrung his hands in front of him, trying to put his thoughts into words. “Has my brother ever told you about my past?”

Red interrupted the flow of coffee to pour himself a cup. Mercy didn’t point out that what he’d poured would be too strong.

“No.” Red shook his head. “The only thing he said was that your story was yours to tell.”

And that was why Mercy loved Lincoln so much. “Well, to put it mildly, I haven’t been so lucky with men.”

Red took a sip and sighed. “You’re catching feelings for Ford, and that scares you?”

“Stop being so damn smart,” Mercy said.

“Can’t help it.”

“Anyway, yes. I really like Ford, but I’m not sure I’m ready for anything. Not after what I’ve been through. I find it hard to trust men now.”

Mercy really did want to jump in feet first, throwing caution to the wind. But having been someone’s punching bag for a year, it wasn’t that easy.

Worse, Lloyd was back in town, drudging up old fears and anxieties. If his reaction to seeing Lloyd at the diner was anything to go by, clearly Mercy still had some deep-seated issues.

Like you didn’t already know that.

“I’m the last person to give relationship advice since Lincoln’s my first boyfriend,” Red said. “Well, my mate, but you know what I mean. But I can tell you one thing. I’m glad I took that leap. I haven’t regretted one day with him…or night.”

Mercy held up his hand. “Don’t you dare give me any details.”

Red wiggled his brows. “You’re no fun.”

Mercy opened the bacon and put it in the frying pan. “I just don’t know what to do.”

Red walked up behind him. “Just follow your heart. I’m sure Ford is a nice guy. If he’s not, we’ll let Lincoln eat him.”

Mercy chuckled.

“I would pay good money to see a tiger eat a bear,” Red said.

Mercy froze. He slowly turned and looked at Red. “Ford’s a bear?”

“You didn’t know that?” Red took another sip of his coffee. “After what happened with Jason and Adam, Lincoln only wants shifters on the ranch. He doesn’t want any humans seeing things they shouldn’t see.”

Jason had been a ranch worker who had been enamored with Lincoln and hadn’t taken it well when he found out that Lincoln was interested in Red. In fact, he’d wanted to kill Red.

Adam had been the foreman before Brett. He’d had a grudge against Lincoln for something that hadn’t been Lincoln’s fault. A horse had kicked Adam in the jaw, making him mumble when he talked. A few broken jaws before that had made it nearly impossible to understand the guy.

Jason and Adam had been in cahoots with each other, plotting to kill Red to make Lincoln suffer. Mercy still had nightmares about that, although it had been a month since they’d met their fates.

The sound of popping bacon pulled Mercy from his thoughts.

“Do you think it’s possible that Ford is your mate?”

Mercy’s hand faltered, and he nearly dropped the tongs he’d just grabbed. “Not every shifter interested in a person is that person’s mate.”

“You should ask him. That might help you in your decision of what to do about him.” Red gave him a light tap on his back. “Let me know when the food is ready. I’ll be in Lincoln’s office if you need me.”

Mercy was left with a pounding heart and spinning head. What if what Red said was true? What if Ford was giving him all this attention because they were mates?

Why else would Ford offer to help Mercy open his bakery?

Shit.

Mercy needed to find out. He also wished Red had never opened his mouth. Now that was all he thought about as he finished breakfast, cooking on autopilot.

Once breakfast was over and Mercy’s leg felt better, he went in search of Ford. Mercy needed to know the truth, though he wondered if he really wanted to know.

Ford was a bear shifter. Mercy’s mind was blown.

He’d also made a batch of cinnamon rolls, because he was downright pathetic. Mercy was scared shitless of the possibilities that he and Ford might be mates, yet he wanted to please the guy with