“No peeking,” Kate warned her husband as she moved to stand by his side.
“I won’t. I promise.” Travis stood still with his feet hip-width apart, his breathing faster than normal as Izzy entered the room. He was nervous, more so than on their wedding day. But then, on that particular day he knew it was the right thing, he knew his bride-to-be felt the same way.
Today was different. It was a step into the unknown, the launching of a ship on an ocean that would reflect the view from the window. Smooth, stormy and so many moods in between would need to be navigated as they raised Izzy.
“Okay. You can open them.” Izzy stood in front of Travis with a homemade cake in her hands. The cake had been cut and reassembled as a house. The beach house, Kate presumed. And outside the house stood five people.
“That’s…us.” Travis’s voice cut off and he coughed to clear his throat.
“This is our family,” Izzy announced proudly. “You, Kate, me, Henry and Marl.”
“It’s incredible.” Kate wiped a hand over her eyes.
“I love it,” Travis told her. “It’s the best cake ever and this is the best birthday ever.”
Izzy grinned, her eyes bright with pride as she looked down at the cake. “Shall we eat a piece?”
“Yes.” Travis glanced at Henry who stepped forward and offered to take the cake from Izzy. “First, there’s something we want to give you.”
“It’s not my birthday.” Izzy’s eyes strayed to the gift tied with a red ribbon.
“No, it’s a special day, though, and we thought this would be a good time to give you a special gift.” Travis picked up the gift and passed it to Izzy. “Open it.”
“I hope you like it,” Kate added and slipped her hand into Travis’s.
“Thank you.” Izzy took the gift and went to sit down on the sofa. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“This is special,” Travis told Izzy as they all watched her closely. Luckily, she was too intent on carefully pulling the ends of the ribbon and then opening the box to notice.
“Oh, it’s so cute.” Izzy pulled out a small black and white plush kitty with a black patch over its eye. “Thank you.”
“There’s something else in the box,” Travis prompted. They had chosen the toy so that Izzy could keep it as a keepsake to commemorate the day.
“Is it a birth certificate for the kitty?” Izzy asked as she opened the envelope and pulled out a piece of paper. “Do I get to fill in its name and everything?”
“It’s a certificate,” Travis said gently. “But it’s not for the kitty.”
“Oh.” Izzy’s eyes shone brightly as she read the piece of paper. “Is this for real?” She looked up at Travis with naked hope in her eyes.
“It’s for real.” Travis nodded and then hunkered down, his arms outstretched. “I’m officially your dad.”
“And Kate is my mom?” Izzy hugged Travis but her eyes were fixed on Kate.
“I’m your mom.” Kate couldn’t stop tears from running down her cheeks as Izzy beckoned to her. She knelt on the floor and hugged her husband and daughter.
“Room for a couple more?” Henry asked.
“Always.” Travis stood up, Izzy in his arms. As Kate pushed herself to her feet, Henry and Marl joined them in a family hug.
A sob escaped Kate. It was as if she was finally free. Just as Marl was free. Yet she was also bound to the people around her. Especially to Travis, with a bond that would never break.
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READING ORDER FOR
Bear Creek Clan and Bear Bluff Clan
Complete Box Set
Or available individually
(each can be read as a standalone
but why not start at the beginning and get to know all of the characters?)
Rescued by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book One)
Finding Her Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Two)
Tamed by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Three)
Snowbound With The Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Four)
Biker Bear Billionaire (Bear Creek Clan Book Five)
Bound To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book One)
Doctor Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book Two)
Stranded With Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Three)
A Bride for the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Six)
Home Or Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Four)
Fated To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Five)
Lonely Bear (Bear Bluff Book Six)
Wolf Valley Raiders
Complete Box Set Out Now!
Or available individually
suggested reading order
Redeem the Wolf
To Catch A Wolf
Reclaim the Wolf
Awakening the Alpha
Biker Bears
Forbidden Bear
Secret Bear
Christmas Bear Brothers
Complete Box Set Now Available
Or available individually
suggested reading order
Santa Paws
Christmas Catastrophe
Bear Humbug
Fated and Mated
Love at First Site
Her Scars To Bear
Her Choice To Bear
Her Russian Bear
Who’s the Daddy?
Complete Box Set Available
Or available individually
suggested reading order
One Bear and a Baby
Her Bear and a Baby
Second Chance Bear and a Baby
Return to Bear Bluff
Complete Box Set Available
Or available individually
suggested reading order
The Bear is Back in Town
His Bear’s Necessity
Black Bear Down
Who Bears Wins
When Bears Collide
Wish Upon A Bear
Cowboy Brother Bears
Complete Box Set Available
Cowboy Bear Blues
Cowboy Bear’s Mate
Cowboy Bear’s Fate
Return to Bear Creek
Daddy Bear
Mountain Bear
Honey Bear
Forever Bear
Storm Bear
Silverback Dragon
P.I. Bear
Doctor Daddy Bear
Bad Boy Bear
Silverback Bear
Ranger Bear
Christmas Bear
Hero Bear
Undercover Eagle
Single Daddy Dragon
Secret Baby Bear
Silverback Wolf
Awakened Dragon
Treasure Bear
Silverback History Bear
River Run Wolf
Silverbacks and Second Chances
Cursed Bear
Lucky Bear
Fated Bear
Song Bear
Blind Date Bear
Christmas Bears
Claused
Wrapped
Shifters Prime Sleeping Lions
; Complete Box Set Now Available
Living a Lion
Freeing a Lion
Fighting a Lion
Sci-Fi Romance
The Princess and her Alien Rogue
The Princess and her Bounty Hunter
Chosen by the Karal
Complete Box Set
Or available individually
Deceit
Love
Power
Hunger
Devotion
Warriors of Karal
Stranded
Found
Taken
Hunted
Allies
The Dualis
(Mate of the Cave Bear)
Found (Book One)
Lost (Book Two)
Return (Book Three)
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