Finding Her Bearing Read online

  Text copyright ©2017 by the Author.

  This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Latin Goddess Press, Inc.. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Paranormal Dating Agency remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Latin Goddess Press, Inc., or their affiliates or licensors.

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  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Ride: Episode One Excerpt

  Before You Go…

  About the Author

  Connect With AC

  More Books in Milly Taiden’s Paranormal Dating Agency Kindle World

  Other Titles by A.C. James

  Resources

  Dedication

  This book is for Marylou, for keeping me grounded and loaning me some insightful books.

  For all the women in my Domestic Violence Support for Women group—your stories, poems, support, and humor helped me through some really hard days.

  For all the women in my Al-Anon group, who listened when I shared.

  For my friends and family, who’ve been there for me without judgment.

  For Cathryn, for encouraging me to finish writing this book and reminding me that I’m writing what I can do. It took me writing a strong character to find strength.

  For Milly Taiden—I’m beyond grateful and honored to contribute to this project. It was really hard to write this story and keep my commitment. Writing doesn’t flow when your life is a shitstorm. This got me writing when I’d almost given up. Turns out I still had something to say. I needed to write this story. Maybe someone will see themselves in my story and find courage. We can all be our own heroines, but sometimes we need help.

  If you or a loved one are being abused, please use the resources located in the back of this book.

  Chapter One

  Cari smoothed her hair, sucking in one last breath before knocking on the door. This was stupid-crazy, and the last thing she needed right now. How she let Jess talk her into it, she’d never know.

  The door swung open to reveal a small woman, a shock of white hair framing her smooth features in a stylish bob. She was short, but her wide smile made her seem larger than life.

  “Hello, dear. I’m Gerri, and you must be Cari. Why, you’re even lovelier than Jess described. Come on in. I was just about to have some tea.”

  Cari smiled at the spitfire of a woman and stepped into the apartment. Gerri closed the door and led her into a small kitchen.

  “Have a seat. Would you like some tea?” Gerri’s shrewd, knowing eyes measured her movements as Cari pulled back a chair and took a seat at the kitchen table.

  “Sure.”

  The woman poured two cups from the kettle on the stove, placed one in front of Cari, and sat across from her.

  “Thanks,” Cari said, taking a tentative sip from the oversized cup.

  “So, how’s your sex life?”

  Cari choked, trying to keep a mouthful of tea from spewing across the table. Jess hadn’t been kidding when she warned that Mrs. Wilder was a bit blunt. That seemed like an understatement.

  Cari straightened her shoulders and met her inquisitive, no-nonsense look with bold caramel eyes. “Nonexistent.”

  She hated to admit it, but it was true. She hadn’t been with anyone since her ex. That disaster had ended eight months ago, and she’d moved back here. It wasn’t where she’d grown up—Cari moved here with her grandmother in the ninth grade—but she always considered it home. When she inherited her grandmother’s old, ramshackle house two years ago, she hadn’t known what to do with it. Now it was the perfect escape, a place her ex had no idea even existed. Cari had been on her own fixing it up for the past eight months.

  “Do you want it to be?” Gerri asked.

  Cari thought for a moment. This whole thing was Jess’s crazy idea. They’d been friends since high school; everyone else had been standoffish to the new girl living in the rundown house on the edge of town, but Jess hadn’t cared.

  She was enjoying the hell out of her newfound independence, but a woman had needs. She was comfortable with her curves, her plus-size hourglass shape, and her sensuality. Cari licked her lips. Didn’t she deserve to live a little? Besides, she needed a date for her ten-year reunion.

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for a major commitment, but no-strings-attached sex is something I could handle. And I need a date for my high-school reunion.”

  Gerri pursed her lips. “Is that so? I may have a shifter in mind, but are you certain all you want is sex?”

  Cari frowned. She really wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore. It’d been a long time since anyone even asked her. She was just getting to know the smart, sexy, self-assured woman she’d forgotten. Her ex had really torn her down. Then she thought about the only guy who ever made her feel like a goddess: her high-school crush. It was a like a lightbulb went off. She’d been too scared to say anything back then. Maybe all this reunion business was bringing back old memories, but he was definitely the definition of what she wanted in a mate.

  “I just got out of a really bad relationship,” Cari explained. “I’m not sure I can make any promises.”

  Gerri studied her for a moment. “You don’t trust yourself.”

  Wow. Gerri really knew how to read people, in a spooky, second-sight sort of way.

  Cari swallowed. “That’s exactly it.”

  Gerri’s eyes lingered on her, and Cari made an effort to keep herself from fidgeting.

  “Honestly, I’m not sure I’d know what to do if someone was nice to me. I have an uncanny way of attracting assholes,” she admitted.

  Gerri let out a full-belly laugh, and her whole face lit up. “I can see why you and Jess are such good friends! Shifters can get their alpha egos in a twist sometimes, but I can assure you I’ll find you one who isn’t an asshole.”

  Cari laughed too. She really liked Mrs. Wilder’s candor, a refreshing change from polite, superficial exchanges. “Hopefully you can find one before the reunion next week.”

  “I think we can manage to find you a date. What kind of man are you looking for?” Gerri asked.

  Her hunky high-school crush popped into her head again. He’d been sweet, lanky, and easy on the eyes. She squirmed in her seat and cleared her throat.

  “I want someone who’s smart, fun to be with, trustworthy, a good friend, and someone who makes healthy choices. I need someone who shows up, and calls when he says he will,” Cari said, her gaze reflecting in the large cup in front of her. “I deserve someone who makes me feel good and accepts me.”

  She swallowed against the lump in her throat. She couldn’t believe she was telling Geri all the hopes she’d pinned on relationships that always ended badly. That’s what she wanted, but she attracted men who were all wrong for her. She’d been cheated on, put down, and put up with shit when she should have walked away a helluva lot sooner.

  Gerri grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You leave it to me.”

  Cari couldn’t imagine anyone could measure up to her crush. They’d met painting scenery for the high school drama club. He always made her feel safe and comfortable. Cari could really be herself around him. He was her best friend besides Jess. They’d talk for hours about everything and nothing. She’d always regret not telling him how she felt about him, but it wa
sn’t until college that she’d embraced her curvaceous Latino body. If only Liam could’ve met the version of herself that was bold, fearless. She wasn’t sure that girl existed anymore.

  She wasn’t sure that that Gerri could find someone who met her qualifications, either. Cari smirked. “Well, it’s a pretty tall order.”

  “Honey, what you want in a man is what every woman deserves, and I assure you it does exist,” Gerri said, her eyes twinkling.

  Chapter Two

  Liam was just leaving Ky’s cabin when Jess pulled into the gravel driveway. He stepped off the porch and greeted her with a grin. She slammed the door to her Land Rover, her blonde hair and curves bouncing toward him. He barely had time to brace himself as she launched her petite frame at him, and he hooked his arms around her in a bear-hug. She was still smiling when she stepped back.

  “Hey, how’s it going? I heard my brother hooked you up with Mrs. Wilder to find you a date for the reunion,” Jess said, her eyes sparkling. “How was your trip?”

  His bear rumbled in protest. If it weren’t for Ky insisting, Liam wouldn’t bother going to the reunion at all. There was only one woman for him, and he doubted she’d come home for a ridiculous high-school event. The only woman his bear had ever wanted was Cari, with her amber eyes and soft lips. Back in high school, he’d often imagined kissing her full, sensual mouth. He was just a kid when he fell in love with her, though, and they lost contact when she left for college and he went off to art school.

  It wasn’t like he hadn’t been with anyone else, but no one had ever come close to Cari. He could be himself, laugh with her, and picture every day by her side. That’s something he’d never been able to say about any other woman. So many times he’d tried to tell her, but he’d been a lanky art nerd back then.

  Now he looked nothing like he did in high school. If Cari saw him today, she probably wouldn’t know him. He’d been incredibly skinny and wore thick-framed glasses back in the day. Now he was a successful UI designer, and he’d grown into his bear. He’d just gotten back from working on a user interface project for the past twelve months. Dealing with finding a last-minute date for the reunion wasn’t high on his priority list, but he knew better than to argue with Kyer Ash-Stone, the Chief of the Stone Clan.

  “My trip was okay, and the clients are happy,” Liam said, shrugging his shoulders.

  “I’m glad you’re back. I really missed seeing your mug around here.”

  Liam laughed. “Missed you too, little cub.”

  Jess smiled. “I’m not a little cub anymore. So, has Mrs. Wilder found you a date yet?”

  He groaned. He’d been back for five minutes and Ky’s sister was already hounding him about his love life—or rather, his lack of one. Her matchmaking and scheming were relentless. She could probably give Mrs. Wilder a run for her money. Jess had convinced Ky to use the dating agency for a blind date, and he wound up with Nita, the love of his life. Liam doubted he’d be so lucky.

  “Really? My flight just got in last night and you’re going to hassle me already?”

  “You never know. This could be the best thing that ever happened to you. I—” Jess stopped short of saying something else, seeming to think better of it.

  “What?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing. Promise you’ll keep an open mind. Your date might surprise you.”

  Liam didn’t like surprises. He was a planner. He’d wanted to tell Cari how he felt on prom night. They’d all gone as one big group. His plan was derailed by a clumsy idiot who spilled punch down her dress right when he was about to confess, and he changed his course of action and rescued her from embarrassment with a wad of paper towels instead.

  “I’m not Ky. I don’t want you to make me your next project.”

  Jess crossed her arms. “When was the last time you had a girlfriend?”

  He was drawing a blank, and scrabbled to come up with an answer to get Jess off his back. “Gina Johnson. Ha!”

  “Three days is not a relationship,” Jess said, puffing out an exasperated sigh.

  You’re not supposed to meet your soul mate when you’re fourteen, but he’d known even then that Cari was his mate. Gina and all the rest of the women who filled his bed paled in comparison. They weren’t talking about it, but Jess knew it too.

  “You’re one to talk, little cub. Your last boyfriend lasted what? Six months?”

  She threw up her hands in irritation. “Mrs. Wilder is very good at what she does and has a knack for finding the perfect mate. Watch, you’ll see. And I know it kills you alpha types to say thank you, but you might want to start practicing, because you’re wrong on this one.”

  Liam laughed. “Relax. I’m going to the stupid reunion, alright?”

  Jess eyed him dubiously and then surprised him by pulling him in for another hug. “Just give the girl Mrs. Wilder finds for you a chance. I’ll see you later.”

  He pulled away from the short, feisty blonde. “See you.”

  Jess climbed the porch and let herself into Ky’s cabin.

  Just give the girl a chance. Liam would show up in his Jeep to pick her up, and he’d buy her flowers, but his heart belonged to Cari. He knew it wasn’t fair to his date. Deep down his bear wouldn’t settle for anyone else. He closed his eyes. He remembered Cari laughing when he playfully dabbed paint on her cheek. It was all he could do to hold back his bear from pulling her across the stage, in that empty auditorium where they’d been painting scenery for the school play.

  He’d replayed that moment in his mind a million times. There were so many moments just like that one, when he should have claimed her. The thing that killed him about ‘should have’ was all the times he’d found himself staring at his dorm-room wall with regret during freshmen year. His cell phone chimed with an incoming text, and he opened his eyes and pulled it from his pocket.

  Mrs. Wilder: Hope you’re not busy this weekend.

  Liam: Why?

  Mrs. Wilder: Because I found you the perfect date for the reunion. The two of you are going camping this weekend.

  Liam groaned. He hoped Mrs. Wilder had picked a woman who liked the outdoors. Otherwise this weekend would be unbearable.

  Chapter Three

  It’d been forever since Cari had gone camping. Senior week was the last time she’d been in a tent. The four of them—Ky, Jess, Liam, and her—had camped near a river that ran through the Stone Clan property. She punched in the address Mrs. Wilder had given her into the GPS, and saw that she was heading toward a cabin not far from where they’d camped.

  Her lips curved upwards. They’d ended up squashed in Liam’s ‘six-person’ tent, because Jess’s had sprung a leak. Talk about false advertising: it barely fit her and three bear shifters. Warmth flushed her cheeks as she remembered the experience. Rain had trickled off the roof, and Liam wrapped around her, snoring softly. She’d told herself she didn’t want to move and disturb him, but that was a big fat lie. She just loved his protective arms around her, encircling her with security and acceptance. She would’ve stayed there forever if she could.

  It had been almost twelve years since she’d laid eyes on Liam. She wondered if he’d be at the reunion. Jess told her not to get her hopes up, because Liam wasn’t exactly thrilled about it. Cari had moved back here, and he’d been gone the whole time working on a contract job out west. She realized with a pang that she missed him. Gulping back the emotion that rose in her throat, she focused on the camping date Mrs. Wilder had planned.

  Mrs. Wilder had told her she’d meet William at his cabin. She pulled into a driveway with a sign that read: Bear Creek Cottage. Her breathing hitched. Immaculate and breathtakingly beautiful, ‘cottage’ was definitely a misnomer. Wow!

  William’s cabin was a stunning mountain home with forest hugging the outskirts of the property. It sat on a hill overlooking the mountainside. She’d bet the deck that wrapped around the side, leading toward a built-in outdoor fireplace, would be a great place to watch the sunset. Cari turned off the i
gnition and grabbed her duffel bag from the back of her Subaru, then smoothed her hands on her jeans. Leaves rustled in the woods, and a twig broke under a footfall. The strange sense that someone was watching her prickled the hair on the back of her neck.

  “Who’s there?” Cari called out, nerves pitching her voice higher.

  The chirping of crickets was her only answer. Don’t be paranoid. Breathe. There’s nobody out there. It’s just nerves. She shook her head to clear it. She couldn’t think about her past and what would happen if it caught up with her. Swinging her duffel bag over her shoulder, she made her way up the stone steps to the porch. She straightened her shoulders and knocked on the door.

  Footsteps sounded on the other side and the door opened. A sexy bear-shifter filled the doorway. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something really familiar about William. He had short dark hair, a scruffy beard, and his jaw hung open in a ridiculous expression she didn’t know how to take.

  Cari smiled. “Hi.”

  He closed his mouth, and his attention was drawn toward the woods. His bear seemed agitated as he sniffed the air. Cari had been around plenty of bear shifters and remembered their keen sense of smell.

  “Go inside and lock the door,” he growled. “Push the button above the keypad to arm the security system.”

  Suddenly, the creepy sensation that someone was out there in the woods didn’t seem like her PTSD paranoia. Uneasiness roiled her stomach.

  “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure, but I’m going to find out.”

  Cari nodded and then rushed inside, slamming the door harder than she intended, and activated the security system. She dropped her duffel bag and ran to the window that looked out toward the front of the house.

  Her mouth went dry. Good grief. The man was beyond sexy. Of course, it was a totally inappropriate thought considering the situation, but she couldn’t help it. Not with William stripping in the front yard. He pulled his shirt up, his abs rippling as it went over his head. The sun highlighted his chest, and the fine mat of hair trailing down it. William kicked off his shoes. Next went his pants and boxer briefs in one shift motion. Dear God, the man was huge.