Chasing Tara (Bryant Station Curves) (4 page)

BOOK: Chasing Tara (Bryant Station Curves)
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Jason agreed. Their mate had no business in cat territory. “Why the urgency to get to San Antonio?” he asked.

“I have to get to Stone Ranch.”

“Noah Stone’s place?”
David frowned. Not only was Noah Stone one of the toughest lawyers in Texas, he was the alpha of the pride claiming the San Antonio area.

“Yes.”

“And why do you have to go there? It’s not like you’re a—” Jason closed his mouth before he said she was not a cat. The last thing he needed was Noah Stone angry with him because he let out Noah’s secret.

Tara stared at Jason. “I’m not like what?”

“I just didn’t think you were into chasing married men.” The second the words were out of his mouth, he realized he was in huge trouble. Tara’s stare turned into a glare. Jason swore he saw steam rising off her.

Jason glanced at his brother and sister-in-law. Both were shaking their heads at him.

Bad Jason! Mate not like stupid woman you insisted on having around us,
snarled his bear.

I
didn’t mean to say it.

You made mate angry. You made me angry because you made mate angry.

I didn’t mean to make her angry.

“For your information, I have never chased after a
married man
.” Tara used her fingers to emphasize the married man part of her statement.

“I didn’t mean to say what I did. I was just wondering why you were going to his ranch when he’s a married man.” Jason tried back peddling out of the mess he created with his mate.

“It may not have been what you meant, but it’s what you said. I know Noah Stone’s married. He and his brother are mated to my mom.” Tara couldn’t believe what Jason told her. No one had ever accused her of chasing after anyone, let alone a married man. “I think it’s time for Haley and me to find a place we can stay for the night.”

“The only motel in town is full,” said Lisa.

“There’s always the chance of a cancelation,” Tara tried sounding hopeful.

“I’m sorry, but there haven’t been any cancellations. In fact, with every room booked, we had to put some of our guests up at David’s parents’ home.” Lisa shrugged her shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

“Is there a shelter or a church?” Tara’s chin trembled. She blinked several times. The past few months, she had struggled, but she always had shelter for Haley. The unshed tears burned her eyes. She and Haley were homeless. If her car had not broken down, she would be at Stone Ranch. She and Haley would be safe and have a roof over her head.

Jason watched the emotions play across Tara’s face. Three things hit him hard. Tara knew about the shifter community, because she said her mom
was mated to Noah Stone and his brother. Tara was running from someone who scared her, but the third thing was worse. He was being a jerk toward his mate, and he was sure she was his mate. Whether he wanted her to be or not, he had no right treating her bad. Tara had not done anything wrong.

“We don’t have a shelter and I haven’t heard of any of the churches doing any type of shelter work,” said Lisa.

Haley chose that moment to reach for Tara. “Potty,” she said in her soft voice.

“I’ll be right back.” Tara grabbed Haley and her bag. She retreated to the bathroom in the back of the diner.

 

 

CHAPTER 4

 

“What is your problem?” David reached across the table and smacked Jason on the back of his head.

“I don’t have a problem. I just said something really stupid.”

“From where I’m sitting, you have a problem and being stupid is only part of it.”

Ben put his hand on his dad’s arm. “Dad, Great Mother Bear brought Tara and Haley to us.”

“We only get one mate. That’s the way it has always been,” said Jason.

“I know,” said Ben. “But the Great Mother Bear sent you another mate. Tara and Haley need you as much as you need them, and don’t tell me you don’t care. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be fighting your attraction to Tara.”

“Jason, you’re being given a second chance with another mate. In our world it’s something that doesn’t normally happen.” David picked up Lisa’s hand and kissed it. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost Lisa, in that way I understand your feelings about Allison. No one’s asking or telling you to forget her, but you are throwing away your second chance.”

“Mom wants you to be happy.”

Everyone sitting at the table quit talking and stared at Ben.

Jason’s heart skipped a beat. His hands trembled. “Ben, what did you say?”

“Mom wants you to be happy. She said Tara will make you happy.”

“You talked with your mother?”

“Mom can’t return, at least not in a physical form.” Ben stared at his food. “Mom and I talk a lot.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jealousy crept into Jason’s voice.

Ben looked up at his father. “You and everyone else already worry about me and my connection with the Great Mother Bear. If I had told you I talked with mom’s spirit, you and everyone else would have gone ballistic. Look at how you’re acting now.”

“What have you and your mom talked about?” asked Lisa.

“Mom and I talk about all kinds of stuff.” Ben’s eyes sparkled when he looked up from his food. He looked at his dad. “Mom’s glad Tina is finally out of your life. Tina was not right for you. She lied about everything.” The sparkle left Ben’s eyes and a dark sadness took its place. “Tina lied about the baby.”

Jason paled. “What do you mean?”

“Tina didn’t have a miscarriage. When she found out about us, she didn’t want to have an animal for a child.”

Lisa gasped. She wrapped her arms protectively around her unborn child.

The muscles in Jason’ face twitched. “She didn’t have a miscarriage?”

Ben shook his head. “Tina didn’t want to be a mother. She wanted money and an easy life.”

Jason leaned back and ran his hand through his hair. “How could I have been so stupid?”

You were lonely for our dead mate.

That’s
not an excuse
, Jason told his bear.
I should have known.

She was not right. Did not know how bad she was. Want to show her bad.

If I had bad judgment about Tina, how can I trust my feelings for Tara?

Mate smells like honey and lemons.
Jason’s bear licked his jowls.
Mate wants us. We protect mate and cub. Want to taste the honey and lemon.

“Dad, trust your bear,” said Ben. “Trust mom. Tara is your mate. You need each other.
Don’t throw away this chance because of Tina. Don’t give Tina that kind of power.” Ben put his hand on Jason’s arm. “Mom knew her time was limited. Don’t push Tara away. You need her. You have to live again, not just exist.”

Our cub is smart.

Scary smart.

Cub takes after me. Mine.
Jason’s bear grinned at him.

You blame me for the bad stuff and take credit for the good stuff? That
isn’t right.

I do it before you.
His bear made a snorting noise.
Honey and lemon. Want mate!

Determined,
aren’t you?

Our mate is here. You want her too.
The bear butted against Jason’s chest causing Jason’s skin to itch.

Go lay down!
Jason gritted his teeth and shoved his bear away from the surface.

The bear snorted.
Want mate.

Is she our mate?
After Tina, Jason doubted his judgment.

Smell mate’s scent. You know she is ours.
The bear swatted at Jason.
No more dumb stuff.

Just settle down and take a nap or something.

So you can run away from our mate and cub. No!

Jason rolled his eyes.
I’m not going to run away.

Are you sure, you are not running away?

I’m sure.

Jason’s bear grunted, but sat down.

Thank you!
Jason looked at the chair where Tara had been sitting. He sniffed. The honey and lemons scents were faint, but enough linger causing Jason’s pants to grow uncomfortably tight. He could no longer deny the truth. It stared him in the face. The scared, little spitfire was his mate.

“Jason, are you okay?” asked Lisa.

“Yeah. I’m okay.” Jason smiled at her before he turned his attention to Ben. “From now on I don’t want you keeping anything from me. Do you hear me?”

“Yes sir.” Ben gave him a quick grin. “Does that mean you accept Tara as your mate?”

“I’ve got to fix the mess I’ve made and convince her.”

“You can do it.”

“I hope you’re right.” Jason pulled out his cellphone.

“What are you doing?” asked David.

“I’m calling Noah Stone to tell him what’s going on with Tara,” David punched a series of numbers on the screen of his cellphone and waited.

“This is Noah Stone.”

“Jason Anderson.”

There was a long paused and then an audible sigh. “Something’s come up and I’ve had to temporarily set aside your case.”

“I’m not calling about my case.”

“If you’re not calling about your case, then why are you calling me?”

“Tara is here.”

“Is she safe?”

“She’s scared of the guy chasing her. I assume it’s a guy because she won’t tell me much.” Jason got up and walked to an unoccupied corner.

“You shouldn’t have to worry about him.”

“Right! I need to know what’s going on so I can protect her.” Jason ignored the coldness in Noah Stone’s voice. The intimidation technique did not work on Jason. Most people failed to realize that male bears were mostly alphas, but the Great Mother bear had taught them how to temper their alpha sides so the males could live near other males. Bears were territorial, but it helped have family around to help protect the females and cubs.

“I’ll arrange for one of my people to pick her up.”

“That’s not happening.” Jason’s bear filtered through his voice. No one was taking Tara away from him.

“She is my daughter!”

“She’s my mate!”

Both men were quiet, letting their declarations hang over each other.

“You told me your mate died years ago,” said Noah after several uncomfortable minutes of silence.

“She did.”

“How can Tara be your mate?” asked Noah. Skepticism flowed from the man and through the phone. It washed over Jason and left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“I don’t know the how or why, but the Great Mother Bear has granted me another mate.”

“How is Tara taking it?”

“I haven’t told her, but she’s feeling the connection.” Jason watched Tara walk back to the table. Haley reached for Ben as soon as she saw him. “She’s fighting it.”

Noah chuckled. “If she’s anything like her mother, you’re in for a hell of a ride.”

“Tell me about it, but from what I see, she’s worth it. Now, who’s chasing her?”

“It’s her brother-in-law.”

“Why is he after her?” Jason frowned.

“Money. Donald Wilson has a serious gambling problem and he owes a lot of money to a nasty group of characters.”

“So what does Tara have to do with this?” Jason’s bear stood up and pushed against Jason’s ribs.

“Andrew, Tara’s husband and Wilson’s younger brother, died in a car accident, but the clues I’m finding tell a different story. Andrew’s death wasn’t an accident.”

“Wilson killed his own brother?” The more Jason heard, the more he understood why his mate was afraid and running, but it did not explain the bruises on her face.

“Wilson killed his brother and collected a huge life insurance policy he took out a few months ago on his brother. Wilson also managed to get himself set up as his brother’s executor.”

“How did he do that?
Tara’s the widow. She should have control of the estate.”

“I’m not sure yet, but Wilson was recognized as the executor of Andrew’s estate. He has taken control of the bank accounts and has managed to block Tara from her personal accounts. Wilson sold her
condo. You need to realize, he’s not just after the money. He wants Tara.”

“I’m going to kill the guy.” Jason’s bear shoved against his skin. Jason gritted his teeth and mentally shoved his bear. The last thing he needed was an angry, twelve hundred pound, Kodiak bear in the middle of Joy’s diner. Joy would skin him alive.

“Get in line. If I get my hands on him, he is dead.” There was a pause. “Anderson, you need to know that Wilson has more plans for Tara.”

“What kind of plans?” Jason felt his heart skip a few beats.

“Wilson plans on selling Tara into prostitution with the loan shark he owes. I have a feeling that’s not his only plans for Tara, and I have no idea what he’ll do with Haley.”

Rage swept through Jason. His bear growled and clawed at his ribs. The beast desperately wanted out. It wanted to hunt and kill the threat to its mate. Jason wanted the same thing.

“Give me the phone and get to my office.” Joy grabbed the cellphone from Jason’s hand as she shoved him toward the back of the diner.

“Give it to Tara,” said Jason. His voice was somewhere between an animal growl and human.

“I will.” Joy watched her cousin go into her office. She looked at the phone for a couple of seconds, and then put it to her ear. “This had better be good,” she said.

“Who is this? Where is Anderson?”

Joy shook her head. The voice on the phone was cold and hard. “This is Anderson, a different Anderson, but an Anderson. If you are referring to Jason, whatever you told him has him in an agitated state. If my diner is hurt in anyway because of what you said, I am holding you responsible. Now, Jason told me to give the phone to Tara. Who can I tell her it is who wants to talk to her?”

“Noah Stone, and who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?”

“Joy Anderson, the owner of The Blue Plate, and you’re worst nightmare come to life.” She took the phone away from her ear, walked over to Tara, who returned to the table, and handed her the phone. “Noah Stone wants to talk to you. Make sure Jason gets his phone back when you finish with the call.” Joy turned and walked away leaving Tara staring at her and the phone.

“Aren’t you going to speak to him? I think it might be important,” said Ben as he feed Haley another piece of her hamburger.

Tara put the phone to her ear. “Noah?”

“Are you and Haley okay?”

Relief flooded through Tara when she heard her stepfather’s voice. “The car broke down outside of Bryant Station. It’s at the mechanic’s right now, but I don’t think he can repair it. Can someone come and get us?”

“Tara, I need you to listen. Trust Jason Anderson. He will protect you and Haley.”

Tara’s eyes widened. She got up from the table and walked a short distance away to get as much privacy with the conversation as she could in the packed diner. “Do you know what he is?”

“He and his family are bear shifters.”

“But can I trust him?”

“Tara, how does Jason Anderson make you feel?”

Tara turned several shades red. “I don’t think that’s something we should be talking about. Besides, it’s not important.

“It is important. Believe in your feelings toward Anderson.”

“Why?” asked Tara.

“Jason Anderson is your mate. Your body already recognizes it. Now you just have to accept it with your head and your heart.”

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this!” Tara shook her head. “Are you hearing what you’re telling me?”

Noah chuckled. “You’re going to be just as difficult as your mother, aren’t you?” He did not wait for Tara to answer him. “Go with Anderson. He will protect you and Haley. Bears are as mean as cats when it comes to protecting
what’s theirs. I will be there in a few days to check on you.” He ended the call.

“Hello? Noah, are you still there?” Tara looked at the phone, but she knew Noah had ended the call. She was not sure if she should scream or cry. What was Noah thinking? There was no way she was Jason Anderson’s mate. She did not want to be anyone’s mate. Tara just wanted a safe place where she could raise Haley and start writing again. She wanted her life back before Donald had messed it up.

BOOK: Chasing Tara (Bryant Station Curves)
3.23Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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