Mindy Obenhaus - A Father's Second Chance

“Eww.” She set the kettle on the burner, her nose wrinkled. What was that smell? Following the trail of the offending odor, she located its source—the kitchen trash can. Next time she threw away chicken bones, she needed to discard the bag sooner.

She tugged the trash bag out from the wastebasket and cinched it closed as she started down the stairs to the garage. Note to self—buy an air freshener.

A sound echoed inside the garage as she opened the door. Like breathing. Heavy breathing.

She laughed off the notion, though. This was Ouray, not Fort Worth.

Flipping on the light, she took a step inside and froze. Two weeks’ worth of trash was strewn everywhere.

“Oh. My.” The breathing hadn’t been her imagination.

No doubt smelling the chicken in the bag she carried, the furry black creature turned toward her and snorted.

Panic coursed through her veins. Her hands shook, rustling the bag.

The monster pushed up on its hind legs. Its claws were humongous. Then it roared.

“B-b-bear!” She dropped the bag and rushed back into the house, closing the door behind her. Leaning against it, she could hear the animal on the other side as it ravaged the bag she’d held only a second ago.

What if it got in the house?

She locked the door.

Like that was going to stop him. With those claws, it could probably smash right through the door. She had to get out of here.

Her neighbors. They’d know what to do.

She bolted out the front, across the cold, damp grass, and banged on their door. No answer.

Stepping back, she stared at the darkened house. Only then did she remember the Jacksons were out of town.

She looked around. The house across the street was all lit up. She hadn’t met the people before, but this seemed like as good a time as any.

Gravel cut into her bare feet as she crossed the road, but that was nothing compared with what that bear would do if it got ahold of her.

She stumbled up the front steps and knocked on the storm door. Her breaths were coming quick. Too quick. Funny, she’d always been one to remain calm in a crisis. But the sight of those fangs just a few feet from her...White spots darted through her vision.

The door jerked open and Gage Purcell gawked at her as if she was a madwoman.

Then everything went black.

* * *

Celeste awakened to find three pairs of blue eyes staring down at her.

She leaped to her feet. Eyes wide, she took in the unfamiliar surroundings—the dollhouse against the wall, the pile of unfolded laundry at one end of the dining table, the two blonde girls watching her every move. “Where am I?”

“In our living room.” Gage folded his arms across his chest, his white T-shirt revealing rather large biceps. Couple that with the five-o’clock shadow lining his jaw and he looked like he belonged in a men’s cologne ad. “You passed out on our porch.”

“I—I did?” She struggled to remember.

“Yes. So I suggest you sit back down. At least until you can get your bearings.”

She returned to the tan sofa without argument, her head swimming. “Why was I—?” Then she remembered. “The bear. He—he...how long was I out?”

“A couple minutes.” Gage’s brow wrinkled as he took a seat in the rocker recliner opposite her. “What bear?”

“In my garage.”

“I wanna see the bear.” Emma plopped beside Celeste.

Her arm instinctively went around the child’s shoulders. “Not this bear, sweetie. He was huge. And his teeth...” She shuddered.

Gage leaned back, crossing one ankle over the other knee. “Ah, it’s not uncommon for bears to come wandering into town.” His tone was annoyingly nonchalant. “Especially this time of year. Food sources are getting scarce up in the mountains.”

She glared at him, her teeth clenched. “It was in my house.”

“Perhaps you left your garage door open.”

She sent him an incredulous look. “Now, why would I do that? Besides, it hasn’t been opened in weeks.”

“I meant the back door. As I recall, that whole row of condos—” he pointed in the direction of her house “—has doors on the back of the garage.”

“I don’t know when I would have opened it. It’s been a while since I’ve even been in there.”

“Maybe it wasn’t latched properly. The wind probably blew it open.”

“That doesn’t negate the fact that there’s a bear in my garage !”

He leaned forward, rested his forearms on his thighs. “Do you have an electric garage door opener?”

“Yes.”

“How do you open it?”

“The remote’s in my car. There’s also a keypad by the garage.”

“That’s just what I was hoping.” He pushed to his feet, wearing a satisfied smile. “All you have to do is open the garage door. The bear will leave, and we can all get a good night’s sleep.”

She practically had to pick her jaw up off the floor. “What are you? Some kind of nut?”

One dark brow lifted.

“What if the bear comes after me once he leaves the garage?”

“He won’t, because you’ll be waiting inside the house. Once the bear’s gone, you shut everything down.”

She rubbed her arms, barely believing what she’d just heard. She couldn’t go back over there. Not with that monster on the loose.

Gage raked his fingers through his short hair and let go a sigh. “What’s the code?”

“Code?”

“For the keypad.”

“You mean you’ll—”

“Just as soon as you give me the code.”

She chewed her bottom lip. “Um...”

“Great. You don’t know it, do you?”

“I do. I just have to remember what it is.” She focused on the rustic coffee table littered with cups, papers and crayons.

“Well, if you want that bear out of your house, I suggest you remember.”

“I will.” She tugged Emma closer, rubbing the soft sleeve of the child’s flannel nightgown. “But, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m a little freaked out.” A feeling she definitely wasn’t used to.

He shoved his bare feet into a pair of boots that were next to the door. “By the way, girls, this is Celeste. Celeste, Cassidy—” he motioned to the oldest girl, who sat in the second chair “—and you remember Emma.”

The child beside her grinned.

“I like your princess pajamas.” Cassidy sent her a shy smile.

Celeste’s head dropped in dismay as she surveyed her attire. Being caught in her pajamas was bad enough, but to have Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Snow White emblazoned on the front was downright humiliating. Not to mention the pink and blue hearts all over the fleece bottoms.

“5-9-2-7.” She jerked her head up.

Gage took a step closer. “Come again?”

She repeated the numbers, slower this time.

“Is your front door open?”

“Yes. But...what if he doesn’t leave?”

“He’ll leave. I guarantee you startled him every bit as much as he startled you.”

“I doubt it,” she said under her breath.

He reached for the door. “Girls, you need to get back in bed.”

Only then did Celeste realize that her theatrics had probably woken them.

Emma followed him. “But, Daddy, we wanna see the bear.”

As much as Celeste wanted to see the bear, too, if only to reassure herself that he was indeed gone, she knew she’d upset their routine. And since tomorrow was a school day...

“Sorry, Emma.” Celeste stood. “It’s late and you have school in the morning.” She laid a hand on the child’s shoulder. “You need to do what your Daddy says.”

The frowns on their faces nearly ripped her heart out. How did Gage ever discipline them?

“How about I read you a story?”

That seemed to turn their frowns upside down.