Page 80 of Bear With Me

Bjorn rolled his eyes at him. “We need to get Gran settled and make sure she’s ok. And I think Dennis wants to make sure you’re set with the cafe stuff. But we only have the cabin for a few more days, and my car is parked there, so we do have to get back.”

Escalus nodded. “Understood. Dennis, if I could maybe borrow you this afternoon to go over some financials, and then we’ll call it good? Though if you’re willing to speak to me on the phone or email occasionally once you go home, that would be truly appreciated.”

Dennis raised an eyebrow at this suddenly-formal tone by the normally foul-mouthed Alpha. He must really want the help. “Sure, Escalus. Let me give you my phone number.”

They exchanged numbers and pleasantries, and ten minutes later, they were back on the path to Gran’s house, discussing their trip back to the cabin.

Dennis was still a little mind-blown at how fast this had all happened, but he couldn’t say he wasn’t happy about it.

29

Bjorn

The trip back to the Pennsylvania cabin, once they’d assured themselves that Gran would be ok, felt quicker than the drive to South Dakota had been. They did the same things, for the most part, with Bjorn DJing and putting himself in charge of car snacks, but with Bjorn able to share in the driving, they were able to stay on the road longer.

As a result, they made it back to the cabin before noon on the second day, a bit tired and grumpy – ok, well Dennis was grumpy, at least – but not as exhausted. Dennis pulled his truck up next to Bjorn’s sedan and shifted in his seat uneasily. “So, uh.”

Bjorn was in no rush to get into his own car and drive away from his mate, so he focused on Dennis. “So.”

“Uh,” Dennis said again, and licked his lips. “We didn’t really talk enough about…plans. And stuff. You coming to live me. If that’s still what you want to do.”

He was right, they hadn’t really discussed it. Their conversation during the drive had stayed light, as if they were both wary of bringing up the more serious topic and having it go wrong while in a confined space. Or at least, that was what had held Bjorn back.

“Do you…still want me to come live with you?” Bjorn ventured tentatively, afraid Dennis would have changed his mind.

Dennis, to his relief, immediately nodded. “Yes. Definitely. I mean, as long as you’re ok with moving. If you don’t want to move, we…I’m not sure, we’d need to figure something out. Maybe I could sell the bar and -”

“No!” Bjorn yelped, grabbing Dennis’s thigh to stop him. “No, don’t sell the bar. I want to come to you. I have nothing holding me in West Virginia; it’s just kinda where I ended up when I left the den. So I want to come to you. See the pub. Meet your friends?”

Bjorn suspected Dennis wasn’t aware how much his relief at that was written all over his face. “Ok. Ok, good. Yeah.”

Why was this so awkward? Bjorn cleared his throat. “I’ll need to pack up my apartment and stuff. Close out my safe deposit box. Rent a U-Haul. And then the drive is maybe six hours, I think? So let’s say that’s a full day on its own. How…how soon do you think you could make room for me?”

Dennis looked at him in surprise. “Room?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, I’m gonna have boxes and shit. Those will have to go someplace.”

Dennis waved that away, looking supremely unconcerned. “Oh, we’ll just use one of the storerooms in the pub. I…” He paused, looking contemplative. “I actually live in an apartment on top of the bar. I don’t know if we ever discussed that. I mean, we could get a house or something if you don’t want to live there. It can get loud on weekends, and it’s only a two-bedroom...”

Bjorn shook his head. “No, there’s no need to worry about that, at least yet. I just…I just want to be with you. Wherever.”

Dennis’s natural scowl softened. “Then just get to me as soon as you can, huh?”

Oh. Oh, that felt nice to hear. Bjorn nodded eagerly. “Then, I think maybe a week? I don’t own that much stuff, but I’ll need to track down my landlord and cancel my lease, which might take a few days.”

Dennis turned in his seat, regarding Bjorn with furrowed brows. “I’m actually gonna miss you. A lot. You dick.” He punched Bjorn lightly in the biceps.

Bjorn couldn’t hold back his laugh at how very Dennis that was. “I’m going to miss you too, mate. I’ll get there as fast as I can, I promise.”

“You’d better.” Dennis harrumphed. “Can’t fucking believe you made me fall in love with you.” He said the words almost in passing, as if they wouldn’t be shocking.

They were. Bjorn could only stare at him. “I…what?” Had Dennis said what he thought he’d said? Surely not.

Dennis looked back at him with an eyebrow cocked. “Well seriously, I have no idea how we got here. I wasn’t going to do squat with you, and then suddenly you were, like, in my head and I liked you, and then next thing I knew it wasn’t a matter of if we mated but when, and then five seconds later I couldn’t imagine living my life without you, and then boom, bond bite. I mean, what the fuck, man?”

Was Dennis telling him he loved him, or yelling at him for spoiling his life? Bjorn honestly wasn’t sure at this point. Maybe both? “I…love you too?” he ventured cautiously. “Like, if it makes you feel any better, I can’t imagine my life without you, either. So uh, at least we’re in this together?”

“Fuckin’ hell,” Dennis said on a put-upon breath, then hauled Bjorn in by his shirtfront and planted a kiss on his lips. “This is insane,” he muttered into Bjorn’s mouth.