Page 53 of Once Upon A Bear

When they came up for air, Gideon searched her eyes for the truth, and he asked, “Was that okay?”

Guinevere didn’t have the heart to tell him that she would probably regret the kiss, if only because she planned on never doing it again. But since she never planned on doing it again, at least she had this memory to sustain her.

“It was wonderful,” she said, willing back the tears that attempted to come out.

She couldn’t cry in front of him. If she did, he would want to know what was wrong and try to fix it.

And he couldn’t fix it.

“So I’ll see you at the ball,” Gideon said, his hand sliding from cupping her cheek down to rest on her waist.

Guinevere felt the loss of his touch, even though it wasn’t truly gone.

“I’ll see you at the ball,” she echoed.

“Tomorrow night,” he said, leaning his forehead to rest against hers. “Do you need a dress?”

“I’ll borrow one from Beatrice,” Guinevere said. “One of hers will fit me.”

“Then I will see you tomorrow,” Gideon said, before pulling away to press a kiss to her forehead. “I want to go tell my family why I have been so absent for so many years.”

He choked up at the words, and Guinevere reached up to cup his cheek, giving in to the urge to feel what she could only call an incredible beard.

“Might want to shave first,” she said, tapping his cheek with her hand.

Gideon grinned. “You mean the sight of me with a full beard the day after I was completely bare might be surprising just a little?”

“Now go,” she said. “They deserve the truth.”

And so did he.

She would wait until after the ball to tell him that, for his sake, she had to let him go.

But if a kiss from someone who loved him was required to break the curse…that had been handled.

Chapter twenty

Gideon

Gideon approached his home with a healthy dose of anticipation running through his veins.

For the first time in far too long, he would be able to be completely honest with his family. He was going to tell his mother what had happened and why he’d been absent for so long, and he would be able to tell her that it was over.

Well, as far as he knew, anyway. He could talk about it now, and he hadn’t turned into a bear since the first potion. But even if he did turn into a bear at some point, they would know, and he wouldn’t have to hide for fear of his family trying to kill him.

And that would be the biggest relief of all.

He let himself in the front door and made his way to the family sitting room, where he found his parents sitting with Sophia.

“Hello, Gideon,” his sister-in-law said, spotting him first. “I was just wondering where you were.”

“I’m sure that’s a common occurrence,” he said. Even speaking those words felt freeing.

His parents glanced at each other, as if wondering if he was really going to finally tell them what was wrong.

“Do you know where Kellan and Caspian are?” Gideon asked. “I’d rather only explain this once.”

His mother rang the bell, and when a maid appeared almost instantly, she asked her to send for Kellan and Caspian.