“Yes. But you had already made up your mind about going to Polar Point. All I did was call an old friend of mine up there, Vicki. I asked her to look after you ... just to make sure you had a smooth transition. We talked about you, and she mentioned she worked with a fellow shifter who was also single.”
“A fellow shifter? Are you trying to say Vicki is one of those bear things too?”
“No, she’s a wolf, along with the owners, Ted and Pete.”
Rubbing her forehead, Joy stared down at her coffee. “Jesus. Did you set me up with him?”
“I wouldn’t say that. Everything was in motion. I just made sure Vicki would know what a good candidate you would be for that job. I wasn’t wrong, was I?”
“No. The job was perfect. It’s just Adam.”
“By all accounts, he was perfect too,” Gerri replied, taking her hand.
“I just can’t wrap my head around all this. So, Vicki, Ted, and Pete are werewolves, and Adam is a polar bear.”
“The preferred name is wolf shifters. But, yes, they are all paranormal creatures.”
“Have … have you heard from Vicki since I left?” Joy asked, cocking her head.
“Yes. Just once.”
“Did she say anything about ...”
“About Adam? Yes, he has been completely and totally miserable since you left. Apparently, he’s taken an extended leave from his work to roam the wilderness or something. If he’s going through what I think he’s going through, he is truly devastated.”
“What do you mean? What do you think he is going through?”
“There is something very unique about shifters. They live and die by their destinies. A man, a bear, like Adam wasn’t just single without reason; it’s because he was still searching for his mate.”
“His mate?”
“Shifters will search for their entire lives to find that one person who is fated to be with them for the rest of their lives.”
“The fates. He used that word also. If he thinks I’m going to be his lifelong bear mate, he definitely needs to clear his head. This whole subject is completely nuts.”
“I hope you can understand why I didn’t say anything before. If I would’ve ever mentioned anything about these things before you left for Alaska, you would have thought I was out of my mind. Am I right?”
“At the very least, I would’ve thought you were joking.”
“The important question I have is for you, Joy. How is your heart? How do you feel?”
“Honestly? I’m a bit of a wreck myself. Part of me is still terrified. The other part of me can’t stop thinking about him. I miss him. I’m not sure I feel better knowing what you just told me. One thing I know for sure, I don’t want to go back.”
“Keep an open mind and an open heart.”
Gerri’s advice stuck in her head for the rest of the way home. Taking it would test her limits, to say the least.
Slipping the key in the lock, she noticed it was already unlocked. Pausing at the threshold, she ran through her memories. She swore she had locked her door. Shrugging it off, she stepped inside.