Jaded Hearts
Chapter 68

Tyson

Sunshine was on her way over to talk, and for the first time in my life, I was nervous when it came to a woman. She was breaking me down, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. When she walked in, I noticed that she was carrying two huge bags that I quickly took from her.

“What’s all this, gorgeous?”

“It’s dinner. I’m cooking for you tonight. You did say that we’d have dinner again, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but I figured it would be planned out, and not two days later. That’s usually how this works.”

“Not with me. You gotta stay on your toes. That’s one of the rules.”

I chuckled and placed the bags on the counter. “I’ll remember that. So, what are we having?”

“Chicken enchiladas. Do you like Mexican?” she asked.

“I do, and I’ve got some Mexican beer in the fridge I’ve been wanting to crack open, so this is perfect.”

She smiled at me, then began pulling everything out. While she worked, I just watched her. She really was effortlessly beautiful. I’d never admit it out loud, but I was extremely jealous of what she and Matt had. They had an entire life woven around one another. He found her and immediately knew she was special. He wasn’t an i***t who took her for granted; he was smart, and he was reaping the benefits.

“Did you hear me?”

“I’m sorry; my mind was somewhere else. What did you say?”

“The summit. Are you okay with being here with us? I doubt anything will happen over a weekend, but you’ll almost be like the Beta, helping Kade out.”

“I’m not going to be the Beta. Kade can handle this on his own. I’ll just be looking out for you, mainly. You know I’d never have a problem with that.”

“So, you’re not going to help?”

“If he needs me, sure I will.”

She smiled again and turned back to the stove. “I’ve been wanting to ask you, how did you feel after the other night? How do you think things went?”

“I thought it went well. You didn’t get sick from my cooking, and you didn’t run out of here screaming from boredom when we were talking. I count that as a win.”

She laughed and looked back at me, pointing a wooden spoon at my face. “I’m being serious, you goof.”

“Fine. Seriously, it was perfect, in my opinion. I enjoyed every minute we spent talking and missed you as soon as I dropped you back home.”

“I wasn’t so sure.”

Damn. That hurt. “You didn’t have a good time?”

“I had a really good time, and I felt a lot in those five hours I was here. But I wasn’t so sure what those feelings meant. That’s what I was trying to say.”

“You need to work on your delivery, sunshine. You almost ripped my heart out just then.”

SIXTY-EIGHT | TOUGH COMPETITION

Tyson

Sunshine was on her way over to talk, and for the first time in my life, I was nervous when it came to a woman. She was breaking me down, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. When she walked in, I noticed that she was carrying two huge bags that I quickly took from her.

She flicked a garlic clove at me that I skillfully dodged.

“You know I love you. I wouldn’t just diss you like that.”

I couldn’t believe it. She’d said the words—she still held feelings for me. “You love me?”

She stopped what she was doing and looked over at me again.

“Yes, I love you. What that love means right now, I don’t know. But it’s there. I just have to take the time to figure it out. We have to take the time.”

“I said it before; you take all the time you feel you need. And I will do whatever it is that you need me to do to help. No pressure—I want this to be something you actually want, not something you’re doing for me. No relationship should be that way.”

“Thank you. Now help me with this oven; it’s way fancier than I thought. Set it to three-fifty for me, please.”

I moved to the other side of the island and did what she asked. It was a strange feeling, working in the kitchen with her. It was domestic, and that was never my thing. But time changes everything, and in this moment, there was nowhere else in the world I’d rather be.

* * *

Taylor

I didn’t expect to tell Tyson that I loved him, but once I did, I was happy about it. He deserved to know. Whatever happened, it would be a mutual agreement between both of us. He was too important to me to leave him in the dark.

When the food was ready, I served him his dinner. It was so strange. I was used to doing this with Matt, but this was different.

“You okay, gorgeous?”

“Yes. I’m just understanding that you’re not Matt.”

He looked confused, so I explained as best I could.

“Hopefully, one day, it’ll be second nature to you, regardless of whether you’re eating with a friend or lover.”

“The last time I cooked for you, I think I was fourteen, and it was a grilled cheese sandwich. This should be much better.”

He took a big bite, then shook his head. “This is incredible, but so were those sandwiches. You’ll have to make me another one day soon.”

“I can do that.”

We fell into a comfortable flow of conversation, where I was constantly laughing. I don’t think anyone has ever had the ability to make me laugh the way he does. It’s always been one of my favorite qualities of his.

“So, I’ve been wondering, and forgive me if this sounds stupid, but does your bear hibernate?” I asked.

“It’s not a stupid question at all. He goes dormant for a few months each year. When he does, I’m not as strong and don’t heal as easily. I can still shift if I need to, but it takes way longer, and it’s much more painful, so I try to avoid it if I can. Also, I can only hold the form for an hour at the most before I’m drained of all my energy. It’s like I become almost human during that time, so I like to lay low when it happens.”

“When does it happen?”

“It begins the night of the winter solstice and ends the morning of the spring solstice.”

“So in about a month. Do you miss him when he’s gone?”

“No, I’m used to it. It’s somewhat of a vacation for both of us. When I was working, I’d always take those three months off. That’s when I would travel and just be Tyson.”

“Kade will be happy to hear about all this. Maybe he can finally beat you at sparring.”

“I doubt it, angel. I said I’m not as strong, but I’m still a bear. He’ll be able to get in a few more clean shots, that’s for sure, but I’ll still come out on top.”

“He’ll just have to take what he can get, I guess.”

He stood up to clear our empty plates, so I decided I’d help by packing the leftovers away. As I worked, my mind went over the past week or so. I was getting nervous because I wanted to tell him how I felt. The laidback nature of tonight cleared the fog for me. I finally knew what I wanted. I loved Tyson Frederick, but only as a friend. One day that could change, but today wasn’t that day.

But I didn’t want to lose him either. He was one of my favorite people.

“I’m okay with being your friend, Taylor. I know you don’t need another man in your life, so I just want to spend time with you. A lifetime of simple meals like this together is more than I could ever ask for. I promise.”

I spun around and looked at him, shocked. “How did you know?”

He shrugged a shoulder and looked down at the floor. “I’m a bear; we have the strongest sense of smell of any animal. I could smell when your mood changed, and you became nervous. There’s only one reason for that.”

“I’m so sorry, Tyson. I really am. But I just can’t see you that way. When I think of the man who has my heart, it’s Matt. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you, because I do, but it’s not the same way I love him.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I was up against some tough competition, and Matt is damn near perfect. I can’t see a man like him ever needing help to keep his lady happy. He nearly kills himself every day, making sure you’re taken care of. You’ve got a good one, sunshine.”

I walked over and wrapped my arms around his chest. I was beyond relieved that he understood. It was all I wanted in the world.

“I’ll still be right here, so don’t worry, alright? I’m not going anywhere.”

I nodded my head and held him tight. “Thank you for understanding.”

“Anything for you, princess.”