Read Bearing the Frostbite (Ice Bear Shifters Book 6) for Free Online

program reached her ears as she entered the front hallway and threw her keys into the small trinket dish on a decorative table near the front door.
    “Grams? Is that you?” Alexis called out as she started walking toward the living room. Alexis hadn’t come home to find her grandmother out of bed in a very long time, and she felt her heart take a hopeful leap at the thought that maybe her grandmother’s condition was actually improving.
    “In here, Dear,” Grams called out, just as Alexis made it to the living room. Grams sat on the couch with a thick quilt tucked around her body. The television set was set to a world news channel, and the reporter was saying something about a large earthquake in Asia. Alexis sat on the couch and snuggled up close to her grandmother, just as she’d done as a young child.
    “How are you, Grams?” Alexis asked.
    “Never better,” came the standard reply. Then the two sat in silence for several minutes, watching the television display scenes of devastation from halfway across the world. Alexis hated watching the news, with its never-ending loop of depressing stories. But her grandma had taken a liking to it lately. Alexis supposed that seeing scenes from all over the world, even depressing ones, helped her grandma feel a little less cooped up. Grams had been active and outgoing her entire life. It was only within the last year that she had been forced to stay home most of the time, and to move away from her few close friends who lived back in the rural areas.
    “Who’s the guy?” Grams asked, her question breaking into Alexis’ thoughts.
    What the heck , Alexis thought. How does she know there’s a guy? Alexis tried to give her grandmother a confused look.
    “What guy?” she asked, as though her grandmother had lost her mind.
    But her grandmother just laughed. “I wasn’t born yesterday, darling. I see you coming home from work happier and happier every day. And today you were practically glowing when you walked into the room. Your smile looked like it couldn’t possibly stretch any wider.”
    Alexis bit her lip to keep from grinning. Trying to tell her grandma that there was no guy would be a waste of breath, so she decided to play down the situation instead.
    “It’s just a silly crush, Grams,” Alexis said. “Nothing worth getting worked up about. There’s just a guy at work that’s cute, and it’s fun to see him every day. That’s all.”
    Alexis’ grandmother huffed and continued staring at the television for a few minutes. Finally, she spoke.
    “You know, you should go out and have some fun now and then. You’re young, and I’m sure you’ve made some friends at work. Go live a little bit. I know I’m dying, but there’s not much you can do to help me. You don’t have to spend every free moment here, fretting and worrying over me. It’s just life, Alexis. I know my time is getting closer, and I’m at peace with that.”
    “I can’t just leave you here by yourself,” Alexis said, horrified. “I already feel awful enough leaving you while I go to work, but I don’t have a choice.”
    “You shouldn’t feel awful. You should be happy for the job and a chance to get out. And really, if you want to do your dying old grandma any favors, you should go have some fun. Seeing you live your life would make my heart happy.”
    Alexis sighed and stood. “I appreciate that, Grams. But, really, it’s just a silly crush. Nothing more. I’m going to go make some tea, now. Do you want some?”
    Alexis’ grandmother nodded, and Alexis made her way to the kitchen, feeling guilty for lying to her grandmother.
    As much as she tried to fight the thought, Alexis knew it was time to admit the truth to herself: James was so much more than just a silly crush.

Chapter Five
     
    James wore a goofy grin on his face for the entire drive back to his cabin. He had never imagined when he met Alexis out on the tundra several weeks ago that he would end up falling in love with