Bear To The Bone (Bear Claw Security 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

sandwiches to take with her to Willow’s. She knew which kids liked what, and she made two peanut butter and jelly, two peanut butter and honey, and two plain peanut butter. Then she packed a six-pack of fun-size milk jugs along with the sandwiches into a cooler.
    She felt a million times better now that she was showered, clean, and ready to go see some of her favorite people in the world.
    She loved that her job at the bar only took up her time in the evenings. And since it was summer and school was out, the kids would all be at home, and Willow could always use help.
    A little part of her ached that she hadn’t been able to bring Cage over. She knew Willow would have loved to see him.
    It was a beautiful day, so she decided to walk the few blocks to get to Willow’s house. She turned off the main road toward a small gravel one that took a turn toward the woods. Willow’s place was out of the way, on a beautiful two-acre lot that was perfect for kids to run free on.
    Carrie’s basket was light on her arm as she made the trip, and sooner than she would have guessed, she was opening the wooden gate and letting herself onto Willow’s land.
    “Sunshine Ranch,” the sign on the gate read. Carrie grinned. A perfect name on this sunshiny day, but the meaning went deeper. Willow brought sunshine to kids who’d had nothing but storm clouds, and Carrie was determined to help.
    Especially as it seemed she’d never have kids of her own. Maybe that was her purpose, to help other kids instead.
    Even though her heart ached at the thought of a tiny version of her and Cage. That would have been nice maybe.
    When she got to the front walk, she saw a little girl out front, pouting and crouching in front of a dandelion.
    The girl was an echo of Carrie herself. Small, young, defensive about the world and everything in it.
    She had dirty-blond hair that hung limply around her sullen face and a thin, pinched look to her that made a person just want to wrap their arms around her and make the hurt go away.
    Then again, that’s how Carrie felt about all of the children she met here.
    Janet looked up at Carrie and squinted. Then a grin spread over her face and she hopped up. At only nine years old, and having been malnourished when she came to Willow, Janet was a tiny thing. She wore cut-off jean shorts and a unicorn tee shirt that Carrie remembered seeing on other kids who had since left the house.
    Nothing went to waste at Sunshine Ranch.
    “Did you bring sandwiches?” Janice asked, reaching on her toes to try and get a look. “Jam for me?” Her voice was small and hopeful.
    Carrie pulled the basket back gently. “Are you doing punishment?”
    Janet’s face fell. “Yes. I got mad at the twins for messing with my bed. They took my blanket for a fort!” Her little face squished up in anger, and Carrie put a hand on her shoulder. She knew how it felt to have so little and to feel so defensive of anyone taking it.
    “I’m sure they meant to give it back.”
    Janet gave her a sneaky grin. “Yeah, because I put a bug in Tim’s pants when he wasn’t watching.” She giggled uncontrollably at the thought of it, and Carrie tried not to laugh as well and encourage her.
    Instead, she walked to the dandelion Janet had been pouting in front of. “Here, I’ll show you a trick to these,” she said. “Did you know I used to do these when I was here?”
    Janet wrinkled her nose. “You don’t seem like you could ever be bad.”
    Carrie laughed. “Oh, I was bad.” She took the dandelion tool off the ground and expertly pulled up a weed, roots and all. Janet’s eyes widened. “See? Easy. Just really stick it in there.”
    “I’m not strong like you,” Janet said mournfully. She eyed the basket. “I want a sandwich.”
    “And I have one right here for you,” Carrie said, patting the basket. “So hurry up with the dandelions, because we all want to see you inside.”
    Janet nodded, grumbling, but was already making her way to the