Read Online Bearview Bride (BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance) by Lily Thorn - Free Book Online Page B

she’d put her camera and gear bag on the passenger seat and the cake on the floorboard, Tess slumped in her seat. The back of her shirt was soaked with sweat. Her arms were numb from holding up a camera for five hours, and she could barely bring herself to lift them to the steering wheel.
    She was still insanely thirsty, having only had those two sips of water over the entire five hours. Licking her dry lips, Tess looked longingly back toward the tent. That was where the closest water was for miles. But she couldn’t go back in there. Not when she’d just escaped.
    Though her legs felt like jelly, Tess swung them into place. After a heart-stopping moment of silence, her car actually started when she turned the key. Gliding out of the lot, Tess began the half-hour drive back to civilization. She’d made plans to meet up with Aubrey after her first shoot. Tess grinned. This time, she was bringing cake.
    On the open road, Tess punched on the AC. She turned up the dial, ready to blast it. The car squealed, and nothing but hot air emerged. Tess waited several minutes, but the air never got any cooler. She scowled, rolling down her windows. Yet another thing she needed to fix.
    “Are you a car or not?” she said as the hot air rippled through the cabin. “Next time I’ll save myself the gas money and just get a mountain bike.”
    By the time she pulled into Aubrey’s parking lot, her shirt was soaked through. She wished she hadn’t decided to wear a black long-sleeved shirt, but she had wanted to look professional. Tess leaned her head back. If she was forced to shoot another field wedding, she was wearing a bikini.
    Before she got out, Tess paused to look inside the envelope. She found a stack of hundred-dollar bills… six of them. Tess silently thanked the generous father of the bride. He couldn’t have any idea how much this meant to her.
    Stumbling out of the car, Tess headed up the stairs. Her legs protested each and every one. Why did Aubrey have to live on the third floor?
    The door opened the second Tess knocked.
    “You’re back!” Aubrey cried.
    “I survived. Can I come in? I’m going to get heatstroke if I don’t get some air conditioning.”
    “Of course.” Aubrey stepped aside to let her in. “Don’t tell me you were outside all day. Do you want me to crank the AC?”
    “I was, and yes, please.” Tess flopped onto the tattered blue couch.
    “Why would anyone have a wedding outside today?” Aubrey fiddled with the thermostat. “It’s sweltering.”
    “Not just outside. Outside in an open field. And then under a tent. They didn’t even have fans.”
    Aubrey looked aghast. “And you still took photos? I would have just keeled over and died.”
    “I think I almost did.”
    Aubrey padded into the kitchen. “Let’s see. Would you rather have some ice water, or just a bucket of ice?”
    “Ice water, please. I’d get it myself, but I can’t feel my legs.”
    Aubrey rushed over with the water, and Tess drank it in five gulps.
    “You weren’t kidding,” Aubrey said. “How’d you even make it back here?”
    “Sheer willpower.” Tess held up the piece of cake. “I knew you’d want to sample the competition.”
    “And I do!” Aubrey grabbed a pair of forks and sank into the couch beside her. “Did you try it yet?”
    Tess shook her head. “No time. I was too busy taking photos of the blushing bride.”
    Aubrey dug in her fork, taking a heaping bite. Tess took a smaller piece. She wasn’t a huge fan of wedding cake.
    “Well?”
    Tess shrugged. “It tastes fine to me.”
    Aubrey put her fork aside. “It’s been sitting around for at least a few days. That’s why it’s so dry. And the fondant is tasteless.”
    “Yeah, but it was pretty.” Tess took another bite.
    “Pretty? Tess, these raspberries are far too tart. They’re overpowering the flavor of the chocolate.”
    Staring at Aubrey, Tess ate a third mouthful.
    “Stop that!” Aubrey pulled the cake away. “I’m not