Read Online Laid Bear by Marina Maddix - Free Book Online Page B

nothing like that, guys,” Bethany protested. She wanted more than anything to tell them about Max’s genetic quirk, but first of all, they wouldn’t believe her and second, it wasn’t her secret to tell. But there were things she could share.
    “It’s actually Chet,” she started.
    “You mean your asshole landlord?” asked Paul.
    “Yeah. As it turns out, he’s Max’s uncle and he doesn’t approve of our dating.”
    “So? Who cares what that dick pig thinks.”
    “Well, Max comes from a very tight-knit community. They don’t believe in dating from outside their group. Chet found out we’re together and was definitely not happy. How realistic is it to date someone whose entire family hates you? Plus…” She shook her head, regretting she’d said anything else.  
    “What? Plus what?” Char was like a dog with a bone. She’d gnaw and nibble away until she pulled the truth from Bethany, so she might was well just tell her now and save them both the trouble. But how to do it without making Max sound like a different species, which of course he was.
    “Well, I overheard Chet say something that implied their family had trouble procreating.”
    “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold the phone, little missy,” Charlotte said. “You guys have already been talking about having babies?!”
    “No! Don’t be silly, it’s only been a few weeks.” She stood up and stalked over to the sink. The anxiety that had been building since Chet had implied humans and werebears couldn’t mate was finally being released and she needed something to keep her hands busy. She dumped out her drink and started furiously washing the glass.  
    “B, talk to us.”
    Heaving a sigh, she set the glass on the counter and turned to them. “I want lots of babies, some day. I would love to have a big family. But if what Chet said is true, having kids with Max might not even be a possibility.”
    “So Chet went from terrible landlord to fertility expert overnight, or what?” Charlotte asked.
    Bethany waffled on how to respond, but finally came up with, “He has some inside knowledge.”
    Paul chuffed. “Who cares? So you don’t have kids. You’ll have the stupidly hot and awesome love of your life who will fuck your brains out every night of the week.”
    Charlotte didn’t take her eyes off Bethany as her head titled from side to side. “Are you sure, B? Have you talked with Max about this?”
    “Oh yeah, I’m just gonna bring up the subject of having his babies a few weeks into our relationship. That’d be smooth.”
    “Then you don’t know if it’s true, right?”  
    “I have reason to believe it might just be.”
    Char was silent, staring at her friend with sad eyes. Paul’s gaze bounced between them until he gave an exasperated grunt. “I still don’t see what the big deal is. Isn’t finding true love more important than anything?”
    Char punched him in the arm. “Ouch! What’d I do?”
    “Don’t you get it, dork? B wants kids. She can’t just turn that need off, like a switch. The desire for babies will build and build until either she dies a little bit inside or resentment tears their relationship apart.”
    Bethany hadn’t really thought that deeply about it, but now that Charlotte was spelling it out for Paul, she couldn’t help realizing the truth of it. “But I really think I’m in love with him,” she said.
    Char shook her red curls again. “Oh, B, that’s tough.”
    “What should I do?”
    Paul just shrugged irritably and looked away, still pissed at being punched. Char finally said, “You should find out if what Chet said is true. If it isn’t, then great. But if it is, then you have a tough choice to make: Max or babies.”
    Bethany’s heart broke at the suggestion of having to make such a decision. It would be impossible. The more time she spent with Max, the more deeply she cared about him. But she’d always wanted a big family, and she couldn’t just give up on that dream.
    The maudlin mood was