Free Bear Bound (California Bears #3) by Rachel Real

Chapter One
    E verly Rose loved to wake up every morning to the smell of fresh honey. She tended a small sunflower honey farm in Napa, California. What she missed most was collecting the honey combs out in the field with her father. After he passed away from a long battle with lung cancer six months ago, she’d been wholly overwhelmed with taking care of the honey farm all on her own.
    It didn’t help that her sister, Birdie never ever tried to chip in. She was too busy trying to make it as a model down in L.A., that she didn’t even bother to show up at their dad’s funeral. All of her life, Everly got compared to her slender, willowy and divinely beautiful sister. Especially, because Everly had tangled curly hair and a thicker curvier frame.
    Her eyes peered to the horizon, seeing the sun had only slightly risen—she had a lot of work ahead of her if she wanted to get anything done for the day. Everly shoved on her beekeeper suit one leg at a time and headed out to the field. As she started to collect the honey comb, a loud banging noise blurted in her ears.
    Jesus! What the hell is all of that noise? She thought, pursing her lips.
    She had the right gumption to give whoever was making that racket a piece of her mind!
    Everly stomped across her field all the way until she reached the main road.
    BANG! BANG!
    She squinted her eyes, at a construction crew lifting a giant sign right in front of her.
    “ Cade Forrest’s Sunshine Spa and Resort ...Coming soon...” she read aloud at a plod.
    “Yes, that’s my name...” a dark voice growled.
    Everly pivoted on her heels and faced the tall, dark and mouth-watering looking stranger.
    He had sinful thick brown hair and these earthy brown eyes. With her tongue utterly tied, and her stomach in knots, Everly couldn’t figure out what to say.
    “My name’s Cade Forrest. I actually came here to introduce myself to the owner of this honey farm,” Cade grunted, giving Everly’s luscious curves the once over with his hungry eyes. Everly noticed the mysterious stranger’s leering gaze, and wouldn’t stand it a second longer.
    “Take a picture why don’t you?” She sneered, digging her fists in her hips. “Yeah, I’m the owner. Why are you making all of this ruckus?”
    Cade thought the angry pout on Everly’s face was the cutest thing he’d ever seen.
    Cade shrugged his broad shoulders and said, “I want to buy it. I’m going to need this land to make more room for my resort’s luxury pools.”
    A venomous anger coursed through Everly’s veins.
    Mow down my dad’s farm so some snobby rich people can go skinny dipping?
    No way!
    “Look, I don’t care who you are...Mr. Forrest. My farm is not for sell. Got it?” Everly spat very firm and then trotted off.
    “I think since you’ve been very nasty to me, at the very least, you owe it to me to tell me your name?” Cade asked, watching Everly storm off.
    Everly tilted her head to the side. “I’m sure wherever you come from people grovel at your feet,” Everly started to say. “But Mr. Forrest, I don’t owe you a damn thing.”
    Cade just relaxed his shoulders, not bothered or the least bit worried. He knew tomorrow he would try again.

Chapter Two
    E verly woke up even earlier the next morning to make a trip down to City Hall. She owned her farm—fair and square—and needed to have that stated in writing just in case that bastard Forrest wanted to cook up some kinda land dispute. Everly hurried through the doors and noticed a tall, nicely dressed man leaning against the counter.
    Everly widened her eyes. Mr. Forrest!? But how did he???
    He smiled as she approached.
    “Everly,” Cade called in his dark low voice. “Nice to see you this morning.”
    Cade acted perfectly normal as though Everly didn’t absolutely hate his guts.
    “Wanna tell me what you’re doing here?” Everly huffed, trying to not to let this jerk get under her skin.
    “You’re just in time. I finalized some deeds. Turns out, that