About One and Only Bear
Author: Julia Talbot
Word Count: 26600
Page Count (pdf): 115
ISBN: 978-1-942831-48-8
Date Published: second edition January 17, 2018
Publisher: Turtlehat Creatives
Price: $2.99
Genre: Paranormal
Pairing: (ie: mm, mmf, ff) – MM
Series name and number: Grizzly List #2
Heat Rating: 
File types in download zip: PDF, .mobi and .epub
Summary:
Sometimes a bear is more than just a bear.
Oscar is a socially awkward bear who’s not like the other bear shifters in Colorado. He’s a white spirit bear, and he works as a phone psychic. When he decides to try the Grizzly List weekly, he’s only looking for a friend, knowing love isn’t in the cards for him.
Firefighter Patrick is an outgoing grizzly shifter who’s happy to meet Oscar and give him whatever he needs, as long as Oscar doesn’t need a mate. Patrick doesn’t believe in fated mates. Can these two teach each other that what they want and what they need aren’t the same thing?
Excerpt:
-Ad in the Grizzly List Weekly-
Bear wanted. SWM DDF looking for big teddy bear type for cuddles and companionship. Love baking, crosswords, flyfishing, music (I play guitar). Friendship only. If you like lazy afternoons, watching movies, and eating homemade cookies with no pressure to perform, send message to box 2451.
In other words, Oscar thought,
Dear stranger,
I can’t get it up for other people, but I’m lonely and there are only so many cookies I can eat. Have pity on me?
Oscar, the desperate.
He groaned, banging his head on the table, managing not to hit the laptop, because he was sort of officially on work time, waiting for a call to come into 1-800-PSYBEAR.
At least he could work from home, right? The thought of going into an office every day broke him out in a cold sweat. All those people, all that talking and all those germs.
There was no way he could handle that shit.
Still, was it wrong to want… someone to take care of a little, someone to cuddle with? He was so lonely, and one on one time might be just what he needed. His few disastrous attempts at sex had shown him that wasn’t what he needed, but he could dream…
The phone rang, and Oscar jumped half a foot in the air before he picked up his headset and keyed the answer button. “1-800-PSYBEAR. For when you need a bear in the know, this is Oscar.”
“Oscar. I’m Gladys. You remember me? You said I was going to have a big change in my life?”
“Gladys! Yes!” He’d read her cards and everything had pointed toward movement, momentum.
“Well, you were right! I met someone, and he wants me to move to Alaska with him. I think I want to go, but I need you to read for me.”
“Alaska? How exciting!” How isolated and interesting. He grabbed the tarot cards and shuffled. “My ancestors are from up that way.”
He wasn’t like normal Colorado bears.
“Are they? How interesting! Are you Inuit?”
“Something like that, yes.” He was a spirit bear and they tended to stay where they were. Not his mom, though. Mom was a gypsy.
“Oh, that’s a portent, isn’t it?”
“If it is, it’s a good one.” He didn’t believe in stringing people along. He told them what he believed to be true.
“Wonderful! Will you read for me? My card is on file.”
“Of course I will. Anytime.” He looked at his computer, at the Grizzly List ad sitting on the screen. For God’s sake. He could either deal with his whole life happening over the phone with paying clients, or he could try meeting someone.
Oscar pushed send.