Page 7 of Bear Creek Valentine
“Wanna bet? I know you’d be more than welcome, and since it’s my party, I get to choose. I’ll be really disappointed if you don’t come.”
Dash’s discomfort level was still high, but he simply couldn’t turn the lovely man down. Besides, it might get his bear to stop growling in his head.
“Well, all right, I would love to join you. Where and when?”
Aiden’s scent matched his pleased expression.
“Wonderful! We’re meeting at the Bears & Beer in a few minutes. It’s a great pub just a block down the street, and the food is awesome. Why don’t you take the brownies to your car while I close the shop? I’ll meet you out front, and we’ll walk down together.”
Dash agreed, flashed him the most amazing smile, and exited with a spring in his step. Aiden would have preferred a regular date with just the two of them, but Dash still seemed too skittish. He swept through the shop to secure the cash drawer, turn off the lights, and lock the back door—all the while wondering how the evening would unfold. Who could have guessed the well-heeled and mysterious Dashiell Hawthorn would be interested in the local confectioner? Aiden didn’t know if they were compatible, but their mutual interest meant it was worth finding out.
He slipped on his winter coat before exiting out the front and turned to lock the door. Dash moved closer to scent him deeply—this time without licking—and Aiden waited while the sexy shifter got a good whiff. Once his bear was satisfied, they both began speaking at the same time and ended up laughing through the awkward moment instead. Aiden gestured in the right direction, and they began walking side-by-side to the pub. The urge to hold Dash’s hand was strong, but Aiden erred on the side of caution.
“We’re both a little nervous, but I’m glad you’re here. It’s been a long time since I had the pleasure of a handsome man’s company.”
The frank admission calmed Dash, and he emitted a series of muffled grunts while looking for the right words.
“It’s been a while for me, too. I may have forgotten some of the rules.”
Aiden gave Dash’s shoulder a brief squeeze.
“Tonight is all about fun, food, and friends. You have nothing to worry about.”
As they walked, Dash kept sneaking peeks at the attractive human. He was a tall, wide-shouldered, narrow-waisted man, with short nut-brown hair and dreamy brown eyes. While his work clothes weren’t especially tight, they revealed enough muscle and fur to make his bear drool. He stifled a gasp when his bear produced a very convincing image of Dash wrapped in the man’s long arms and legs—naked and rutting. He’d never make it through the meal with that kind of fantasy in his head and mentally thumped his bear on the snout.
When they arrived at the pub, Aiden surprised Dash by holding open the heavy wooden door for him. Harv had done that too, and a momentary pang of sorrow skittered across his forebrain. Memories of his mate lurked around every corner,even after so many years, but he refused to let them ruin this new connection with Aiden.
Dash stepped inside and looked around at the interesting combination of stone accents, rough-hewn furniture, and potted plants. Subdued lighting added to the outdoorsy atmosphere, and he immediately noticed the scents of at least three shifters—one serving and two more waving from a large table in the corner. When Dash hesitated, Aiden spoke softly to him.
“It’s all right, these are good people. I’ll introduce you and break the ice.”
Always awkward with strangers, Dash appreciated being let off the hook. His bear rumbled with approval at the feel of Aiden’s warm hand on his lower back, guiding him across the space to his waiting friends. All of them looked surprised when the pair came to a stop.
“Hey, everyone. This is Dash Hawthorn, and I asked him to join us tonight. This is Knox McCoy, who you already know, and his mate Levi Green. Levi is our high school vocal music teacher and directs the public performances at Christmas time. Over here, we have Calvin and Eden Shaw. Calvin is an arborist, and Eden is my number one fan—besides being an art teacher at the high school.”
Smiles, gestures, and words of welcome mixed together as everyone scooted over to make room. Dash couldn’t miss the curiosity in their scents regarding the mysterious newcomer to Bear Creek who’d crashed their intimate party. Aiden grabbed a chair from an adjacent table and held it for Dash. That, too, hadn’t happened since Harv died, though Aiden couldn’t have known what the polite gesture meant to him. The pleasant feelings continued when the attractive human sat down next to him, pressing their thighs together in a subtle claim Dash found both arousing and comforting. None of the others seemed to notice except Levi, who gave him a knowing wink.
It had to be chance that brought this group together tonight, and Dash wondered how many other mixed couples lived in the area. Up to now, he’d assumed such matings were relatively rare, but then he’d never lived in a human-shifter community before. He could probably learn a few things with a bit of careful observation.
Their waiter turned out to be the shifter Dash scented when they walked in—a friendly fellow named Rowan who seemed to know the group well. Aiden introduced him as one of the famous ‘dancing bears’ (along with Knox) from Levi’s Christmas shows. Rowan’s eyes widened as he recognized Dash’s name and then passed out the menus while rattling off the night’s specials from memory.
Aiden encouraged Dash to try the Bronto Burger, a fully loaded, one-pound monstrosity that came with a side dish of sweet potato fries. The humans all ordered a locally crafted beer with their food, though Dash, Knox, and Calvin asked for water. Most shifters avoided alcohol, as much for the unpleasant taste as the explosive side effects.
Light conversation flowed easily around the table after Rowan took their orders. Dash listened and watched; glad the attention wasn’t focused on him. That changed abruptly when Levi brought up the new amphitheater.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am! DeeDee gave me a peek at the plans, and it looks like a first-class performance venue. We’ll have improved acoustics, a top-notch sound system, a larger stage, and even special lighting. The town council wants to use it year-round, and they’re already looking into a summer concert series and theatrical troupes. You must be a big fan of the arts to fund the entire project.”
Everyone, including Aiden, was now focused on him and waiting for an answer. Dash stalled by taking a drink of water, needing time to gather his thoughts. Levi seemed genuinelyenthused and appreciative, and the vibe around the table spoke of friendly curiosity.
“Yes, in a way, though you’ll find me in the audience and not on stage. I visited Bear Creek this winter and saw one of the Christmas concerts. My business associate and I were very impressed, but I wanted to help make them even better. This town is special, and I enjoy investing in things that improve my new home.”
Dash’s comment got Calvin’s attention, and he inquired about the Buttermilk Falls house.
“I supplied the Wellmans with firewood for many years and was sorry to hear that they’d passed. It’s a beautiful piece of property, but they couldn’t maintain it in their later years. I imagine it needed a lot of work before you moved in.”
Dash nodded in agreement, wondering what else the locals already knew about him and his business. Apparently, small-town folks didn’t miss much.
“It needed a thorough update, but I’m really pleased with the results. Now I need to focus on the exterior, yard, and landscaping. I prefer hiring shifters whenever possible and have several trees that need to be trimmed or taken down. If you have room in your schedule, call me, and I’ll explain what needs to be done.”
