Page 1 of The Bear's Perfect Mate
Chapter One – Nero
“It’s perfect.” Nero held the diamond engagement ring up to the sunlight streaming through his workshop window. Each tiny facet sent tiny rainbows across the workbench. He’d spent countless hours crafting this particular piece, making sure every detail was flawless. The central diamond, flanked by smaller stones in a vintage-inspired setting, nestled perfectly in the midnight blue velvet box.
Now all he had to do was drive to the wedding expo at The Catherine Hotel over in Bear Bluff so that Finn’s old school friend Pete could get down on one knee and propose to his mate.
If only we were getting down on one knee and proposing to our mate,his bear rumbled wistfully.
One day,Nero promised.But not today.
A quick glance at the clock made him curse under his breath. He had lost track of time once more and was now on the verge of being late. He closed the box with a snap, then gently placed it in the breast pocket of his waistcoat, giving it a reassuring pat to make sure it was secure.
His phone buzzed on the worktable. Finn’s message lit up the screen:All set. Meet me at stall 1.
“At least that’ll be easy to find,” Nero muttered, grabbing his suit jacket from the hook by the door. He fished his keys from his pocket, locked his studio, and headed for his car.
The convertible gleamed in the afternoon sun, its restored cherry-red paint job as immaculate as the day he’d finished it. Unlike his brothers, who preferred their rugged trucks, Nero loved the elegant lines of his classic car. He’d rescued it froman abandoned barn three years ago, painstakingly bringing it back to life, much like he did with his jewelry restorations. He was a man who found equal satisfaction in creating the new and preserving the old.
Sliding behind the wheel, he started the engine, smiling at its smooth purr. With the weather so fine, he lowered the convertible’s roof and drove away from The Lookout, his home nestled in a small, wooded valley overlooking Bear Creek.
There was nothing like the rush of wind through his hair as he navigated the winding roads, skirting around Bear Creek and heading toward Bear Bluff. The massive rocky outcrop that gave the town its name loomed in the distance, catching the morning sunlight.
Remember when we used to race from the vineyard to the bluff?his bear asked, suddenly filled with nostalgia.
How could I forget?Nero replied as he recalled the fierce competitiveness his brothers had shared in their younger days. But now they had all mellowed.
Well, most of them had mellowed. Stanley could still turn anything into a competition if given half a chance.
His bear chuckled.We should race again one day. For old times’ sake.
We should,Nero agreed.But Kris, Philip, and Alfie have other priorities.
Mates,his bear said wistfully.We cannot fault them for that.
No,Nero agreed.They have been lucky in love.
Maybe some of that luck might brush off on us,his bear said as the road dipped down out of the mountains.
What we need is one of Finn’s matchmaking mix-ups.Nero slowed as the road split into two, and he took the right turn toward Bear Bluff.
That is exactly what we need,his bear said. But they both knew there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to Finn’s matchmaking mix-ups. They happened when they happened, and Finn had as much control over it as the weather.
At least today we get to witness Pete proposing to his mate,Nero’s bear said.
We do,Nero said.
But as they neared the hotel, a strange prickling sensation crawled up the back of his neck, and his stomach lurched uncomfortably. Was this a sense of foreboding that the proposal might go wrong?
No, it just means you should have eaten breakfast,his bear chided.
I’ll grab something after we deliver the ring,Nero promised, realizing all he’d consumed today was two cups of coffee. He’d been too focused on perfecting the final details of the commission to notice his hunger pangs.
Normally, he would have had the ring ready in plenty of time, but this had been a rush order. Pete, a photographer, had met his mate at another wedding expo two weeks ago and wanted to propose at this one. He saw it as a symbolic romantic gesture.
Nero shuddered at the thought. A public proposal wasn’t Nero’s style.
Not at all,his bear rumbled in agreement.A proposal should be private, intimate…But they respected that everyone had their own preferences. That variety kept his job as a jeweler interesting. If everyone wanted the same thing, he’d go crazy. It would stifle his creativity.
He sucked in a breath as he pulled into The Catherine Hotel’s parking lot, and the uneasy feeling intensified. A fresh wave of…well, he could not put his finger on exactly how he felt. Not unease. Maybe anxiety.
