Page 12 of The Bear's Perfect Mate
The thought brought a genuine smile to her face. This was why she did what she did. She created moments of joy through food. To show people that creating something beautiful didn’t have to be complicated or intimidating.
Her phone pinged in her pocket, but she didn’t reach for it immediately. Instead, she finished drying the last spoon, placing it carefully with its companions. Only then did she dry her hands and check the notification.
Another tag. Another comment aboutthe proposal. Someone had even created a meme with her shocked face and the caption “When things get extra spicy!”
Sophie stared at it for a moment, then, surprisingly, found herself chuckling. It was actually kind of funny, seen from a distance. And really, was it so terrible? No one was being cruel. People were just entertained by an unexpected moment.
She smoothed a hand over her hair and took a deep breath. This would pass. Tomorrow, there would be another viral video, another meme, another moment capturing the internet’s fleeting attention.
Maybe she could even use this somehow. An “Eat It Simple, Even When Life Gets Complicated” campaign? A special series on comfort foods for emotional moments? The possibilities were endless.
As for Tito...well, that wound was still fresh, but standing here in this quiet kitchen, Sophie realized something. His betrayal had hurt not because he was irreplaceable, but because she had trusted him. Maybe that capacity for trust wasn’t gone, just temporarily bruised.
Her heart would heal. She would heal. And when she did, perhaps she would be ready to trust again.
As she headed back toward the expo floor, Sophie felt lighter. She had two more hours to get through, one more demonstration, and then she could return to her hotel room for some much-needed solitude.
And if a certain dark-eyed jeweler happened to cross her path again? Well, she would handle that with the same grace she handled everything else. One step at a time. Keep it simple.
The door to the main hall loomed ahead. Sophie squared her shoulders and pushed through. What didn’t kill you made you stronger. Wasn’t that how the saying went?
Soon she’d be the strongest person in the world!
Chapter Five – Nero
Well, that could have gone better,Nero’s bear said as they stood at the edge of the main room, watching the people mill around.
And it could have gone worse,Nero replied. He’d sensed that Sophie had wanted to say yes to the vineyard visit, but something held her back. The same something that gave her a haunted look when he’d proposed to her.
Fake proposed,his bear corrected, but they both knew there was nothing fake about the way he felt about her.
So what were they to do?
Nero looked up as Sophie came back into the main room, her gaze fixed on the stall where they had first met. However, she was soon approached by a couple who chatted animatedly with her.
Nero smiled as he watched Sophie’s face light up. She obviously enjoyed talking to her fans, and there were plenty of them. He suspected that more than a few visitors to the wedding expo were here to meet Sophie and had no interest in the other wedding vendors.
“Penny for them.” Finn came to join him.
Nero smiled sadly. “My thoughts are worth more than a penny,” he whispered. “But that’s all they are. Just thoughts.”
Across the room, Finn glanced toward Sophie’s stall. She was now surrounded by people, laughing and chatting as she answered questions. “She’s certainly the draw I hoped she’d be,” he said, his tone tinged with admiration.
“Why did you invite her?” Nero asked, his curiosity finally surfacing.
“Oh, that was Cassia’s idea,” Finn replied, turning back to him. “When Julius asked me to find a celebrity to give the expo some star talent, Cassia suggested Sophie. She follows her on Instagram, you know?”
“I did not know,” Nero said, raising an eyebrow.
Finn grinned. “So you have Cassia to thank for meeting your mate, too.”
“I will thank her next time I see her,” Nero said.
“So,” Finn prompted gently, “what’s the plan?”
Nero blinked, still dazed by everything that had happened. “I don’t know.”
Finn arched a brow. “You’d better think of something quickly. Sophie’s only here for a couple of days. Unless you plan on chasing her halfway across the country, you’ve got until tomorrow to convince her to stay.”
