Page 13 of The Bear's Perfect Mate
“Tomorrow,” Nero echoed. A cold knot formed in his stomach. That didn’t give him much time.
Not much time at all, his bear agreed.
So think, the bear growled.
I’m open to ideas, Nero shot back silently.
Just then, an elderly man stepped up beside them, interrupting the quiet panic stirring inside Nero. “Nero, I was hoping I might catch you here.”
“Norman, hi.” Nero straightened, caught off guard. “I didn’t expect to see you at the wedding expo.”
Norman had been married to his mate, Hilda, for nearly fifty years. The two were still as in love as they had been the day they met. Solid. Steady. The kind of love Nero had quietly hoped for his entire life.
Maybe he’s a fan of Sophie’s,his bear suggested dryly.
“I came to see you,” Norman said, reaching into the pocket of his coat. “Pete told me about the ring you were making for him.”
“Ah.” Nero’s gut twisted with guilt.
I hope Pete didn’t send Norman to scold us for screwing things up,Nero’s bear remarked.
“I’ve got a favor to ask.” He pulled out a small velvet pouch and gently placed it in Nero’s palm. “I know you’re busy, but I need this repaired. It’s kind of urgent.”
Nero opened the pouch and carefully removed a delicate emerald bracelet. He turned it over in his hands, inspecting the fine craftsmanship. Two of the emeralds were missing, and the clasp had snapped cleanly in half.
“It’s exquisite,” Nero murmured, running his thumb along the gold filigree. “Artisan work.”
“Hilda thought she’d lost it,” Norman said, his voice catching with emotion. “She was heartbroken. But thankfully, I managed to find it again…though as you can see, it didn’t escape damage.”
“It means a lot to her?” Nero asked gently.
Norman nodded, his eyes growing misty. “My wedding gift to her. The emeralds reminded me of her eyes…I gave it to her on our honeymoon. She’s mortified over losing it, and she’d be so upset if she knew it was damaged. Our anniversary is in a few of days, and I’d like to surprise her by giving it back. Good as new.”
“I see,” Nero said, peering more closely at the emerald settings. “It’s doable. I’ll need to see if I’ve got stones to match to replace the missing ones. If not, I’ll have to source some, which might take some time. But the clasp is easily fixed.”
“I don’t care how much it costs,” Norman said, his voice suddenly tight with urgency. “Just tell me what you need. I want her to have it back.”
“It’s not the cost,” Nero reassured him, carefully wrapping the bracelet again. “It’s finding a match for the emeralds...” He looked over Norman’s shoulder to Sophie. He could understand how much this meant to Norman. The bracelet wasn’t just jewelry; it was a symbol of their enduring love. “And they’ll need to be vintage cut to maintain the integrity of the piece,” Nero explained, turning the bracelet to examine it from all angles. “The setting is delicate work, but I can have it ready for your anniversary.”
Don’t make a promise you cannot keep,his bear warned him.
“That would mean the world to me,” Norman said, relief washing over his weathered face. “Hilda was heartbroken when she found she’d lost it. It took a few days, but my bear sniffed it out. We found it wedged down a storm drain. I didn’t think I’d be able to get it out, but thankfully I did.”
Nero smiled, feeling a connection to the elderly bear shifter. This was why he loved his work—preserving treasured pieces that carried decades of memories and love.
“I’ll get it back to you as soon as I can,” Nero said, carefully placing the bracelet in his pocket. “I’m sure I have some odd pieces of jewelry that I can use to match them perfectly.”
Norman broke into a relieved smile. “Thank you, son. Hilda will be over the moon if I can give it back to her on our anniversary.”
“I understand completely,” Nero said, his gaze drifting back to Sophie across the room.
Norman followed his line of sight, his eyes twinkling with recognition. “Ah, I see you’ve found your mate at last.”
Nero startled. “How did you…”
“After fifty years with Hilda, I know that look anywhere.” Norman chuckled softly. “The way you keep glancing at her, like she’s the sun and you can’t help but turn toward her light.”
Nero felt warmth creeping up his neck. “That obvious, huh?”
