Page 31 of The Bear's Perfect Mate
“I am right,” he said with quiet conviction. “And I want you to know you’re not alone.”
She sniffed and brushed her hand across her eyes. “I think it’s time you took me back to my car.”
“You’re leaving.” He took a step back as if he’d been slapped. How could he have blown it?
“I have to,” she said.
No, she doesn’t,his bear roared.
“I don’t...” Nero began, but she cut him off.
“I mean, I have to go and grab my stuff from the hotel, and I need to do a grocery shop because your cupboards are bare. I mean, I’m good at creating recipes, but not from thin air.”
Nero blinked. “You mean you are staying?”
“If the offer still stands,” she said, a shy smile playing on her lips.
“The offer absolutely stands. For as long as you need.”
As he started the car, he tried not to show just how giddy he felt. This was progress. Delicate, fragile progress that he couldn’t risk shattering with too much enthusiasm.
“I should warn you,” Sophie said as they headed down the mountain. “I get up early. I talk to myself while I cook, and I take over kitchens completely.”
“That sounds perfect,” Nero said. “The kitchen’s been waiting for someone like you.”
And so have we,his bear huffed excitedly.
She gave him a sideways glance. “You really don’t mind?”
“Mind?” Nero laughed softly. “Sophie, having you breathe life into that kitchen would be...” He paused, searching for words that wouldn’t reveal too much too soon. “It would be an honor.”
They drove in comfortable silence for a while. Sophie let her hand drift into the breeze.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” she murmured. “About stepping out of Tito’s shadow.”
“And?” Nero prompted.
“And…I think you’re right. My agent’s been pushing me to write my own cookbook for months. Maybe it’s time I stopped ghost-writing and started creating something that’s mine.”
“That sounds perfect,” Nero said, unable to keep the enthusiasm from his voice. “What would it be about?”
Sophie’s face lit up as she said, “Simple, seasonal cooking using local ingredients. But not just recipes. I want to tell the stories behind them. The people. The traditions.”
“Like a culinary journey,” Nero suggested.
“Exactly!” Sophie turned toward him. “And Bear Creek would be the perfect place to start. The mountain honey, the local produce...”
“The vineyard,” Nero added with a smile. “My parents would love to have you visit.”
“I’d like that,” Sophie said.
As he parked behind her car outside the bakery, Nero felt a surge of protectiveness. What if that reporter was still lurking around? “Would you like me to come with you to the hotel? Help with your bags?”
“I won’t be long,” Sophie promised as she slid out of the car. “I just need to pack my things and check out.”
Nero watched her unlock her car and get inside, his bear practically purring with contentment.
She’s staying,his bear said triumphantly.
