Page 49 of The Bear's Perfect Mate
The older woman beamed, wiping her hands on her apron. “I thought that was you! I’ve been following your recipes for ages. Those preserved lemons you showed how to make last winter changed my cooking completely.”
Nero watched as they chatted about zucchini gluts and potted mint. She sure was a natural. And she was his.
“You’re more famous than you let on,” Nero murmured as they moved on to the next stall.
Sophie blushed. “Hardly famous. Just...recognized sometimes.”
But it happened again at the honey vendor, where the beekeeper not only knew who Sophie was, but pulled out his phone to show her a dish he’d made following one of her recipes. And again at the mushroom stall, where the forager asked for a selfie with “Eat it Simple Sophie.”
Nero hung back slightly, arms gradually filling with bags of produce as Sophie selected the perfect ingredients—heirloom tomatoes still warm from the sun, fragrant bundles of fresh herbs, wild mushrooms with earthy complexity. He watched with quiet pride as she engaged with each vendor, asking knowledgeable questions about growing conditions and seasonality.
At the berry stand, a small crowd had gathered around Sophie as she explained different ways to preserve summer fruits. Her hands moved expressively as she spoke, her face animated with genuine enthusiasm. Several women had their phones out, recording her impromptu tutorial.
“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” the berry vendor said to Nero, nodding toward Sophie.
“She is,” Nero agreed proudly.
“You must be the fiancé,” the woman continued with a knowing smile. “From that proposal video.”
Nero started to correct her, then simply smiled. “I am.”
You sure need to get that ring finished and on Sophie’s finger,his bear told him.
I do,Nero said, wanting nothing more than to propose for real.
When Sophie finally extracted herself from her admirers, cheeks flushed with excitement, she returned to his side with a basket of perfect blackberries.
“Sorry about that,” she said. “I get carried away sometimes.”
“Don’t apologize,” Nero replied, shifting his load to accommodate the new purchase. “I love watching you in your element.”
As they continued through the market, a young woman approached hesitantly, smartphone clutched in her hand. “Excuse me... Eat it Simple with Sophie?”
Sophie smiled warmly. “I am.”
“Could I possibly get a selfie with you? Your videos helped me learn to cook when I moved out on my own.”
“Of course!” Sophie handed her latest purchases to Nero, who added them to his growing collection of bags and baskets.
He stepped back, watching as Sophie posed with the young woman, their heads together as they smiled for the camera. Then another fan approached, and another, each with a story about how Sophie’s recipes had made a difference in their lives.
When she finally turned to him, eyes bright with inspiration and arms reaching to relieve him of some bags, he shook his head.
“I’ve got them,” he assured her. “Find everything you need?”
“More than I expected,” she replied, her smile filled with gratitude that extended beyond the simple act of carrying bags. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Thank you for letting me be part of this,” he answered, the words carrying deeper meaning than just the morning’s shopping.
As they walked back toward the car, Sophie’s hand slipped into his free one, and Nero knew with absolute certainty that he would stand on the sidelines for her, watching her flourish, cheering her on from the wings—or hauling bags of produce, as needed—for the rest of their lives together.
And that, he thought, was the greatest privilege he could imagine.
Chapter Eighteen – Sophie
Sophie balanced the last bag of produce against her hip as she fumbled with the door handle, the scent of fresh herbs rising from her farmers’ market haul. Her cheeks were still flushed from the unexpected attention, but beneath that glow of recognition thrummed a deeper satisfaction. For the first time in months, she felt like herself again.
Not hidden by Tito’s shadow, not the woman from the viral proposal video, but Sophie Truro. Recipe developer. Creator. Artist in her own right.
