Page 2 of Bear Creek Thanksgiving (Holiday Mates #3)
Two months ago (May), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
The best word to describe a Mowry family gathering was raucous—freewheeling and LOUD.
As the youngest, Dustin learned early on to hold his own when they got together.
That was saying something, considering he now had to compete with his two older sisters, their husbands, three nephews under five, and his parents.
Heaven help them all when his mother’s folks chimed in, though they weren’t present at tonight’s gathering.
Before they sat down to eat, Dustin’s parents, Kevin and Joan, gathered everyone in the living room for an important announcement. Kevin started the ball rolling.
“After almost eighteen years in the restaurant business, your mother and I have accepted a very generous offer for the Round Table and plan to do something a bit less strenuous until retirement.”
The decision itself surprised no one, and Dustin and his siblings were relieved and happy for their parents.
Food service was a relentless master, and after so many years, it had become more difficult for the Mowrys to continue the harried pace.
After everyone settled down, their oldest child, Tara, asked an important question.
“What’s going to happen with Dustin? Will he still have a job?”
Since he lived at home, Dustin’s parents had already spoken to him privately about it, and Joan was quick to address the issue.
“Yes. We insisted that he be kept on full time and at the same salary for at least twelve months, though Dustin is free to leave if things aren’t to his liking.
We haven’t met the new general manager, but the buyer claims he has many years of experience in the industry.
We can only hope he’s easy to work for.”
The meal to follow included a lot of laughter, with everyone suggesting what their parents might do to fill their free time.
Oddly enough, clown school, singing telegrams, and basket weaving were all rejected out of hand.
In reality, Joan wanted to open a small quilting store so she could pursue her hobby full time.
Kevin hadn’t yet decided, though he loved gardening and figured he could find a way to make it a paying proposition.
First, however, the couple planned to travel or take a cruise.
Dustin remained quieter than usual, lost in his own thoughts.
This would be an enormous change for him, though it dovetailed with his own long-held desire to find a different occupation.
He’d begun working at the Round Table at sixteen, skipped college, and then stayed because it was the easy option.
While he enjoyed working with his parents, the restaurant industry had taken its toll on him as well.
He’d see what the new manager was like before making any plans, but this might be the chance he’d been waiting for to strike out on his own.
############
Present day, The Round Table
At wit’s end, Dustin couldn’t imagine how the day might get any worse.
Their new manager, Leon Hartog, was a certified asshole, verbal abuser, and all around douche bag.
By lunchtime, he’d screamed at the kitchen staff, threatened to demote one of their best servers, and made the hostess cry because he claimed she was ‘too chatty’ with customers.
Dustin wasn’t left unscathed either, with withering insults and demands occurring every day from the start.
Apparently, Leon resented being saddled with a well-paid employee he hadn’t personally vetted.
Worse, he’d abandoned the friendly, casual atmosphere the restaurant was known for in favor of military efficiency—predictably resulting in loss of staff and terrible online reviews.
Hartog seemed to thrive on conflict, and Dustin butted heads with him in a never-ending stream of pointless arguments.
His parents were livid at losing their good reputation, but all they could do was sympathize.
They were now encouraging their son to jump ship and get away from the toxic environment at the restaurant.
Dustin knew that moment was coming, though not necessarily today .
The final straw came when Leon posted the new schedule, suddenly switching him from days to nights and with scattered days off.
This upended his entire life, and Dustin quietly made up his mind to stop the madness.
After confirming his unpaid hours, he borrowed a pen and paper at the host station to write out his resignation and made his way to Leon’s office. The obnoxious man looked up and scowled at him.
“Shouldn’t you be in the kitchen prepping for service?”
Dustin gave him his best smile and handed over the resignation.
“Normally, yes, but since I no longer work here, I guess you’ll have to cover it. The company owes me for fifty-five hours on the clock, and I expect to be paid on time or you’ll be hearing from my attorney.”
Leon’s face flushed hot as he stood to his feet.
“I don’t care if your parents used to own this place or how long you’ve worked here. I’m in charge and don’t have time for your stupid games. Get back to work, NOW!”
Dustin turned to go without another word, informing coworkers of his resignation on the way out.
While he felt bad for the others, a sense of relief washed over him at having finally escaped.
By the time he reached the car, a commotion at the employee exit snagged his attention.
At least four of the staff had decided to follow his example, tossing aprons at Leon’s feet as he railed at them for leaving him in the lurch.
While Dustin wasn’t the vindictive sort, he rather enjoyed watching the insufferable prick squirm.
############
Later that day...
With his parent’s assistance, Dustin spent the afternoon creating a resume—something he’d never had to do before.
They also coached him in how to nail an interview, which would be another new experience.
Then he began registering on-line with the best job boards, skimming through post after post and coming up with nothing he truly wanted.
Sure, he could get another restaurant job without much effort, but he needed something that made good use of his skills and didn’t leave him feeling stressed out at the end of the day.
Taking his father’s advice, Dustin decided to search the newspaper classifieds after supper and pulled up the online version of the Patriot News.
Billed as central Pennsylvania’s largest newspaper since 1854, Dustin figured he couldn’t go wrong.
Though it was a rather outdated and cumbersome mode of looking for work, he found a few ads that showed promise.
Near the end of the listings, he spotted a particularly intriguing entry.
Manager wanted for apple orchard sales barn in Bear Creek.
Requires customer service skills, creativity, and a warm personality.
Varied year-round work, inside and out, plus frequent interaction with bear shifters.
Full-time position with benefits. Ability to start ASAP.
Send resume with contact information to [email protected]
Dustin’s heart was pounding by the time he’d read the ad several times.
Except for knowing nothing about shifters, he’d be perfect for the job.
Dustin printed off the listing and then pulled up MapFinder to see Bear Creek.
Hmm...about two hours northeast of Harrisburg near the Pocono Mountains.
He’d never been in that part of the state, but the drive was relatively short, and it looked like a pretty area.
Next, he found Bear Creek’s official website, and on the first page was a photo of a middle-aged woman, identified as DeeDee Tillman—Mayor .
Huh. Why in the world was the mayor taking resumes for an apple orchard?
It didn’t really matter, but it did add a layer of intrigue to the situation.
Curious, Dustin searched for any apple orchards in or around Bear Creek and found only one entry: Shady Lane Orchard.
The site had a few photos plus the location, hours, and prices listed.
There was also a notice which matched the job posting.
COMING SOON—the new Red Barn at Shady Lane. Opening in August with apples, fresh cider, baked goods, gifts and more. Also new this winter—ice skating on the pond, with music and hot drinks. Family friendly.
Dustin was super excited now and went looking for his folks. He found them ensconced in the family room, watching a movie.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I found a great job posting. What do you think?”
His mother paused the film as Dustin handed them the information. They read it over and broke out in wide grins. Kevin spoke first.
“This looks to be a good fit, son. You certainly have all the skills they’re looking for.”
Joan nodded in agreement.
“Your father is right, honey, but what about this bear shifter part? I know there are some in this area, but we don’t know anything about them. Will that be a problem?”
Dustin nearly vibrated with excitement.
“I don’t think so, mom, but I’ll do some digging and find out. It sounds like an interesting place to work, but I wish it was a little closer to home.”
Joan stood to hug her youngest child.
“Don’t let that stop you, sweetheart. I can tell you’re all lit up, and you need some excitement in your life! Spread your wings. Take a chance. You never know until you try, and we’ll have your back no matter what.”
Kevin squeezed in for his own hug.
“We’re very proud of you. Now go send your resume and see what happens.”
Dustin hurried back to his room, leaving his parents rattled. They resumed their seats on the couch and Joan rested her head on Kevin’s shoulder. By the time she found her voice, tears were streaming down her face.
“If he moves, we’ll have an empty nest. We’re overdue, I know, but somehow it’s even more unsettling than giving up the restaurant. Don’t worry, honey, I’m not going to discourage him. He needs to find his own way, whether it’s in Bear Creek or somewhere else.”
Kevin handed her a tissue and pulled her closer.
“Perhaps we should have encouraged him to get his own place sooner, or maybe Dustin is a late bloomer. Our boy has a lot to offer, and I have to believe he’ll find what he’s looking for—even if he doesn’t know what it is.”
############
Bear Creek City Hall, the next morning
DeeDee Tillman settled behind her spotless desk and booted up the computer.
She wasn’t normally in the office quite this early, but needed to get a few things done before her meeting with the Sheriff.
Last week’s July 4 th concert and fireworks celebration had been well-attended, but with phenomenal growth came opportunities for crime.
Nothing terribly worrying yet, but she’d rather nip this in the bud before Bear Creek’s reputation was sullied by a few unsavory characters.
A check of her email was always first on the list, and she noticed a slew of responses to Gruff’s advertisement.
DeeDee scanned through the resumes with a practiced eye, giving most of them the standard response of thank you for your interest, but we are considering other candidates at this time .
Two or three looked only mildly promising until she opened one by a fellow named Dustin Mowry.
Her smile grew as she noted his impressive credentials, and then read the attached cover letter.
Mayor Tillman,
Due to a change in ownership, I have resigned from the Round Table Restaurant and am free to take a new position without delay.
Though I am not personally familiar with bear shifters, I have done some research to familiarize myself and don’t anticipate any problems. A move to Bear Creek is also not an issue, as I’m eager for a change in circumstances.
I would love to discuss the position with you in more detail at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Dustin Mowry
DeeDee chuckled. Mr. Mowry was a sharp cookie, having answered several of her questions in the letter.
She also found his honesty impressive, and that he’d obviously looked her up on the town website.
DeeDee had a good feeling about this one, and was determined to follow up without delay.
With little time left before her meeting, she quickly composed a message.
Dustin—I would like to meet with you as soon as it can be arranged.
Please contact my Administrative Assistant, Carmen Perez, to set up a date and time for your interview (see contact information below).
Also attached are some basic facts about bear shifters that you may find helpful.
I look forward to meeting you soon. DeeDee Tillman
She pressed send , waited a moment for confirmation, and then stopped by her faithful assistant’s desk on the way out.
“Good morning, Carmen. Expect a call or email from Dustin Mowry, and schedule the soonest appointment you can manage with him—even if you have to cancel something else. I’ll need at least two hours, perhaps more.
We’ll start here, followed by the orchard, and then a trip through town.
Also, see if Locust Lodge Apartments has any units available and ask them to hold one for me.
I’ll check in with you when I’m done meeting with the Sheriff. ”
Carmen shook her head. Some days, it was like working for a tornado, though DeeDee certainly kept things interesting!