That did not go well, Nero’s bear said. As if Nero could not see that for himself! But he refused to be beaten.
She did call us interesting, Nero replied, trying to take something positive from the conversation.
No, she said it was interesting to meet you, his bear corrected. And since no one has probably ever fallen at her feet and made a fake proposal...
You think that’s what she meant by interesting?
Nero groaned inwardly. What was he supposed to do now?
He didn’t want to come over all pushy and overbearing.
But the thought of the day ending like this, of never seeing her again, was too much to bear.
There had to be a way of putting this right.
Of making her see he was a good guy, someone she should take a chance on.
Yet there was something in her expression when he had dropped to one knee and presented her with the ring that said she was hurting.
A deep emotional hurt. And he had made it worse.
Nero backed away as Sophie was surrounded by a group of fans, all chatting away to her as if they were her best friends. She certainly had a way with people.
Okay, time to regroup, Nero’s bear said. Time to find Finn and get all the information on her background that we can.
Nero took one last look at his mate and turned around, sensing his brother over by the wedding cake exhibitor.
I could just use the internet, Nero said as he wove through the crowd to Finn.
Yes, but the thing with the internet is it’s filled with gossip. How are you supposed to know what is true and what is fake? his bear asked.
You have a point, Nero agreed. But I also don’t think that Sophie had opened her heart to Finn and told him her life story.
“Nero,” Finn said through a mouthful of wedding cake. “Try some. It’s incredible, made with our very own Bear Creek mountain honey.”
“I’m not hungry,” Nero said, even though his stomach still felt hollow.
“Mauve, don’t listen to him. Give him a taste,” Finn said, waving his fork at Nero.
“Here, Nero, it’s guaranteed to make you feel better,” Mauve said, handing him a slice.
“Thanks,” Nero said, as he looked at the incredible cakes on display.
“Did you make and decorate all these?” He nodded at the cakes, admiring the three-tiered masterpiece adorned with delicate sugar pine trees and a miniature Bear Creek mountain range circling its base.
Beside it stood a more traditional white cake with cascading edible wildflowers in the colors of a mountain sunset.
Another displayed hand-painted scenes of the vineyard, complete with tiny sugar grape clusters.
“I did,” Mauve said. “I can create pretty much anything.”
Nero nodded. “They look amazing.” He took a bite and savored the taste. “And taste amazing, too.”
“Does that mean you’re going to order a cake from me when you marry Sophie Truro?” Mauve asked.
Nero nearly choked on his cake, much to Finn’s amusement. “Did you...?” Nero asked Finn.
Finn shook his head. “No, Mauve here has seen enough shifters and their mates together to recognize the signs.”
“Yeah, I mean, the drooling was a giveaway,” Mauve said.
“I did not drool,” Nero insisted.
“If you say so.” Mauve winked and then moved to talk to a prospective client.
“So, how is it going? I saw you talking to Sophie,” Finn asked.
“Not great,” Nero said. “I wondered if you might help.”
“Hey, I got you two together, didn’t I? What more do you want from me?” Finn laughed, but his expression softened when he saw Nero’s face. “Okay, okay. What’s the problem?”
“She thinks I’m some kind of social media prankster who deliberately set her up. And when I tried to explain, she shut me down.” Nero stabbed at his cake with the fork. “There’s something else, too. When I was talking to her, I sensed...pain. Recent pain.”
Finn’s face grew serious. “That makes sense, actually.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’m not exactly up on all the social media gossip, but Pete mentioned something about her.
Apparently, she was dating someone. It was serious by all accounts…
well, by all rumors… Anyway, Pete heard that Sophie thought that things were getting really serious.
Like engagement serious, but then...” Finn trailed off.
“Then what?” Nero pressed, his bear suddenly alert.
“I don’t know, but a couple of days ago, something happened.” Finn raised his eyebrows.
Nero felt sick. “And I went and fake-proposed to her? In public?”
“You didn’t know,” Finn said, clapping him on the shoulder. “And technically, you fell at her feet. The proposal part was all in people’s imaginations.”
“Not helping,” Nero growled. He set the plate down, no longer interested in the cake despite its deliciousness. “No wonder she looked at me like I was the worst person alive.”
“If it helps, Pete said she’s really as nice as she seems online. No diva behavior, genuinely kind to everyone. Just...guarded now.”
“I need to fix this,” Nero said, determination hardening in his chest. “But how? She won’t even talk to me.”
“Maybe give her some space?” Finn suggested. “Let her cool down, then try again.”
Nero’s bear growled in disagreement. She’s our mate. We can’t just walk away.
“I can’t just leave things like this,” Nero said aloud. “But I don’t want to crowd her, either.”
Finn studied him for a moment. “You know, she’s doing a cooking demonstration in about twenty minutes. Main stage. Something about ‘simple but elegant wedding appetizers.’ Could be a chance to see her in her element, at least.”
“That’s...actually helpful,” Nero admitted.
“I have my moments,” Finn grinned. “Now, finish your cake. Mauve will be offended if you don’t.”
Nero obediently took another bite, but his mind was already working on a plan. He needed to show Sophie he wasn’t some random prankster or social media opportunist. He needed to prove he was genuine.
Then you just need to be yourself, his bear said. Because if there is one thing we are, it’s genuine. Genuinely Sophie’s mate. Genuinely in love with her. Genuinely going to tear out the throat of anyone who hurts her.
“So what happened with Pete?” Nero asked, suddenly remembering the original purpose of his visit. “With the ring and everything?”
Finn shrugged and popped another bite of cake into his mouth. “Well, he loves the ring.”
“But?” Nero pressed, hearing the unspoken hesitation in his brother’s voice.
“You kind of upstaged him,” Finn replied, wincing slightly. “The whole falling-at-a-woman’s-feet thing stole his thunder a bit.”
“I am so sorry,” Nero said, genuine remorse flooding through him. Not only had he embarrassed Sophie, but he’d ruined another couple’s special moment as well.
“I know, and he knows you didn’t mean it.” Finn leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “I explained the whole mate thing to him, and he thought it was funny, so no hard feelings.”
“Does he want me to take the ring back, or alter it?” Nero asked, feeling worse by the second. The ring had been custom-designed specifically for Pete’s intended.
“No,” Finn shook his head. “Diedre doesn’t know the ring was meant for her. So he’ll find another time to propose.”
“Good,” Nero said as he finished his cake, relief washing over him. At least he hadn’t completely ruined someone else’s happiness.
“And they’re mates, so it’s not as if she’s going to turn him down,” Finn pointed out.
“Yeah, I’ll be glad when Sophie knows,” Nero replied with a sigh. “It sure would make things a whole lot easier. And less stressful.”
“Just promise me.” Finn put his hand on Nero’s shoulder, his expression suddenly serious. “That you will not reveal all on the stage during her demo.”
Nero laughed and shook his head. “I promise.”
After thanking Mauve for the cake, Nero headed for another cup of coffee. The sweet treat had helped, but he was still feeling the effects of having skipped breakfast and lunch. What he really wanted was a decent meal, something nutritious.
Preferably with our mate sitting across the table from us, his bear said longingly.
I don’t think that is happening anytime soon, Nero replied. Since she said no to coffee, I don’t think she is going to say yes to dinner.
He made himself a coffee and then headed toward the main stage, where Sophie was about to begin her demonstration. Finding a spot near the back of the gathering crowd, he watched as she confidently stepped onto the stage.
Sophie moved with confidence and grace, explaining each step of her recipes with clear, concise instructions that made everything seem achievable.
Her hands worked quickly but precisely, chopping herbs with practiced ease, whisking ingredients together with a flick of her wrist. The aromas wafting from the stage made Nero’s stomach growl audibly.
She sure can cook, he thought admiringly.
She would make an ideal mate, his bear said, since you are all about forgetting to eat.
Nero couldn’t argue with that. He had a tendency to get lost in his work. Hours passed before he realized he hadn’t eaten. Having someone who understood food, who could create such mouthwatering dishes with apparent ease, was yet another sign they were meant to be together.
As Sophie finished her demonstration, Finn stepped onto the stage to thank her. She smiled graciously and offered him a taste of one of her creations. Finn accepted eagerly, and Nero felt a sharp stab of jealousy as his brother savored the bite.
“These dishes are wonderful!” Finn announced to the applauding crowd, who began to disperse after the presentation ended.
Catching Nero’s eye, Finn beckoned him over. Nero shook his head firmly, not wanting to intrude on Sophie again.
Go, his bear urged. This is our chance.
With a resigned sigh, Nero headed to the edge of the stage.
“Nero!” Finn called out, feigning surprise. “You must come try this.”
Sophie jerked her head up from where she was clearing the dirty bowls, her eyes widening slightly when she spotted him.
“Do you mind?” Finn asked her. “He hasn’t eaten, and he gets grouchy.”
Sophie looked a little amused as Nero shook his head and rolled his eyes at his brother’s transparent matchmaking.
“Sure?” she said, her response sounding more like a question than an answer. Then she furrowed her brow. “Wait. Thornberg, you two are brothers?”
Nero nodded and said, “Yes, we are.”
Sophie’s expression clouded with confusion as she looked between them. “So when you said your brother texted you the wrong stall number...”
“I meant him,” Nero confirmed, gesturing toward Finn, who had the decency to look sheepish.
“It was an honest mistake,” Finn insisted, though the twinkle in his eye suggested otherwise.
“Right,” Sophie said slowly, clearly not entirely convinced. She hesitated, then picked up a small plate with one of her appetizers. “Here. You should try this if you’re hungry.”
Nero accepted the plate, their fingers brushing momentarily. The contact sent a jolt of awareness through him that he struggled to hide. “Thank you.”
He locked eyes with Sophie. Had she felt it, too? That shock of recognition.
That knowing that this was the person you were meant to be with for the rest of your life.
But what he saw there said something else. As her eyes darkened and narrowed, he saw suspicion. And the way she looked at him said that he was the last person she was meant to spend the rest of her life with.