Page 29 of Bear Creek Valentine
Dash’s heart skipped a beat when Aiden’s scent changed to longing mixed with excitement for his friends. Obviously, he wanted to attend, and Dash gave him a simple nod. Aiden answered for both of them.
“We’d love to, and congratulations! I’ll have to figure out what to do about the shop that day, but send us all the details. Will this be casual or fancy?”
Levi leaned over to kiss Knox’s cheek before answering.
“Knox and I might dress up a little, but not our guests. It will be here on the property, and we’ll be serving food afterward. My whole family is coming, and we’re trying to locate Knox’s relatives and invite them, too. The guest list is small, and we aren’t announcing it ahead of time. We’re trying to keep it simple and short so Knox’s bear doesn’t get too stressed out. Uhhh... I’m going to need a huge order of Bear Brownies, just so you know.”
The conversation continued as Knox served warm blueberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. Once they finished dessert, Levi showed off his custom-made office before they all headed out to the workshop. There, Knox explained how he harvested and processed fruit and nuts before delivering them toDelicious. The information would help Dash fine-tune the grants and loans to the new batch of harvesters, many of whom were clueless about what they needed to get the job done.
Dash and Aiden left soon after, having enjoyed a tasty meal and good company. In the car, they discussed the novelty of shifter/human nuptials, though neither had ever attended such a ceremony, and Dash was especially curious. His bear, of course, opted for the traditional claiming instead and pushed his human half to do so without further delay. The stubborn ursine received a mental thump on the snout for his trouble and finally settled down with grumbling reluctance.
Instead of returning to Dash’s home, Aiden drove to his condo, where they enjoyed a hot shower, several orgasms, and a good night’s sleep.
Chapter 10
April 23rd, Delicious
Serena Thompson had good reason to smile, several actually, as she navigated the short commute to work. For one, she loved her second-floor domicile in a newly refurbished Victorian, only a mile and a half fromDelicious. The old home was divided into four spacious apartments, and by a twist of fate, both she and Leo nabbed the last two units. Though he couldn’t move for another month, Aiden generously paid Leo’s deposit and first month’s rent to hold the apartment for him.
Her old friend and new boss even drafted some volunteers to help her unload the rental truck, making it the easiest move she’d ever made. It took all of her willpower, however, to resist grabbing one of the hot bear shifters as they hauled her things up the stairs, growling and flexing their muscles.
Another reason Serena wore a smile was the job itself. While she enjoyed working with the public, the crappy hours and hectic pace of restaurant life wore her down.Delicious,on the other hand, was interesting, challenging, and often fun. True, it was only her third day, but she’d been warmly welcomed and enjoyed two friendly, hard-working employees. Aiden had warned her about the relentless pace between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and she considered it a blessing to ease into the role during the slower season.
Upon arrival, Serena parked in one of the reserved spots off the alley and used her key to enter through the back door. She could hear Aiden working, and he’d asked her to arrive an hour early each day for a crash course in Candy-Making 101. To her left were a restroom, break area, and storage shelves. To the right, a walk-in freezer, cooler, and the kitchen. She stored herpurse and lunch in a small locker, slipped into an apron, and attached her shiny new name badge.
The rest of Serena’s work outfit included comfortable black shoes, a pair of dark brown khakis, and a matching brown shirt emblazoned on the back with theDeliciouslogo. The final accouterment, a cheeky lime-green newsboy cap, contained her wild, shoulder-length red hair. Apparently, Aiden had instituted a new dress code just in time for her start date. Though Serena wasn’t used to a uniform, she liked the way it looked, how it unified the crew, and how impressed the customers were.
Aiden looked up with a smile when she entered the kitchen, gloved hands covered with dark chocolate and the sharp tang of peppers in the air. By the look and smell of things, she’d be learning something new today.
“Good morning! I’m working on our new line of Mayan Dark & Spicy treats. Try this one and tell me what you think.”
Aiden normally set aside the production boo-boos for the staff to snack on throughout the day. He gestured to a paper plate containing several slender wafer cookies dipped in dark chocolate. Serena picked one up and took a bite, eyes going wide when dueling sensations exploded on her tongue. Aiden explained while she nibbled.
“They’re called Lava & Frost Bars—peppermint wafers covered in spicy dark chocolate.”
Serena rolled her eyes and moaned, feeling the burn of peppers and the soothing cool of mint at the same time. She’d tasted nothing quite like it before and was sure their customers hadn’t either.
“This is AMAZING! People are going to flip for these things! Wait—what else are you cooking up for this Dark & Spicy line?”
Aiden looked inordinately pleased and gestured to the racks behind him, filled with three other new items.
“All the varieties use a similar recipe of eighty percent chocolate mixed with vanilla, honey, and chili peppers. These nutty slabs are Picante Bark, the cups over here are Peanut Butter Zesties, and these dipped pretzel sticks are called Hot Rods. Now that you’re here, I think we can finish the Lava & Frost Bars before opening today. I’ve already made room for the entire line in the display case, and we’ll test them for a week or two before adding them to the online store.”
Aiden used their undistracted hour together to show her his methods and the proper procedures for cleaning the kitchen. At some point, she’d run the shop whenever Aiden wasn’t around and needed to know pretty much everything. Except for the slowest of days, Serena would spend the rest of her shifts at the front of the store supervising the part-time employees, learning all the products, running the register, answering the phone, and processing online orders.
After Blanche arrived, the three of them loaded up the display case, posted “NEW ITEM” signs for customers, and updated the master product list at the register. Each item was assigned a four-digit number and price point, enabling Aiden to keep track of sales and take advantage of trends. If the new Mayan treats were as successful as the recent coffee-flavored line, he’d have to hold off on introducing any more new recipes. He’d simply run out of room to display them—a pleasant problem to have, but still a problem.
Around ten o’clock, Serena came to Aiden in the kitchen, looking very concerned.
“Sorry to bother you, but something weird is happening with the website. Blanche says she’s never seen so many nasty reviews before. Can you take a look?”
Aiden’s stomach lurched, and he turned off the mixer to follow her out to the computer station, just behind the Bear Brownie display case. The “waiting for moderation” queue wasoverflowing with vicious, profanity-laced messages promoting all sorts of lies about the shop and its owner. He immediately wondered if they came from the same person who sent the bizarre message he’d received weeks ago. Unfortunately, he couldn’t trace them back to their source or prevent the same thing from happening again.
While Blanche helped a new batch of customers, Aiden shifted the messages to the folder he’d created and brought up the first one for Serena to see. She looked just as puzzled as he had and was about to ask a question when Aiden placed a finger up to his lips and lifted his chin towards the kitchen. She followed him to the back until they were out of earshot.
“What’s going on? Why would anyone do that?”
Frustrated, Aiden shrugged, wishing he could growl like Dash when he was annoyed.
