Page 81 of Bear Creek Valentine
“Welcome to our home. I’m Dash.”
“Thank you for inviting us. Ashton has been talking about this non-stop and I can’t really blame him. They look more alike than I thought they would.”
The brothers suddenly remembered their manners, and formal introductions were made all around. To avoid an awkward silence, Dash led the way to the dining room.
“Go ahead and be seated while I get lunch on the table.”
The conversation mostly revolved around neutral topics, purposely avoiding the past and other uncomfortable subjects. Ashton and Mandy wanted to know all aboutDelicious, the resort, and Bear Creek. When asked, Ashton told them he’d worked his way through college and was now an investment banker at a large firm in Scranton. The position also led him to Mandy, her eyes sparkling as he told the story.
“The company has a lot of employees spread out over three floors of the building, and our departments rarely interact. About a year ago, we ended up parked next to one another in the garage, and Mandy was stranded with a flat tire. I changed it for her, and she invited me to supper as a thank you. Before we left the restaurant, I asked her out on a proper date, and we’ve been together ever since.”
Dash’s pleased growl startled their guests, and he leaned over to kiss Aiden’s cheek.
“The Romero men are good at rescuing people.”
Mandy sensed a story lurking behind the shifter’s comment, but no explanation was offered. Instead, Dash got up to bring in one of Aiden’s desserts and afterward, they gathered downstairs in the family room for more conversation. At one point, the brothers got around to discussing the rest of the family, such as it was. Ashton filled him in.
“Mom changed a lot after you left. She blamed herself and wished she would have done things differently. We both did. Anyway, about four years ago, she married Peter Van Horst. He’s a great guy and they seem really happy. I’m not sure how you’d feel about seeing Mom again, but I hope you’ll consider it. I won’t tell her we’ve reconnected unless it’s alright with you.
“About this time last year, I heard from our half-sister, Gwen. Apparently, Dad’s second wife caught him cheating on her, and she told Gwen the whole story during the divorce. We were kept a secret all those years, but she eventually found me on social media and wants to meet us someday if we can work out the logistics.”
Aiden’s head swam with all the new information, having missed a lot over the last decade. But then, so had they. Now that he and Ashton were starting over, could he hope for a reconciliation with his mother, too? His gut told him he wanted it, but perhaps not right now.
“I’d enjoy meeting Gwen if we can make it happen. I want to see Mom and meet her husband, but this isn’t a good time. Maybe in the Spring, after things settle down here. I’ll let you know.”
When it was time to go, Aiden gave Mandy and Ashton hugs at the door.
“Thanks for reaching out to me. You can text or email anytime, but if you want to call, try evenings or Sundays. This time, we’re going to stay in touch, right?”
Ashton had every intention of doing so.
“Count on it. I want my brother, not a ghost. Love you, man.”
After the door closed, Aiden stood there looking at it, eyes unfocused. Dash gently led him to the couch and pulled him into his lap. His scent didn’t reveal any negative emotions, so Dash gave him time to process the visit on his own. Eventually, Aiden leaned down for a soft kiss.
“That went really well. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we got off to a good start. He’s not exactly the person I remember, but I’m not either, I suppose. He and Mandy make a nice couple, and I look forward to spending more time with them. What do you think, love?”
Dash wanted another taste of Aiden’s mouth, kissing him thoroughly before answering.
“I like them both. They weren’t hiding anything from us, and I could tell how much Ashton missed you. I think he was hurt almost as much by the separation as you were. Guilt can really do a number on someone. I’m just glad it worked out this way. My mate deserves to be happy.”
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Mid-January, D2
Aiden thought Serena would be unable to top the Christmas decorations until she prepared the shop for Valentine’s Day. In her defense, all the downtown businesses were taking it up a notch to draw in a larger share of customers for the Love Holiday. She and DeeDee Tillman came up with a marketing plan calledLove Like A Bear, which included colorful posters, prize drawings, and fun activities to engage shoppers. They’d secured radio spots, newspaper ads, billboards, and had assisted local merchants with ideas for online advertising.
TheDeliciouswebsite now featured professional photos of human, bear, and mixed couples celebrating Valentine’s withAiden’s creations. Even the famous dancing bears appeared in a short music video, manning a large booth festooned with red hearts and a sign sayingKisses For Chocolate—GetDelicious. Someone, probably Serena, posted the video on social media. In less than a day, it was threatening to go viral and their online orders soared.
Along with paper hearts and cupids everywhere, a life-sized plush black bear sat to the right of the front entrance. Arms outstretched, he wore a white T-shirt with a giant red heart inscribed withBe Mine. At his feet sat a basket, entry forms, and a sign reading ENTER TO WIN! Aiden thought it was overkill, but Serena’s ideas to this point were spot-on, and he didn’t want to jinx things by asking her to tone it down.
The satellite shop received a similar makeover, and Ginger jumped on board with both feet. Instead of a giant plush bear, she had a twelve-inch version sitting on the countertop. Weekly drawings awarded winners with a heart-shaped gift box of chocolates, along with a mini black bear plush toy. Aiden had created flavored chocolate heart candies this year, along with his regular menu items, and customers went bonkers over them. Artfully done and tasty, they added beautiful elegance to a holiday demanding a touch of class.
The result was a thriving Valentine’s season that began with a bang and kept right on going. Aiden extended the shop hours from six to seven p.m. and asked Leo’s crew to work overtime so they could keep up with the demand. It wasn’t quite to the level of Christmas, yet, but still left everyone exhausted by the end of the week. If they were already in the new building, there would be plenty of room and more candy-making machines to handle the increased business.
That thought reminded Aiden of his appointment with Ryder Sinclair to meet with the job-site managers this afternoon. Dash would have come too, but he was tied up in meetings allday. Thankfully, the reconstruction was ahead of schedule. All the major building tasks were finished, leaving interior details, equipment installation, and last-minute changes. Inspections were scheduled for a week from Friday, and assuming they passed, the move-in would take place over the last weekend of January.
The timing wasn’t ideal, but Aiden wanted to finish Cupid’s holiday in their new space, even if it meant extra hustle. The staff agreed with him, knowing the relocation would offer efficiencies unavailable at D2, and enable them to work faster and more comfortably. The setup they were using was never intended for the long-term, being jury-rigged, cramped, and in a far-less visible location. Aiden was proud of what they’d accomplished here, but everyone longed for the better digs downtown.
