Page 19 of The Bear's Matchmaking Mix-up Mate
Is this another setup?he asked his bear, suspicion immediately prickling at the back of his neck.
His bear huffed.Every errand lately feels like a setup. Remember last week’s “emergency” at the coffee shop that just happened to coincide with the arrival of the new barista?
If only they knew the truth,Finn added wistfully.That we’ve already found our mate, sitting right here with salsa on her chin.
Wren reached across the table and brushed his wrist with gentle concern, sending tremors through his body. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just my brother Philip asking for a favor. He needs me to pick up a fertilizer order from the agricultural supply store.” Finn ran a hand through his hair, not wanting to cut his morning with Wren.
“No problem,” Wren said, but he could see her disappointment.
She doesn’t want this morning to end either, his bear said.
“I have an idea, Finn said.
You do?his bear asked.
“Okay,” Wren said, her expression guarded.
“The supply store is close to your godmother’s house. Why don’t you follow me there, and then we can go on to her house and check out the garden, before I take the fertilizer over to the vineyard.”
Wren’s expression brightened. “Sure. If you’re certain your brother can wait for the fertilizer.”
He can wait,Finn’s bear replied happily.
“Philip won’t mind. He was Mrs. Abernathy’s star pupil,” Finn said as he took another bite of his burrito.
Wren took a sip of her coffee, watching him over the rim. “She likes you, too, you know?”
“She does?” Finn could not keep the hope from his voice.
“She does,” Wren confirmed. “I can see it in the way she looks at you. Believe me, you would know if she didn’t.”
Finn leaned forward. “Don’t tell her, but I enjoyed her history lessons, even if I was not very good at keeping the dates straight.”
“Why wouldn’t you want her to know?” Wren asked.
“I don’t know,” Finn replied. “I guess it’s not something I’ve ever given much thought to. Damn, does this mean I’m still the same teenager who sat at the back of the class dreaming of being outside?”
“Oh no, you’re all man,” Wren laughed, then quickly covered her mouth. “That didn’t come out the way I meant. What I’m trying to say is, most of us feel that way—like we’ve never reallygrown up. I’m still the same girl who sat in music lessons, dreaming of people liking my songs…”
“Well, you succeeded,” Finn replied.
“And you didn’t?” Wren asked, tilting her head slightly. “I’m sure what you do—making beautiful spaces for people—brings them as much joy as one of my songs. It’s just that my songs reach a wider audience.”
“Maybe,” Finn said, though he wasn’t entirely convinced. His work felt small compared to her talent, her ability to reach millions with just her voice and a guitar. “I think what you do is more...lasting. Songs stay with people forever.”
Wren shook her head, a gentle smile playing at her lips. “You create places where families make memories, where children play, where people find peace. That’s pretty lasting, too.”
“That’s...probably the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about my work.” He’d never thought about his work that way before, but hearing it through her eyes made it feel more meaningful somehow.
She sees us differently than we see ourselves,his bear observed.She sees our worth.
And we see hers, Finn replied.
Maybe that was why fate had brought them together, so that they could hold up a mirror to each other, one that reflected not just who they were, but who they could be.
“Ready to go?” Finn asked, reluctantly gathering their empty wrappers. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed breakfast this much, even with the impending errand.
