Candy Bear Read online

Benjamin arrived at Thorian and Cici’s wedding with gift in hand and a smile on his face. He wanted to be there for his friend on his special day. Benjamin had just met Thorian a few weeks ago, but the man had become an important part of the Shifter Community Association. Benjamin knew how important it was for the shifters of Fate Valley to stick together.

  He added his gift to a pile on a table near the front door and took his place in the pew of Fate Rock Chapel. So many shifters had been married in the chapel that it brought back memories of the weddings he had attended. A fire had charred the back walls of the historic chapel just before Christmas, but it had quickly been repaired, and his friends continued to have their special days there.

  He looked out the front window of the chapel at a view of the Lake of the Fates and smoothed his gray suit jacket with the palms of his hands. The day before Valentine’s Day was a nice time for a wedding.

  Tomorrow, everyone would be at the town square for the installation of the new statue of Ambrose Morgan. Ben looked around the church and found many of his friends and associates from the community association. He saw Baker Bear near the back, preparing to walk with Thorian as a groomsman. Ben himself had not been invited to participate in the wedding, but he didn’t know Thorian as well as the others. And it was just as well. He was feeling a little sad that he hadn’t found his mate for yet another Valentine’s Day, and didn’t want to bring down the groom on his special day.

  The wedding march began, and Benjamin watched the groomsmen and bridesmaids walk past. The bridesmaids wore rose-pink dresses and held bouquets dripping with flowers. Thorian stood at his place on the rise in front of the minister, looking nervous and happy in his tuxedo.

  The groomsmen all wore tailored black tuxedos and big smiles on their faces as they escorted the bridesmaids down the aisle and took their places behind Thorian. Cici emerged from the hall at the back of the chapel on her father’s arm, wearing a lacy, flowing wedding dress over her curvy petite form. Her cropped black hair was brushed back under her flowing veil and her bright red lipstick accentuated the happy grin she wore on her lips.

  Cici’s father handed her off to the groom as she stepped up onto the rise in front of the minister. Thorian and Cici held hands, gazing into each other’s eyes as the maid of honor took the bride’s bouquet. The minister began the ceremony and everyone watched in awe as the loving, fated couple said their vows.

  Benjamin felt a little choked up as Thorian and Cici said their I do’s. Thorian swept Cici up in a kiss that would have melted the iciest heart. The wedding guests threw rose petals over the happy couple as they departed the chapel and made their way to the wine cellar across the yard for the reception.

  Ben threw his share of rose petals before moving on with the rest of the guests to the reception hall. The big wine cellar had polished wood floors, a curved ceiling, and windows that looked out over the lake.

  The caterers served champagne, and Ben took a sip as he watched Thorian and Cici dancing to the slow song that the band played just for them. The couple swept out onto the dance floor, Thorian gazing into petite Cici’s eyes as he stood a foot above her, cradling her little hands in his larger one and cupping the small of her back. Thorian’s grin was infectious as he watched his bride and danced with her over the polished floor that reflected the couple’s black and white clothing.

  Benjamin got a refill of champagne as the first dance came to a close and the couple retreated to the bridal table at the front of the hall. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked Mate.com once more. He still hadn’t been matched with his fated one. He clenched his teeth and growled, biting so hard that his jaw hurt. He hated the idea of going through another Valentine’s Day alone, especially after spending the day at Thorian and Cici’s wedding.

  The noise in the town square, and the pressure of all the other shifters he knew finding love, was starting to get to him. He went to the bar and had his third glass of champagne as he gazed out the window at the late winter afternoon and the frosty waters of the Lake of the Fates.

  It made him think about the founder and how the lake had been created in 1930 as a reservoir for hydroelectric power. Today, that hydroelectric plant still produced electricity for half of the state.

  Benjamin ceased his musing as Stephanie Page from the Shifter Association walked up beside him and ordered a glass of champagne from the bar. The lioness shifter was also a native to Fate Valley. They’d even gone to school together. She still hadn’t found a mate either: they were in the same boat. It was rare for a lady shifter to wait so long, but Stephanie hadn’t had any more luck than him on Mate.com.

  “Are you enjoying the wedding?” he asked her.

  “You know what they say,” she sighed. “Always a bridesmaid never bride.”

  “I’m sure Cici thought the same thing a few weeks ago. Hasn’t she been a bridesmaid in several weddings lately?”

  Benjamin was sure he’d seen her as a bridesmaid at both Harrison Cole and the new lioness Melody’s weddings.

  “That’s true,” Stephanie said. “How are you doing on the mate front?”

  “No better than you are,” he said with a sigh. “I just can’t imagine spending another Valentine’s Day alone. I’ve been home from the military for seven years now. I signed up for Mate.com right when I finished my tour. I’ve been working at my family’s candy shop since I returned home. I’ve been ready to settle down for a long time, but I still haven’t found anyone.”

  “Maybe if we never find our fated mates, we should just marry each other,” she said. “Just settle, like humans.” Stephanie chuckled and sipped her champagne.

  “No offense to you, old friend, but I’m afraid we would both be miserable,” he said with a sigh.

  “You’re probably right. But we are friends, so at least we’d have someone to talk to and go to weddings with.”

  “That’s true. I guess having a friend as a partner is better than nothing, huh?” he said with a chuckle.

  Benjamin knew she was joking. No shifter he had ever heard of had settled for someone who wasn’t his mate. That was something that only perverts and weirdos did. Stephanie had a point though. It was hard to be alone for so long. Shifters could only imagine being with their fated mates, so it meant that you ended up not dating and not having romantic relationships with anyone for years at a time.

  It was a very lonely existence if you didn’t get matched up as soon as you were ready to find someone. For him, it had been seven years of waiting. He’d finished his tour as a Navy SEAL at twenty-four, had come home to Fate Valley, started working at the confectionery, and signed up for Mate.com. Every day, for years, he’d expected to be matched. And every day, he was disappointed. He was beginning to lose faith that he would ever find anyone, and was starting to think he would die miserable and alone.

  “If I don’t find someone next year, maybe we should be roommates,” he said, feeling tipsy from his third glass of champagne.

  “It’s a deal,” she said, reaching out her delicate chocolate-colored hand for him to shake.

  “You got it, sister,” he said.

  She giggled and excused herself to go back to the bridal table. Stephanie looked lovely in the rose-pink dress Cici had picked out for the bridesmaids. It really was a shame—she was a beautiful and intelligent woman who any man would be lucky to have as a mate. He would be lucky to have her as a mate too. But she just wasn’t the one. He felt sorry for them both, and made his way to his table where his steak was ready and waiting for him. He dug into his meal, feeling better with a little food in his stomach.

  Later, he watched the bride and groom as they cut the cake, baked by Grayson Baxter, Fate Valley’s resident shifter baker. He owned the Fate Valley Café and Bakery. Benjamin enjoyed going there for a cup of coffee in the morning and one of Grayson’s famous blueberry scones. Grayson hadn’t found a mate either and Benjamin had to console himself with that fact. Not that he felt better because his friend was also lonely, but it did m
ake it easier to continue to hold on and wait for that special someone.

  He ate his piece of cake and savored the flavor of the lemon zest with buttercream frosting. As a confectioner, he had a sweet tooth through and through, and treats like a wedding cake really gave him a buzz. He was feeling better after the cake, champagne, and steak, and when Thorian and Cici began to open their presents, he cheered, and laughed, and clapped along with the rest of the guests.

  When they opened his gifts, (a box of his finest chocolate-covered strawberries, fine crystal champagne flutes and a CD of love songs), everyone oo’ed and awed at the romantic offering.

  As the wedding came to a close, Benjamin felt warmth in his heart for the happiness of Thorian and Cici. He wished them all the happiness in the world as they made their way to the Fate Rock Cabin for their honeymoon. They would be tucked away in the cabin on Valentine’s Day while everyone was at the founder’s statue installation in the town square.

  He wondered if they would be too busy to make it or if they would come. But from what he knew about most shifters on their honeymoons, they tended to get a little distracted by each other. He didn’t blame them, and he hoped that when he finally found his special someone, it would be the same for him.

  Chapter 4

  When Samantha emerged from the steamy bathroom wrapped in a towel, she took a deep breath and inhaled the aroma of coffee brewing in her hotel coffee pot. With the sleep washed from her eyes, and the fog clearing from her brain, she slipped into her clothes and poured herself a cup. The taste of coffee on her tongue, first thing in the morning, helped clear the cobwebs from her mind and helped her focus on her task for the day.

  It was Valentine’s Day. But that wasn’t the important part. Today was the moment when the statue of Fate Valley’s founder would be installed in the town square. Ambrose Valentine Morgan, her distant relative. Today she hoped that she would gain further insight into her relationship with him.

  After dressing and slipping on her boots, she made her way to the Fate Valley Diner. She was met by the same waitress from the day before and sat in a booth, perusing the menu for her breakfast. She finally settled on a Spanish omelet with hash browns, fruit on the side, and as much coffee as Debbie could bring her.

  She sat reading the paper, which was full of articles about the usual small-town goings-on. The biggest news was the statue being installed and the paper was filled with announcements about the event.

  There was a brief article with a biography of Ambrose Morgan on page three. It was about how he had come from St. Louis to prospect the area for the dam that would fill the valley and create the vast reservoir that had come to be known as the Lake of the Fates. The resulting hydroelectric plant powered half of the state and was one of the most important energy supplies in this part of the country.

  When she was finished reading the article, Debbie brought her meal and she dug in, hungrily eating her omelet and hash browns. She loved the taste of small-town diner food. There was nothing quite like it in New York City.

  Sipping her coffee, she flipped through the paper and read an article about a small statue of a lion that had been flipped upside down in front of the town hall. The statue’s head was crushed and had to be replaced. Police had arrested several members from a group called Midwest Mayhem. Samantha had heard something about the traveling pranksters before. They were punk rock anarchists who liked to make trouble all over the area.

  She flipped to the back of the paper to the classifieds. She saw that same advertisement for the Mate.com dating website and sighed.

  “Lonely on Valentine’s Day?” it said. “Find your mate and don’t waste another minute being alone.”

  She closed the paper, drumming her fingers on the laminate tabletop. There were a lot of shifters in Fate Valley. She knew that shifters mated with their one special someone called their fated mate, and that no one else would do. She herself hadn’t given much thought to dating or mating.

  Growing up a foster child had not been easy. So, Samantha had done everything in her power to go to college and have a career that could support her. She felt grateful every day that she got to write for the Historic Times, it was a true blessing. But sometimes she really did feel lonely.

  A couple in the booth across from her were speaking softly as they sat close together and shared a piece of apple pie with whipped cream on top. She let out a long sigh and picked up her cell phone, unconsciously clicking over to the dating site. It was as if she was possessed by the spirit of St. Valentine himself as she filled out the profile and answered the questionnaire.

  The questions were strange, and she didn’t understand how they could possibly match her with her perfect someone. But after she clicked enter and her matches began to load, she suddenly snapped back to reality. What was she doing? She was here on a research trip, not to find a mate! She had to go back to New York in a few days. What if her mate lived in Fate Valley or some other shifter community?

  Shifters tended to live in small towns so that their animals could be close to the wilderness, whereas she was from the biggest metropolis in the entire country. It just wouldn’t work out. But her curiosity got the best of her when the matches loaded. Her heart started to thwack in her chest as she scrolled down the page through the less-than-perfect matches. She gulped and scrolled past the 97% match and the screen kept going.

  And then, there he was. Her 100% match. The most drop-dead gorgeous man she’d ever seen in her life. His profile name was Candy Bear. How enticing could you get? Her heart fluttered and so did her eyelids as she slid down in the chair as if melted by the heat of his piercing gaze. She had to fan herself with her hand to cool down. Debbie came over at that moment to refill her coffee.

  “Something got you all hot and bothered, hon?” Debbie asked, filling her porcelain cup.

  Her throat all choked up, Samantha couldn’t speak. All she could do was show Candy Bear’s profile picture to Debbie.

  “You’ve been matched with Benjamin Darling?” Debbie said, slapping her thigh. “Oowee, he’s going to be happy. You sure are a catch. Such a lovely young woman. Benjamin’s been waiting a long time. Wait till I tell everybody in town.”

  Samantha gulped down the lump in her throat and finally found her voice.

  “Please don’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t know what got into me. I’m from New York City. I can’t get involved with a shifter from Fate Valley. I’m here on a research trip, not a mate trip.”

  “Just wait till you meet Benjamin.”

  “Please don’t tell anyone. I’m begging you.”

  “Well, he’ll find out soon enough,” Debbie said. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled. Now, you be good to that boy, you hear?” Debbie said, giving Samantha a hard look.

  Samantha gulped again, knowing she was in trouble. She’d made a grave mistake. She never should’ve signed up for the mating website. She needed to find out how Ambrose Valentine Morgan ended up on her genealogy report. It just didn’t make any sense that they were related. They were completely different.

  She had to solve the mystery. It had been driving her for months. Finding a mate was the last thing on her mind before this morning, but here she was, staring at the picture of this gorgeous bear, whose name apparently was Benjamin Darling.

  Benjamin Darling a.k.a. Candy Bear. She gulped, almost tasting his sweetness on her lips. She was going to have to pull herself together fast because the statue installation ceremony was about to begin in just a few minutes.

  “Thank you for breakfast,” Samantha said, throwing some bills on the table.

  “Don’t you go breaking that boy’s heart,” Debbie said. “You’ll have a lot of angry shifters on your back if you do.” She chuckled.

  Samantha looked back at Debbie, her mouth dropping. Her heart raced with terror. Would shifters really come after her if she didn’t mate with this guy? Debbie only chuckled again, and Samantha hurried away, shaking her head in disbelief. She was so confused, she co
uld barely think. Once outside, remembering why she was here, she pulled her camera out of her backpack. She went into the town square, joining the rest of the crowd gathered around the statue platform.

  The morning sun was bright in the clear blue sky. Yellow beams of light cast long shadows across the ground. The mayor, a grizzly shifter as far as Samantha knew, stood at the podium and began to give his address to the people of Fate Valley. Samantha began clicking photographs and she turned on her audio recorder for the speeches. This would all be excellent fodder for her article in the Historic Times.

  “We are gathered to honor our founder Ambrose Valentine Morgan. Everyone in Fate Valley knows he loved Valentine’s Day. He was the man who created the Lake of the Fates and brought all of us to this beautiful land. Without him, none of us would be here today.”

  Most of the audience cheered, but Samantha could hear a few people booing somewhere off in the distance. She looked around, not sure who it was. She took pictures of the crowd, and ran across a few scowling faces. Was that a mohawk? She tried to zoom in on them to get a better picture, but they turned away and walked off. She shrugged it off and went back to recording the ceremony. The high school marching band began to play Stars and Stripes Forever. The crane holding the statue slowly settled it down onto the podium where it would rest forever.

  She zoomed in on the stone sculpture. Ambrose now stood above the crowd, pointing out with one hand as his other hand shielded his eyes from the sun. She zoomed in on the plaque and clicked a picture of the inscription.

  “For the love of family and the progress of mankind.”

  Samantha scratched her chin. She knew that the hydroelectric plant had benefited a lot of people, bringing electricity to many families who hadn’t had it before. But she still didn’t have an answer to her most pressing question. How was she related to Ambrose Morgan?

  As she contemplated her distant ancestor, she glanced up across the square and saw him. Candy Bear stood in front of Fate Valley Confections, looking tastier than a caramel-covered apple. She had to steady herself on a street lamp to keep her legs from buckling under her. The man was a mountain of a bear, sexy and stunning. His heavy muscled chest and piercing eyes did not say candy maker. They said pure man.