by Sable Sylvan
“Nope,” said Cedar.
“Then we’re going to need to get needles, and a pattern book,” said Talia, taking the three sample skeins of yellow, blue, and pink yarn to the counter. “Aunt Bertha, we need as many of these as you’ve got. In total, there need to be twenty of the pink, twenty of the blue, and forty of the yellow. If we don’t have them, we’re going to do a delivery. I also need a basket, the biggest one we have, and with baby themed decorations.”
“You got it, Talia,” said Aunt Bertha with a wink, heading to the backroom to prepare the gift basket.
“Your grandma will need big needles for the blankets in this book,” said Talia, pulling out a big book from the bookshelf and handing it to Cedar to hold. Cedar took the book: nobody had recruited him for manual labor, other than his grandma, in the longest time...and he liked Talia’s take-charge attitude. She also knew her stuff about knitting: very few of the women he knew actually worked, but Talia was obviously not only a hard worker, but passionate about her job. Seeing her light up as she talked about yarn melted his heart.
“Over here, we’ve got the needles,” said Talia, leading Cedar to the needle section. The needles were in drawers, organized by gauge, and she picked a set of size twelve needles, made of wood.
“Are you sure those aren’t drumsticks?” joked Cedar.
“Nope, to make those big blankets, your grandma needs big needles,” said Talia with a smile. It was rare she got to nerd about knitting with people that actually cared. “Think she’ll be able to handle them?”
“If grandma can handle a Port Jameson winter, she can handle those needles,” said Cedar. “Is that all she’ll need?”
“Yeah, but we do offer knitting lessons,” said Talia. “And I can do house calls too. I’ll put a card and a coupon for six hours of free lessons into the gift basket. That should be enough to teach your grandma to make at least one or two blankets.”
“Talia, you’re too kind, I can pay for the lessons,” said Cedar.
“Cedar...you’ve made the biggest purchase I’ve seen working here, and I’ve worked here since I was thirteen,” said Talia. “Your grandma can get free lessons. It’s the least I can do.”
“Well, I can’t thank you enough, this’ll really make my grandma’s birthday special,” said Cedar, following Talia to the counter. Talia dropped the needles and book off with her aunt who was making the basket and came back out.
“You sure your grandma doesn’t want jewelry or something?” asked Talia.
“My grandma? No frikkin’ way,” said Cedar. “That woman has bent over backwards for everyone her whole life, and wouldn’t have it any other way. The biggest present I can give her is a gift that keeps on giving.”
“That’s really sweet,” said Talia, her heart melting at Cedar’s words. “That’s...really, really, sweet.”
Aunt Bertha carried out the basket. Layers of pink and blue tulle coated the bottom of a wicked basket like cotton candy. Ten balls of blue yarn, the book, and the heavy knitting needles were inside, and covered with another layer of tulle, tied with a bow at the top.
“So, there’s the eighty skeins of cashmere yarn at fifty dollars a skein...size twelve knitting needles, wooden, twenty dollars...the book is thirty...the gift wrapping is on the house...that’s...four thousand and fifty dollars,” said Talia. She took a second look at the screen. “Yup. Four thousand and fifty bucks.”
“Perfect, do I meet the credit minimum?” joked the man.
“Of course,” said Talia. “How many cards are you going to need to use?”
“Just one. I’m actually staying in town,” said the man with a smile. “If you end up having that birthday party, let me know so I can invite myself.” The man passed his business card over the counter with his credit card, which was pitch black and felt hefty.
Talia read the business card: Cedar Asher, Asher Lumber Co. There was no title listed but Talia recognized the name Asher Lumber Co.: it was the company that owned the mill in town and the tree farms in the area. She turned it over: no other info was on it, except his mobile number.
“Let’s see if your card works,” said Talia, and she ran the card through the machine on the counter. After a second, there was a beep and a light: she read the screen. “It says here you’re approved.” She passed him back his black card and a receipt, the business card still in her hand.
“I can’t thank you enough,” said Cedar with a wide smile. He put his card back in the wallet and folded the receipt neatly. As Cedar picked up the basket, Talia couldn’t help but notice how thick Cedar’s arms were, practically bursting the suit at the seams, the muscles bulging against the fabric, and once Cedar turned...the tension between them didn’t snap. It intensified, and although Talia wanted to say something, anything, Cedar was already on the way out. The bear shifter left with the big gift basket, the bells of the door jingling.
Talia’s third aunt, her aunt Lorraine, came out from the backroom. “Talia...why does it say we’ve made over four thousand dollars today on the computer?” asked Aunt Lorraine.
“Because she just sold four thousand and fifty dollars of yarn to Cedar Asher,” said Aunt Bertha with pride.
Talia frowned. She hadn’t shown them the receipt or the man’s card. “Aunt Bertha, how do you know his name?”
“Because he’s the last of the eligible Ashers in the Pacific Northwest, you know, the big lumber company?” said Aunt Helen. “Everyone’s wondering who the next woman will be to join the Asher family. He’s practically a celebrity...although he’s one of the more reclusive of the Asher boys, just like his two cousins, who are also C-level execs at Asher Lumber. That clan has so many eligible young men of a marriageable age. I hear he’s looking for his fated mate.”
“Well, it certainly won’t turn out to be me,” said Talia with a laugh. Cedar was handsome, but he wasn’t a man from around here. The Port Jameson men loved thick women...but would a big shot big city billionaire appreciate her curves? “Can you imagine me, a billionaire’s trophy wife? Plus, I bet all the billionaires tell women they’re looking for their fated mate, to, well...you know.” Talia thought back to the summer after high school: so many boys had asked her out, coming up with half-assed excuses as to why she must be their fated mate, but Talia knew that the only way that the shifters could confirm whether or not she was really their fated mate was by...well, mating.
“You should call him,” said Aunt Helen. “Have some fun while he’s in town.”
“Aunt Helen! I’m sure he only gave me his card as a joke,” said Talia, looking at the card she was still holding in her hand. “Besides, I’m too busy with the store.”
“Well, you’re going to have to call him,” said Aunt Bertha, looking at the counter. “Because he forgot something. Something big.”
About The Author
I’m Sable Sylvan, and the only thing I love more than reading hot paranormal romances is writing down my fantasies and sharing them with readers like you. My heroes are strong alpha male shifters who can be grizzly and gruff at times...but when it comes to their mates, they turn into absolute teddy bears. The curvy heroines in my stories are strong, sassy women, and that’s why the bear shifter men who love them will do anything for their fated mates.
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Goldilocks And The Three Bear Shifters
Little Red Riding Bears
Three Grizzlies Gruff
The Shifter Princes
Shifterella And The Billionaire Bear
Beauty And The Billionaire Bear
Sleeping BBW And The Billionaire Bear
Rapunzel And The Billionaire Bear
Seattle’s Billionaire Bears
Rumpled Bear Skin (coming soon)