by Sable Sylvan
“Pepper, do you have a moment?” asked a voice.
“Hi — yeah, do I know you?” asked Pepper, turning to face the man speaking to her, who was facing the table from the maze side.
“My apologies,” said the man. “My name’s Jasper. I work with Patricia.”
“Uh…as in you’re Jasper Dixon, the bakery owner, the uber-boss?” asked Pepper sheepishly. “Sorry I didn’t recognize you!”
“Well, you’ve been busy coming up with the best pumpkin pie recipe in town,” said Jasper. “Hard to do that and keep up with billionaire drama. My family’s in the car, so I want to make this quick. I love the pie, and I think it should be sold at your Bear Claw Bakery — and only at yours.”
“Oh, so you don’t want to take it nationwide?” asked Pepper, her stomach turning. “I’m sorry it wasn’t good enough.”
“The problem is it’s too good,” said Jasper. “I think the pie is absolute perfection — so cutting costs and substituting ingredients, well, that’s just not right. It’d be a dishonor to you, and to the pie. But…well, I shouldn’t be saying this, so can I trust you three to keep a secret?”
“Yeah,” said Pepper, and Oliver and Peter agreed with nods.
“I’m thinking about opening a fancier line of bakeries, and I think this recipe would be perfect for that set of bakeries,” said Jasper. “The prices would be higher, the bakers would be the cream of the crop, and it would be a perfect autumn flagship product.”
“You…you really think my pie is good enough for that?” stammered Pepper.
“Yes — but because it’s going to take a while for me to put my plans into action, I’d like to honor you and your recipe by including it in the Bear Claw Bakery autumn cookbook for the next year,” said Jasper.
“Aren’t you worried people will just make the recipe from the book instead of coming into the store?” asked Peter.
“Many of our recipes are shared openly, and business is booming,” said Jasper. “I think people will see how much care is put into these pies and realize that coming to Bear Claw Bakery, and getting it from the best bakers in the biz, makes more sense than making it from scratch. And, hey — for the bakers that can manage to make it, well, maybe it’ll lead to them getting a job at Bear Claw Bakery.”
“Wow, that’s a wonderful way of looking at it,” said Oliver.
A car beeped in the lot.
“If you’ll excuse me, that’s my family, waiting on me,” said Jasper. “Be well.”
“Be well,” agreed Pepper.
“Wow — congrats, Pepper!” said Oliver. Oliver and Peter drew Pepper in for the best kind of hug — a werebear hug.
“Now, I think we have a haunted maze to run,” said Pepper with a wink. “Don’t worry, boys — if you get too scared, I’ll hold you tight.”
“Oh, ho, ho,” laughed Peter, sweeping Pepper up into his arms. “I don’t know how you’ll do that if I’m carrying you through this.”
“Why would you carry me through the maze?” asked Pepper.
“Because it’s romantic,” said Peter.
“Because he likes to feel you squirm,” retorted Oliver.
“Peter! You perv!” said Pepper, pushing on Peter — and squirming.
“You want me to put you down?” asked Peter.
“No — never,” said Pepper. “Plus…my were-dogs are barking. Are we going to do this maze or what?”
“Of course we are,” said Oliver. “After all — we have to win that free pie at the end. I heard that it’s made by this curvy baker and that her recipe is the best in town…”
Epilogue
As soon as Pepper shut the door to the rust bucket, she smelled it — the crisp, sweet scent of apples. Pepper walked through the food court style area at the front of the orchard. Glasses of hot spiced cider and sparkling cider and apple juice were flowing.
The group grabbed a bag of little brown sugar and cinnamon covered apple cider donuts as well as a large bottle of apple juice to share.
They each grabbed a basket for apple picking and headed out into the orchard. The sun was low in the sky. It was getting cooler by the hour. Everyone was bundled up.
Pepper was wearing one of her pumpkin-colored hat and infinity scarf sets speckled with brown, yellow, and red. She had on a nice warm hunter green sweater and a brown quilted vest with gold hardware. She had on flannel lined jeans in black and a pair of marionberry black-purple knockabout boots.
Oliver and Peter were wearing their regular work clothes — jeans, flannel shirts, work boots. They didn’t need much more to stay warm in that weather. Shifters ran hot, from their hearts to their heinies.
The sun had fallen toward the horizon like a golden delicious apple falling from the tree and ripening and changing into a pink lady apple as it hit the ground. The three baskets were full. Oliver had a bushel of Gravenstein apples he was going to turn into cider for the next Grizzlyfir party. Peter had picked out a batch of delicate Golden Russet apples for the Hemlock Crew chef, who would be serving them with an autumn charcuterie board dinner, a New American smörgåsbord of all types of grilled and smoked meats and Bear Claw Bakery breads and local cheeses.
Of course, all three members of the trio would go to those events as the ménage was going swimmingly. Pepper didn’t need to worry about dividing her time.
Pepper was just finishing up on filling up her basket with Northern Spy apples, perfect for baking into pies. Pepper couldn’t reach the last apple, the perfect apple she watched stir slightly as an autumn gust passed through the orchard like a wild tornado through Kentucky.
Oliver kissed Pepper’s outreached hand and put his own basket of apples down. He scampered up into the tree, careful not to put his weight down too hard. In under thirty seconds, he had the apple in his hand and was rubbing it off on his flannel shirt.
“You know…this orchard is proof love is like apples,” said Oliver
“How is love like apples?” asked Pepper.
“At its best, its sweet, delicious, and fills you up,” said Oliver.
“But…love, like apples, need to ripen,” said Peter. “Love, like apples, can rot — but we promise to never, ever let our love for you fade.”
Oliver jumped down from the branch and landed like a cat. He got down on his knee and reached into his pocket. He pulled out an ornately engraved orange wooden box. Oliver had been in an apple tree, but he didn’t have a fruit in his hand. He had a vegetable — a pumpkin, complete with tiny green top and spiraling vines.
Pepper’s hands flew to her face. Peter flipped the box open and got on his knee beside Oliver while holding one of Pepper’s hand, so it went from her cheek to sloping down toward the two werebears.
“Pepper…you’re the apple of our eye,” said Oliver.
“Will you do us the great honor of marrying us?” asked Peter, taking the ring out of the box. The ring glistened in the sunset.
The top of the ring had a shape covered in tiny yellow and orange diamonds — a pumpkin. A green-gold band striped with yellow gold ran in a circle. On top of the pumpkin, there was a tiny stem made of yellow gold with two leaves in green gold, so small it could almost be missed.
“You’re our pumpkin, pumpkin,” said Oliver with a wink.
“Of course I’ll marry you two,” said Pepper. Peter slipped the ring onto Pepper’s finger. Peter and Oliver stood. Oliver pulled Pepper up into his arms and kissed her right on the lips. When Pepper came up for air, Oliver leaned in to press his lips against hers, and Peter gently smooched her cheek.
Finally, Oliver and Peter the pumpkin eaters had a wife, and they could keep her.
Well — they’d have a wife, once certain arrangements were made. Of course, the most important of planning the wedding was getting a dang good cake.
“What? That’s fantastic news!” said Patricia. “I just can’t believe it took so long. Alright. Of course. I’ll keep the secret. Great. See you three soon!”
“Who was that?” Terrence asked
sarcastically, as he already had an inkling of who’d called.
“Pepper, Oliver, and Peter,” said Darius.
“Uh…you don’t know that,” said Patricia.
“Patty, when you lie, you tap your feet,” said Darius.
Patricia discreetly peeked down at her feet. She was not frikkin’ tapping her feet!
“Wouldn’t’ve looked if you weren’t lying,” said Terrence.
“Get’s’m every time,” agreed Darius.
“Wait — you both know this trick?” asked Patricia. “Whatever. Well…yeah, it was them.”
“And they’re engaged,” stated Terrence.
“No,” said Patricia.
“That wasn’t a question — that was a statement,” said Terrence. “You always act the same way when you get that call — so frikkin’ excited.”
“Well…act surprise when you find out that they’re engaged,” said Patricia.
“Confirmed it,” said Darius, shaking his head. “But…I’ll pretend I’m surprised.”
“Anything you tell us stays in this room,” promised Terrence, acting overly solemn to try and get a laugh out of Patricia.
“You know…I heard a rumor,” started Patricia.
“Well, you know what they say about rumors…” started Darius.
“That you should always share them with your friends?” asked Terrence. “Tell us — I mean, me — everything.”
“Well, all I’m saying is, this haunted pumpkin patch, it gave my boss an idea,” started Patricia.
“Trust me — we, I mean, I know,” said Darius. “We’ve been around for that ride.”
“Okay, well, you asked for the whole story!” said Patricia. “It’s my story, and I’m gonna tell it the way I want! Anyway. As I was saying…this year’s haunted pumpkin patch gave my boss Jasper an idea. You know that old abandoned place near Main Street?”
“Of course we — ” started Terrence, before Darius shot him a glare. “No. Never heard of it.”
“Well, it’s this very spooky old house, and Jasper wanted us to use it for seasonal stuff — like maybe…a Halloween pop-up shop?” suggested Patricia.
Darius had to pretend he didn’t know any of this and it was pretty frikkin’ hard. “Okay, and?”
“Well, the gal I sent to run it, Jasmine? She ended up meeting these two random guys from these two lumber crews,” said Patricia. “You see, what a lumber crew is, is —”
Patricia stopped and looked from Terrence’s face to Darius’ face and back before she bowled over laughing.
“I can’t…ha! You two! You’re trying so hard not to laugh! Ha!” said Patricia. “Well, Jasmine fell for John and Thomas, and you know that old rhyme about the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker? All I can say is…rub-a-dub-dub, three mates in a tub…”
Sneak Peek: Candles, Bakers, and Bears
This is an unedited Sneak Peek. The final product will be edited!
Rub-a-dub-dub, three mates in a tub…
Curvy candlestick maker Jasmine Candler isn’t looking for love. She’s content with her life working at the Bear Claw Bakery, staying out of trouble, but when she runs into alpha lumberjacks John and Thomas, all bets are off. Fate's filled the tub and lit the candles. Will Jasmine slip under the bubbles and rub-a-dub-dub her bad boy bears, or will she just end up with pruny toes?
Jasmine's the resident candlestick maker at the Bear Claw Bakery. From birthday candles to scented pillar candles and fancy jar candles, she's their part time fondant artist, full time wax sculptor. Jasmine's about to learn that the only power strong enough to mold the sticky wax of true love is Fate. This curvy BBW is Fate's latest target...along with two lumber bears and one big, hot tub of bubbles. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, will the two bears win over Jasmine as a double?
When Grizzlyfir Crew lumberjack John Dallas scents Jasmine, he knows the curvy bakery worker is his fated mate. Jasmine's as sweet and thick as her candles. That's how John knows Jasmine is his true love. All he has to do is convince her that he's her fairytale prince...just in a ratty flannel shirt and rust bucket instead of on a white horse, wearing shining armor. The only problem is, they've gotten off on the wrong foot...so how will he earn her hand?
The last place bad boy Thomas Colmer expects to find his fated mate is at the frikkin' Bear Claw Bakery. When he sees her talking to his rival, this muscular grizzly knows he's going to have to fight to win his mate, but his rival might just reveal his secret. Can this Hemlock Crew werebear convince Jasmine he's more than just a lumberjackass?
Pepper Reed sat on the wrap-around deck of Bear Claw Bakery and looked over their yearly pumpkin patch. The pumpkins had grown in nicely, in shades of orange and white and green. She couldn’t wait until she got to arrange the pumpkins in a cute display in the display case of the Bear Claw Bakery’s main cafe area. She didn’t want to go into the patch until the apiarist came to collect his beehives.
She sipped her pumpkin latte. Unlike many other cafes, the Bear Claw Bakery’s cafes made their pumpkin lattes with both pumpkin spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of vanilla, as well as with a special pumpkin syrup made with real pumpkin pie filling. The top of her pumpkin latte had a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkled with pumpkin pie spices. She sat on the porch with her latte, eating a breakfast sandwich, when her boss, Patricia, came out to the porch.
“Hey, Patricia,” said Pepper, looking over her boss, who had a pile of lights in her arms. “Need any help with that?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” said Patricia. “I’ve got help.”
Patricia held the door open and out came two familiar faces — Darius and Terrence, the bosses of the two local lumber crews. Pepper knew the two disliked each other, and that the only person that could bring them together was Patricia. Like everyone else in town, Pepper had a suspicion about why the two werebears would put their differences aside for Patricia…
“Hey, Darius,” said Pepper. “Hey, Terrence. Helping hang the seasonal lights?”
They both nodded and started setting out their equipment on the well-worn tables on the deck.
“This year, we’re doing things differently,” said Patricia. “Every season, I change out the lights — and it’s super annoying. It takes me a whole frikkin’ day!”
“You mean it takes us a whole day,” quipped Terrence.
“I like spending the day with you, Patty,” said Darius.
“You two might be the only ones that can get away with calling me that,” said Patricia, rubbing her temples. “Anyway. It takes them a whole day to hang these lights up for me because we have to take down the old lights, put up new lights, and haul all this junk out of storage. Well…Darius asked why we don't just use the same lights all year round."
“That’s a good question — why don’t we just hang up some plain white lights and call it a year?” asked Pepper.
“Well — that’s what I was thinking,” admitted Patricia. “But, I know our customers love the atmosphere we have here at the bakery, and I didn’t want our bakery to become boring. So, Terrence had the great idea of installing some special lights.”
“Special lights?” asked Pepper.
“LED bulbs, that can change color, that you can program on your phone or computer,” explained Terrence. “I set them up for my mom a few years back. It’s a higher up-front cost, but it’ll save all of us time over the years.”
“Heck, it’ll save me time and money immediately,” said Darius. “Taking a day off to do this, well, it ain’t cheap — although of course, I’d do it for you, Patricia.”
“Oh, stop,” said Patricia, blushing. “Anyway — with these special lights, we can have them set up with, say, red and green for Christmas, or Christmas light colors like red, green, blue, yellow, and pink.”
“For the Fourth of July, you could have them in red, blue, and white,” commented Patricia. “What’s the first set of colors you want to try?”
“Well…that’s the thing,” said Patricia. “I
’m a little lost on that. Red, orange, and brown is a little too warm and dark for the deck. It’ll make people feel like they’re in a frikkin’ fireplace. I like fireplaces…but being in a fireplace, that’s not appealing.”
“How about pumpkin colors?” asked Pepper.
"I just said orange is too fiery," replied Patricia.
"No, look," said Pepper, motioning out at the pumpkin patch. "We've got white pumpkins, green pumpkins, and orange pumpkins. How about a warm white light, a nice greenish-yellow white light, and a pale orange-white light? Pepper in a few brighter green and orange bulbs in the mix, if you can do that in the settings."
"It'd look like a pumpkin patch," mused Patricia. "That's an adorable idea, Pepper."
"You know, you can get special covers for these lights," said Darius. "There are all kinds of shapes — stars, hearts, and I swear I saw some pumpkins, skulls, and Halloween stuff."
“I thought you thought these lights were too fancy,” said Terrence.
“Well, Patricia was into them, so I checked them out,” grumbled Darius.
“I can program in those colors,” said Terrence. “What’re you planning on doing with the pumpkin patch anyway?”
“What kind of a question is that?” asked Darius, still grumbling.
“Well, whatever we do, we have to wait until the beekeeper comes by to collect his beehives,” said Patricia, waving over toward the pumpkin patch. “He needed to leave them here for an extra week because something came up with some of his other hives.”
“And once they’re gone?” asked Terrence.
“We’ve always sold the pumpkins inside the cafe, but…business is booming, and we won’t have room inside the cafe for a display,” said Patricia. “Heck, we already barely have space for all our customers in the afternoon and at night.”
“All those high school kids love the bakery,” commented Pepper. “It’s too bad we can’t just set up a booth out in the patch and use it to sell the pumpkins.”