It's been a while since you'd moved to the big city, and you were more than exhausted with the 'city life' and just wanted some peace and quiet. You'd expected it to be a change, but you'd never expected the city that never sleeps to not actually let you sleep.
You often dreamt of the life you'd had in your small hometown, and the much calmer atmosphere.
As luck would have it, at your job one day, a coworker of yours told you about a wonderful little town nearby that they'd spent a bit of time at visiting family.
"I could never get used to living there," they were saying, as you listened raptly. "It's just so crazy quiet all the time, and I just... need the noise, you know?"
You nodded, but secretly thought to yourself that they were insane for thinking like that. You spent the next half hour listening to their story to get as much details as you could; you were already making plans.
That weekend, you sighed in joy as you finally broke free of the traffic and escaped from the city for the upcoming week. You'd been saving up vacation hours for the last half a year, but you'd never been able to figure out where to go. And since the deadline to use those vacation hours was rapidly approaching, you decided to turn them in all at once and take a week away from the insanity of the city.
However, a bit later...
"What amazing luck," you mutter to yourself as you backtrack for the third time, having missed yet another turn.
If you didn't know where you were going, you'd never make it there. The number of very specific turns you had to take were really up there. Finally, after about a two-hour drive, you pass the welcome sign on the outskirts of town and sigh happily. The difficult part of the drive was over.
Where you were headed was a charming little bed-and-breakfast on the far side of town. You slow down and look over the clean, bright main street, and already feel yourself relaxing. You make it to the B and B a short few minutes later and go to unpack your luggage from the trunk when the front door opens, and an older woman steps out with a smile on her face.
"Hello, there! We just finished getting your room ready," she says with a laugh. "You've got amazing timing."
"I waste no time starting my vacations," you say with a grin, and she laughs again. As you stoop to pick up your bags, she comes over, fussing at you playfully.
"You can leave those there, honey," she says as she directs your attention to the front door.
A huge black jackal-looking guy was just stepping through, and you can't help but feel nervous as he comes closer. He's immensely tall and broad-shouldered, and gave off the impression of being displeased by everything.
"My son, Bransen, can handle those for you," your hostess says, and you look between them in disbelief. How had that happened? You decide it's not the time to ask awkward questions, and instead allow yourself to be steered inside as Bransen easily hefts your luggage.
The older woman introduces herself as Gabrielle, and insists you call her Gabby during your stay. She's sweet and animated, and you have trouble pinning down her age, even with her snow white hair. Bransen walks past as Gabby explains everything that was planned locally for the next few days, and his gold eyes catch yours as he smiles slightly. You got the impression he was happy that his mother had some company.
A little later, when you've gone up to your comfortably furnished room and unpacked, there's a knock at the door. You open it, expecting to see Gabby there, but jump slightly to see the broad form of Bransen taking up the space outside the door. He smiles again, and clears his throat.
"Mom wanted me to go pick up some things for dinner and insisted I ask you if you'd like to go with me," he says with a mild eye roll. "As a sort of guided tour thing, I suppose."
You can't help but giggle at his reluctant attitude, but agree to the impromptu adventure, taking a moment to grab your coat before heading downstairs after him.
The next hour or so is very enjoyable, with Bransen giving you a small walking tour of the nearby area as he makes a few stops at the stores he needed to visit. You find yourself liking him, and realize that his gruff appearance was just external. As the afternoon wears on, Bransen warms up a little more, and starts joking a bit.
"And the final stop I have to make is by far the hardest," Bransen says as he sighs. "I never want to leave the place."
You giggle as he gestures, and see the sign proclaiming this as a bakery.
"Oh. Oh dear," you say softly, and Bransen's ears twitch toward you. "Pastries are my absolute weakness," you explain, and he chuckles.
"You and me both," he says as he holds the door open for you. "Between you and me, this guy makes the absolute best cannoli in town," he adds with a grimace, patting his stomach. You giggle at him and look around the place.
It's pleasantly decorated in a mixture of styles, and most of the chairs are mismatched in a charming way. Most of the walls are painted a pleasing shade of blue, and you wonder about the abundance of blue decor the longer you look around. The clear-front display cases are full of amazing sugary treats in various styles, and you see some you'd never seen before that looked delicious. The place is empty but for the two of you, it seemed, but after a moment, Bransen steps over and taps the bell on the counter.
"Hey, Calder; you in?" He calls toward the back, and you hear a clatter in response.
"Ah, hell; yeah, I'm in," a deep, smooth voice calls back, and you immediately wonder what the person looked like to have such a voice.
A moment later, both that and the abundance of blue is answered as a huge, blue-and-white minotaur steps out from the back. His horns are a shining black, and there's a gold cuff around each of them, and a square gold ring in his nose. "Hey, Bransen. Caught me in the middle of a quick inventory," he says with a grin. Suddenly, his eyes flick over to you, and you blush hotly. "Well, who's this pretty little thing? You seeing somebody behind my back, big boy?" Your heart races, and you look up as Bransen splutters awkwardly.
"What are you on about, you big blue ass?" he says finally. "You've got to stop saying stuff like that; you'll give folks the wrong idea," he says, rubbing his neck and looking down at you with an apologetic grin as Calder laughs. "Don't mind him," he says to you, "he's got the weirdest sense of humor." You sigh as Calder nods and waves a hand.
"Sorry about that," he says, stepping from around the counter. "I have a habit of messing with this big kid every time he comes in," Calder says as he throws an arm over Bransen's shoulders and roughly ruffles the big jackal's fur.
You notice that while Bransen was pretty big, Calder was somehow even bigger, and the shirt and apron he was wearing seemed barely able to contain the sheer bulk of muscle he had. Calder releases Bransen and steps toward you, huge hand extended.
"Name's Calder; baker and somewhat local celebrity," he says, and you take his hand gingerly.
His fingers close over your hand, and your face heats as you notice how dwarfed yours was in his. You look up and see his golden eyes twinkling as he delicately shakes your hand.
"Local celebrity...?" The question is out of your mouth before you can stop it, and he grins widely as he releases your hand and steps back behind the counter. Abruptly, he throws his powerful arms wide, the white underside of them clearly visible in the bright lights
"You're looking at the one and only blue minotaur known to current times, beautiful," he says with a grin, and Bransen puts his face in his palm, shaking his head as your face heats once more.
Calder's attitude dampens slightly as he adds: "Well, on this side of the country, at least."
Bransen fixes him with a one-eyed stare, and Calder deflates entirely. "Okay, fine: in this state."
"Now that's that actual truth," Bransen says with a grin, and Calder shrugs noncommittally.
You stare between them before bursting out in a fit of giggles. The two of them exchange glances before the same grin spreads across each of their faces. When you recover, Bransen clears his throat and pulls a slip of paper from the pocket of his jeans.
"Okay, back to business," he says, and Calder winks at you, making you blush again. "Looks like Mom just needs the same stuff as always, though..." Bransen pauses a moment, and Calder grins immensely.
"I've got four cannoli with your name on them," he puts in, and Bransen twitches visibly before sighing.
"Yes, please," he says, and Calder laughs. As the minotaur turns away, Bransen adds: "And whatever our new guest would like as well," to which Calder turns and looks at you expectantly.
You blink rapidly being put on the spot as such, and try to think.
"Well, I've heard really good things about the cannoli here," you say uncertainly, and Calder snorts lightly as Bransen's eyes widen in surprise.
"Got it," Calder says. He waves at the empty tables nearby. "Go have a seat, and I'll bring it all right out. And Bransen," he adds in a stern tone, "don't go making moves on your guest."
He retreats to the back, laughing, as Bransen jumps up from the seat he'd just taken with a growl.
"So, I take it you two have known each other for a long time, then?" You ask Bransen delicately as he sits back down with a huff.
"Yeah, it's been since Mom moved here when I was a kid," he shrugs. "Calder sort of took me under his wing and has acted like a big brother for me for most of my life," he looks toward the door to the back room as you notice a quiet humming coming from the doorway. "Honestly, without his support, I'd probably have gone bad along the way; it would have too easy. He's a joker, but he's got a hell of a good heart, and... I'm happy to have had him watching out for me."
You look up at Bransen as he passes a hand over his eyes, and look back toward the back room, thinking about Calder in a new light.
A moment later, the big blue minotaur steps out with a couple of bags clearly stuffed full of baked goods, and your eyes meet as he sets them on the counter. Your heart pounds as his gaze lingers on you, and his expression softens as he finally looks away. There was something there, but-
"Oh, hell," Calder says, stepping out from behind the counter with a tray full of pastries. He sets it on the table and rubs Bransen's head. "What're you crying for? I know I give you a hard time sometimes, but it's all in good fun." He pulls the jackal into a hug, which Bransen returns with a sniff.
"It's nothing," Bransen says thickly, his voice still heavy with emotion. "Just reminiscing about some stuff," he says, looking up at the taur with a smile.
"So long as nothing's wrong," Calder says gently, ruffling Bransen's fur. He looks over at you, his expression warm. It shifts abruptly as his eyes sparkle with mischief. "I'd hate for a first date to end in tears."
Bransen roars as he stands, tackling the big blue taur, who was laughing uproariously. You couldn't help but giggle at the antics of the two of them; they were obviously close, and after hearing Bransen's story, you were happy that they were. Finally, Calder wrestles Bransen into a half-nelson, and makes him sit down before letting him go.
"Alright, big boy; that's enough of that. Your sweets are getting cold," he says with a laugh, and Bransen sighs heavily.
"Okay, C," Bransen says, digging in his pocket. "How much do I own you?"
"Nah, it's on the house," Calder says, and Bransen makes a surprised noise. He turns toward you and winks. "To make up for your having to put up with our antics."
You blush and mumble your thanks as he turns and walks back behind the counter. Bransen stares after him for a moment before shaking his head and turning to the pile of cannoli on the table.
"Well, that's a surprise," he says quietly, and you make an inquiring noise. He glances up and leans forward, lowering his voice. "He always charges me; I don't know what's up with him." The two of you look at Calder's broad back as he busies himself behind the counter. Bransen shakes his head again. "Well, no sense looking a gift horse in the mouth," he says as he takes a cannoli. "Let's dig in."
You pick up one of the cream-filled pastries and take a small bite, and your eyes fly open wide as you stare at it.
This was the best thing you'd ever tasted.
The next little while is spent eating the tasty treats, with scattered conversation between you and Bransen about a few local events. When you finish, you sit back with a sigh.
"Well, that's just about the best compliment a baker could ask for," Calder says, and you look over to see him leaning on the displays with his chin in his hands, elbows on the counter. His eyes sparkle as he comes around and walks toward you. "After all, when you've got enough appetite for something I've made that you miss some," he says, gently wiping your cheek with his thumb, "I'd say it was a pretty successful batch."
He shows you the cream he'd wiped off your face before wiping it on his apron with a grin. Your face burns as you stare up at him, and you look over to see Bransen's jaw hanging open. Calder reaches over and closes Bransen's mouth, making the jackal blink rapidly as he apparently came back to himself.
Calder looks up at the clock and glances out the windows in the front of the shop. "Boy, you better get home," he says briskly, turning and grabbing the bags of goods off the counter. "It's getting late."
You and Bransen both look out and see that it was nearly dark outside. Bransen hops up and takes the bags from Calder, grimacing slightly.
"Oh, man; Mom doesn't like me out after dark," he says, and Calder steers him toward the door with both hands on the other's shoulders. "It's because a lot of folks get scared because they don't...well, can't... see me until I'm right next to them."
You nod; it was understandable. He was a full two heads taller than you, and you weren't on the short side yourself; the idea of him materializing out of the darkness next to you gave you a shiver.
"Yup. Now get moving; I'll call and let Gabby know that you were here entertaining your guest," he says, glancing at you.
As he pulls the door open and Bransen slips out into the evening air, Calder gently takes your hand and places a kiss on the back of it.
Your heart nearly explodes at the gesture, and his eyes meet yours again as he whispers: "And it was an absolute pleasure to meet you, my dear." Your eyes stay locked for a moment until he flicks them toward the door a couple times. "Better get moving, or your doggy escort might catch flies," he adds, and you look out to see Bransen's jaw hanging open again as he stare at the both of you.
You giggle nervously as Calder releases your hand, and you step out into the cool air as he reaches out and closes Bransen's mouth again.
"You really got to stop doing that, kid."
The walk back to the B and B is a little awkward, and Bransen was silent most of the way. You wondered why, but let him keep his silence until he was ready to talk to you about what was bothering him. Finally, as the lights of the old house came into view, Bransen stops and heaves a sigh, turning to you. His golden eyes glint in the darkness, and it makes you nervous for some reason.
"Okay, so I'm just going to come out and say it," he begins, and you brace yourself for.. what, exactly? "Calder is a ridiculous flirt, and I'm sorry if he freaked you out back there. He'd only just met you; what was he thinking?"
You relax a bit as Bransen sighs again. You shake your head and turn to keep walking.
"No, it's fine," you say with a smile. "I won't say I'm used to such attention, but it was... pretty nice, you know?" You giggle, and Bransen smiles in evident relief.
"Okay, great. I mean, I'm really glad he didn't chase off the one guest we've had this whole off-season," he says with a grunt, and you laugh. He looks over at you with a grin. "Though I gotta admit, what he was laying on you looked pretty good from the outside," he adds, and your face heats immensely as you look up to see his ears droop slightly. "Hopefully one day I'll find someone as smooth as him."
You blink for a moment before gently reaching up and patting his shoulder.
"I'm sure there's somebody out there for you," you say softly, and he looks over with a small smile.
"Yeah," his voice cracks a moment before he clears his throat and straightens up. "Just gotta keep going, right?" You nod, and he smiles again, but a bit more brightly. "Thanks for the support; let's get home before Mom comes out with a search party," he adds with a laugh, and you giggle as the two of you walk a bit faster.
The night closes in and Bransen escapes a major lecture from Gabby only because Calder had called ahead. You're relieved, since you'd had no intent of causing strife anywhere. The three of you sit down and have dinner together, with Gabby insistent on hearing your opinion of the town and the places you'd visited. She keeps you occupied all the way through dessert, and you find yourself yawning far earlier than you'd expected.
"Oh, goodness, I've just been talking your ear off, haven't I," Gabby says as you cover your mouth. She bustles about and shoos you up the stairs to your room with a smile. "It's been a long day of travelling for you; you should go up and get some rest. Would you like me to wake you in time for breakfast?" You nod with a smile, and she makes a quick note in her guestbook. "Alright, I'll see you in the morning, honey. Sleep well!"
You get up to your room and consider reading for a bit, but realize that you're actually sleepy and slip into bed after changing. You doze for a short while, but fall asleep quickly, the quiet of the inn lulling you into peaceful dreams.
The next morning, you're up before your wake-up call, and actually intercept Bransen on his way up the stairs to wake you. He leads you to the table before apologizing; he wouldn't be able to stay and show you around today like he'd planned. Something had come up with his aunt and he needed to go make sure things were okay.
"I'm sure it's nothing serious," he says as he opens the front door. "So I should be back before dark. Have fun today," he says as he steps out. As you're about to turn away, he sticks his head back in and adds: "And say hi to Calder for me."
You blush bright red as you turn toward him, but he ducks back out and closes the door, his laughter audible through it as you fume. You take a moment to think about why you're mad, and you figure out it's because you had been planning to go and see Calder today without really realizing it.
After breakfast, you fiddle around in your room, determined not to prove Bransen right, but... you grab you jacket and head out, sighing the whole way down the stairs. Dang it.
You decide to walk again today, as the weather was a bit overcast but nice, and it wasn't really that far to get where you needed to go. You can see Calder's bakery coming up, and you steadfastly march past it, determined (still) to try and prove Bransen wrong.
You discover that there was a lot of town you hadn't seen yet, and enjoy perusing the shops and public areas you stumble across. There was even an art show nearby, and you ended up spending a good deal of time there.
Each time you pass Calder's bakery, you pause and stare at the door before moving past. You felt foolish; you'd only met him yesterday - why did you need to see him again so soon? Finally, as the afternoon wears on, your stomach growls, and you sigh as it does so; you glance over and see the bakery right next to you.
"Well, the heart wants what the heart wants," you mutter to yourself as you grab the handle. You pause a moment before opening the door. "And if not that, then the stomach knows."
You step inside and sigh, the sweet scent of bread and pastries surrounding you. You look over to see Calder standing there, arms folded across his broad chest, one eyebrow up, with a crooked smile on his face.
"I was wondering when you'd actually come in," he says, and you blush all the way down your neck. "The windows are two-way, you know."
You stutter as you try to answer somehow, and he shakes his head.
"Don't even worry about it. I'm just glad to see you," he says with a smile. "Now, what are you here for? Me? Or-" Your stomach growls loudly, and Calder's eyes widen. He chuckles lightly as he waves you to a seat. "I guess that's my answer. Sit down, and I'll bring you something I just know you're going to like," he says with a wink, and your heart pounds as you sit at one of the small bistro tables.
You notice again that even though the display cases were half-empty, there wasn't anybody in the place. You wonder if it would be rude to ask about it, when suddenly Calder appears at your shoulder, tray in hand.
"What you looking at?" he says mischievously, and you jump slightly.
He sets the tray down and slides into the seat opposite you with a smile. He follows your gaze and nods.
"Yeah, most folks don't know how to slow down these days. Almost everything I sell is to-go," he says, unloading the tray. You notice that there's two plates and two cups of coffee, and look up at him in confusion.
"What, you think I'm going to pass up the chance to take a break with the beauty that just walked into my shop?" he says with a grin, and you look down as your cheeks burn.
He sets one of the plates in front of you, and you see it's a beautiful, cone-shaped flaky pastry filled with whipped cream and topped with powdered sugar. Your stomach growls at the sight and Calder laughs.
"Well, eat up," he says with a smile, and you gratefully pick up the fork and dig in.
Just like the canolli last night, it's the most amazing thing you'd ever tasted, but in an entirely different way. You go to take a sip of the coffee, but realize it looks much darker than you would normally take it. You look up and see Calder pause as he's about to take a bite of his own pastry.
"Take a sip," he says with a grin. "Trust me on this."
You look at him doubtfully, but take a small swig. Your eyes fly open as the flavors of the pastry and coffee intertwine, creating a delicious taste unlike anything you'd ever had before.
"This is amazing," you say with a gasp, and Calder chuckles.
"See? Trust me; I'll take good care of you," he says, and your face burns as his eyes widen as he realizes what he just said.
You stare at each other for a long moment before you both burst out in laughter. After a moment and catching your breath, you wipe the tears from your eyes and pick up your fork, still giggling a bit.
"I'm sure you will," you say quietly, and you can see Calder freeze in your peripheral vision.
You focus intently on the pastry in front of you, refusing to look up as he stares at you. He eventually goes back to eating, but you could tell he was thinking hard about something.
Finally, as you set your fork down, having finished, he takes your hands in his own. Your heart pounds as you look up into his eyes, and see the serious expression on his face. He leans forward a bit, and unconsciously, you do the same, and his lips part...
"I wanted to ask you something," he says softly, and you blink, coming out of the thoughts you were having with a start. "There's a celebration tomorrow night; the anniversary of the town's founding, and I was wondering..." he glances away, his voice cracking. He clears his throat and looks back, his eyes shining with something unidentifiable. "Would you go with me?"
You stare at him a long moment, his eyes darting back and forth between yours, and you gently squeeze his hands. His brow raises, and he leans forward even more. You hesitate just a moment before leaning forward and placing a small kiss on his lips. He jerks as though electrocuted and you pull back with a smile, cheeks absolutely on fire.
"You bet your biscotti I will," you say happily, and his jaw hangs slightly open as he processes what just happened. You reach out and gently lift his heavy chin to close his mouth, a wicked grin spreading across your face as you say: "You've really got to stop doing that."
Calder stares at you for a long, long moment before he finally speaks: "Kiss me again," he says, almost inaudibly.
His eyes search yours as you run your hand along the side his face, and before you can overthink it, you lean forward again and kiss him. He rumbles in his chest, and pulls you from your chair into his lap, wrapping you up in his strong, powerful arms. He holds you close, your lips pressed together, for... you don't even know how long. When you finally part, it felt like forever, but also only a second.
Calder looks down at you, his eyes shining, and smiles. "It's good to know that you didn't just come back because of my baking," he says, and you laugh and snuggle against his neck.
He holds you just a bit tighter as you share a sigh. A thought crosses your mind, and you giggle. Calder leans back and looks at you, a brow raised in question.
"It's funny; I come here just to get away for a week, and now I'm pretty sure I won't be able to ever leave," you say, still giggling. He smiles and kisses your forehead.
"Sure, you can leave," he says as he gently crushes you against his chest. "But you've got to promise to come back." You smack him on the arm a couple times before he lets go, laughing. "As it is, you've still got some time before you leave, right?"
You nod, and he grins. "Well, then, let's just enjoy that time together, shall we?"
Again, you nod, and he leans down, planting a soft kiss on your lips, and you sigh inwardly at the feeling.
After a bit more time spent in his arms, you finally have to leave. Calder keeps pulling you back, however, kissing you more, and while you couldn't complain about that, you did have to get back to the inn.
He finally lets you leave, albeit with a huge bag of treats and wistful eyes. You glance back now and then and he's still standing there, waving every time you look until the curve in the road takes him from your sight.
You return to the inn and as you close the door, you lean against it and sigh deeply, placing a hand over your racing heart as your mind spins over what just happened. Before you can recover your composure, Gabby comes around the corner and sees you. A knowing smile creeps over her face, and you knew you'd been caught.
"So," she says in a prompting way, and you can't help but smile. "Who's the lucky one?" As an answer, you lift the huge bag of baked treats, and she all but squeals in delight. "Oh, he's a good one, honey. He's got the biggest heart in town, and he'll use it to make sure you know just how he feels," she says as she takes the bag from you. "I'll put these away in the kitchen for you, but if you want some, I'll bring them right out."
She turns to leave, but you stop her. She looks back expectantly, and you suddenly get a case of nerves with what you were about to ask.
"Gabby, um," you fidget a bit, and her expression changes as her interest grows. "Calder asked me to the town founding celebration, and..." you gesture at yourself and she immediately grasps the problem.
"Oh, honey; you don't have anything nice to wear?" You shake your head.
"I'd only planned on a simple vacation; I didn't plan on falling for a huge blue bull," you say, and Gabby laughs.
"Okay, honey; let me put these away and I'll take you shopping. I know the absolute best place to go for this, and coincidentally," she says, leaning in conspiratorially, "I know I can get you a great deal and you'll still look amazing."
You smile gratefully, and she grins as she turns toward the kitchen.
The next few hours are spent at a lovely little formalwear shop, and you come out with an outfit that you felt was a little much, but Gabby insisted it was perfect. Thanks to her help, you got it for a steal, and you thanked both her and the owner profusely for their help with this.
Bransen comes home later and pounces on you, intent on finding out exactly what happened while he was gone, Gabby clearly having told him something beforehand. He listens in rapt attention as you recount the events, and when you finish, he congratulates you on your courage.
"That's more than I've ever done," he says, ears flattening. "Actually, way more; I've barely even talked to anyone I had feelings for." You pat him on the shoulder, and he sighs. "But you've inspired me; I'm going to go and ask them to the celebration tomorrow. And if they say no..." he trails off, and you lean toward him.
"If they say no, you come with me anyway and blow everybody away with how good you're going to look," you say, and he grins and chuckles.
His mood improves after that, though, and before you know it, the night is over and you're getting into bed. Your heart flutters as you think about Calder's arms around you, and you sigh as you sink into the soft mattress. Tomorrow night couldn't come fast enough.
The next day passes with a blur. You spend most of it getting dressed and undressed, looking at yourself in the mirror and trying to do something with your hair, which wasn't wanting to cooperate for some reason.
You try and fail to read a book to try and distract yourself from the butterflies you had. After reading the same page six times and not getting anything from it, you finally set it down and go for a walk, but away from town and into the nature preserve. Upon returning to the inn, Gabby gives you a note that had been delivered by 'one big blue bull', and your heart pounds as you open the envelop.
'Meet me in front of the bakery at twilight, my beauty' it read, and you noticed that where he'd signed it, he'd apparently gone to draw a heart and lost his nerve, trying to turn it into a flower of sorts. It made you smile; he was just as nervous as you, it seemed. Checking the time, you realize it was getting late, and hurry upstairs to get dressed.
A small eternity later, you emerge, finally having given up on your hair and just letting it do its own thing. At the bottom of the stairs stands Bransen, absolutely stunningly handsome in a suit that matched the color of his fur exactly but for the gold tie he was wearing. His jaw drops as he sees you, and you giggle as you reach the main floor.
"Well," you say, patting him on his chest, "If Calder falls through, I'd be more than happy to have you on my arm. You look fantastic." Bransen grins awkwardly, rubbing his neck.
"Yeah, about that..." he says, and you look up at him expectantly. His eyes flash as he looks at you. "They said yes! So I'm afraid I'll be unavailable once we get there," he adds with a grin, and you jump in joy for him and give him a big hug.
"Okay, honey; it's time," Gabby says, coming in from the other room. She's dressed in a beautiful silver gown with a matching shawl, and her snow-white hair is done up in a tight bun with a beautiful hairpin. "Let's knock 'em dead."
They drop you off just around the corner from Calder's bakery, as the main road was blocked off for the celebration. As you make your way toward the front of the store, you nervously fidget with your hair, still trying to get it to cooperate.
But as you turn the corner, you stop worrying entirely.
Calder was standing out in front of his shop, absolutely dashing in a deep navy suit that complimented his blue fur splendidly. The white shirt blended in with the white of the rest of his fur, and you noticed that while he wasn't wearing a tie, the look suited him perfectly.
As he looks around, he spots you, and his eyes sparkle as he takes a good long look before walking toward you.
"My word," he says as he comes up to you, and he immediately stoops to give you a long, deep kiss.
He grins as he stands back up, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I'd thought you could never be more beautiful, but I gotta say that you sure as hell do clean up well. And I love what you've done with your hair." Your cheeks burn at his words, and he turns and offers you his arm, his muscles clearly straining the fabric of his jacket. You giggle and link your arm with his, and he smiles enormously.
"Shall we, my beauty?"
---
It's a quiet day, and you stare up into the somewhat cloudy sky through the window at the B&B, idly wondering if it might rain later. It's been at least a week since the last guest stayed there, and it was incredibly boring. You stretch your arms up over your head, the deep breath turning into a yawn, when a pair of black, furry arms grab you from behind.
"Surprise!" Bransen laughs as you yelp, nearly falling off the stool. He helps you steady yourself as your heart slows back down, grinning like a fool.
"What the hell, Bransen? Are you trying to give me heart attack?" You smack his broad chest as he chuckles.
"No, not really. You just looked bored is all."
"Well... I am. There's not much to do right now, you know?"
The black jackal-headed guy looks around with a sigh. "Yeah, I definitely do. Actually reminds me of how it was the first time we met."
You smile at the fond memory. It seemed like it was so long ago, but it really hadn't been. And to think a visit turned into you moving here to stay.
"Best reservation I ever made." You smile as Bransen chuckles again, and he sets a hand on your shoulder.
"Anyway, mom says we can get out of the place for a bit. She knows how boring it is for 'us young folks'," he says, making air quotes while rolling his eyes.
"She sure about that? I mean, I know it's not busy but-"
"I'm going. You can stay here and be bored to death if you want, but I'm gone."
Bransen pats your shoulder and heads toward the front door.
"Wait!"
He turns and grins as you scramble to follow him.
"Gabby! We're heading out," you call toward her office, and she pokes her head out into the hall with a smile.
"Alright, you two be careful out there and I'll see you later!" She waves as she disappears back into the office before appearing a moment later, holding a heavy book in her hands. "I'll just be catching up on my reading while you're gone. Don't forget to tell Calder 'hi' for me should–when you go by," she says with a grin, and you giggle and blush as you and Bransen slip out the door.
A few yards up the sidewalk, Bransen sighs heavily.
"Thank goodness we can escape; I though she was going to keep us there all day," he says, rubbing his pointy ears.
"I mean, it is my job, you know."
"Well yeah, but that's not what I meant," Bransen says with a grimace. "Mom's birthday is coming up soon, and I wanted to start setting things up for her party."
"Wait, when is her birthday? How did I not know this?" You realize with a start you didn't know Bransen's either. "When is your birthday, even?"
He laughs. "Mine is hilariously enough a few days before Christmas: December 20th," he says with a grin. "I got short-changed on presents all through my teenage years. Mom's is actually about a week away, on August 31st. It's why I needed this time today to start planning things out."
You make a quick mental note of their birthdays and turn back to the task at hand. "Okay, so what's the plan, then?"
Bransen rubs his hands together and smiles. "I think I've got most of it handled already, but I wanted to go by in person to the people I wanted to invite to make sure they can make it."
"Who could say no to a face like that?" You reach up and pinch his furry cheek, and he pushes your hand away with a laugh.
"I know you're being facetious, but that was kind of the plan," he says with a devious grin. "It's a lot harder for people to say no to your face than over the phone. In most cases, anyway."
The two of you chat a bit longer before Bransen breaks off to go do his own thing, leaving you at the door to the bakery.
You shake your head in amazement; seems there was a lot to do all of a sudden. You push the door open and head inside, seeing Calder staring vacantly into space behind the counter. The expression vanishes the moment he sees you, though, and he rushes around to pull you into his massive arms.
"Oh thank heaven and earth, I'm saved," he says dramatically, and you giggle into his chest as he squeezes you tight. "You would not believe how dead it's been today."
"Pretty sure I would," you say as he sets you back on your feet. You follow him back behind the counter displays, noticing as you did that they looked mostly untouched. "Though this is unusual, even for you."
"You're telling me," Calder says with a sigh. "Looks like Gabby's going to be getting a bit extra this time around. That and the breadbox at home. And the shelter, too." He shakes his head. "What a weirdly slow day."
"Oh, that reminds me," you say, and quickly explain Bransen's plans and current whereabouts. Calder's eyes widen a moment before he sinks into a thoughtful expression.
"Oh, man, I knew her birthday was coming up soon, but I didn't realize it was so close already." He glances at the calendar hanging nearby and groans. "No wonder; it still says July." He steps over and flips the month, and you giggle as he sighs.
"Well, no harm done, really. Though I was wondering if you could do something for me? For Gabby's birthday?"
Calder turns and looks at you in surprise. "What on earth could I do?"
"Could you... teach me to bake something nice? You know, for her as a present? I don't really know too much of what she likes other than your pastries for certain, so... please?"
He smiles warmly and pulls you into his arms. "I think that's a wonderful idea, babe. How about we do that tonight at your place? I can close the bakery a little early," he says, glancing around the empty tables, "it's not like it's going to hurt anything." You giggle and nod, and he kisses your forehead. "Great. I've got something in mind to teach you, and I've got everything we'll need already, so don't you worry about anything."
The door opens as Calder leans in for a kiss, and you glance over to see Bransen step inside. Calder turns your face back toward him with a wink and kisses you hard, pulling you close and a bit off your feet. When he finally sets you back down, breathless, you can almost hear Bransen rolling his eyes from across the counter.
"Are you two done?" he says with a grin, and you feel your cheeks burn.
"Maybe," Calder says, running his fingers through your hair. "I assume you're here to talk about the party, yes? If so, then I'm pretty sure I know what you're going to say."
Bransen grins as he glances at you. "Well, that makes my job easier, then. So you'll make it?"
Calder nods. "You bet. I'll make the cake just like she likes it, and even have some other things to add to the menu, too, thanks to someone's ambition," he says, gesturing to you. Bransen's eyes light up and he nods happily.
"Great, that works out perfectly, then! Alright, well...uh..." he trails off, clearly uncertain of what to do next.
Calder laughs. "Go sit your butt down and I'll bring you a snack. You're not in any rush to get back to the B&B, I suppose." Bransen shakes his head emphatically. "Alright, then. Go sit on down."
After a couple hours of just hanging out in the bakery, you and Bransen decide that it was time to head back to the B&B. It was getting pretty late in the day, anyhow.
On the way back, Bransen told you all about how his plans had gone, and how many people were coming. Seemed a lot of folks were going to be there; it sounded exciting. As the day dwindled away, you couldn't help but wonder what it was that Calder was going to be teaching you to make, and before you knew it, Gabby was sending you off.
A quick glance at the time, and at the 'Closed' sign hanging in the bakery window as you walked by, told you that Calder had already left, and you quickened your step to get home.
Before you had been there ten minutes, there was a knock at the door, and you hurried to open it to find Calder standing there, a big basket under one arm.
"Hey, babe. You ready to get cooking?"
You groan at the cheesy line as he stoops down to give you a kiss, and let him in to start getting set up. He takes over the kitchen in record time, and you see a bunch of neat tools and such that you'd never seen before.
"Okay, so here's the plan! I'm going to teach you how to make a couple different macarons. They're a bit finicky, but they're historically Gabby's favorite treats, so I thought it'd be the perfect thing for you to make for her." He waves you over, pulling out a folded piece of paper. "This is the recipe all copied down. I even went ahead and put down the instructions for a handful of different flavors that you can try, that I know for a fact Gabby loves. It's not hard to make the different flavors themselves, but the macaron shells are somewhat labor-intensive, so it's best we get started."
Calder spends the next while going over the steps of the recipe with you before actually doing any baking. As it turned out, the ingredient list was pretty simple, but the way you had to do everything was really precise. There were a lot of very specific steps that had to be taken to get the right result, and though you were nervous about it, Calder's confidence in you was inspiring, and you felt a rising determination take over.
"Okay, I think I'm ready... but could you do the first batch? Just so I can follow along and actually see what I need to do?"
Calder laughs, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead before slipping on his apron.
"Okay, now here's where we start; we have to prep some of the ingredients before mixing anything wet together," he says, grabbing the almond flour and confectioner's sugar. He measures them, making sure the amounts in the measuring cups are scraped level, before transferring them to a bowl and whisking them together. "When it's combined like this, then we take it and sift it," he says, pouring the powdery mixture bit by bit into a fine mesh sieve. He uses a rubber spatula to push as much through as possible, catching the finely sifted result in another bowl. Afterward, he sets it aside.
"Now, the fluffy part!" Calder proceeds to mixing up some egg whites and a few other ingredients in another bowl, and turns on the mixer, adding in other things along the way until the mixture is shiny and stands in peaks. "Neat, right?" You nod in fascination; you'd never actually watched him work before. He made it look so effortless.
You continue watching him carefully over the next steps, the most important being the combining of the almond flour mixture and the egg whites, where you fold them together, not stir. A few drops of food coloring and the flavor extract of choice, and into a pastry piping bag they went, where they were piped out in little circles on a silicone mat on a baking sheet.
"Now for the sort of fun part," Calder says with a grin, and taps the baking sheet against the counter twice. "Gotta get rid of air bubbles so they come out right."
He sets the baking sheet aside and steps away, piling the dirty bowls together and taking them to the sink.
"Alright, we have to let them sit for a while so they'll have the right finish. Just until the tops of them aren't sticky anymore. I usually use this time to clean up for the next batch. Makes life a bit simpler in the long run, you know?"
You spend the next little while helping him clean up the utensils, and stealing kisses here and there. Afterward, Calder checks the resting sheet and nods.
"Looks like they're ready to go in," he says, slipping another baking sheet under the first.
"Why do you have to do that? Why the double?"
"It keeps the temperature on the bottom of the cookies lower, so they don't get too dark," Calder says as he slips the stacked sheet into the oven. "Kinda protects them from too much heat. They've gotta be just right or they don't taste the same."
You couldn't help but feel nervous; there was so much detail in this one pastry. How could you possibly get it right in a week? Calder must have noticed your change in mood, and pulls you against him, wrapping his big strong arms around you.
"Don't worry so much, babe. It'll be alright. You've got plenty of time to practice, and I've got plenty of ingredients for when you mess up." You snort, but he chuckles. "It's gonna happen, babe, but the most important part is to not let it defeat you. You're gonna do great once you get it down, but it's gonna take a few tries, okay?" He waits until you nod before kissing your head and stepping back. "It's gonna be your turn once these are done; you ready?"
"I think I am, actually," you say with a smile, and he grins.
"Awesome, babe. You're going to do great, I just know it."
After the macaron shells come out of the oven (just perfect, as to be expected from Calder), the rest of the evening is spent with you practicing the recipe. As Calder had predicted, you messed up a couple of times along the way, but you didn't let it get you down. You were determined to get it right. By the end of the night, your macarons were looking nearly perfect.
The next week passes in a flash, and the day of the party dawns. You were nervous about your present, but Calder insisted you'd gotten this last batch absolutely perfect. You had finished them only just the night before. You had gone ahead and wrapped them all up in a neat little box with colorful ribbon and bright tissue. You just hoped it was enough.
Bransen told you upon your arrival at work that everything was prepared; Gabby was going out for the afternoon with a few friends who were in on the plans, and the rest of the guests would arrive and decorate the B&B before she got back. You were unaccountably nervous; you couldn't remember the last time you'd actually been part of a surprise party.
Before you know it, Gabby's headed out to lunch, and Bransen immediately starts putting up streamers and such. The door barely seems to close with the steady stream of people arriving, and the place looks amazing in no time flat.
It was so exciting, and there was a sort of carnival atmosphere to the whole situation as people worked and chatted with each other.
Calder arrives shortly before Gabby is due back, wielding an enormous cake the size of your upper body, all decked out in roses matching the color of the decor. It looked almost like a wedding cake. He's pressed into service the moment he arrives, so you don't get more than a quick kiss in before he's hauled away by three older ladies, chattering on about balloons.
The moment arrives, and you all hunker down in various corners and behind different furniture. There were far too may people to actually hide completely, and you weren't trying to scare Gabby anyway, so you left the lights on and just generally tried to keep things hard to see from outside. Finally, the door opens, and Gabby steps inside.
"Surprise!"
Everybody hops up, smiling and shouting, and Gabby looks a bit shocked before laughing and greeting everyone. The party immediately leaps into full swing, and you spend the next few hours laughing and having the best time just chatting and socializing.
At some point, Calder finds you and pulls you into his embrace, holding you gently as the two of you continue mingling with the guests. It wasn't until later that he takes your hand and leads you into the other room, where everybody was gathering around the cake.
A short count of three, and everyone bursts into song; the sound happy, if a bit off-key. As the song fades, Gabby looks up at the cake in amusement.
"Well, then; you certainly made it big enough," she says with a laugh. "I'm not certain we have enough people to eat it all!" She shakes her head with a smile. "Thank you all so much for giving this old woman such a great birthday. I know most of the plotting was done by one dog-eared son of mine," she says, poking a nearby Bransen, who laughs, "but I'm so pleased to see you all here."
Everybody applauds the little speech, and Calder and Bransen take over cake cutting and distribution duties. Afterward, Calder pulls you aside.
"I think now might be the perfect moment, babe," he says, indicating Gabby sitting nearby.
She seemed to have finished her cake, and was just chatting with a couple folks. You smile and nod, getting your gift-wrapped pastries from a hidden corner of the kitchen. As you two approach her, Gabby turns her full attention to you.
"Well, hello, honey. I'd say you also had something to do with all this, didn't you?" Her tone is teasing, and she smiles. "I'm thankful, though. It's been such a lovely surprise."
"I'm really glad you say that," you say, proffering the box in your hands. "One more little surprise for you, then."
"Oh?" Gabby takes the box, a curious expression washing over her face. "I was certain I was past the age of gifts, really," she says with a wink. She carefully unties the bow and opens the box, giving a little gasp as she looks inside. "Oh my goodness, look at that," she says softly, placing a hand on her heart. She looks up at you with shining eyes. "These are my favorite! How did you know?"
"A little blue bird told me," you say with a wink, and Gabby chuckles as she glances at Calder over your shoulder.
"Well, thank your 'little' blue bird for me; I haven't had these in ages! Not since I lived in Paris all those years ago," she says, lifting one of the cookies from the box.
"Really? I didn't know that," you say in amazement, glancing back at Calder, who just smiles and slips his arm over your shoulder.
Gabby takes a delicate bite of the macaron, and sighs in pleasure.
"Even better than I remember," she says softly, finishing the pastry in a flash. Her eyes widen slightly as she glances in the box once more, and she makes a surprised sound. "Honey, did you... make these yourself?"
"I did," you say bashfully, and are about to continue explaining when Gabby grabs your hand and pulls you down into a hug.
"Thank you, honey. This is just the best gift an old woman like me could ask for."
She places a gentle kiss on your cheek and lets you go, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. She beams at the guests around her, lifting the box containing her macarons as Calder wraps his arms around you.
"Look at this! This is the best macaron I've ever had!"