Ben set his coffee cup on a side counter and returned to the slowly melting butter in its large pot on the gas burning stove. With the butter melted, he added a carefully measured amount of sweet cream and stirred deliberately, bringing the mixture up to temperature. Once it was all warm, he measured in the powdered cocoa, carefully stirring until the cocoa was melted into the butter and cream. With the chocolate melted, he added the sugar and spices and checked the temperature to make sure it was just right.
When he was satisfied, he pulled the pot from the stove and poured it into a stainless-steel bowl where he then transferred it to piping bags to scoop into the chocolate molds. The chocolate molds were his biggest task of the day. They were used for every kind of chocolate, from raspberry cream filling to nut fillings to caramel. After filling dozens of chocolate molds, and using the last ounce of chocolate from his bowl, Ben put the trays on cooling racks and poured himself another cup of coffee.
Tilly would be arriving soon to open the store. He went out into the front of the shop to begin the opening routine. He filled the cash register with a fresh cash drawer, arranged items on the counter, and inspected the shop to make sure it was all clean and tidy. As he was passing the front window, he looked out onto the square in the early morning light. He did a double take at the sight before him and nearly dropped his coffee cup. He blinked several times, trying to conceive what he witnessed before him. It’s just didn’t make any sense.
Ben gulped and set his coffee cup on the café table and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to dial the police.
“Hello, this is Ben Darling down at Fate Valley Confections. I need to report a crime.”
“What is the problem, Mr. Darling?” the officer asked.
“The new sculpture of the town’s founder seems to be missing.”
“Wait, let me get this straight. The statue of Ambrose Morgan is gone?” the officer asked. “How is that possible? That’s a two-thousand-pound stone statue.”
“I have no idea,” Ben said. “But it’s not there.”
“We have officers enroute right now,” the officer said. “Someone will come and speak to you.”
Ben hung up the phone and shoved it back in his pocket. He was aware that the whole thing sounded crazy, but his eyes were not playing tricks on him. At first, he was afraid the officer hadn’t believed him, but a few moments later, a patrol car pulled up in front of Fate Valley Confections, and two baffled police officers stepped out.
After grabbing his coat, Ben unlocked the front door and joined them on the sidewalk. They all looked at each other blankly. Without a word, they walked across the street to the town square and stared at the empty platform where the statue had been placed the day before.
“It just doesn’t make any sense,” the first officer said.
“How does someone steal a statue?” said the second officer.
“Well, it’s obviously missing,” Ben said. “Now it’s up to you two to figure out how and why.”
The two officers looked at each other dumbly and Ben sighed under his breath. He really couldn’t believe that it had happened, right under everyone’s noses. The town square was one of the busiest places in Fate Valley. How could it have gone unnoticed?
“This part of town is deserted at night, except for the hotel,” the first officer said. “Maybe we should question some of the guests.”
“Sounds like a good place to start,” the second officer said.
As the sun rose in the sky, a crowd gathered around the statue platform. Business owners, early-morning joggers, and hotel guests all gathered, chatting with each other and taking turns speaking to the two police officers on site. Ben returned to the confectionery to open for the day. He and Tilly couldn’t stop staring out the front window at the scene unfolding before them.
“I just can’t believe it,” Tilly said. “How could anyone steal a statue? Why would anyone steal a statue?”
“I don’t understand it. I don’t think anyone understands it,” said Ben
Then he saw his mate walking out of the hotel lobby as the sun broke out from behind a cloud and lit up the whole day. He grabbed his coat and ran outside, leaving Tilly with the few customers in the shop.
He felt like he was walking in a dream as he charged across the street and stood amongst the gossiping town folk. He watched her slowly inch toward him. Their eyes locked. This time, she didn’t run away. He gulped, his throat suddenly dry and tight. His heart whacked in his chest, buzzing in his ears. The smell of her filled his nose and made his head swim.
She was bundled in a white jacket with a fur lined hood that she had up over her head. She wore pink fuzzy gloves and tan boots with fur lining over thick tights. She walked over to where he stood like a statue himself. She glanced down at the ground shyly before looking up into his eyes. She bit her lip, her hands shoved in her pockets, and tilted back and forth on her feet before shrugging.
“Hi, Ben,” she said.
“History Buff,” he said, his voice little more than a dry whisper.
“That’s me, Samantha Cooper,” she said, pulling her hand from her pocket and resting it on her chest. She looked around nervously and then back at him. “It’s weird that the statue’s missing. Isn’t it nuts?”
“Totally nuts.”
“Wasn’t that statue about two thousand pounds?” she asked.
“At least,” he said. “But I think there’s something more important we need to talk about.”
“I know,” she said, kicking a stone with the tip of her boot.
“We’re fated mates,” he blurted out.
“All I know is that the website matched us and then Debbie over at the Fate Valley Diner told me I better not break your heart, or your shifter friends would be after me.”
Ben chuckled. “She would say that.”
“Is that true?”
“Is what true?”
“That if I don’t mate with you shifters will come after me?”
“Of course not! I’m going to have to talk to Debbie about saying stuff like that to human women.”
“What a relief,” she said, her shoulders relaxing.
“Neither my friends nor I would ever do anything to hurt you in any way. I hope you believe me.”
“I do. I got kind of scared. But maybe I just overreacted. Sorry I didn’t respond to your text.”
“That’s perfectly understandable. What brought you to town?”
“I came here to do historical research for an article I’m writing for the Historic Times.”
“It’s cool you work for the Historic Times,” he said. “Is the article about Ambrose Morgan?”
“Yes. It’s an important article and it will bring national attention to the uniqueness of the Lake of the Fates. The magazine is distributed across the country to middle schools, high schools and libraries. The story of Ambrose Morgan is quite an interesting case.”
“I’m proud to live in this town. It’s a great place,” he said, smiling and looking around the square. “I want to apologize again for what Debbie said.”
“I should have known she was just teasing. I guess I got overwhelmed when I got matched so quickly and then you were right there.”
“I can imagine. I know this is sudden and there’s a lot going on,” Ben said, “but I would love to take you to dinner if you’d let me.”
“Sure,” she said. “You seem like a nice guy. Just don’t send your buddies after me if I can’t commit to you forever and ever.”
“I just want to take you out for dinner and dancing. Maybe some wine. I promise not to call my posse of shifters on you.” He winked and she laughed.
“It sounds lovely, really. I can’t tell you the last time I actually went out on a date.”
“I’ll pick you up at the hotel at six and take you to the Fate Valley Resort for a delicious dinner.”
“Were you staying at the hotel last night?” one of the officers asked Samantha.
“I was,” she repli
ed, turning to him.
“We are going to need to ask you a few questions.”
“I’ll see you tonight then,” she said to Ben.
He nodded and smiled before turning back to the confectionery. His heart was light, and his head was buzzing. He wanted her for life. But for now, she’d agreed to go on a date with him. Ben couldn’t be happier.
Chapter 7
Samantha watched Benjamin walk away and noted the rise of his behind and the confidence in his gait. She bit her lip, thinking about how gorgeous he was. The smell of his cologne and the faint hint of chocolate that seemed to surround him lingered in her nose. She sighed heavily and turned to the police officer.
“So, you said you were staying at the Fate Valley Hotel last night. Was your room facing the back or the front of the building?”
“The front.”
“Did you witness anything odd last night?”
“I did in fact. I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. When I came back into the bedroom, I noticed lights flickering in the square outside.”
“What time of night was that?” he asked taking the information down on a pad of paper he held in his big meaty hand.
“That was about three in the morning.”
“And can you describe the flickering light.”
“It flashed across the window like maybe it was a flashlight.”
“Anything else you remember?”
“I went to the window and looked outside.”
“What did you see?”
“I didn’t see anything really. I noticed that the square was completely dark, like the lights had all been put out. I noticed taillights driving off.”
“What direction were the taillights going?”
Samantha pointed towards the other side of the square, to the road leading away from downtown.
“Then I saw the strangest thing. Like a shadow passed over the moon.”
“You mean like a cloud?”
“I guess… It just seemed thicker than that. Like it obscured the moon completely.”
“It is winter,” the officer said, clicking his pen closed.
“When the shadow was gone, and the moonlight returned, it seemed like the podium was empty. I can’t say for sure because it was so dark other than the faint moonlight.”
“I’d like you to stick around for the rest of the day in case we have any more questions.”
Samantha frowned. She’d been planning to go the museum today. She milled about the square and asked the other patrons of the hotel if they’d noticed anything. It seemed as if she was the only one who had.
She went to the diner to grab a bite to eat for lunch. She sat down at the table and read the article on the front page of the paper that reported on the festivities from the day before. The news of the missing statue hadn’t hit the paper yet.
Debbie took her order, and Samantha continued to read another article about Ambrose Morgan. It gave more details about his family and his death. She learned that his wife, Mary Ashworth Morgan, had been sick with cancer for quite some time. He died soon after her death in 1940.
By the time her breakfast arrived, she had more questions than answers about Ambrose Morgan. She looked down at her watch and wondered if she could still make it to the museum. After she finished her meal, she walked back into the square and the police officer wanted to ask her more questions.
The police officer’s questions took up a good portion of the afternoon, and by the time he was done, the museum was already closed.
By then it was getting dark, so Samantha returned to her hotel room and sat on her bed, thinking nervously about the date she had with Benjamin tonight. Benjamin was an extremely attractive man, and he seemed really sweet. Debbie at the diner certainly had been protective of him. She growled at herself for overreacting so much yesterday and decided to start getting ready for her date.
She went through all the clothing she’d brought, disappointed with every single item. None of it would work for a date with a hunky man like Benjamin. She looked down at her watch and then did a quick search of the businesses in the town square. There was a dress shop right down the block that was still open for the next thirty-five minutes. She let out a deep sigh and grabbed her purse and jacket.
She hurried out into the cool evening air and made her way to the dress shop. Inside, she was greeted by a cheerful round-faced and curvy clerk who was more than happy to help her.
“What brings you into the shop today?” the clerk asked.
“I need a dress for a date at the Fate Valley Resort tonight.”
“Oh, how romantic,” the woman said. “I think I have just the thing.”
She thumbed through the dresses. Lifting a tan, lace dress from the rack, she held it up for Samantha.
“This will bring out the hazel color of your eyes and will look perfect with your skin tone.”
Samantha held the dress up to her curves and looked in the mirror.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I haven’t worn a dress in who knows how long.”
“Well, a date is certainly a good time to start,” the woman said with a smile.
“I guess I’ll go try it on.”
Samantha took the garment into the dressing room and slipped out of her tights and sweater. A moment later, she pulled on the formfitting lace dress. She looked at herself in the mirror, examining how the dress hugged her curves and accentuated them in all of the right places. She put her hand on her hip and let out a deep sigh. She did look really sexy. She could just imagine Ben seeing her in this dress. She emerged from the dressing room and did a little turn for the clerk.
“Oh my God. You look so gorgeous. I knew that dress was perfect for you.”
“It does look awfully good,” Samantha said, tapping her bottom lip with the pad of her index finger.
“Are you gonna take it? I’ll give you a fifteen percent discount just because I love the idea of you going on a date at the Fate Valley Resort in that dress.”
“A fifteen percent discount?” Samantha considered. “Well, now I have to buy it, right?”
“Right?”
“Okay, I’m sold. I’ll take it.”
“Wonderful,” the clerk said, handing her a pair of matching pumps. “But you’ll also need these shoes.”
Samantha slipped them on and turned around in the mirror.
“Of course I do,” she said with a grin.
“Perfect,” the clerk said, clapping happily.
Samantha went back into the dressing room and changed into her regular clothes. A moment later, she laid the dress and shoes on the counter. After a few taps on the register, and a slide of her credit card, she was the proud owner of a brand-new date night dress and a pair of matching pumps. She checked her watch and realize she only had forty-five minutes to get ready. Her heart was pounding so hard that by the time she made it back to her hotel room, she could barely hear.
She quickly did her hair and applied a fresh layer of makeup before slipping into the dress and pumps. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she saw a woman she didn’t recognize looking back at her. The Samantha in the mirror was so damn sexy, she didn’t even know what to think. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d dressed up like this. It was starting to make her nervous to think of Ben seeing her like this. The gleam in his eyes was so ravenous when he looked at her. She had to fan herself with a brochure for the Fate Valley Museum as she paced the room waiting for him to arrive.
At six o’clock on the nose, there was a knock at her door. She dropped the brochure onto the desk and swung the door open to find Ben standing on the other side. He wore a smart dark gray suit and held a bouquet of red roses in a glass vase and a heart-shaped box of chocolates. Her heart jumped into her throat as the fragrance of roses and chocolate hit her nose.
“Come in,” she said, ushering him inside as she accepted his gifts.
She closed the door against the cold air, and they stood in her hotel room, s
taring at each other for several moments. His eyes sparkled with untold desire, making her heart flutter.
“Thank you for the flowers and chocolates,” she said.
“You look beautiful,” he growled, slipping his finger into the neck of his shirt and loosening his tie.
“Thanks. I just bought the dress today.”
“Good choice.”
“You think so?” she said, looking down at her curves and turning around. “You don’t think it’s too tight?”
“No, not too tight,” he said in a low, gravelly voice.
She giggled and placed the bouquet on the table next to the window. She set the chocolates beside it and grabbed her coat.
“We should be going now,” Ben said. “Our reservation is in ten minutes.”
Samantha pulled on her parka and grabbed her purse as she followed Ben out into the cold February air. Her heart buzzed in her ears, and she glanced over at him as they made their way down the stairs.
She hadn’t come to Fate Valley to find a mate, but with the smell of roses still in her nose and the site of Ben’s profile at her side, she was certainly happy she’d joined Mate.com.
Chapter 8
When Benjamin saw Samantha in her dress he had to brace himself against the door frame. She was the most beautiful sight he had ever beheld—she took his breath away.
As he walked with her outside into the cool evening air, stars spread out across the clear sky above and the last vestiges of sunlight faded in the west. They climbed into his SUV, and he drove through town to the turnoff to Fate Valley Resort. Low, romantic music played on the stereo. Samantha was quiet in the passenger seat, her shapely legs crossed and her hands rested in her lap.
She was a mystery to him. All he knew was that she’d come to Fate Valley to write an article for the Historic Times. Aside from that, her identity was still a complete blank to him. He intended to change that tonight. He’d smelled her scent so strongly the morning of the statue installation, there was no doubt in his mind that she was his fated mate. They belonged together, and he would do anything to make sure they had their happily ever after.