The Bear Prince: A BBW Bear Shifter Billionaire Paranormal Romance Novella (Seattle's Billionaire Bears Book 3) (12 page)

The limo was familiar. Damien poured Crystal a glass of sparkling water. She sipped the water and said to Damien, “This is going to sound weird...but...I have déjà vu, like I’ve been here before or something.”

“Probably because this is Niles’ car and he’s driving us again,” said Damien.

“That’s how I knew his name. Wait. Niles, like, the same Niles that drove me from Port Jameson to Seattle?” asked Crystal.

“The very one and the same,” said the driver, as he rolled down the divider. “You know, this thing, it keeps out light, but not noise. How’re you doing, Crystal?”

“Niles! So I had met you before that day,” said Crystal. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you...but why were you down in Port Jameson?”

“It’s a long story, miss, and this’ll be a rather short ride,” said Niles. “I promise, I’ll tell you later.”

“Later tonight?” asked Crystal.

“Not exactly,” said Damien. “See...I was thinking, you might want to stay at my place tonight. After all, you are going to be pretty tired...”

“Say no more,” said Crystal. “I’m looking forward to the sleepover, almost more than the ball.”

“Are you excited?” asked Damien.

“Part of me is...the professional side, at least,” said Crystal. “Another part of me is nervous, because I’m going not just as a reporter, but as your frikkin’ girlfriend...and yet another part of me is calm, because if we’re fated mates, then no matter what happens tonight, everything is gonna be okay.”

“That’s exactly the right attitude to have,” said Damien, gripping Crystal’s hand. “Everything is going to be okay.”

In fifteen minutes, Niles pulled up to the Manor. As they waited their turn in the line of cars, Crystal gulped. She looked in her mirror to make sure her hair and makeup was red carpet ready, as there was literally a red carpet outside the manor. Damien had had a makeup artist and hair stylist go by her apartment to make her look gala ready, but looking out at the tall shifter women in their five inch heels and plunging necklines, she all of a sudden felt terribly out of place as the only curvy human in the entire joint.

“I don’t think I can do this,” Crystal said.

“Crystal, you’ve gotta do this, not for me, not for you, but for your career,” said Damien, holding onto Crystal’s hands. “Trust me. The carpet’s the worst part. Just smile and wave, and pretend everyone’s in their underwear.”

“That’s not helpful when everyone out there looks like a frikkin’ lingerie model!” said Crystal.

“Listen. We don’t have to do it. But it’ll be a lot worse if we don’t,” said Damien. “Trust me. I wouldn’t put you in a situation where I thought you’d be embarrassed. You look amazing. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool. That carpet...it’s a five-minute stroll you can either treat as a walk of shame, or as a stride of pride. So which one will it be?”

“Pride,” said Crystal. “Yeah. Pride. I’m Crystal Frikkin’ Wordsworth.”

“That’s right, you are, and you’re frikkin’ bad ass, so let’s go show these people how a real woman enters a ball,” said Damien. The car lurched forward, and it was their turn on the runway.

Damien got out of the car first and he held the door open for Crystal who daintily exited the vehicle before taking Damien’s arm. She waved with one hand and matched Damien’s waving rhythm, not too fast, not too slow, as the paparazzi who couldn’t go past the technically private sidewalk into the very much private property took lots of quick pics, flash on of course, of the couple. They started walking, and Crystal matched her pace with Damien, all the time making sure to smile, to wave, and to most of all, not run screaming from the media circus...

And then, nearly as quickly as it had started, it ended. They were inside the manor, and there wasn’t a camera in sight. Crystal let out a slow deep breath. “Whew,” she said audibly. “That was really something.”

“Now can you see why this isn’t exactly a press friendly event?” asked Damien.

“I can,” said Crystal. “But, speaking of that...given that I
am
the press for this event, where am I supposed to go? Delaina told me there should be a table set up between some pillars, but she also said that the location might be changed...”

“That’s a good question...and I see just the cat to answer it,” said Damien, waving at a tall blonde that Crystal recognized. Delaina, wearing a plain black dress, with black heels, was wearing an outfit similar to the one she’d worn when she’d shown Crystal around the property that fateful day.

“Delaina, hi, I’m—” started Crystal.

“Crystal, honey, of course I remember you!” said Delaina. “Damien, if I can steal your girlfriend for a second, I’ll get her all set up.”

Crystal walked with Delaina to a table that was near the entrance to the grand ballroom. The table had a few pads of legal paper for Delaina, as well as some pens, a large cooler filled with ice and expensive bottle waters, and of course, there were two plush seats, one for her, one for her interviewees. Crystal was going to be doing the interview section first, Delaina explained, as that way, she would be able to interview as many people as possible before some dipped out early. After that, she would have free reign of the ball. Of course, she was to check her article with Delaina before publication, to ensure no confidential data was published, and was to anonymize data as appropriate. Crystal sat down, and waited for the one or two people that she expected would end up even asking why she was there, because who in their right mind, after being mobbed by the paparazzi, would want to give an interview to somebody working for the Seattle Free Frikkin’ Gazette?

Well, it turned out, the answer to that question was ‘nearly everyone’.

Crystal didn’t expect her interview table to get many takers, but because there hadn’t been a member of the press at the Golden Ball before, it was a novelty, and if there was one thing rich city shifters loved, it was novelty. She ended up interviewing all kinds of people, from models to magnates, but two people out of all the others truly made her night special. A small disorganized line of sorts had formed to talk to Crystal, but a familiar, tall, older gentleman cut the line to sit next to Crystal once she had finished interviewing a lioness shifter who was also a fashion maven with her own line of shifter-sized bikinis.

“Niles! Hello!” said Crystal. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard you were doing interviews for the paper, and I thought, well, if Miss Crystal is doing interviews, I better go and answer some questions,” said Niles.

“Alright, awesome,” said Crystal. “So...whats’ it like to be working at the Golden Ball?”

“Working?” asked Niles. “Oh, no, I’m here as a guest.”

“A guest?” asked Crystal.

“Don’t tell me you thought you were the only sexy young thing the Ashers and Dixons took a liking too,” said Niles with a twinkle in his eye. “I bet you can’t guess who I’m with.”

“Delaina?” asked Crystal.

“Delaina? Ho-boy, no way! She’s a frikkin’ child!” said Niles before laughing heartily. “No...here’s a hint. My date’s wearing plum purple tonight.”

“Plum purple, plum purple...” repeated Crystal, looking around the room. It wasn’t a popular color that night...but then she saw it, a flash of dark reddish purple, and it was on the last person she expected, a tall, stately woman with grey hair in an up-do. “You’re pulling my leg...you’re with Jennifer frikkin’ Asher? The matriarch of the Asher side of the clan?”

“That’s right,” said Niles. “I’m her, what do you call it, boy toy. That’s it, her boy toy, and she’s been a widow for how many years now, so she deserves some fun, but don’t go a-publishing that in the papers!”

“Your secret’s safe with me, any other secrets?” joked Crystal.

“One, in fact,” said Niles. “I’m...not just a limo driver.”

“Oh?” asked Crystal.

“I’m betting you couldn’t tell, but, I’m also a shifter,” said Niles.

“What kind?” asked Crystal.

“Big mouth, big eyes, isn’t it obvious? I’m a frog shifter!” said Niles.

“No frikkin’ way, really?” asked Crystal.

“That’s right...and I have one last secret for you,” said Niles.

“Hit me with your best shot, nothing can shock me more than what you’ve already told me, you amphibious boy-toy,” said Crystal.

“Well, about a month ago, I was in my shift, and I was just hanging out...in the bottom of that well outside,” said Niles. “And...well, you see, Jennifer, she’d read this article by a reporter who seemed whip-smart, had a name that was perfect given what she knew about her nephew Damien’s mate mark, and who had curves that she knew he couldn’t resist. So, she contacted this girl’s editor, and asked for the girl to be invited to the ball, and...I was supposed to see if her nephew would be smart enough to ask the girl out. Well, when it seemed like he wasn’t going to realize he was being set up, that’s when I got, let’s say, hungry. And so I jumped up real high, and I stuck my tongue out real far, and...I licked this large, golden ball, and took it down with me to the bottom of the well!” Niles couldn’t help but slap his knee, and that’s when Crystal realized he was frikkin’ tipsy! She could smell the expensive scotch on his breath, and she was now glad that she wasn’t going to need a ride from him that night.

“Are you frikkin’ serious?” said Crystal, trying her best to keep her cool. She had no idea this had all been orchestrated by a frikkin’ frog!

“I am, and you better watch that tongue of
yours
now, because here comes the goose herself!” said Niles.

Crystal turned. What did he frikkin’ mean by ‘the goose’? The only person walking over was...

...None other than Jennifer Frikkin’ Asher.

Crystal gulped. This was the woman whose opinion mattered more than any other when it came to dating Damien. Was she supposed to keep sitting? Stand? Salute? Curtsy?

The woman came over to Crystal. “You must be Crystal,” said the woman warmly. “I’m Jennifer, Jennifer Asher. I’m glad you could make it to my little party. I see you’ve met my boyfriend, Niles.”

Crystal was surprised. The woman was very open and candid. “Yes, I’m Crystal, I’m the reporter from the Seattle Free Gazette. May I just say, it’s been an amazing night, and thank you so much for allowing me to cover it,” said Crystal.

“Oh, dear, so formal! Of course I know who you are, I picked you out, after all, and of course, it’s my pleasure to have you here...and from what I’ve heard, I’ll be seeing much more of you, won’t I?” asked Jennifer. “Oh, don’t look so shocked, this isn’t a trick question! I know you’re dating my grand-nephew.”

“Y-you do?” asked Crystal.

“Sugar. If I didn’t want you to date my Damien, why would I have you two introduced in the first place?” asked Jennifer with a wink. “I specifically asked for you to cover the ball, because I’ve been on the hunt for Damien’s perfect mate for the longest time. I had Delaina have you two run into each other, and while Niles improvised and stole your invite, like the slippery frog he is, in the end...everyone gets a happy ending. After all, they don’t call me Mother Goose because I tell a good story.”

“They really call you Mother Goose?” asked Crystal.

“That’s right, because I’m no bear shifter...I’m a goose shifter, and the only thing I love more than my lavish life of luxury is philanthropy, and what’s a better cause than seeing my relatives find the happily ever after to their once upon a time? And if I can find princesses for my princes, well...I consider my life a life well lived,” said Jennifer warmly. “You’re a well put together, well-spoken young woman, and I wish you and Damien years of happiness. You have more than my approval...you have my blessing.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Asher,” said Crystal.

“Don’t work too hard, dear, do enjoy the party,” said Jennifer. “And of course...call me Jennifer.” She clasped Crystal’s hands in hers and gave her a kiss on the forehead before she went to hosting her grand affair of the evening.

The stream of interviews continued, people coming to sit by Crystal and talk while drinking iced waters as a break from all the dancing and mingling, but soon, the line dwindled, and there was nobody left to interview. Damien, who had been watching from afar, came over.

“You still busy?” asked Damien.

“Nope, I’ve managed to interview everyone,” said Crystal. “And it took under...two hours? Holy heck, where did the time go?”

“No frikkin’ clue, but you have enough interview notes for the evening, yes?” asked Damien.

“Yeah, I’ll give them to Delaina to hold onto,” said Crystal. “And then we can actually hang out.”

“Sounds perfect,” said Damien. As Crystal organized her things, Damien found Delaina and brought her over, so Crystal could get up and abandon her post. Damien led Crystal, who by now had managed to meet nearly everyone at the ball, or at least, everyone who had wanted to be interviewed, and led her around the ballroom to see the ballroom decor. Damien hadn’t seen much of it himself, as he’d been so worried for Crystal, for no reason whatsoever, that he had stayed nearby to keep an eye on her.

The ball was, of course, mostly done up in gold colors. There were large golden vases filled with white and yellow flowers. There was a band all wearing black with gold bowties. The biggest item, though, was the giant rotating ball in the center of the dance floor, a giant disco ball that was made of gold-backed glass tiles against a large sphere, rather than the standard silver-backed tiles. The ball was rotating and casting a large warm light over the entire party, a literal ‘golden ball’ that looked a lot like the golden ball shaped invitations to the event actually named The Golden Ball. Every little detail made the evening perfect.

Crystal and Damien finally made their way to the buffet area, where they picked up small gold-edged black ceramic plates and silverware that wasn’t silver, but gold. They picked out the most luxurious of the nibbles available, including little servings of caviar on
blini
, small pancakes stacked with fresh crème fraîche, gilded with edible gold, like many of the items on the buffet. They both picked up the special cocktail, which came in faceted crystal martini glasses, lined with gold dust mixed with sugar. The cocktails consisted of a clear liquor containing flakes of gold that had been agitated so the gold flakes were dancing, topped with a piece of lemon zest and a piece of orange zest. Crystal and Damien walked out to the balcony to enjoy their cocktails and caviar as they overlooked the labyrinth.