Chapter One – Ruth

“Is my basket supposed to look like this?” Catherine held up a jumbled mess of sticks for the other exhibitors to see.

“What did you do?” Ruth asked, walking over to Catherine to survey the damage. Her foot caught in the too-long skirt of her Renaissance costume. Or should that be her sneaker caught in the fabric of the skirt, Ruth’s costume was not authentic. It was a last-minute concoction of a rough-spun skirt, a cotton shirt that was a little too tight across her breasts, and her favorite comfy sneakers. Not that Ruth hadn’t taken the fair seriously, she might grade herself a ‘B’ for effort, since she’d only moved to Bear Creek ten days ago, and only agreed to help out at the Renaissance fair three days ago.

“Over, under, just like the instructions told me to.” Catherine’s exasperation was obvious. “How am I supposed to help teach people to make a basket if I can’t do it myself?”

Ruth laughed, and behind her, she could hear Sandra’s muffled giggles. “You’ll figure it out. I teach my students all about space, but I’m not an astronaut.”

“I expect there are a couple of kids you’d like to launch into space though at times,” Catherine joked as she unraveled her basket.

“Not really,” Ruth replied. Her job as a teacher was the reason she’d moved to Bear Creek. So far, it was one of the best decisions of her life. The people were friendly, the scenery amazing. “I love each and every one of them.”

“Even Henry when he put a frog in your desk on your first day at school?” Dani, a fellow teacher, walked into the community building that had been turned into a medieval hall for the day, complete with a large haystack out front, and stocks around the corner, where wet sponges would be thrown at offenders, rather than vegetables. It was going to be fun, although the aim of the day was to raise funds for the local project that encouraged anyone with skills to teach those less fortunate a trade, or a hobby.

It was ambitious, but in the ten days since Ruth had moved to town, she could tell the people at the project who were organizing the Renaissance Faire had drive and enthusiasm. Recruiting Ruth into such a worthwhile project had been easy. Being part of the community was her goal, to find a place in the world, one she could carve out as herself, for herself.

Ruth also had a lot to give, with a ton of life experience, a natural rapport with people, and the ability to teach. In return, she had been welcomed as an old friend. She belonged.

“What are you demonstrating?” Dani asked Ruth as she stacked several Tupperware containers filled with cupcakes on the table. Up until yesterday, Ruth had been flipflopping on what to exhibit. Eventually, she’d gone with something fun, if not completely Renaissance Faire worthy.

“Drawing. Sort of.” Ruth set out a chair and four easels under the questioning gaze of Dani. “I do very good caricatures. I thought people might want to try themselves.”

“Caricatures. Really?” Dani asked. “I might ask you to do one for Jamie. It’s his birthday next week, and I have no idea what to get him.”

“Why don’t I draw the whole family?” Ruth asked eagerly. She’d spent a couple of evenings at Dani’s home, they were a wonderful family. After serving his country, Jamie had moved back to Bear Creek to be a father to two orphaned children. Here he’d met Dani, his mate, and they had two more children together. A fairy tale romance, and one Ruth envied.

“Yes, please,” Dani replied, setting out a plain cotton tablecloth before filling wooden bowls with frosting and candy. “It’s decorate your own cupcake. For the little ones. I’m sure they won’t mind if not all the decorations are authentic.”

Catherine held up her basket, loudly announcing, “I think I’ve got it!”

“Much better!” Dani responded with all the enthusiasm of a first grade teacher.

“Great! People will be arriving in half an hour. Let’s try to look as if we know what we’re doing.” Sandra rallied the ladies to do their best. “And remember, if you can’t make it, fake it.”

Catherine’s face brightened further. “Good idea. I should ask Julius to go and buy a whole array of baskets, and set them out around me. People would think I’d made them.”

Sandra laughed “Remember, it’s more important to have fun, too. We want to encourage participation both from those who want to offer their skills, and those who need guidance.”

Ruth forced a smile on her face. Usually upbeat, an innocent comment or action often managed to catch her off guard and made her look inward, to times in her past when each day was a struggle. The local project appealed to Ruth on a deep level, because she understood how difficult it was to climb out of a rut and forge a new life for yourself.

“Are you all right, Ruth?” Dani asked, coming over to where Ruth was setting out a pile of aprons. “Nervous?”

“Yes. But in a good way.” Ruth stood back and sighed. “Perhaps I should have opted for something easier. What if I upset people?”

“No, caricatures are such fun. Add in some dubious Renaissance costumes and it’ll be hilarious.”

“You’re right.” Ruth surveyed her exhibit.

“Too late now!” Dani responded with her upbeat first grade teacher’s voice. “Although, I should have opted for something a little less messy. Do you think Catherine will trade her basket weaving?”

“No chance.” Ruth looked around the room, it was going to be a good day. Outside there was pottery, bush craft, spoon carving and wood turning. Later, Ruth planned to go and sample all the crafts. She might even pet the alpacas Louisa had brought over from Black Bear Ford.

A real family day out. Ruth’s optimism returned. She might not have had the chance of a family of her own, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have fulfilling relationships with lots of other people, a surrogate family if you will.

She liked that idea. Not having a husband and children gave her freedom to help lots of other people, including the children in her class. This might not be the life she would have chosen…

That was a lie, she had chosen the life she led. And in a way she had raised a family. That family consisted of brothers and sisters from her mom’s second marriage. They were also the reason she had never settled down with a man. After she finished raising them, she pursued her dream career as a teacher with determination. She loved every minute, and studied hard to be the best she could be. With a ten-year age gap between Ruth and the rest of the students, her maturity showed in her grades. While other students might have concentrated on their social life, Ruth kept her head in her books studying.

In times gone by, Ruth would be labeled as left on the shelf. A spinster. That wasn’t what she wanted. Yet she also enjoyed living her own life, she liked making her own decisions. After years of continually living around her younger siblings’ wants and needs, she found a satisfaction in being self-sufficient.

“It’s time to open the doors,” Julius announced as he came into the room, dressed in long leather boots and black pants that hugged his strong, toned thighs. Ruth shouldn’t be looking, Julius was Catherine’s husband after a whirlwind romance. Ruth sighed, maybe a whirlwind would pick her up and spit her out, along with a guy who would support her in her choices. She really was a seething mess of indecision. Even if she met a man, she would be undecided if a relationship was a good thing.

Julius cast an appraising eye over the hall and its occupants. He owned a hotel in the next town over, and his organizational skills were formidable. Ruth glanced across to Catherine, who glowed in the presence of her husband, and her heart ached.

Was that what she wanted? Once more, Ruth flipflopped between wanting a man to share her life with, and wanting to be her own person.

But since she had never met the right man, the whole argument was moot, and she should concentrate on the things she could control, such as making her stall a success.

“We’re ready,” Sandra replied, checking that everyone was here, and no stall was left unattended.

“As we’ll ever be,” Dani added, which caused a ripple of agreement to circle the room.

Julius walked out of the room, leaving behind him a sense of expectation. This event had been planned for months, Ruth felt privileged to be allowed to participate at such short notice. She hadn’t attended any of the meetings. All the information had come to her secondhand, through Dani and Catherine.

Her comfortable sneakers squeaked on the polished wooden floor as Ruth checked that all the easels were secure. Although hidden under her full-length skirt, she hoped none of her eagle-eyed students would point them out. Happy voices filled the hall.

Live in the present, Ruth told herself firmly.

The children had been so excited about the Renaissance Faire, it had sparked an impromptu history lesson, covering the reign of Elizabeth I. They were fascinated by the clothes, the language, and torture implements, but totally unimpressed with the food eaten at the time.

“Here we go.” Dani grinned broadly at her children, accompanied by their father, the extremely handsome, and totally adorable, Jamie. Come to think of it, most of the men in Bear Creek were easy on the eyes. Not to mention their strong, capable muscles, and habit of being adoring husbands and fathers.

Maybe she should order herself a Bear Creek man. Surely one of the stalls had them for sale.

Of course, Ruth didn’t have to guess where they got their looks, or their perfect family habits from. Most of the men in Bear Creek were shifters. Bear shifters to be exact. Which meant they were bound to their women, or mates. Not even death would tear them apart.

A wave of sadness swept over Ruth. Death might not tear them apart, but it would tear apart any shifter left alone without their mate. She’d seen it happen with her parents, and she had no wish to see it ever again. Her flipflopping between being with a man, and not being with a man had more to do with her life experience than her life choices. It scared her down to the root of her soul.

Perhaps moving to a town filled with shifters was not a good idea. She didn’t ever want to see the look of pain in anyone’s eyes again. Not ever.