Page 49 of Once Upon A Bear

“I hope that this one follows the same pattern,” he admitted.

“It will,” she said firmly. “I may not be the best at this, but I do know that this one will work.”

She seemed so sure, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know why. Had she helped someone bring all their hair back before?

“Have you ever thought about adding honey?” he asked. Perhaps honey would improve the taste.

Guinevere pursed her lips and cocked her head, studying the potion in front of her.

“It wouldn’t hurt,” she said after a moment. “Do you want to try it?”

“Are you asking me if I want to add some honey?” he teased. “Is that even a question?”

Guinevere smiled and gestured to the cabinet. “Get it down for me, please.”

“As my lady commands.” Gideon quickly crossed to the cabinet and pulled down the jar, bringing it to her and offering it reverently. “Your honey.”

She poured a small measure into the remaining open space in the jar before handing it back to Gideon, who inhaled the scent before reluctantly putting the lid back on. It had been a good batch of honey. “I hope it’s done quickly.”

She paused as she stirred the potion. “Do you want to leave? You’re free to go.”

“No,” he said, horrified that she would think that. “On the contrary, I would be quite happy to stay here and watch you for quite some time. I just don’t like feeling hairless, and I’m curious to see if the potion tastes better this time.”

Guinevere’s lips twitched. “I suppose being bald might take some getting used to,” she said, “especially if you’re used to being a bear.”

“Yes,” he said. “I would prefer having all the extra hair again.”

“I can make that happen,” she said. Gideon glared at her until she relented. “I suppose I can manage a normal amount of hair. Normal is boring, though. I don’t know why you would want to be boring.”

“Oh, I’d rather not be boring,” he said as she poured the mixture into a potion bottle. “That’s what my older brother does best. I want to live a quiet and peaceful life, yes, but not a boring one.”

“You want to become a hermit like me?” she teased. “Living in the middle of nowhere in a cottage by yourself?”

“Well, I would hope that I would have someone with me,” he said, suddenly serious.

No, he didn’t want to be alone. He wanted someone with him.

He wanted her.

But how to convince her that he wanted her, and that she was the one for him?

If she was one of the noble girls his mother liked to try to push him toward, he’d ask her to dance at a ball.

Fortunately for him, his mother was hosting one of those.

“You know,” he said, watching her swirl the potion in the bottle, “my mother is hosting a ball tomorrow. So I’ll need a normal amount of hair for that.”

“A ball?” Guinevere asked faintly. “Is that something she does often?”

“Unfortunately,” he said, grimacing a little.

“Do you not like them?”

“Not particularly,” he admitted. “But I can see how some people enjoy it.”

“I’ve never been to a ball, unless you count the fundraiser at the school.”

He’d heard about that fundraiser. The schoolteacher caused quite a scandal by only dancing with one young woman the whole night, if the rumors flying around town were to be believed, and all the other eligible young ladies in town were quite put out.