Spicy Beauty (The Feminine Mesquite Book 3)

by Sable Sylvan

  “Of course, I was serious,” said Addy. “But…I get to pick the movie, and you’ve got to go get the popcorn from the ballroom.”

  “I think I can manage that,” said Sage, giving Addy a kiss before they headed back upstairs. Sage took her to the private theater room to watch a cheesy artsy French movie and eat the caramel covered popcorn that Sage had stolen from the ballroom, where the party was still going harder than ever, while Morten and his gang of older shifters started limbo-ing as the moon started to set.

  Chapter Twelve

  Two Weeks Later

  The first quarter at Bonimolean was coming to a close. Addison and Sage’s class was just about to start discussing Pride and Prejudice, which meant Addison and Sage had to give their report. It was unorthodox, but it was done that way so that students couldn’t just base their report on class discussions and the findings of their classmates.

  On the morning of the day of the report, Addy and Sage woke up next to one another. This time, they were in Sage’s bed. They’d celebrated putting the finishing touches on their report in the most natural way possible, with some good, hard lovin’.

  Addy and Sage got changed into business casual clothes and went downstairs to the dining hall to grab a hearty breakfast before they headed over to Prof. Bingley’s classroom early to get the presentation set up. They were using a standard slideshow application to show off their findings, and of course, had notecards ready with quotes that they might need to reference. They had even made laminated color handouts for the entire class. It went a little above and beyond, but this was Bonimolean, after all. They had time to rehearse in the space, adjust the volume of their voices accordingly, and of course, goof around with their laser pointers. It helped calm Addy’s nerves.

  Their classmates trickled in. Finally, in walked Prof. Bingley. Addison and Sage took their seats as Prof. Bingley took the podium.

  “Class, you’re in for a very special treat today,” said Prof. Bingley. “Miss Addison Quincy and Master Sage Scoville have composed a report on Pride and Prejudice for us. You have, haven’t you?” The class laughed at Prof. Bingley’s joke.

  “Yes, of course,” said Addison.

  “Well, then, get over here and give it!” said Prof. Bingley. He took his seat in a large quilted leather armchair resembling a classic Chesterfield sofa and watched the pair give their report, taking ample notes.

  Addison and Sage went over the basic plot of Pride and Prejudice to ensure everyone was on the same page before they went into the nitty-gritty details. Surprisingly, while Addison and Sage seemed to be arguing different things at first, it became clear that they were both building to a conjoined cohesive argument.

  The pair took questions from their classmates and finally, it was time for Prof. Bingley to ask them a few questions of his own.

  “Miss Addison, what was the most striking moment of this novel for you?” asked Prof. Bingley.

  “Honestly, the first time that Elizabeth meets Darcy,” said Addison. “It’s a moment in which the female gaze, rather than the male gaze, casts judgment. I think if Elizabeth were a real woman, around today, she would consider the male gaze in her analysis of gender relations among English nobles. I wonder if she’d be able to see that, in her sociological survey, she becomes the one casting a gaze, and if she would consider how in many ways that her act of gazing is an inversion of social norms. I think that in fact, she may find it difficult and need to have it pointed out to her. It’s no secret that I identify strongly with many of the female authors and the heroines of the stories covered this semester. Because I identify with them, I can understand what potential struggles they might have in the modern day. Perhaps it’s merely projection, but I think that Elizabeth would have a hard time admitting her own prejudices today precisely because I’ve faced that problem myself.”

  “Very good, very good,” said Prof. Bingley. “Now, Master Sage…what do you find to be the most relatable part of the novel? After all, what could a polar bear shifter who breaks all the rules have in common with Darcy?”

  “What don’t we have in common?” asked Sage. The class laughed.

  “Seriously, there are more similarities between Darcy and me than may meet the eye,” said Sage. “Both of us have been judged before someone got to know us. We’re both read as rakes, through legibility of the body, drawing into question how we read peoples’ appearances the way we read books, and how, in doing so, our imagination plays a role in creating a story that we want to see.”

  “Expand more on that,” said Prof. Bingley. “You have my attention…now, keep it.”

  “One of England’s most famous writers once said, ‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.’ Shakespeare placed the practice of everyday living with a performance studies lens,” said Sage. “However, I think more broadly, Shakespeare describes the way we live through an artistic lens, a lens which renders the subject a work of art. Instead of seeing someone as who they truly are, we see them as a cluster of roles. Maybe some see me as a polar bear shifter, a bad boy, a Scoville…but others may see me as something else entirely.”

  Sage looked to Addison and gave her a soft smile.

  “I think that Darcy and I both are judged by others based on what stories others want our appearances to tell, and what role they want us to play in their lives,” said Sage. “Even if Darcy had been Elizabeth’s dream man at their first meeting, she still would have projected what she wanted to read onto him.”

  “And why do you think they ended up together in the end if they were so ill-matched?” asked Prof. Bingley.

  “Because people have no clue what they want,” said Sage. “And they ended up together because they were well-matched. Yes, Fate was involved, through a series of coincidences so ridiculous some argue they can’t be fictional because truth is stranger than fiction. That’s why I think the most moving moment of the novel is the second proposal scene.”

  “The proposal scene?” asked Prof. Bingley.

  “Yes. Care for a refresher?” asked Sage.

  “By all means, if you think it will add to the presentation,” said Prof. Bingley. “Refresh away.”

  “‘You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last year, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.’ These are the words spoken by Darcy when he proposes to Elizabeth after her initial rejection of his proposal. As a shifter, I know that the pain of rejection from a true love must be unbearable, only able to be quelled by the acceptance of your love by your fated mate,” explained Sage. “Of course, I’m preaching to the choir here.” Sage motioned to his classmates, most of whom were also shifters. They laughed.

  “However, I guess there’s only one way to find out what that sorrow or joy would feel like, and that’s by conducting some research of my own,” said Sage. Sage turned away from the audience, toward Addison, and got down on one knee.

  Sage pulled out a small wooden box. He had hidden it in his suit jacket pocket.

  “Addison Quincy,” started Sage. “I don’t know how I ‘could not make the offer of my hand in any possible way that would tempt you to accept it,’ to paraphrase Austen. I hope that I ‘perfectly comprehend your feelings.’ After all, ‘a lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment.’ I hope that this proposal, and this ring, is to your liking.” Sage opened the box, revealing a ring inside.

  The ring was simple, plain gold with a sparkling opal that wasn’t too large. The wide band of the ring had an inscription inside, reading, ‘We are all fools in love.’

  “You remembered,” said Addy. “It’s my favorite quote from the book.”

  “How could I forget? After all, I’m a fool in love,” said Sage. “Addison Opal Quincy, will you do me the great honor of accepting my ha
nd in marriage?”

  “Yes, Sage, of course,” said Addy. She couldn’t frikkin’ believe this was happening, not until the ring was firmly on her finger and Sage had stood up, swooped her up in his arms, and kissed her to the symphony that was the cheers and claps of their classmates. Finally, Sage put his new fiancée back down on the floor.

  Prof. Bingley had a twinkle in his eye. Morten was right. His grandson and this American girl were really meant to be. Of course, everyone had had to help out what that shifter lot called ‘Fate,’ including his wife, Margaret, but in the end, true love had prevailed.

  “I only have two more questions for you,” said Prof. Bingley. “Addison…how did this project affect you?”

  “How didn’t it?” said Addy, before turning to Sage and pulling him close to her for another quick kiss. “I learned that even when you think you’re immune from pride, from prejudice, you can still be too proud and judge others before you get to know them. But most importantly, I learned that two people who might not ever think that they’d be together in a million years, might just be the two people that are perfect for one another. After all, it’s a truth universally acknowledged that a shifter in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a fated mate, to paraphrase Ms. Austen. Now, I know that it must become a truth universally acknowledged that a sassy girl in possession of an inner fire must be in want of a shifter.”

  “And you, Master Scoville…how did this project affect you?” asked Prof. Bingley.

  “I have to admit that I wasn’t crazy about this book at first,” said Sage. “I was more enthralled by the woman who I was partnered with to read it. Pride and Prejudice is a unique insight into the mind of a female author who understands the feminine mystique more so than any other author we’ve covered this semester. By reading this book and pushing myself to ask and answer increasingly more challenging questions about this title, I learned that I’m no closer to understanding the feminine mystique than I was before. To quote the ancient Romans, ‘ipse se nihil scire id unum sciat’: I know that I know nothing…except I know that Addison is my fated mate, my true love and that together, we’re going to help run this crazy thing called The Feminine Mesquite.”

  Sage pulled Addy in for one last kiss. Their fairy tale was not ending. He’d woken his sleeping beauty, who had tamed his beast. Now, they just had to let everyone else know, starting with their eldest siblings, Herb and Alice. To paraphrase Ms. Austen one last time…

  Sage, as well as Addy, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude toward the hot sauce company, The Feminine Mesquite, which, by bringing them together, had been the means of uniting them.

  Epilogue

  Mid-April

  The school year was nearly over, but Addy and Sage’s romance was just beginning. Ever since his proposal, Addy and Sage had spent nearly every waking moment together. Of course, they received the highest marks possible for their Pride and Prejudice project. Addy, under encouragement from Alice and Herb, took the initiative to apply for a transfer. With Professor Bingley and her other professors vouching for her, Addy’s transfer was accepted. She would be transferring her credits over to Bonimolean University, and Addy and Sage would be spending their senior year together…as husband and wife.

  That’s right. Addy and Sage had been invited to join the group Quincy-Scoville wedding. Alice and Herb and Abigail and Clove had invited the middle siblings to join their wedding, making the double wedding a triple wedding. Of course, Addy and Sage accepted the invitation. Alice’s wedding plans were dreamy, like something out of a fairy tale, so Abigail and Addison were more than happy to let their sister handle the arrangements. Alice had impeccably good taste, and of course, all the vendors were pleased as punch to hear that the wedding was going to be an even bigger event than before. More brides and grooms meant more dresses, suits, flowers, special events, and photographers than before, and that meant more money for the good people of Bright Star County, Texas.

  Even though it was crunch time, with finals approaching, Sage still found the time to make sure that he got to show Addison a good time. It was time for her to see his Europe, and luckily, Bonimolean had a private helicopter landing pad that he used to take Addison all over the continent. They went to Rome for pasta and opera, Paris for ballet and macarons, and Moscow for ballet and blini with caviar. In Germany, they had beers in the privacy of their Black Forest cabin. In Poland, they tried kielbasa in their riverside cottage. Of course, they also made regular visits to Oslo, where they always had a room at the Scoville Manor. Georgina Rosetti was dealt with by the dragon clan, and Minerva would try to visit Addy and the rest of the Quincy Sisters and the Scoville Brothers if she wasn’t too busy with magic summer school.

  Summer was steadily approaching. That meant that it would soon be time for Addy, Sage, and Clove to fly from England to Fallowedirt, Texas and for Basil to fly in from Brazil to join the joint Scoville-Quincy (or Quincy-Scoville) family in Bright Star County.

  Summer was a break from school, but it would be no vacation. They’d all be put to work at The Feminine Mesquite for the summer. Alice and Herb would, of course, supervise everyone’s work to some degree, acting as CEOs. Abigail and Clove hadn’t worked over winter break as they’d been working on their papers, but they would be handling the new factory. Alice and Herb had purchased it during the spring semester and had worked on refurbishing it and getting it set up for the summer.

  Abigail and Clove had been assigned the factory because it was the job requiring the most responsibility. Savina and Mason had been assigned to work at The Feminine Mesquite’s storefront on Fallowedirt’s Main Street because that job required the least responsibility and they were the youngest.

  That left Addy and Kai working with Sage and Basil. Addy and Sage had received their instructions regarding working in the warehouse. While Addy would do bookkeeping, Sage would be taking a leadership role, acting as supervisor over all the warehouse workers. It was the perfect role for them. Addy could read during her downtime and Sage could play the music of his choice in the warehouse.

  Addison was sitting in Sage’s room, listening to him practice his music, when she received a call.

  “Who is it?” asked Sage.

  “It’s Kai,” said Addison. “I’ve got to take this. Do you mind?”

  “No…that is, as long as you come back,” said Sage. “Send her my best.”

  “I will,” promised Addison.

  Addison got up off the velvet chaise lounge and walked across the suite living room to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She sat down in the tufted leather armchair and answered the call.

  “Hey, sorry about that,” said Addison. “How’re you doing, Kai?”

  “I’m fine, but how are things at Bonimolean?” asked Kai. “The semester’s nearly over. Was it everything you dreamed of?”

  “And more,” said Addison. “Bonimolean has truly been like a fairy tale. If I tell you a secret, can you promise not to tell anyone yet?”

  “Okay, whose body are we hiding?” asked Kai. “Sage’s?”

  “No, and he sends his best,” said Addy, rolling her eyes. “The only person you might want to bury is me. I’m transferring to Bonimolean.”

  “You are?” asked Kai. “Addy, that’s been your dream since you were young. A semester at Bonimolean is one thing, but your senior year…well, that’s going to be abso-frikkin’-lutely magical!”

  “You’re not mad at me?” asked Addy.

  “Of course not. And I won’t tell Alice or the others yet,” promised Kai. “I know that’s your truth to tell. I can’t wait to see you again!”

  “Me either,” said Addy. “Sage, Clove, and I are going to be heading back to Fallowedirt the same week as you and Sav.”

  “So, we’ll all make it to Abigail’s graduation?” asked Kai.

  “You bet your butt,” said Addy. “But of course, we’re going to be put to work. I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up snoozing thr
ough the graduation ceremony.”

  “Don’t jinx it!” said Kai. “I can’t believe that you and Sage are going to be running the warehouse. Before this semester, I thought there was no frikkin’ way that you two would be able to work together. I guess a lot of things changed this semester. I can’t wait to hear all about what adventures you had all over Europe.”

  “So, what did you and Basil get assigned?” Addy asked Kai as they talked on the phone. “Something about a restaurant?”

  “Ugh, yes,” said Kai. “Basil and I are supposed to help set up a restaurant. It’s right next door to The Feminine Mesquite’s storefront.”

  “Hey, that should be fun,” said Addy. “You love restaurants. You took all those courses on restaurant management, and you can cook better than any of us.”

  “Well, Basil seems to think he knows better than me,” said Kai. “We’ve been e-mailing. It’s all ‘Brazilian barbecue’ this and ‘European molecular gastronomy’ that. I’m starting to think that there’s no frikkin’ way that this restaurant can be a success…especially if Basil is involved.”

  “You really think so?” asked Addy. She couldn’t keep in her laughter, and she burst out in giggles.

  “What’s so frikkin’ funny?” asked Kai.

  “It’s nothing. It’s just…well, you remind me of someone else,” said Addy.

  “Who?” asked Kai.

  “Me,” said Addy.

  Addy listened to Kai complain about Basil and couldn’t help but shake her head and smile. According to Kai, Basil was the worst thing to walk on two legs that had ever entered Bright Star County. He was cocky, self-assured, and of course, he’d earned that right, which really got Kai’s goat. These two had no idea what was going to be in store for them that summer in Fallowedirt, Texas. Her siblings were not done with their meddling, not even a little. The only question was, would Kai and Basil resist the meddling, or would Fate bring these two closer than they ever thought possible? Would Kai and Basil end up together? There was only one way to find out, and that would have to wait until the summer that they’d be spending at…The Feminine Mesquite.