Chapter One #4
“I don’t know,” Caleb admitted. “I barely talked to him.”
“But you’d like to talk to him more.”
It wasn’t a question, but Caleb answered anyway. “Maybe.” Because deep inside, he knew that neither West nor Austin were anything like Sal. It was just an excuse not to make himself vulnerable.
Jonathan’s expression softened. “You know, it wouldn’t be bad for you to date another shifter. No hiding, no explanations if they notice you doing something not quite human. No wondering if they’ll be able to accept that part of you.”
The words hit deeper than Caleb expected.
He’d dated humans before, nice guys who had never fully understood him because he’d never allowed himself to be completely open with them.
The constant effort of having to be careful not to slip up was exhausting, which was why he’d convinced himself he was better off alone.
“It’s not just about being a shifter,” Caleb said. “It’s about being compatible as people.”
“True. But being able to be completely yourself with someone? That’s not something to dismiss lightly. It might not be the same for me because I’m human, but with West, I can be myself in a way I couldn’t with Sal.”
They eventually reached Jonathan’s shop. Through the windows, Caleb could see Jonathan’s friends hanging around the front desk, probably waiting for news. He wondered if any of them had freaked out as badly as he had.
“Looks like your crew is worried,” Caleb told Jonathan.
“They didn’t want me to go when they realized it was a fire. Daniela texted me about ten times asking if I was okay.” Jonathan shrugged. “I swear, sometimes I think they forget I survived just fine before I met them.”
“You survived,” Caleb corrected. “I’m not sure just fine is correct, though.”
Jonathan paused with his hand on the door. “Yeah, okay. But I’m more than fine now, and that’s because I have people who care about me.” He paused and looked at Caleb. “Including West and Austin.”
The door chimed as they entered. Christy was up from her chair behind the reception desk in seconds, rushing over to check in on Jonathan. “Are you okay? We saw the emergency vehicles, and then Daniela said you told her it was a fire, and I wanted to come, but she said you were fine.”
“I’m fine,” Jonathan said firmly. “Caleb and I both are. Margaret’s bookstore is gone, though.”
“Is she okay?” Ethan asked. His dark eyes were serious and worried. There was something about Ethan that had always made Caleb pay attention because he was focused and intense—especially while he was working.
“She’s shaken up but fine,” Caleb answered. “The fire department got there quickly.”
“Thank god for that,” Daniela said as she leaned against the counter. “I can’t imagine the neighborhood without her bookstore.”
“The building’s pretty much a total loss,” Jonathan said gently. “But Margaret’s okay, and that’s what matters. Buildings can be rebuilt.”
Christy sank back into her chair. “This is the fourth small business fire in two months. That’s not normal, right? I mean, I know accidents happen, but this feels like more than a coincidence.”
Caleb exchanged a glance with Jonathan. Christy was human, but she was also observant and protective of the people she cared about, especially after what had happened to Jonathan.
Jonathan had never pushed Caleb to come out to their friends, but Caleb had been thinking about it. He still hadn’t made a decision.
“The fire department is investigating,” he said.
“I’m sure they’ll figure out if there’s a pattern.
” Not unless they knew about shifters, though, and he doubted most of them did.
There was a chance that some shifters worked for the department, like West and Austin, but what were the odds that a shifter would be assigned to the case?
“Speaking of the fire department,” Jonathan said, and Caleb could hear the mischief in his voice, “Caleb met Austin today.”
“West’s partner?” Ethan asked.
“And best friend,” Jonathan added.
“Oh, he’s gorgeous,” Daniela said immediately. “I met him at that barbecue last month. Those eyes, and the way he—”
“Daniela,” Jonathan interrupted with a laugh. “You’re going to make Caleb jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” Caleb protested. Why hadn’t he gone to that barbecue again? Oh, right, he’d been working.
“Aren’t you?” Christy asked. “Then you won’t have a problem with the fact that Ethan almost asked him out.”
“I hate all of you,” Caleb muttered, but there was no real heat in it. These people might be Jonathan’s coworkers, but they were also his friends, which apparently made them Caleb’s friends, too—or at least, that was how they’d behaved since day one.
“So what did you think of him?” Ethan asked.
Caleb wasn’t sure how to answer that. “He seems competent,” he said because he had to come up with something.
“Competent,” Daniela repeated, shaking her head. “Caleb, honey, the man looks like he could bench press a car, and you went with competent?”
“He helped me through a panic attack without making it into a big deal,” Caleb said. “That’s competent. He’s good at his job.”
The teasing atmosphere turned more serious, and Caleb wished it hadn’t.
“You had a panic attack?” Christy asked, sounding concerned.
“The fire smell brought back some memories,” Caleb said, not wanting to make it into something bigger than it was. “Austin noticed and helped me get my breathing back under control. He was professional about it.”
“But?” Jonathan asked, clearly hearing something Caleb wasn’t saying. That was what happened when someone knew you too well.
Caleb shook his head. “But nothing. He was nice. Professional. Maybe I’ll run into him again sometime.”
“You could ask West for his number,” Daniela suggested.
Caleb might not want to talk about Austin, but it was better than talking about his panic attack. “Or I could mind my own business and let things happen naturally.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Christy said with a grin. “Come on, when’s the last time you were interested in someone? Really interested.”
Caleb couldn’t argue with that. It had been months since anyone had caught his attention the way Austin had, and Austin was a shifter, too. “He’s West’s best friend,” Caleb said. “And West makes Jonathan happy. Really happy, in a way I haven’t seen in years.”
“So you trust West’s judgment in friends,” Ethan said.
“I guess I do.” The realization surprised Caleb, even though he knew that not all dragons were like Sal. Knowing that and truly believing it were two different things, though.
“Then maybe give Austin a chance to show you who he is,” Jonathan said quietly. “Not who you expect him to be based on someone else’s behavior.”
“Maybe I will,” Caleb said, and he meant it. He wasn’t going to go look for Austin, but if they met again—and they would—he might give him a chance.
“Good,” Jonathan said with a nod. “Because West mentioned that Austin has mentioned you a few times.”
“What?” Caleb’s head snapped up. “We never even talked until today.”
“Yeah, but you’re my best friend.”
“Interesting,” Daniela said, grinning.
“Don’t get any ideas,” Caleb told her, but he was fighting a smile. It was ridiculous.
“Too late,” Christy said cheerfully. “We’re already planning your wedding.”
“I’m leaving,” Caleb announced, heading for the door.
“Think about what I said,” Jonathan called after him. “About being yourself with someone. It might be worth the risk.”
As Caleb headed home, Jonathan’s words twirled in his mind. Trusting Austin was tempting, but also terrifying and risky.
But maybe it was time to find out if Austin was worth that risk.