Chapter Four – Caleb
She’s in our house, his bear said. Although, as Hannah stepped over the threshold, he was still faintly disbelieving.
I know, Caleb replied as he flipped on the lights, illuminating the interior of his cabin. The place he called home. But truthfully, it had never felt like home until now.
She’s in our living room, his bear added, sharing Caleb’s feelings. And she likes it.
I can see. Caleb shook his head, unable to contain his smile as Hannah turned around to take in the warm wood and his eclectic furniture. Please stop narrating her every step.
I can’t help it. This is such a momentous moment, his bear said.
A moment they had both begun to believe would never happen. But here she was. Hannah. Their mate.
“Shall I show you the guest room?” Caleb asked as he followed her inside. “We can put your bags up there.”
“Sure. If it’s no trouble,” Hannah replied as she turned and looked at him with an appreciative smile that still held a large dose of wariness.
“No trouble at all.” Caleb led the way up the stairs, Hannah’s overnight bag in one hand, the box of her essentials in the other. He wanted her to feel at home. To feel as if this were her home.
Nothing she wants. Nothing she needs will ever be any trouble. His bear practically preened with each step, radiating pure joy.
No, it won’t, Caleb agreed as he tightened his grip on Hannah’s things and went upstairs. He was acutely aware of her following. He could feel the warmth of her body and smell her scent.
She’s walking up our stairs! his bear crowed. She’s going to sleep under our roof!
I’m aware, Caleb said happily. Could you calm down for five minutes?
Absolutely not. This is historic. Momentous. Earth-shattering.
Caleb suppressed a smile, glad Hannah couldn’t hear the running commentary. His bear had never been this chatty, this excited. It was like having an overenthusiastic roommate suddenly take up residence in his head.
“The guest room is this way,” he said aloud, turning down the hallway. “It’s not much, but it has its own bathroom.”
That’s our best guest room! his bear protested.
It’s our only guest room, Caleb replied.
And our mate is going to sleep in it. His bear could not contain his joy.
She is. Although Caleb had always hoped that when he met his mate, the first night they shared a roof, they might also share a bed.
But he could wait. Because the best things in life were always worth waiting for.
He pushed open the door and set Hannah’s things down beside the bed. The room was simple but comfortable... a queen-sized bed with a handmade quilt, the faint scent of clean cotton lingering in the air.
The rain had cleared, and the last of the afternoon light spilled across the wooden floor from the window overlooking the mountain, its golden glow warming the room. Just as his mate had warmed his heart.
“The bathroom’s through there,” he said, gesturing to a door on the far wall. “Clean towels are in the cabinet. Let me know if there’s anything else you need.”
Hannah stepped past him into the room, her fingertips trailing lightly over the quilt. “This is lovely,” she said, her voice soft as she took in the space. “Thank you.”
Tell her it’s nothing! his bear urged him. Tell her she can stay forever!
“It’s no trouble,” Caleb said instead, leaning against the doorframe to give her room to explore. “The house is too big for just me, anyway.”
She moved to the window, looking out at the view of mountains and forests. The fading light caught in her hair, illuminating strands of gold and copper he hadn’t noticed before. A small shiver ran through her as she stood there.
She’s cold, his bear observed, instantly concerned.
“You’re still chilled from the rain,” Caleb said. “Why don’t you run a bath? Warm up properly.”
Hannah turned back to him, hesitation clear in her expression. “I don’t want to use up all your hot water.”
“Plenty to go around,” he assured her. “Benefit of living on the mountain. I have a good well, strong water pressure, and a reliable heater. Take your time.”
She smiled then, a real smile that reached her eyes. “In that case, a bath sounds wonderful, actually. Thank you.”
You’re welcome in our den anytime, his bear rumbled contentedly.
Caleb stepped back into the hallway. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”
He closed the door gently behind him, then stood there for a moment, his palm flat against the wood, overwhelmed by the simple fact of her presence on the other side. His bear was uncharacteristically quiet, as if they both needed a moment to absorb the reality of what was happening.
She’s here, Caleb thought, his chest tight with something between joy and terror. In my house.
Our house, his bear corrected gently.
In our house. In our lives. Caleb agreed, making his way back downstairs to find Matt waiting in the living room, hands in his pockets, a knowing smile on his face.
“You should head back to the restaurant,” Caleb said, reluctantly tearing his thoughts away from his mate. “I’ll see you in about an hour.”
Matt shook his head. “No, you won’t.”
“What?”
Matt nodded toward the ceiling, where the faint sound of water running could be heard. “You’ve got better things to do tonight.”
Caleb clenched his jaw, torn between duty and desire. “I don’t like letting you all down. We both know it’s going to be a busy night.”
“We’ll manage,” Matt assured him, his tone leaving no room for argument. “You staying here is more important right now. She is more important.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Caleb nodded. “All right. If you’re sure.”
“Absolutely positive,” Matt said, then pulled him into a quick, fierce hug. “I’m so happy for you, brother.”
“Thanks,” Caleb said, his voice rough with emotion. “For everything.”
Matt grinned as he pulled back, eyes bright with genuine happiness. “Damn, this gives me hope. Hope for the rest of us.” He chuckled softly. “Because you know what happened at the ranch and the vineyard.”
Caleb inhaled deeply, then smiled, nodding. “Once one found their mate, the rest followed.”
It was Thornberg family lore now—how first Ezra had found his mate Camille and then the rest of his brothers had. Then the same quirk of fate had happened for Kris, over at the vineyard, when he met Cassia. It was as if the first pairing had somehow triggered a chain reaction.
I hope that’s true for our brothers, Caleb’s bear said.
Me too, Caleb agreed. I wish it with all my heart.
He wanted them to know what it felt like to sense their mate for the first time. To feel a connection to another person on a soul-deep level.
Matt punched him lightly on the shoulder. “So you’re the first, and we’re going to follow where you lead.”
“No pressure then,” Caleb said dryly as he walked his brother to the door.
“No pressure at all,” Matt replied with a laugh.
With that, Matt left, and Caleb closed the door, leaning back against it as he steadied himself.
The house felt different already—warmer, more alive.
His senses were drawn upward to his mate, soaking in the bath.
He closed his eyes, unable to stop himself from imagining her there, surrounded by scented bubbles, her skin flushed from the heat.
He dared not think any more about that, about how the bubbles would cling to her soft skin when she got out, tracing paths down her body as she reached for a towel...
He shook his head and pushed away from the door, heading for the kitchen. Focus on something practical, he told himself firmly. Coffee. He could make coffee.
His movements were automatic as he measured grounds into the filter, filled the reservoir with water, and set the machine to brew. The familiar ritual helped calm his racing thoughts, though his bear remained on high alert, attuned to every small sound from upstairs.
She’s taking a bath in our house, his bear marveled for the hundredth time.
Are we back to narrating again? Caleb asked, but his tone was good-natured as he opened the refrigerator and peered in.
The contents were depressingly sparse. Half a carton of eggs, some cheese past its prime, condiments, and little else. He usually ate at the restaurant; it had become a habit over the years. His house had always been just a place to sleep, not a home.
The sound of water draining upstairs pulled him from his thoughts. His bear perked up immediately.
She’s finished her bath, his bear observed unnecessarily.
Anxiety twisted in Caleb’s stomach. This was it, the moment she’d see his failings as a host, the barrenness of his refrigerator, the emptiness of his life outside the restaurant.
No, she won’t, his bear assured him. Just be yourself.
But Caleb often wondered who he was, beyond the restaurant manager, beyond the reliable brother, the loving son, beyond the steady presence everyone counted on. His life had been all about the restaurant because he’d always had this big gaping hole that only his mate could fill.
She’s here now, his bear reminded him gently.
He heard her coming downstairs, her footsteps light on the wooden treads. His pulse quickened as he swallowed hard, then realized how strange he’d look just standing there, leaning against the counter, watching her walk into the kitchen.
He busied himself quickly, pouring two cups of coffee, his movements stiff with self-consciousness. He could barely breathe as he sensed her in the doorway.
“Hi,” he said, turning around with what felt like an artificial smile.
“Hi,” Hannah replied, smiling nervously. She was dressed in a pair of cotton pants and a warm sweater... not his, he noted sadly, but her own clothes from her bag.
“Coffee?” he offered, holding out a mug, hoping she couldn’t see the slight tremor in his hand. “I don’t know how you take it... cream, sugar?”
“Black is fine,” she said, accepting the cup with both hands, her fingers brushing his for the briefest, electric moment. “Thank you.”
The simple touch sent a jolt through him, like static electricity but warmer, deeper. His bear hummed with contentment.
“You must be hungry,” Caleb said, glancing back at his pathetic refrigerator. “I should have thought about dinner.”
“It’s okay,” Hannah assured him, but her stomach betrayed her with a soft growl.
Caleb couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t have much in, I’m afraid. I usually eat at the restaurant.”
He opened the fridge again, this time staring so hard you’d think it might magically refill itself.
Checking if food spontaneously generated since you last looked? his bear quipped.
Caleb sighed, pushing around a sad container of questionable leftovers. “I’m a terrible host.”
“Let me see,” Hannah said, suddenly beside him. The proximity made his skin prickle with awareness as she leaned in, surveying the barren shelves.
She pointed. “Eggs. Cheese. And I bet you’ve got some canned stuff in the cupboard?”
“Yeah, but...”
“Perfect.” She smiled, already rolling up her sleeves. “I can work with that.”
“You don’t have to cook,” Caleb protested weakly, even as his bear practically purred at the idea.
Hannah rummaged through a cabinet, pulling out a dusty can of tomatoes and some spices that Caleb had forgotten he owned.
“You really don’t have much in,” she observed, not unkindly. “But I’ve had plenty of practice at creating a meal from almost nothing.”
“Living on my own...” he began, watching her crack eggs into a bowl. “It never seemed worth the effort of cooking just for me.”
She glanced up at him, a flash of understanding in her eyes. “Well, tonight you’re not on your own, are you?”
His stomach clenched, and it had nothing to do with hunger.
His bear, for once, didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to.