Chapter Thirteen – Tessa
Tessa had drifted through her shift in a state of confusion, waiting tables and talking to diners on autopilot as she tried to sift through her emotions. Thankfully, Monday lunch service was a lot slower than the ones she’d experienced on the weekend.
Not that she didn’t behave with utmost professionalism. She didn’t know any other way.
But still her thoughts drifted to Matt, who seemed to be looking at her every time she cast a glance in his direction.
And every time Matt caught her gaze, a flutter stirred in Tessa’s chest. She was certain he wanted more from her—the way his eyes lingered just a moment too long, how his smile softened when she approached.
And if she was honest with herself, she wanted more from him, too. So much more.
As she loaded the last of the lunch dishes into the dishwasher, her hands moved mechanically while her mind wandered. She’d spent years putting her own dreams on hold after her dad was killed and her mom was injured in a car accident when she was still so young.
So many years had gone by where she lived a life that was never her own. Not that she resented the time she’d spent caring for her mom.
They’d had a strong, loving relationship. One she missed every day.
“Lost years,” her mother had whispered from the hospice bed, her once-strong voice barely audible over the steady beep of monitors. “Promise me you won’t waste any more time, Tess. Follow your heart with your art. Follow your dreams.”
But what were her dreams now? Art had always been her sanctuary, the place she disappeared to when reality became too heavy. She could create worlds on paper, imagining herself living in them when her own life felt too confining.
The courtyard sketch she’d made last night flashed in her mind—how she’d drawn Matt without even thinking, his presence on the page as natural as the climbing vines and stone walls.
Had her subconscious been trying to tell her something?
Was Matt Thornberg part of the dream she should be following now?
She closed the dishwasher with a soft click, wiping her hands on a towel. Was it possible to have both—a connection with someone like Matt and still keep her own identity, her own creative path? To find balance rather than sacrifice? Other people managed it.
But she didn’t know how. It wasn’t something she’d learned.
“Are you ready to go?”
Tessa startled at Matt’s voice behind her. He stood there with a backpack slung over one shoulder, looking at her with those dark eyes that seemed to see right through her defenses.
“I’ve packed us some leftovers,” he continued. “Thought we could eat at the lookout.”
“Oh, okay,” Tessa replied, feeling suddenly flustered. Was this a date? No, she reminded herself firmly. He was just being nice because she was drawing the courtyard for his mom. But the hopeful flutter in her chest betrayed her—she wanted it to be a date.
She grabbed her things, checking that her sketchpad was still in her bag. Even though she knew it was.
Then they headed out of the restaurant together, Matt holding the door for her like the gentleman he was. She blamed the warm summer sun for the heat in her cheeks, but she knew it was Matt who made her feel this way—and she liked it.
They walked through town side by side, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Matt pointed out landmarks as they went—the corner store where he and his brothers used to buy candy with their allowance, the playground where they’d spent countless summer afternoons after school.
“And that’s the library,” he said, gesturing toward a charming stone building. “Elliot practically lived there growing up. He was obsessed with books about food from other countries.”
“Elliot is your brother?” Tessa asked, trying to keep all the Thornbergs straight in her mind.
“Yeah, he’s off on an adventure right now, collecting recipes from around the world for his latest cookbook.”
“Really?” Tessa couldn’t hide her impressed tone. “That sounds amazing.”
“Yeah,” Matt said, his expression a mixture of pride and something else she couldn’t quite name.
“Do you miss him?” she asked.
“I do. We were close growing up,” Matt admitted. Then he lowered his voice slightly. “And sometimes... Don’t tell him this... But sometimes I envy him.”
Tessa studied his face, surprised by this confession. “Do you want to be a famous writer?”
He shook his head. “No, I just sometimes wonder what it’d be like to travel. To have that kind of freedom.”
His words resonated with something deep inside her—that yearning for something new, for space to breathe and grow. She glanced around at the mountain town, the peaks rising majestically in the distance.
For her, Bear Creek was that kind of place.
“I know what you mean,” she murmured. “But it’s so beautiful here.” She took a deep breath of the pine-scented air. “I can see why you never left.”
“I’m glad,” Matt said, his voice warm.
He held out his hand to her, palm up, an invitation. “This way to the lookout.”
Tessa hesitated only a moment before placing her hand in his. His fingers closed around hers; his touch was so familiar now.
The path narrowed as they climbed, winding between pines and aspens. Matt kept his pace slow, matching her shorter strides. Their joined hands swung gently between them, and Tessa marveled at how natural it felt, as if they’d been walking together like this for years instead of minutes.
“It’s not much farther,” Matt said, glancing down at her. “There’s a clearing just ahead with a view that’ll take your breath away.”
“I’m not in a hurry,” Tessa replied. This moment with Matt felt like something to savor rather than rush through.
The trees thinned as they neared the top, and suddenly the view opened before them—Bear Creek spread out below, nestled in its valley like a painting come to life. The mountains rose in the distance, their peaks still capped with snow despite the summer warmth.
“Oh,” Tessa breathed, momentarily forgetting everything else. “It’s beautiful.”
Matt released her hand as they reached the small wooden platform that served as a lookout point. A simple bench faced the valley, weathered by years of mountain seasons.
“I come up here sometimes after a busy shift,” Matt said, setting his backpack down. “Helps put things into perspective.”
Tessa moved to the railing, drinking in the view. From this height, she could see the whole town—the neat grid of streets, the town square where they’d visited the farmers’ market, and even the restaurant, its red roof distinctive among the buildings.
“I can see why,” she murmured. The vastness of the landscape made her own concerns seem smaller, somehow more manageable.
Matt joined her at the railing, standing close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body. “Hungry?” he asked.
She nodded, and Matt unzipped the backpack and pulled out a checkered cloth, spreading it on the bench. He unpacked containers of food, the special from today’s menu, crusty bread, a small container of mixed berries, and two bottles of water.
“This is quite the picnic,” Tessa said, settling onto the bench.
Matt smiled as he handed her a plate. “Perks of being the chef.”
They ate in companionable silence for a while, the food somehow tasting even better in the open air with the spectacular view before them.
“So,” Matt said eventually, breaking the silence. “How are you finding Bear Creek? Beyond the restaurant, I mean.”
Tessa considered the question, feeling the weight of it. “It’s... not what I expected,” she admitted. “In a good way. Everyone’s been so welcoming. It feels...” she paused, searching for the right word. “Connected. Like everyone knows their place in the community.”
Matt nodded. “That’s what I love about it. Even when it drives me crazy sometimes—everyone knowing everyone else’s business—there’s something comforting about belonging to a place so completely.”
Belonging. The word resonated in Tessa’s chest. How long had it been since she’d truly felt that? Most of her life, at least since her mom’s accident, she’d felt as if she lived on the periphery.
An observer of sorts. Watching other people live their lives while hers stayed stagnant. Not that they hadn’t had good times. Times she cherished.
Times that would never come again.
“Are you okay?” Matt whispered.
“Yes.” She gave him a crooked smile as she brushed a hand across her eyes. “I just got lost in the past.”
“So tell me about your future instead. What are your plans, Tessa?” Matt asked.
She ducked her head to hide the blush in her cheeks at the first thought that came into her head. Kiss you.
Tessa stared out at the view and sighed; the vastness of the mountains made her feel small yet somehow significant at the same time.
“I’m not sure,” she finally said. “I’ve never really had the luxury of not knowing what the next day will bring. For so long, it was just... taking care of Mom, working to pay the bills. Thinking about any other future seemed…pointless.”
Matt slipped his arm around her shoulder and held her. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She sniffed and leaned into him. “It’s not your fault. It’s just going to take some time to recalibrate. To think about what I want for a change. My mom made me promise to think of myself first for a change. To follow my heart. And work on my art.”
“Your mom sounds like a wise woman,” Matt said.
“She was.” Tessa glanced at him, her gaze dropping to his lips almost of its own accord. The words “kiss him” reverberated in her mind with such clarity that she wondered if she’d spoken them aloud. Before she could second-guess herself, she leaned forward, her heart hammering against her ribs.
She paused, just a breath away from him, suddenly uncertain.
Matt’s hand slipped to the nape of her neck, his touch gentle but sure as he closed the distance between them. Their lips met, light at first, a question being asked and answered in the same moment. Then deeper, his mouth moving against hers with a tenderness that made her chest ache.
The kiss transformed into something more—his beard soft against her skin, his hand warm at her neck, the taste of him mingling with the sweetness of summer berries. Tessa melted into him, every nerve ending singing with awareness.
She pulled back suddenly, ducking her head as heat flooded her cheeks. “Sorry,” she whispered, not entirely sure what she was apologizing for.
Matt tilted her chin up with gentle fingers, meeting her eyes with an intensity that stole her breath. “Don’t be,” he said simply.
A smile tugged at her lips, even as anxiety fluttered in her stomach. “I don’t want to mess things up for Rachel by dating her boss.”
“So you will go out with me?” Matt asked, his expression brightening.
Tessa shook her head slightly, flustered. “I didn’t mean…”
“I did,” he interrupted, a grin spreading across his face that made her heart skip. “Have dinner with me. Tonight.”
“Yes,” she nodded, the word feeling like a first step on a new path.
Matt’s smile widened, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made her want to capture the expression in her sketchbook. He reached for her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers as he turned back toward the view.
“I know a great little place,” he said. “Small, intimate. The chef’s pretty good.”
Tessa laughed, the sound light. Free. “Sounds perfect.”
“It will be.”