Chapter Fourteen – Matt
She’s coming to dinner. Matt could hardly believe it as he dropped Tessa back at Rachel’s house.
Tonight is the night! his bear said.
So, I’d better get cooking! Matt headed back to the restaurant, mentally sifting through his favorite recipes.
He desperately wanted to impress Tessa with his cooking, but he knew better than to attempt something new under such stressful circumstances.
That was a sure way to end up with a kitchen culinary disaster.
And we do not want any of those, his bear said.
I don’t plan on any disasters at all, Matt assured his bear.
No, he wanted tonight to go smoothly. He wanted to impress her with wonderful food and his scintillating company.
His bear chuckled. You’ll do fine with the food. As for the scintillating company…
Thanks, Matt replied as he parked the truck and got out. But instead of going back inside the restaurant, he headed for the larger apartment his parents lived in around the back of the building.
Although apartment did not do justice to the residence, which was spacious and elegant, with its own entrance separate from the restaurant.
Matt followed the stone path that wound through a garden reminiscent of the restaurant’s courtyard, but more expansive and personal.
His mother’s touch was evident everywhere—the same herbs grew in neat, fragrant clusters, but here they were joined by climbing roses in various shades of pink and white, their sweet perfume mingling with the more savory scents of rosemary and thyme.
Delicate lavender swayed in the light breeze, and bright patches of wildflowers added splashes of color among the greenery.
Before Matt could reach the door, it swung open. His mother stood framed in the doorway, her silver-streaked dark hair pulled back in a loose knot, her eyes searching his face.
“So, how did it go?” Eleanor asked, not even bothering with a greeting.
Matt paused, a smile tugging at his lips. “Which part?”
She beckoned him inside with an impatient wave of her hand. “All of it. Tell me everything.”
Matt stepped inside and inhaled the aroma of his father’s lasagna. “Smells good.”
“Come on through.” His mom led him to the kitchen, where he was surprised to find not just his father there, but also Caleb and Hannah sitting at the breakfast counter. They must have just returned from their trip to pack up the last of Hannah’s belongings from her old apartment.
“Look who’s here,” his father called out as he poured Matt a glass of wine. “You look like you need a drink.”
“Hey. I’m not going to say no to a small glass,” Matt said, suddenly self-conscious of all eyes on him. “How was the trip? Get everything packed up?”
Caleb and Hannah exchanged a look that Matt recognized all too well—the silent communication of mates who could almost read each other’s thoughts without words. The sight made his chest tighten with both happiness for his brother and a renewed ache of longing.
“Never mind about us,” Caleb said, waving off Matt’s question. “Mom says you found your mate. Tell us everything.”
Hannah leaned forward. “Rachel’s friend, right? She’s an artist?”
Matt nodded, overwhelmed by their immediate focus on his personal life, but unable to stop the smile spreading across his face. “Good, incredible, and as scary as hell,” he admitted, the words tumbling out before he could filter them.
His mom guided him to a seat at the counter. “That sounds about right,” she said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “The best things usually are.”
“Have you told her yet?” Caleb asked, his tone growing more serious. “About what we are?”
“No,” Matt admitted, the single word carrying the weight of his uncertainty. “Not yet. But I’m having dinner with Tessa tonight.” He looked around at their expectant faces. “At my place. Just the two of us.”
“Oh!” Eleanor’s eyes widened. “Tonight? But that’s… You need to prepare!”
Matt cracked a grin at his mom’s sudden shift into planning mode. “That’s why I’m here, actually. I could use some advice.”
“First,” his father said, leaning back against the counter, “you need to decide if tonight is the night you tell her.”
Matt let out a long breath. Was he ready? More importantly, was Tessa? They’d shared that kiss on the lookout—a perfect moment that still made his heart race to remember—but the gulf between a kiss and the truth about shifters seemed impossibly wide.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Part of me wants to wait, to give her more time. But another part...” He trailed off, remembering the connection that sparked between them, the way she seemed to sense him even before he spoke.
“Another part thinks she already knows something’s different. Something’s special between us.”
Eleanor reached for his hand. “Trust your instincts, Matthew. They’ve never led you astray before.”
“And remember,” Caleb added, “she has a right to know who—what—she’s getting involved with.”
Hannah nodded, her quiet voice carrying unexpected weight. “The truth is scary, but not knowing why you feel the way you do… that’s scarier.” She glanced at Caleb, her expression softening. “Take it from someone who’s been there.”
Matt absorbed their words, feeling the knot of tension in his chest loosen slightly. This was why he’d come home—not just for advice, but because he needed to be surrounded by people who knew him and who understood completely what he was going through.
“What are you making her for dinner?” his mom asked, seamlessly shifting the conversation to more immediate concerns.
“I was thinking the lemon risotto she liked so much at the restaurant on Saturday,” Matt replied, grateful for the practical question. “Simple but special.”
“Perfect,” his father nodded approvingly. “And dessert?”
“Chocolate souffle,” Matt said, then frowned slightly. “Though that might be pushing my luck with the timing.”
“Use my individual ramekins,” his mother suggested. “You can prepare them ahead and just slip them into the oven while you’re eating the main course.”
His bear rumbled with approval at the practical solution. Our mom is wise.
“What about wine?” Caleb asked. “Kris just dropped off some bottles from the new vintage. There’s a Pinot Gris that would be perfect with the salmon.”
“Sounds perfect,” Matt said, feeling more confident as the conversation focused on familiar territory. “Can’t go wrong with Thornberg wine.”
Hannah cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention.
“The food will be perfect,” she said with quiet certainty.
“But Matt... when you tell her about…you know.” Hannah gestured vaguely with her hands.
“Just remember how confusing it was for me at first.” She leaned forward, her eyes meeting Matt’s with an intensity born from experience.
“The most important thing is to make her feel safe. Not trapped or pressured. Give her space to process it.”
Matt nodded, grateful for Hannah’s insight. As his brother’s mate, she truly understood what Tessa would go through. “But you already felt it. The mating bond, didn’t you?”
“I felt something,” Hannah admitted, twisting the engagement ring on her finger.
“But I knew something was different about Caleb, about how I felt around him. There was this... connection I couldn’t explain.
” She glanced at Caleb with a small smile.
“Part of me was relieved when he finally told me the truth. It made the inexplicable make sense.”
Matt took a deep breath, his bear rumbling thoughtfully. That sounds like Tessa. She feels it too.
“Just be yourself,” his mom said, reaching over to straighten his collar in that automatic way mothers never outgrow. “That’s who she’s falling for, after all.”
His dad nodded. “Remember, son, fate has had a big hand in all of this. The mate bond doesn’t make mistakes.” He tapped his chest. “Trust what’s in here.”
“And try not to puke,” Caleb added with a grin.
Matt groaned. “Thanks for that helpful advice.”
Hannah turned to Caleb, eyebrows raised. “Did you think you might puke when you told me?”
“No, of course not,” Caleb replied with exaggerated confidence. “I knew it would be fine. How could you resist me?”
Hannah punched his arm lightly, rolling her eyes even as affection softened her features. “You were terrified, and we both know it.”
Matt watched them, the easy banter, the casual touches, the way they seemed to orbit each other even in the simple act of sitting side by side. His heart ached with longing.
Soon, he whispered to his bear. Soon that could be Tessa and us. All I have to do is tell her the truth.
Which will only happen if you tell her… and don’t puke, his bear reminded him.
I’m not going to puke, he assured his bear. Although nerves were already building inside him. But they would fade once he got cooking. It was what he loved about being in the kitchen, preparing dishes; it soothed him. The rhythm of it. Chopping, sifting, stirring.
“I should go,” Matt said, standing up. “I’ve got a lot to prepare.”
His mom rose with him, pulling him into a tight hug that smelled of garlic and basil. “It’ll all be fine,” she whispered. “You’ll see.”
Matt hugged her back, allowing himself to draw strength from her certainty. “I hope so.”
Eleanor stepped back, her hands still on his arms as she studied his face. “Now, focus on this evening. Forget about the restaurant… your father and I have it covered. And be sure to call and let me know what happens.”
“I will,” Matt promised, touched by their support.
“You’ve got this,” Caleb assured him.
“Good luck,” Hannah called.
“Have fun,” his father added.
But nothing about this felt fun right now.
But once it’s over, once you’ve told her, his bear said. Then the fun begins.