I’ll try not to. Caleb pulled on jeans and a clean flannel shirt. Routine would help. Coffee. Breakfast. Normal things to anchor a morning that felt anything but normal.
Downstairs, he moved quietly through the kitchen, measuring coffee grounds by the warm glow of the under-cabinet lights. The familiar ritual steadied him. Scoop, pour, and press the button. Simple actions that required no thought, leaving his mind free to adjust to this new reality.
While the coffee brewed, he stood at the kitchen window, watching dawn creep over the mountains. The forest emerged from the shadows as sunlight spilled across the mountain slopes.
Usually, this view centered him and reminded him of his place in the world. Today, it just underscored how much had changed overnight.
She’s going to love the view,his bear said confidently.
If she stays long enough to see it properly,Caleb added.
She will,his bear insisted.
With hope in his heart, Caleb poured a mug of coffee and carried it to the back porch, breathing in the crisp morning air. Mountain mornings always smelled clean, of pine and earth. He let the familiar scents ground him and calm his racing thoughts. This would work out. Fate had brought her into his life.
Which meant she was supposed to be here. Supposed to stay.
Back inside, Caleb opened the refrigerator and stared at the familiar problem. One egg. A scrap of cheese. Not enough for a proper breakfast.
He could drive into town. Grab breakfast for two. Pretend this was all planned, that he wasn’t failing.
Before he could decide, he heard movement upstairs.
Listen,his bear whispered.She’s up. She’s moving around. In our house.
And now she was coming down the stairs. Caleb busied himself looking in the still-empty cupboards, pretending he hadn’t been waiting, hadn’t been anticipating this exact moment since he’d opened his eyes.
“Morning,” Hannah said from the doorway.
“Morning.” Caleb turned, and his breath caught. She stood there looking adorable in jeans and a loose sweater, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, exposing her neck. A neck he longed to kiss.
She’s beautiful,his bear breathed.
She’s perfect,Caleb sighed. It was hard to believe she was his.
But she is,his bear said.
“Coffee’s fresh. Help yourself, if you’d like some,” Caleb said as he realized the silence between them was about to get awkward.
“Thanks. It smells good.” She crossed the kitchen and grabbed a mug from the counter.
“Did you sleep okay?” he asked as he closed the cupboards with a resigned sigh.
“Better than I expected,” Hannah admitted, leaning against the counter. “Your guest room is very comfortable.”
Not as comfortable as the master bedroom, if you’d like to give it a try,his bear suggested hopefully.
Don’t put those kinds of thoughts in my head right now,Caleb complained as his head filled with images of Hannah on his bed, beckoning him to lie down beside her. To touch her... to kiss her...
Hannah sipped her coffee. “It’s so quiet here. So peaceful.”
Caleb jumped as his phone rang, shattering the peace and quiet. Caleb’s stomach sank even as he reached for it. His phone only ever rang this early in the morning if there was a problem.
“Excuse me,” he said to Hannah, then answered. “Hi, Matt, what’s up?”
“Sorry to bother you so early,” Matt said. “But we have staffing issues.”
The problem unfolded in his ear. One of Rachel’s kids had to go to the doctor, and Jenny’s mom’s kitchen had flooded, and she had to go and help mop up the mess, which left them short-staffed for the lunchtime rush.
