This was a different man from the one with empty cupboards at home. Here, he was in his element, focused, precise, and completely in control. Hannah watched, transfixed by the transformation. His large hands moved with surprising delicacy as he folded herbs into the eggs.
“Is there anything you need help with?” she asked, feeling slightly useless standing there while he worked.
Caleb looked up, a lock of hair falling across his forehead. “Coffee?”
“I can do that,” Hannah nodded, glancing around until she spotted a commercial coffee machine against the far wall. After studying it for a moment to get her bearings, she located the beans, ground them, and set the machine brewing.
The rich aroma of coffee soon mingled with the scent of sizzling bacon and something sweet... pancake batter hitting the hot griddle. Hannah’s stomach growled audibly, and she pressed a hand against it, embarrassed by how eager her body was for what Caleb was creating.
“Could you grab some more berries from the walk-in?” Caleb asked, flipping pancakes with expert timing. “There should be a container of mixed fruit on the middle shelf.”
The refrigerator air hit her face as she stepped inside, cool and smelling faintly of herbs and produce. Hannah found the container right where he’d said it would be and brought it out, arranging the colorful fruit on two plates while Caleb finished cooking.
She poured the coffee into mugs she found in a nearby cabinet. “Where are we sitting?” she asked as Caleb slid perfectly golden pancakes onto the plates.
“My favorite morning spot is in the courtyard,” he said, nodding toward a side door, “if it’s not too cold for you.” He tilted his head slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “My blood runs hot, so I don’t feel the cold.”
Hannah smiled, her cheeks warming. He certainly was a hot-blooded male. That much was evident in everything from his broad shoulders to the way his presence filled a room.
“I’d love to sit outside,” she said, picking up the two cups of coffee and both plates with the expert ease of a seasoned server.
“Great.” Caleb placed the remaining breakfast items on a tray and led the way through a glass door into a small courtyard.
Now she understood why this was his favorite spot. The courtyard was sheltered from the wind, catching the morning sun perfectly. Stone walls created a sense of seclusion, yet the view of the mountains remained unobstructed, rising majestically against the clear blue sky. Wrought-iron tables with comfortable-looking chairs were arranged to maximize both privacy and the view.
They settled at a corner table, and Hannah took her first sip of coffee, savoring the rich flavor before turning her attention to the food. Just as she picked up her fork, Caleb stood.
“I forgot something,” he said. “Be right back.”
Hannah watched him go through lowered lashes, trying not to be too obvious about how her eyes followed his movement. There was something about him that drew her gaze like a magnet. Perhaps it was the way he moved, with such innate confidence, or the breadth of his shoulders, or the way his eyes lit up when he smiled.
Or perhaps it was that there was something about him that felt familiar, as though she’d known him much longer than a day.
When he returned, he carried a small jar of honey. “Local honey,” he explained, setting it between them. “From hives just up the mountain.”
The golden liquid caught the sunlight as he drizzled it over his stack. Hannah followed suit, then took her first bite. The pancakes were light and fluffy; the honey added a complex sweetness that paired perfectly with the tart berries. They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, the only sounds being the occasional birdsong and the distant rush of morning wind through the trees that bordered the courtyard.
“Are you the chef?” Hannah asked suddenly, remembering how she’d commandeered his kitchen last night. “I feel a bit embarrassed about taking over your kitchen now.”
Caleb shook his head, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “No, but I’ve worked alongside some of the best chefs in the area enough to have picked up a few tips.”
“Well, it’s delicious,” she said, taking another bite. “And this place is wonderful. It feels like it has so much history.”
“It does,” Caleb agreed, looking at the building with such fondness. “My great-grandparents started it, and it’s been in the family ever since.”
Hannah nodded, her mind shifting to practical matters even though she wanted to know everything about Caleb Thornberg and his family. “So, for my shift today. What should I expect? What’s the usual lunch rush like? Do you have a particular system for the kitchen workflow?”
Work was safer ground.
She stepped onto it instinctively.
As they ate, Caleb talked about the restaurant, the kitchen, and the other staff. By the time they’d finished eating, Hannah felt confident about the shift. Like she was already part of the team, not an outsider.
When they’d finished eating, Caleb refilled their coffee cups, and they sat together in leisurely silence. Hannah closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun. This would be another memory she would cherish...
Her eyes flew open; she was getting too comfortable. “Can you show me around?”
“Sure.” Caleb’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her. Then he got up, and together they cleared the breakfast things,taking them through to the kitchen, where Caleb showed her the dishwasher.
