From there, Caleb gave her a quick tour of the restaurant. The front of house, kitchen, prep stations, and restrooms. He spoke plainly and efficiently, trusting her to understand without over-explaining.
She noticed everything anyway.
The flow of the kitchen. The way it had been built by people who worked in it, not by consultants. Equipment worn smooth by use, not by neglect.
“This is an authentic restaurant,” she said before thinking better of it.
Caleb glanced at her, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “That’s the idea. We want people to enjoy the ambiance and the food.”
The back door opened then, bringing with it a rush of cool air... and two people.
Caleb stiffened slightly. “Mom. Dad.”
His father’s gaze slid from him to Hannah, his eyes narrowing in a way that made her straighten instinctively. While his mother smiled, her eyes alight with happiness.
“We wondered why you missed your shift last night,” his mother said, a little breathlessly.
Caleb didn’t explain. He simply said, “This is Hannah.”
That was it.
No explanation. No story of a roadside rescue.
As if her name was all they needed to know to understand everything.
Hannah stepped forward. “My car broke down on the pass yesterday. Caleb helped me get it to Roy’s.”
“Of course he did.” His mother took her hand, her smile widening. “I’m Eleanor. Eleanor Thornberg.”
His father nodded, his expression softening. “Thaddeus. Welcome to Bear Creek.”
Hannah had the strange sense of beingrecognized. As if she wasn’t standing there by accident.
As if nothing that had happened since she’d taken the wrong turn had been an accident.
Chapter Eight – Caleb
Caleb had never been more disappointed for a shift to end.
Because our mate is here,his bear said simply.
It was true. He’d spent the entire shift hyperaware of her presence. He still wasn’t sure how he’d managed to get through the shift without pulling her into his arms and kissing her senseless.
Or punching someone’s lights out for flirting with her,his bear added.
Caleb huffed a quiet laugh.Yeah, when that guy flirted with Hannah, something primal had come dangerously close to the surface.
That would not have made a good impression on our mate,his bear said.
Or with our patrons,Caleb added. Throwing a guy out of the restaurant for flirting with a server was not the kind of dinner entertainment anyone wanted.
Still, he’d managed to fight the urge to grab the guy by the scruff of his neck and forcibly evict him. Barely.
Caleb turned from locking the front door, keys still warm in his hand, and his gaze found Hannah with no conscious effort on his part.
She was over at one of the tables near the window, stacking plates with practiced ease as she chatted with his mother. Eleanor laughed at something Hannah said, obviously delighted with her son’s mate.
He had no doubt both his parents had known the instant they met Hannah that she was his mate.
