What she felt now wasn’t fear of staying—it was grief at the idea of going. Of never seeing morning light spill across Caleb’s kitchen table again. Of never feeling the particular way her heart lifted when he smiled at her. Of leaving before she discovered what might grow between them if given time and care.
She didn’t have to decide anything yet. She’d been given time, time to stop and think about her next move.
And for the first time in her adult life, Hannah let herself acknowledge that wanting something—someone—for herself didn’t make her reckless or foolish. That perhaps there was strength in reaching toward connection rather than only self-sufficiency.
The wanting no longer felt like weakness.
It felt like waking up.
Chapter Sixteen – Caleb
After dropping Hannah at the garage to check on her car, Caleb drove away with two feelings warring inside him: the lingering warmth of yesterday’s perfect afternoon at the vineyard, and the cold confusion of her sudden withdrawal this morning.
He rolled down the window and sucked in the cool morning air, but it did little to settle his troubled thoughts.
His bear, however, remained oddly serene.She’s our mate,he hummed contentedly.Nothing has changed that.
But it felt as ifeverythinghad changed. Caleb could feel it as clearly as the shift in weather before a storm. Yesterday at the vineyard, with wine warming their blood and water freezing their feet, Hannah had been open and playful. They’d splashed in the stream like children, shared stories, and touched hands. For those golden hours, it had felt inevitable that the two of them would find their way to each other.
Like it was a done deal.
Like fate had won.
As it usually does,Caleb’s bear said with utter conviction.Fate will not fail us.
Then something had shifted. By the fire last night, when she leaned toward him, he’d chosen patience over impulse, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead rather than claiming her lips. And this morning, she’d been polite, distant, and practical. Building walls between them with every careful word.
“What did I miss?” he murmured, his knuckles whitening on the steering wheel.
You gave her space,his bear reminded him.That’s not a mistake.
It sure feels like it,Caleb replied, wishing he could turn back time and kiss her. Kiss her senseless, as he’d wanted to do since the moment he’d first set eyes on her on the side of the road.
The restaurant came into view, its sturdy timber frame a constant in his life since childhood. Today, he was grateful for its familiar presence, for the routine that waited inside. He needed grounding, and work had always provided that.
Caleb parked and entered through the back door, the weight of the keys in his hand a comfort as he unlocked the kitchen entrance. Inside, the restaurant was quiet, that particular early-morning quiet that held the echoes of yesterday’s conversations and the promise of today’s.
For a moment, he stood still and remembered the echoes of his conversations yesterday with Hannah. He sighed as he recalled making breakfast for her, of them sitting in the sun in the courtyard, seeing the sun on her face, the way her eyes widened as she tasted the pancakes with honey.
But what conversations did today promise him? Goodbye.
He clenched his jaw. If Roy had completed the repairs on Hannah’s car, that was exactly the conversation the day promised.
Not going to happen,his bear said firmly.
Caleb did not share his bear’s confidence. But he wanted to believe that he was right. That his mate would stay.
To distract himself, Caleb worked his way methodically through his morning routine, checking prep lists, reviewing reservations, and examining produce deliveries. His body knew what to do even as his mind circled back to Hannah again and again.
His father’s voice broke through his thoughts. “You’re here early.”
Caleb looked up to find Thaddeus standing in the doorway, his expression thoughtful. “Had some prep to catch up on,” Caleb replied, the excuse thin even to his own ears.
Thaddeus nodded, not challenging the obvious deflection. “Coffee’s on,” he said instead, moving toward the kitchen.
Caleb followed; maybe coffee would help clear his head.
In the kitchen, his mother was preparing dough for the day’s bread. She glanced up as he entered, her eyes immediately taking in more than he wanted to reveal.
