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 thinksshe 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 feltsomething,” 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 forthathelpful advice.”
