“Because their offices are on the other side of the country. It’ll mean a big move.”
The color drained from Matt’s face, and Tessa felt her heart constrict as she saw the brief flicker of pain in his eyes.
“Oh,” he said after a moment. “I mean, that’s great, right? You get to live your dream.” His smile returned, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You deserve it.”
Her brow furrowed as she studied him. “What about you?”
He shrugged, his hands tightening slightly on her waist. “I’ll come with you. If you’ll have me.”
Tessa shook her head, disbelief washing over her. “Your life is here in Bear Creek.”
Matt’s expression softened as he cupped her face in his large hands. “My life is with you wherever that is. That’s my home.”
Tears pricked her eyes, and she pulled away, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what he was offering. “Matt, I can’t ask you to do that for me.”
“You’re not asking,” he said simply. “I’m offering.”
“But the restaurant?” she insisted. “Your family?”
“Will understand,” he replied, his voice steady and sure. “The mate bond is stronger than anything in this world or the next. They know that.”
Tessa took a deep breath, needing to create some space between them before she dissolved completely. “I have to call them. It’s not a done deal yet.”
“Once they meet you, it will be,” Matt said.
This man—this incredible, impossible man—would give up his home, his livelihood, his family... for her?
How could she ask that of him?
Overwhelmed and confused, Tessa pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and turned toward the door. “I’ll see you tonight?”
“Yes,” he replied, but she heard the slight crack in his voice even though he tried to hide it.
The drive back to Rachel’s passed in a blur. Why now? After months of trying to find a publisher for her caregiver journal, after countless rejections and unanswered submissions, why had this opportunity materialized now—just when she’d found something she hadn’t even known she was looking for?
The irony wasn’t lost on her. Her mom had told her to follow her dreams and live for herself. And now that dream was within reach, tantalizing and real.
But Matt was real, too. More real than anything she’d ever known.
She pulled into Rachel’s driveway and sat for a moment, hands still gripping the steering wheel. The house looked exactly as it had when she’d left yesterday, yet everything had changed.
With a sigh, Tessa gathered her things and made her way to the front door on unsteady legs. She stepped inside, feeling as though she was returning from a different universe rather than just an overnight stay.
“So, you decided to come home?” Rachel called out from the living room, her voice warm with amusement.
Tessa followed the sound, finding her friend curled up on the sofa with a book, her injured ankle propped on a cushion. Rachel looked up with a knowing smile that quickly faded as she took in Tessa’s expression.
“What happened?” Rachel set her book aside, sitting up straighter. “Did something go wrong with Matt?”
“No,” Tessa sank onto the sofa beside her. “Matt is... perfect.”
“But…” Rachel prodded.
“I just got a job offer,” she said, the words tumbling out. “From a publisher. They want me to illustrate journals, and also publish my own journals.”
“That’s amazing!” Rachel exclaimed, her face lighting up. She set her book aside and struggled to her feet, limping toward Tessa with arms outstretched. “Isn’t it?”
When Tessa didn’t immediately respond, Rachel’s smile faltered. “Tess?”
