“There’s a diner that has damn good omelets, biscuits and gravy, and corned beef hash,” he suggested.
I’d been hoping for something a little more gourmet than a greasy spoon. “Darn it. I forgot that there’s nowhere around here to go for a decent breakfast or a latte.”
“And now you sound very much like a big city woman,” he teased as he walked over to the fridge to pull out a carton of eggs, a package of bacon, and some vegetables.
“I guess that’s because I’m definitely a woman, and I’ve lived my entire life in New York City, which is about as big as it gets,” I echoed his earlier comeback, swirling my finger around the rim of my mug as I considered the compromises Damon and I would need to make in order to spend our lives together.
“What do you like in your omelets?”
His question pulled me out of my thoughts. “Are you going to cook for me?”
“Since I can’t take you to a fancy restaurant for breakfast without a long drive, I figured we might as well stay here instead of going out.” He set two pans on top of the stove and placed several slices of bacon in one of them.
“Well, I’m glad you can cook since I’m horrible in the kitchen.” I got up and poured myself another cup of coffee before peeking over his shoulder to see what my options were. “But I love food, which is why I love working in restaurants.”
“What do you do in them if you can’t cook?”
Before I answered his question, I set aside a tomato, red pepper, and onion. “A veggie and cheese omelet would be wonderful.”
Damon nudged me over to a chair at the kitchen table and peppered me with questions about my career as he made our breakfast. I explained how I’d gotten my start when a lion shifter my dad knew needed some help opening a restaurant in our neighborhood. Since I was bored, I had offered to pitch in. The opportunity had led to a career that I loved...and one I wasn’t sure I’d be able to continue now that I was mated to a wolf shifter in Timber Ridge.
I was sipping my coffee and staring at Damon’s butt while he washed the dishes—which he’d insisted on doing even though I had offered to take care of them—when my sister’s ringtone sounded from my cell. I dragged my gaze from how perfectly his gray sweatpants cupped the rounded globes to press my finger against the green button to accept the call.
“What’s this that I hear about you finding your fated mate in Timber Ridge? I wonder if you guys will fight like cats and dogs.” When I didn’t laugh along with her, she added, “Get it? Because you’re a tiger and he’s a wolf.”
I lifted my index finger to let Damon know I needed a minute before walking out of the kitchen to head down the hallway toward the bedroom. I didn’t want him to overhear my discussion with my sister because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings over something as small as my concerns about adjusting to small-town living. “I’m not stupid, Tab. Your joke was just lame and ill-timed.”
“What’s wrong?” Her tone became serious, without a hint of her earlier playfulness. “You’ve finally found your fated mate. All should be right with your world. You should be happy, not grouchy.”
“I am happy to be mated to Damon.” I struggled to find the words to explain my feelings. “There’s no way to make you understand what he already means to me, not until you’ve found your mate.”
“Then answer my original question, Trin. What’s wrong?” she demanded.
I flopped face-down on the mattress and mumbled, “It’s just that we have such different lives. Mine is in New York while Damon’s is here. How can we possibly remain happy when one of us will have to make a big sacrifice to remain together?”
My sister’s reply was drowned out by Damon’s deep voice. “You’re overthinking this, kitten. Nothing is more important to me than making you happy. I swear to you that we’ll work everything out to both our satisfaction.”
Jerking up, I found him standing in the doorway. His wolf flashed in his eyes, and I could tell that his animal was close to the surface. Before I disconnected the call with my sister, I murmured, “Sorry, sis. I have to go. Love you.”
Damon crossed over to me, taking my hands and brushing a kiss to my knuckles before pressing my palms against his chest. “But as long as you’re already here, I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a chance to show you what I love about Timber Ridge.”
“I think I’d like that.” I was curious about my fated mate, so it was easy to agree. Except there was one problem with that plan. “But I came to town to watch the kids so Tane and Calliope could go off and celebrate their anniversary by themselves.”