Chapter Eleven – Teagan

She ate her omelet, clearing her plate of every last morsel. “You can cook. I like that in a man.”

“I lived on my own for a few years when I left Bear Creek. I learned how to fend for myself.” He picked her plate up and walked to the sink. “Although, to be fair to my mom, she did teach us all to cook, and do all the chores around the house as we grew up.”

“Really? I like the sound of your mom the more I hear about her.”

He chuckled. “Do you want to know why she taught us all? Especially me and my brothers?”

“Why?” Teagan asked, sipping her coffee. She sure could get used to having a man around.

“Because my dad was brought up by a mom who did everything for him and his dad. My mom was not carrying on that tradition. She soon molded him into shape. But she swore no mate of her sons would have to go through the same… training regime.”

“Training regime? That sounds severe.”

“And my dad loved every moment of it, because it meant he was making his mate happy.”

“No wonder they look so blissfully in love, after all the years they have been together.” Teagan stood up and grabbed the dish towel, slipping her empty cup into the sink. “There is a dishwasher, you know.”

“I know.” Cal rinsed the plates and passed them to her. “But I feel as if I am imposing here.”

“Which brings us to the question—What happens when Carter comes home?” Teagan turned away from Cal, hiding her face as she put the plates away. She had no idea what she wanted. Until she met Cal she had her life planned out, at least in the short term. But now, she was torn; the more time she spent with Cal, the stronger the bond grew, and the louder her biological clock ticked. At least she presumed it was her biological clock. Whatever it was, it was making her crave motherhood. And yet she wanted more. Was she selfish to want it all?

“What happens is up to you. I want you to live with me, or I’ll move in with you, even if that means living in a cave on the mountain.” He wiped his hands dry on a towel, and put his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. “All that matters is that we are happy.”

Teagan nodded. “That’s all I want. Although right now I don’t know what shape or size that happiness comes in.”

“You aren’t supposed to know. We aren’t supposed to know. That’s what makes this so much fun. The important part is taken care of, we know we are meant to be together. But the rest of it… We don’t know.”

“I can live with that.” Teagan wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his lips. “I have to go.”

“Then go. I have a later start. I have to be at the station for my shift by eleven.”

“Lucky you.” She smiled mischievously. “If you don’t have anything to do until then, you could help me clean the beer vats in the brewery.”

“The beer vats. Work before work?” he mused.

“You would be with me.” Teagan batted her eyelashes at him.

“How can I resist?” Cal asked.

“Thank you.” She kissed him again and pulled away from him. “I’ll go brush my teeth and get my stuff together, and then we can walk over.”

“OK, I’ll finish up here.” He leaned against the counter and watched her leave the kitchen. She liked the way he watched her, his eyes caressing her curves. Heck, she liked everything about him. There was not one thing about Cal she had found to not like.

Climbing the stairs, she mentally went over everything she had to do today. There was a lot. The torrential rain of a couple of days ago had put her behind on the chores around the house. Teagan was determined to get it all together for when Caroline and Carter returned. She wanted them to know they had been right to put their trust in her. Despite her age, Teagan was sensible and down to earth; nothing fazed her.

Until her phone rang. “Hello, Fiona,” Teagan greeted the dragon shifter, a nervous edge to her voice. It was early in the morning for a phone call from Fiona. Although they talked often on the phone and met up regularly, those meetings took place after work, not before it. Fiona was busy at work most days, and prided herself at never leaving until all her work was done.

“Hello, Teagan. I won’t beat around the bush. I’m sure you know why I’m calling.”

“My mom,” Teagan answered.

“Yes. I pulled your file from the archives, and took a look.” Fiona paused, giving Teagan the impression Fiona wasn’t happy with any of this.

“And?

“And after a little detective work I have your mom’s new address.”

“Her new address.” Teagan’s heart beat rapidly. “Have you spoken to her?”

“No. Not yet. I am going to go over there later.” Fiona paused again. “Do you want to come with me?”

“I thought you wanted to ask her first?”

“I do. I will. But if she says yes, I thought you being there might save both of you some anguish. There is nothing worse than fearing the future.”

“Spoken like a woman who knows,” Teagan said.

“There have been times in my life when I have feared the future, and there have been times in my life where I have feared the past.” Fiona sighed audibly down the phone. “But this is not about me. This is about you and what you want to do. This is where you choose which path your story goes down, Teagan.”

“My story.” Teagan sat on the bed, her chin on her hands as she leaned forward and looked at her feet. “Up until two days ago, I thought I knew. But now… Fiona, I want to know what happened with my mom so I don’t let history repeat itself.”

“That is not going to happen,” Fiona said. “You have a mate. You both know what that means, Cal is never going to walk out on you when you are pregnant.”

“What if I walk out on him?” Teagan asked.

“Never going to happen,” Fiona assured her.

“What if it’s in my blood?” Teagan had never considered her genetic makeup before, but was it responsible for her not wanting children? Had her father thought more of his career than of her mom and his unborn child?

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Fiona said hotly. “You are not that kind of person. Your father was not a shifter; he didn’t feel the same pull as your mother did. And circumstances happened. We don’t even know if he even knew about you.”

Teagan’s heart stopped beating for one solid second. “You think he doesn’t know I exist?”

“That is one possibility. I never spoke to your mom. I only got your case after you were taken into foster care. All I know is your mom liked to drink. And you were not safe with her.”

Teagan let out a long sigh. “What would I do without you, Fiona?”

“I have no idea.” There was no sarcasm in her voice, and she was probably right.

“What time?” Teagan asked.

“I have appointments this morning. Shall we say about two?”

“Sure, that sounds good, I can get all my jobs done if I’m quick. Where does she live?”

“Over at Cougar Ridge.”

“That close?” Teagan asked, surprised. Cougar Ridge was a town situated high up in the mountains, about fifteen miles away.

“She moved there, got a job, liked the people. It sounds as if she might have tried to make some changes to her life.” Fiona paused. “I wasn’t going to tell you this, because I did not want to get your hopes up. But there is a note on your file saying that she tried to make contact.”

“What? Why wasn’t I told?” Teagan asked.

“It was after you left care. They never traced you, and they never passed the message on.”

“Couldn’t she have found me, if she wanted to?” Teagan asked.

“Maybe, but you have to remember, you are good at these things, as am I. But your mom might not be computer literate. Not everyone knows how to track people through social media. Not everyone knows the tricks.”

“I suppose you are right.”

“I am. Now, I’ll pick you up at two. Don’t worry if I’m late.”

“OK, I’ll be at the office.” Teagan ended the call and grabbed her purse.

Going back downstairs, she entered the kitchen to find Cal leaning on the counter in the same place she had left him. Everything was clean, all the plates and utensils put away and the surfaces wiped down. “I thought you had run out on me.”

“No.” She shook her head, and then ran a shaky hand through her still wet hair. “Fiona called.”

“What’s wrong?” Cal asked.

“She’s found my mom.” Teagan wiped a tear away, her hand still shaking. Cal went to her, pulling her into his arms.

“Bad news?”

“No. Good news. I hope.” She blew the air out through her lips, then took another breath and did the same, slowly steadying her nerves. “We are going over there this afternoon. Fiona is going to ask her if she wants to see me. What if she doesn’t? Or what if she does, and she doesn’t like me?”

“Hey, don’t be too hard on yourself. None of this is on you. It’s on the two people who made you, the two people who had sex and made a baby and then let her go.” Cal’s voice was fierce, protective of his mate. “If she doesn’t like you, then that is her problem. Because I can tell you, my family love you. They told me they couldn’t have asked for a better mate for me. And I agree, one hundred percent.”

“You are biased.”

“And your mom should be biased too. In fact she should be the one who is scared you might not like her.”

“She might be, if she knew I was coming.” Teagan hoped Fiona had this right. “And she still might say no.”

“And if she does, you walk away and we get on with our lives. Sometimes the past belongs squarely in the past.” His voice was heated, as if he was speaking from experience.

“Perhaps I should be like Fern and live with what I have, in gratitude.” There she was again, wanting it all.

“No.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “This means a lot to you. Go for it. And know that whatever happens, you will survive.”

“I will. I have you, and I have Fiona and Fern.”

“You will survive because of what is in here.” He placed his hand over her heart. “You are strong, Teagan. Don’t ever forget that.”

She promised herself she would not let herself forget. No matter what happened.