Chapter Twelve – Cal

They cleaned the brewery from top to bottom. At least that was how it seemed. Apparently, brewing beer was ninety percent cleaning, and ten percent brewing. Or some such ridiculous figure.

“Takes some of the enjoyment out of the beer, doesn’t it?” Theo asked. Theo, Fern, and Walt had come to help. Although if Theo had his way, Walt would have spent the whole time supervising. Walt had had a heart scare a few months back, and Theo fussed around him a lot. Fern was on tea duty, since her baby bump made getting into awkward places difficult, and there were a lot of awkward places.

“It does. But since I tasted your beer, I am treating it as worshipping at the fountain of Bear Creek Honey Beer.”

“I like you, Cal,” Walt said with a big smile.

“Dad, you should not be down on your hands and knees.” Theo put his hands on his hips and stood over his dad, until the old man got up and went to polish a pipe out of his son’s sight.

“Are you OK?” Fern asked Teagan.

“Yes. Preoccupied, that’s all.” Teagan glanced at the clock. “I have to get going. I have an interview to do and I have to meet Nev so he can get some photos.”

“Is that all?” Fern asked, and Cal stopped scrubbing for a moment as he listened to Teagan’s reply.

“I’m going with Fiona later to possibly meet my mom.”

“That is great, Teagan. I know it’s what you wanted.” Fern hugged her. “Do it.”

“I’m going to. And then one way or the other, I can move on.”

Fern turned to look at Cal, who started scrubbing again, pretending not to be listening. “You have so much to move on for.”

“I’m beginning to see that.”

“Then go. We’ll finish up here.”

“I hate leaving you all.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Walt said. “Theo might not want me to work my arms, but I can work my mouth.”

“I knew I could count on you,” Teagan said.

“You can. Whatever happens, we will be here waiting for you,” Cal said.

“Thanks.” Teagan kissed him, holding on to him as if this was the last time they would be together.

“Hey. Glass half full.” He tilted her chin up. “This is what you want. It will allow you to stop thinking of what-ifs.” He knew all about what-ifs. What if was the reason he had left Bear Creek. What if was the reason he had returned.

“Yeah, Teagan. You are always the optimistic one.” Theo came to stand with her too. “Every single time we had a glitch setting up the newspaper, you were the first to say we could do it. Now I’m telling you, you can do it.”

“You guys break my heart,” Teagan said, trying to put her arms around them all, and hugging them. “In a good way.” She fought back tears, and then pulled away from them. “I will see you all later.”

Teagan picked up her purse and walked out of the building, taking a piece of Cal with her. “I should go with her.”

“Don’t worry, Fiona has her back,” Theo said. “And I think it’s something Teagan needs to do alone.”

“You are probably right,” Cal said. He turned back to the big vats. “Shall we get this finished? My shift starts in an hour.”

“Yep,” Theo said. “I have to get to the office and do some work. I must start getting this week’s issue ready. It’s not all about interviews and having fun.”

“You could teach me,” Fern said, collecting the cups. “I might be pregnant, but it’s not a physical job.”

“You know, that is a good idea,” Theo said. “You could learn to be our editor.”

“I could learn to be in charge?” Fern asked, giving Cal a wink. “I like the sound of that.”

“You know I’d do anything you say.” Theo came over to her and kissed her lips.

“It is the one advantage of not being a shifter. More free will.” Fern wrapped her arms around his neck. “But I do wish I could feel what you feel.”

Cal went back to cleaning, thinking over Fern’s words. He was sure that was why Teagan’s dad had not stayed. He hadn’t had time to fall in love with her mom. Something must have happened to pull him away. But what? Fate never got these things wrong. That was what he grew up believing, and he wasn’t ready to give up those beliefs yet.

“Tell me about Carter?” Cal asked. They were close to finishing, Fern and Walt were washing the cups they had used. It was just Cal and Theo.

“Carter?” Theo stood up, and fixed Cal with a stare.

“Yes.” Cal stopped working too. He’d hit a nerve, if he wasn’t mistaken. “We’re all here working for a man who is off somewhere living the high life.”

Theo let out a short burst of laughter. “I suspect it does look like that.” Theo began wiping the outside of one of the vats. “He’s a good man. Fern has some history with him, from way back. When I moved here, I resented the guy, it has to be said. But then when I learned the truth… Carter is just like you and me. He just has more money. He pays my dad well. We provide the honey for the beer. He provides jobs for people in Bear Creek.”

“And yet we’re the ones cleaning?” Cal asked.

“Yeah.” Theo frowned. “What’s with that?” Then he grinned. “The jobs are for those who tend the hops. This side of it is run by my dad. Carter and Caroline, me and Fern, and Teagan are the only ones who know the secret recipe.”

“There’s a secret recipe?” Cal asked. Theo had skirted around the original question, and taken them in a different direction. He was OK with that. From what he could make out, Carter was OK. And whatever history he had with Fern, if her mate was OK with it, then Cal was not going to go prodding around and opening up any old wounds.

“I think we are done.” Theo stood back and admired their work. “Shiny and new.”

“Good job, fellas,” Walt said, coming back to them. “I’ll come in later and start a new batch.” He sighed and folded his arms. “There is something that makes my soul sing, seeing the work done.”

“Good. Let’s get home. I need to get cleaned up and go to the office.”

“And I have a shift,” Cal said.

They left together, Cal getting in his truck and heading out of the gates with them. A quick wave good bye and then he was driving back to his house. Going inside, he breathed in, and caught the subtle scent of Teagan on the air. He longed for her scent to fill every corner of the house. To walk in the door and be hit by the delicious scent of his mate’s skin would be bliss.

Yet something was holding her back. Perhaps this meeting with her mom would resolve things in her head.

He pushed those thoughts aside and went upstairs, showered and changed, and then made a pot of coffee. Needing something to occupy him, he settled down in his chair and picked up a book, reading until it was time to leave for his shift.

As he gathered his keys and headed out the door, he sent a quick text to Teagan. Hope it all works out for you, Cal xoxo. He wasn’t a kisses kind of a guy usually, but for Teagan, he wanted to send all the hugs and kisses her way.

A short drive and he arrived at the firehouse. He was early, as were most of the crew. Tardiness costs lives. That was the first thing his chief drummed into him when he started work here after college. Chief Turner, he was the best and still ran the station with a firm but forgiving hand. Although since Cal’s return, their relationship seemed strained.

“Hey, Chief,” Cal called as he walked into the firehouse. The chief might have something against Cal, but Cal was not going to go tit for tat, that wasn’t his style.

“Cal. How’s it going?” Chief Turner asked.

“Good.” He hadn’t told anyone here he’d met his mate. He was still a little on the outside, despite the majority of the crew being the same as before he left. “We got anything going on?”

“Nope. All quiet. Any floods left by the rain seem to have gone.” The chief gave a tense smile, and then went into his office and shut the door.

Yep, definitely strained. However, he wasn’t going to dwell on it, not when he had more important things to think about, such as Teagan. He checked his phone. It was a reply from Teagan.

Thank you, miss you, see you later xoxo

Cal could not wait.