Chapter Seven – Teagan

“Are you sure you want to find your parents?” Fiona asked.

Teagan sipped her coffee, and thought for a moment. She had been going back and forth over her decision to get in touch with her real mom, the woman who had given her up when she was a child, for the last few months. After meeting Cal and his family last night, she had finally reached a decision, and she wanted Fiona’s help.

“Yes. If I can talk to my mom, I might be able to… I’d like to at least talk to her. And maybe she can tell me the name of my father.”

“The man who ran out on your mom before you were born? The man who left your mom heartbroken?”

“The man who made my mom turn to drink,” Teagan said frankly.

“That’s the one. I simply wanted to be sure.” Fiona drank her coffee, walking over to the window to look out at the mountain that towered over Bear Creek, like a watchful sentinel. “You’re happy here, Teagan. From what you say, you have a wonderful man as your mate. Why rock the boat?”

“Because I want to know who I am,” Teagan replied. “Whose blood pumps through my veins.”

“Your blood pumps through your veins, that is all that matters,” Fiona informed her, and she was right. However, Teagan had a curious mind, and that mind needed facts.

“Can you help me, Fiona?” Teagan asked. “If not, I’ll do my own search.” Being a journalist was all about teasing out facts, and following the clues. She was confident she could find her mom; it would simply take longer.

“And what if your mom doesn’t want you to come knocking on the door?” Fiona asked.

“Well, I was thinking that you could go and see her, and if she truly does not want to meet me, I will respect that. But, if you don’t help me, I will have no choice but to knock on her door myself.” Teagan smiled sheepishly at Fiona, who tutted and drained her coffee cup, placing it down on Teagan’s desk.

“You always knew how to wind people around your little finger, didn’t you?” It was a rhetorical question, one Fiona did not wait for an answer to before she said, “All right. I will see what I can find out. But you have to promise me that if your mom does not want contact, then you won’t go behind my back.”

“I wouldn’t,” Teagan said defensively.

“And, if she does meet you, and she doesn’t want to talk about your father, then you have to let that lie too. He was her mate, and that is the reason she gave you up, because the loss of him was too great to bear. If she has gotten over it, it will do no one any good to drag it all out into the open again.”

Teagan nodded, but added, “On the other hand, I could track him down, and they might get along now.”

“Teagan, it sounds as if you want to play matchmaker, but let me tell you, that is not always easy, and does not always turn out the way you expect.” Fiona’s face was serious, more serious than usual.

“I promise not to go poking around in anything that might cause anyone to get hurt.” Teagan looked down at her hands. “It’s just hard, you know… Cal’s family is whole. Complete. A mom, a dad, brothers, and sisters.”

“I know.” Fiona came back toward her. “Especially when you have such an enquiring mind.”

“I want to fit all the pieces together. It never really made a difference to me before, but now… For some reason, moving to Bear Creek, meeting Cal, it’s made me wish I had deep roots.”

“You have deep roots, you don’t need a parent to quantify your life.” Fiona turned around and walked toward the door. “You should be proud of yourself, Teagan. You’ve worked hard to make your life a success. This newspaper is something that will last, and endure. It is your legacy.”

Teagan folded her arms across her chest, and looked around her office. She had been working at Bear Creek News ever since Theo, a travel writer and fellow journalist, had asked her to join him. They had started with nothing, other than an empty building and a lump sum Theo had invested to give them a start. That lump sum had been spent on office furniture and equipment, then the paper had thrived on the support of the people in Bear Creek and the surrounding villages, all of whom loved the idea of reading local news. Or gossip, as Fiona described it curtly, a view that did not stop her reading Bear Creek News from cover to cover.

The success of the newspaper had left Teagan, Theo, and Nevis, their part-time photographer, very busy, in an amazingly satisfying way. The phone was constantly ringing, and Teagan loved that each call brought its own surprise. People got up to some strange things, like caterwauling— yes, that was a festival hosted over in Cougar Ridge. It was their own brand of yodeling, those cats were wild, in the strangest way. Or cheese-rolling, that was a new one on Teagan when Theo had asked her to go and report on it. She’d been sure that it was made up, like an initiation of some kind, but she soon found out it was a real thing.

“I love it here, Fiona, I love everything about Bear Creek. This is my home, my friends are all here, there is nothing that would possess me to leave, not even if I got asked to work on some high-profile national newspaper.” She looked down at her desk, shuffling paperclips around. “Perhaps you are right, and I should settle for being happy.”

Fiona huffed, and a small amount of steam came out of her nose, or maybe it was Teagan’s imagination. Fiona might be a dragon shifter, but she usually kept herself under control. “No one should ever settle.” With that, she walked to the door and pulled it open. Or wrenched it. Fiona did not always know her own strength, and certainly Teagan’s words had riled her. “I’ll find out what I can. Then I’ll speak to your mother, and from there, we can make our decision.”

Teagan smiled; it was a comfort that Fiona spoke in that way. What we will do. It made Teagan realize she was not on her own. And never would be while Fiona was around, even though she was an adult and no longer in need of Fiona’s care. But once you were one of Fiona’s kids, you were always one of Fiona’s kids.

Like it or not. Teagan smiled as she watched Fiona pull the door closed behind her; the old dragon had been a good friend through the trials of growing up and learning to be a shifter. And yet, she remained something of an enigma to everyone.

As Teagan turned her attention to an article she was writing on the merits of the mountain, the phone rang. Hoping it might be a new story that would take her out of the office on such a beautiful day, she said, “Hello, Bear Creek News, Teagan speaking.”

“Hi, Teagan,” Fern’s voice said down the phone. “I thought I’d let you know there is a calamity in the works.”

“A calamity?” Teagan asked.

“Yes, there is a herd of cows on the road into town.”

“And that is interesting because…”

“They are heading into town, fast.” In the background, Teagan could hear shouting and a horn blaring.

“Where are you, Fern?”

“I’m on the road into town too,” she said, sounding amused. “Heading south. Oh my, the view is incredible.”

“Why?” Teagan asked, grabbing her purse and her jacket and running out of the door.

“Because someone called the fire department.”

“The fire department. For the cows?” Teagan asked, getting into her car.

“Yes, they are trying to head them off, there’s kind of a stampede going on.” She gasped. “The cows are not having it. They must have heard Mrs. Closh has cupcakes on sale.”

“She does?” Teagan asked, wondering if she had time to stop there before she reached the calamity. The fire department might be very grateful for a few dozen cupcakes. All in the name of journalism, of course; Teagan was trying to expand her informants. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the possibility that Cal would be there, all hot and sweaty.

She giggled. Cows on the road were only marginally better news than cupcakes on sale, but firemen—in the hot sun, they might have to strip down to cool off after all that herding.

“Hey, whatever is going through your mind, I can tell you it is nothing compared to what is unravelling in front of me.” Fern lowered her voice. “There is more than one fireman with his shirt off.”

“What?” Teagan screeched. Was Cal one of those firemen?

“You should come and see. It would make quite a story.”

“OK, I’ll call Nev and see if he can come and take some photos. Cows in Bear Creek town center are much more amusing with pictures.”

“If Nev comes, you should tell him to take pictures of the firemen instead. They are hot!” Fern stated.

“You are a married woman,” Teagan said.

“Hormones,” Fern answered. “Be quick.”

Teagan drove as fast as she dared, talking to Fern on her hands-free phone. The traffic through town was slow, and then ground to a halt leaving Teagan sitting right outside the bakery. “You are right, the cupcakes are on sale.”

“A perfect day for a pregnant married woman, then. Eye candy, and cupcakes.”

“I don’t see the cows,” Teagan said, ducking her head to try to get a glimpse of what was holding up the traffic.

“Then you might have to make do with cupcakes,” Fern said.

“I don’t understand.” Teagan looked at the bakery. There was Fern, Theo, and Cal. “Oh my.”

“Oh my what?” Fern asked. “Are we oh-mying the cupcakes, or the firemen?”

“Just one fireman in particular,” Teagan said breathlessly.

“Really?” Fern asked. “This fireman?” She pointed to Cal, who waved; he was in on Fern’s little joke.

“Oh yes.” Teagan put her hand up to wave back at Cal, who had a big grin on his face. “I see you’ve met my mate.”

“I have. Theo bumped into Cal, and they were catching up when he told us the news,” Fern said.

The traffic cleared and Teagan drove forward, then backed into a parking space. Getting out of the car, she smoothed her skirt and ran her fingers through her hair before walking to join the others.

“What can I get you?” Cal asked. “My treat.”

“Chocolate with sprinkles, thanks,” Teagan said, blushing as Theo and Fern looked at her speculatively. “What?”

“Nothing. We’re happy for you,” Theo said. “And we thought a double date might be a good idea.”

“A double date. Sounds good,” Teagan replied. “If that is OK with you, Cal.”

“It is.” Cal passed her the cupcake. Teagan wanted to rip open the box and eat her sugar fix, because just being around Cal made her insides all squirmy—in an intensely good way, of course.

“That’s settled, then,” Theo said, putting his hand on Fern’s baby bump in an ever-so-protective kind of way that made Teagan’s heart melt.

“You two are the cutest couple I have ever seen,” Teagan told them.

“Cute?” Theo repeated. “I don’t think I have ever been cute in my life.”

“You are now,” Teagan said.

“I may have second thoughts about asking you to work with me,” Theo said. “I no longer trust your judgment.”

“Yes, you do,” Fern told her husband. “And I like being cute. I like us being cute.”

“And what the pregnant lady wants, the pregnant lady gets,” Teagan said.

“Don’t encourage her,” Theo said. “I’m waiting for the middle of the night run to town for ice cream phase to hit.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t happen. Your dad has stocked up on all my favorite things,” Fern said.

“Good old Walt,” Teagan said. She was still holding her cupcake, not wanting to eat it there and get chocolate all over her face. Not when Cal was so close.

“He is looking forward to the baby,” Fern said. “And that reminds me. I have to help him with the bees, since Theo is too busy.”

Theo looked at his watch. “I have to go too. I have to see a man about a ferret.”

“A what?” Cal asked. He was just finishing up his donut, which had left sugar all over his lips. Kissing it off was starting to consume her mind.

“A ferret, don’t ask.” He kissed Fern. “I will see you later.”

“OK, shall I make the reservations?” Teagan asked.

“Yes. Sure. I’ll catch you later.” Theo got into his car and drove off.

“Are you sure we are not going to cramp your style?” Fern asked after he had gone. “You two might want some time alone.”

“No,” Teagan said, a little too fast. “We’d love to have dinner with you.”

“Great, text me the reservation details.” Fern kissed her cheek and said goodbye to Cal, then she walked away.

“Is it OK with you?” Teagan asked.

“It is. I’m trying to slip back into the Bear Creek community, and who better to do that with than two journalists: you can give me the low-down on everything.”

“No, we have our sources to protect,” Teagan said, poker-faced.

“Professional integrity. I can’t disagree with that.”

“It’s highly confidential stuff.”

“I can only imagine.”

“Yes, you do not find out the secret ingredient in Mrs. Malone’s strawberry jam unless your sources know they will never be revealed.”

“The mind boggles.” Cal crossed his eyes, putting on a crazy face.

“It should.” She faced him, still holding the cupcake.

“You could eat that, you know.”

“I will. When there is no one around to see me get it all over my face.”

“I could lick it off for you.”

“Thanks for the offer.” She looked around. There were people walking along the street, and there was no way she was going to put on that kind of a display and end up with her own face plastered across the newspaper. Things would get indecent pretty quick, she suspected, if any licking was going on. “Maybe tonight. After dinner?”

Cal looked taken aback. “I would love to lick chocolate frosting off any part of your anatomy.”

“After dinner.” She blushed. “Maybe.”

“Are you wimping out, Teagan?” Cal joked.

She began to back away from him, a sudden hot flush sweeping over her. “Maybe.”

“Then I’ll make it my sole goal to sway you towards a yes.” He slid his tongue out, and licked the sugar off his lips. Teagan tried not to stare, and tried even harder not to think of Cal’s tongue licking her body. Was it suddenly hot?

“I look forward to it,” Teagan said, and then darted for her car. Once inside, she started the engine and put the AC on, because it was too hot. Much too hot!

Fanning herself, she looked in her rearview mirror to see Cal walking down the street away from her. He had an ass to die for. Her brain conjured up the sight of him naked in her room, and the heat in the car increased. Tonight, she might just have to give in to her urges to mate with him, before it drove her insane.