“You’re right.” So why did he still feel apprehensive?
Because he didn’t know where he fit into Elise’s world. She would live with her brother and work with Caleb’s brother. Caleb was on the peripheral of her life. Somehow, he had to find a way to connect with her.
Aiden might have had a rough time with his mate to start with as they searched for Imelda, but at least they had been forced to spend time together.
When would Caleb get to spend time with his mate?
“An hour?” Karros looked at his watch. “We could go back to the beach and pick up my car.”
“And Caleb could take me into town and show me around. We need some groceries if we’re going to stay here tonight. Even if we camp out, I’m still going to need coffee in the morning.” Elise spun around and looked at the house. “We’ll need furniture, too.”
“I can help you out there,” Caleb replied. “My mom has a stack of old furniture at the hotel. When we extended the restaurant a couple of years ago, she sacrificed a couple of rooms in the hotel and her apartment. She hates throwing anything out, so it all got stored away.”
“Would she mind letting us borrow some?” Elise asked.
“It would really help us out,” Karros confessed. “At least until we have time to buy something else.”
“She’d like to help,” Caleb insisted. “Why don’t we go back there now? We have enough time to pick out what you need. I can load some in my truck and then I could ask Logan to drive over with whatever won’t fit.”
“Excellent.” Elise clapped her hands together.
“Let’s go.” Caleb jogged back to the house, locked the front door, and replaced the key. Then they hurried to his truck and climbed inside. After a quick phone call to Mr. Kipper to thank him for showing them around the apartment but it was too far out of town, due to Elise’s job at the restaurant, he drove away from the house. Ten minutes later, they were back at the beach where Karros got out and picked up his car, leaving Caleb alone with his mate.
“I want to thank you.” Elise’s eyes shone with excitement. “And I want to ask if we can postpone our date.”
He swallowed hard. “Of course, you have so much to do today.”
“I thought that I could cook something for us. Tomorrow evening. I’d like you to be our first houseguest.” She shuffled closer to him. “Don’t worry, I’ll figure out how to get rid of Karros so that it’s just you and me.”
“I’d like that. Although, since you’ll have been working all day, I could take you out to dinner,” he offered.
“No, honestly, I’d like to cook for you.” She shrugged. “It’s the least I can do.”
“You don’t owe me anything,” he assured her.
“I appreciate you saying that. But it would be good to get to know you a little better. Since we are mates.” Her cheeks turned pink. “Maybe if I cook, you could explain to me exactly what being your mate entails.”
“Entails, you make it sound as though it’s a job. Being my mate is just you being you and me trying my hardest to make sure you are happy.”
“Oh, that has to work both ways,” she replied. “I am not interested in being in a one-sided relationship. We’re equals.” She fixed him with a hard stare. “In everything.”
“Don’t worry, I spent a few days with Flora, remember? I know that you and I are equal. And that’s great. I want you to be my life partner. Everything we do should be a joint decision. Not the small day-to-day stuff, of course. But where we live, whether we have children...” He paused briefly, as if trying to gauge her response. “Those are joint decisions.”
“I agree.” She watched as Karros started his car and pulled out of his parking spot. With a glance in the mirror, Caleb drove onto the road and headed toward the hotel. “As for children, I need you to know how important this job with Ivan is. It’s what I’ve been dreaming of for the last few years. Someone to give me a chance.”
“I know.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “Does that mean you don’t want children?”
“I...I always dreamed of a family. I love children. But as you get older and the chance to have your own family passes you by, you have to move on or go insane.” She leaned