Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Rory

When Callisto froze, looking half horrified and half like she'd enjoy running out the front door and finding under the first large rock she spotted, he took the lead and chose one of the booths in the middle of the place.

It was so quiet, with just muffled voices coming from the back from Elowen and her staff.

They slipped in on opposite sides from each other. The booths were larger, to accommodate the massive size of most of the Greenacre men, but even still, he was nervous about his knees brushing hers under the table. The thought of even just that sent a storm of giddy butterflies storming through his stomach and nearly made him blush.

Again.

What the hell was happening to him?

Thankfully, Elowen was back in a few minutes, carrying a tray with two steaming, orange-colored bowls of soup with something scattered on top. "Butternut squash, the topping is the seeds coated in spices and roasted," she explained as she set them down. "I know it's hot outside, but I think soup is great all year round, especially this one." She arranged two large spoons beside the bowls.

It looked and smelled delicious, even for a guy that thought any and all dishes should have meat in them. What had Elowen called him? A carnivore? That was pretty much right. Before she'd come to Greenacre, Elowen owned her own restaurant. It was in LA, so it was probably fancy, though he'd never asked her just how many stars or how grand it was. In Greenacre, the eating was simple and home cooked style. Comfort food. The soup didn't fit the bill. He couldn't imagine her serving this at any other time.

"This looks amazing. Thank you." He wasn't the least bit flustered by Elowen or any other woman in Greenacre. What was it about the one across from him that made his whole body turn liquid and his brain boil down into the equivalent mush?

Callisto signed something and then nodded in his direction.

Elowen grinned. "How do you say you're welcome?"

Callisto showed her, which only broadened her smile. She made the sign and Callisto nodded. She picked up her spoon, but maybe Elowen was enjoying everything too much. "I think this is great. It's very… well, sometimes people have rocky starts but that doesn't mean that it can't all turn around. The hardest, dirtiest, most treacherous paths are often the ones that lead us to the most beautiful and unexpected vistas in the end.

Rory turned his eyes to the soup. He was blushing again, and he didn't like it one bit. He didn't like being embarrassed and he was, like a teenager, he thought again. He'd made an effort to make this happen, but not because he was chasing Callisto. Not because he believed that everything could turn around with a few romantic gestures. It wasn't even supposed to be romantic. It was just him making an effort because he'd promised he'd do just that, and he was a man of his word.

Elowen didn't get the memo. "Clay and I had our own battles at first. Both of us were so set in not wanting to be with the other after everything that had happened to us. But when you're fated, you're fated."

The silence turned into literal pain, probably more for Callisto than him. She was probably shooting his bowed head some wicked darts with those pale green eyes that could turn so frosty. The tension was back to being something that had to be sliced wide open. It would probably take a knife the size of a machete.

"Anyway." Elowen clapped her hands together, her voice rising up a few cheerful notes. "This is just the start. I'll keep it coming."

She left them alone. Painfully. Alone.

He picked up the spoon and started shoveling soup into his mouth when he remembered he should be civilized and taste it. He slowed down, which resulted in humiliating slurping, so he set the spoon aside and raised his head.

"Would you like to tell me about Wyoming? About your clan?"

Callisto hadn't touched the soup. Had she been studying him? He felt her eyes burning through him now. She shook her head and then reached for the utensil, plunging it into the soup. She put it daintily in her mouth, her full lips closing around it. She swallowed without making a single slurp or messy soup noise. He watched her, probably like a creep, but he was fascinated. Enthralled. Even if she hadn't been a radiant beauty, she would still be enchanting. She just had something about her that drew him and wrapped him up in inner knots.

Well. He had no idea what he was going to talk about. "Sophia mentioned she might like to help out at the school if it was allowed."

Callisto dropped the spoon. Her face contorted with what he thought was anger, but then he realized it was just shock. The clatter of spoon dropping seemed to echo through the quiet restaurant.

"I'm sorry. She didn't tell you. No, she clearly didn't. I shouldn't have said anything. I thought she would have talked to you first."

Callisto dragged her notepad in front of her and wrote furiously. She finally turned it for him to see.

SOPHIA HAS SPENT HER WHOLE LIFE TRANSLATING FOR ME. SHE'S GIVEN UP HOPES AND DREAMS AND A LIFE TO STAY BY MY SIDE. WE BUILT OUR CLAN TOGETHER. SHE'S CLOSER THAN MY SISTER. I'M SURE SHE WAS GOING TO TELL ME ONLY IF SHE GOT THE OKAY FOR IT. SHE DOESN'T NEED MY PERMISSION. SHE KNEW I WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

She didn't look angry or upset, and Rory let out a sigh. He'd just about ruined the whole thing and driven a wedge through a lifelong friendship by being clueless.

I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN SOPHIA WANTED TO BE A MOTHER MORE THAN ANYTHING, BUT SHE WOULD NEVER LEAVE ME TO TAKE A MATE. SHE'S NEVER EVEN BOTHERED WITH DATING. NEITHER OF US HAVE, EVEN THOUGH WE LIVED IN THE WORLD FOR A LONG TIME.

He couldn't say why, when he thought about Callisto dating someone and having feelings for them, he wanted to find the guy and rip his asshole through his throat, or something in some such graphic manner.

Jesus, he knew why. It was because he was jealous. Irrationally, but it was there.

He picked up his soup and drank the rest down quickly. He needed to do something before Callisto smelled his feelings. She was a shifter, and some could do things like that, even in human form. She was mute, so weren't her other senses supposed to be sharpened to make up for it or was that not true?

After, he set his spoon down. He used the red cloth napkin on the side of the table, instead of letting out a sigh of appreciation because that soup might have been the best thing he'd ever tasted.

"Where did you meet Sophia?"

SCHOOL.

She didn't offer more, and he didn't press. He'd always thought that trying to force someone to offer more than they were willing to give was a sure way to make them clam up.

"When you were young?"

Callisto nodded. She finally retrieved her spoon and finished the soup, eating daintily. It took a while, but Elowen didn't bring out their next course until Callisto had pushed her bowl slightly in front of her.

She came out of nowhere, cleaning up everything efficiently and then she was back with two plates, "This isn't vegetarian, but Rory told me you ate fish, it's salmon with orange sauce and roasted asparagus."

Callisto made the sign for thank you and Elowen signed the you'rewelcome back like she'd just been shown. She was beaming.

They couldn't even pretend to hide their appreciation for the artfully arranged plate. Everything smelled amazing.

Callisto wrote in her notepad and showed it to Elowen. I DON'T EAT A LOT OF SALMON, BUT I WISH I DID. IT'S EXPENSIVE AND I'M NEVER VERY GOOD AT COOKING IT. THIS IS AMAZING. THANK YOU AGAIN.

"It's my pleasure."

When Elowen was gone back to the kitchen, Callisto wrote him a series of notes and turned the notebook to him.

ISN'T THIS EXPENSIVE?

HOW DOES MONEY WORK HERE?

YOU HAVE TO LET ME PAY FOR HALF OF THIS, AT LEAST, IF NOT ALL OF IT.

IF SOPHIA HELPS OUT AT SCHOOL, WHAT CAN I DO TO BE USEFUL?

He took a bite of the salmon and ate slowly, trying to figure out how to answer all of that. Callisto sat pensively across from him, but then she tried the salmon, and a look of pure wonder overcame her. He watched every second of her closed eyes and the surprised delight. Yeah. He got it. That salmon was the best fish he'd ever tasted. It was probably the sauce. He'd never eaten asparagus before, as it seemed to be a pointless vegetable unlike potatoes or maybe even carrots. He shouldn't have been astounded that he liked it, because Elowen was a genius who could make even boot leather taste like a gourmet meal.

After finishing another mouthful he turned to Callisto, "We all work here, but not the way people work in the outside world. We're not paid a salary. Our clan has—well, money, I guess. Old money that's made more money over the years. We've owned the land outright for generations and we try to live off it as much as possible. Most of the furniture here is made using our own trees. Cabins too. We grow as much of our own food as we can and make preserves. We buy our meat from local farmers, and I butcher it for the whole clan. Everything we do is for the good of everyone," he stopped to take another mouthful, pleased to see that Callisto was tucking into her fish with obvious enjoyment. "That was always how it was supposed to be and while it hasn't always worked out that way, but right now, Greenacre is a good place with a great alpha and beta and good people who don't try and abuse the blessings we've been given."

BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING DONE JUST FOR YOU. Callisto wrote.

She was working her way through the salmon faster than he was. She'd just about devoured everything.

"Yes, uh… Elowen was very kind to do this, but she wouldn't take payment even if I tried to offer it."

He raked a hand through his hair then remembered that was a thing he did when he was nervous and stopped. He finished off his food, thinking about the latter part of her questions.

"Do you have training? Is there something you're especially good at? Something that's a passion? It doesn't have to be big or grand. Taylee hosts art classes and we all appreciate that very much."

Her head snapped up and she looked at him with sudden interest.

"You like art?"

He swore there was a hesitation and that wasn't it at all, but she nodded.

"Great. We'll have to go sometime. I've never been very good at it, and I thought the twins were too young, but you should take Fraiser and Sophia. I could ask Taylee if she would mind, even though I think the classes are halfway through already."

PLEASE DON'T, IF IT'S A BOTHER.

"It's not a bother." He found that if Taylee was reluctant in any way to teach Callisto or include her and Sophia, it would hurt him, even though he understood that trust didn't happen overnight. Taylee had a huge heart. She'd forgiven Sebastian and he'd wronged her greatly and tried to extort money from her. She'd forgiven him and now he was a part of the clan.

Callisto took her notebook up and started writing in it again, looking up every now and then to check on him, but he waited patiently for her to finish. It didn't bother him that she wasn't like everyone else. Her inability to talk didn't make her less at all. He'd kill anyone who suggested it did and piss on their ashes.

He shook his head, clearing it of the first violent image he'd ever conjured in his brain. It disturbed him, even as a hypothetical.

Callisto didn't notice. She didn't look up at that moment, thank goodness. He didn't need her to see whatever weirdness was going on in his head and with his body.

Eventually, she turned the notebook back over to him.

I'M TRAINED AS A PERSONAL CARE AIDE. I DID THAT FOR YEARS UNTIL I HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO START MY CLAN. I BOUGHT A SMALL PIECE OF LAND.

SHIFTERS ON THE OUTSIDE DON'T LET THE WORLD KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, BUT WE SOMEHOW FIND EACH OTHER. MY HOME BECAME A HAVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO NEEDED PROTECTION. ESPECIALLY WOMEN.

WOMEN WHO NEEDED A SAFE PLACE. SHIFTER AND HUMAN ALIKE. YOU ASKED ABOUT MY CLAN. MY LAND BORDERS YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WHICH IS A PROTECTED AREA. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SPACE, BUT SHIFTING THERE IS SAFE. PEOPLE CAN'T HUNT, SO AT LEAST WE CAN BE WHO WE ARE WITHOUT FEAR. IT'S A GOOD PLACE, BUT I WANT MORE FOR US.

She left off there and while he got the feeling there was so much more to a massive story that he was only scratching the surface of, he wasn't going to press on that either. Especially not in public. Her wanting more and needing more had led her here to challenge Sam and that was still fresh on most people's minds.

"I could talk to Josephine if you want. She and Trace run the clinic. She's probably always in need of extra help."

She didn't exactly look enthusiastic about that. He searched his mind to try and come up with something else.

"The school. You could teach ASL there. There are no other language classes at all, since most of us don't know one. Josephine speaks Spanish, but she's so busy with the clinic it would be impossible for her to teach too. As you're going to be a part of our community it would be really nice if everyone could communicate with you, if you teach the kids, then they could show their parents the signs. That is… if you want." He probably shouldn't get all excited before he even let her show him what she thought about that. Maybe she hated the idea.

She didn't hate the idea. She couldn't even pretend that she did.

She loved children. That was obvious, even when she hung back. She wasn't outgoing like Sophia. She didn't wear her feelings plainly for anyone. She'd said that Sophia longed to be a mother, but if Callisto never wanted to have a mate, did she never plan for children? She'd said she felt like she was too old now, but had she dreamed of a family at one time?

He thought again about someone hurting her deeply, stealing her dreams and breaking her heart, and he wanted to crack skulls. She'd just said that she'd never dated seriously. Because someone hurt her first, or because she'd just never wanted a conventional life? Maybe because she was a shifter on the outside, she never thought that she could find someone like her or someone who would understand.

Or had something happened in her childhood or youth that affected her so greatly, damaged her so badly, she'd shied away from ever imagining giving herself to another person and safeguarding their heart in return?

They were both finished, and Elowen appeared to clean away the dishes. At least it pulled Rory from the trainwreck of his own thoughts. He was making assumptions and filling in bits of a story that wasn't his to assume one single detail of. Until Callisto was ready to share, he couldn't try to fill in the blanks. He was only going to make himself crazy imagining her being hurt by anyone. He was starting to want to burn down the world, not just kick random asshole's asses.

The next course was dessert. Cherry cheesecake, served like all the soup and the salmon, with a huge smile from their host, "This is actually vegan, I know both of you eat dairy, but I was thinking of putting some vegan options on the menu for the tourist season. The base is made of cashews, you'll have to tell me how you like it."

Callisto signed thank you, with even more enthusiasm when they were finished. She signed it again and again and Elowen let out a burst of laughter.

"You're very welcome," she responded. "So welcome. I've never done this here before and it was a pleasure." She looked between them like she knew something they didn't. She was in on a secret. There was nothing that wasn't twinkling about her.

Oh, no. She thinks that this is romantic. She has hopes that we'll get there.

She didn't say anything, though, just left them alone.

Callisto sat back. She sighed, and even though it made no sound except a soft tinkle of air, she seemed content. Not so restless and not so… torn apart as she usually seemed. Was that really what it was? The crushing weight of responsibility- she was alpha of another clan after all and had so many people depending on her. Not everyone led like Sam did, where they made it look effortless, like nothing could ever bother or break them. She might be torn apart, the other half of herself back in Wyoming, but if she never lost her heart to Greenacre or some of the people there, what would be the point in staying?

He shouldn't have cared whether she stayed or left, but he found that he did.

"I can go talk to Sam and Nelson about the school idea right after lunch, if Sophia would be able to watch the shop for another half an hour? I can stop by and talk to Taylee about the art lessons as well."

She didn't hesitate to nod and when she signed, he realized that he'd finally learned at least one. Thank you.

He raised his hands and hesitantly used them to make the gesture he'd seen Elowen do multiple times. You're welcome.