Chapter Three
Addie Fontaine was a complete enigma, Caleb realized. Who was she? He wondered. What made her tick? Caleb hadn’t even realized Sebastian Fontaine had children. Sebastian was a larger than life figure whose name and face were constantly splashed all over the tabloids. He had amassed a fortune back in his younger years and now controlled his empire with an iron fist. Reportedly a lady’s man, Sebastian seemed to enjoying living on the edge. Addie seemed as different from Sebastian as an onyx night from a glorious morning.
Caleb hadn’t counted on Addie crashing into his life. She had basically come out of nowhere and asserted herself as his partner at the Blue Bayou. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but Caleb was determined not to let anyone or anything get in the way of his dream. And there would be an opportunity in the future to buy himself out of the partnership with Fontaine. He just had to keep his cool and not allow himself to get derailed by the situation.
Patience was a virtue after all.
This morning Addie had arrived at work looking strikingly different than the first time Caleb had seen her. He couldn’t get over how Addie looked. Without the bottle thick eyeglasses, he could see her expressive eyes. And she had the longest eyelashes he’d ever seen in his entire life. He wasn’t sure if she was wearing eyeliner or something, but her brown eyes really popped. His brothers would laugh at him for using this expression, but Addie’s eyes were mesmerizing.
Caleb had to stop himself from staring. Or commenting! He knew from his younger sister, Shayla, that sometimes it was best for a man to hold his tongue. He didn’t want to make a big deal of her ditching the glasses, since Addie might think he was saying she hadn’t looked good before.
He wasn’t looking for anything romantic with Addie, but he couldn’t deny the pull in her direction. Caleb had always felt eyes truly were the mirrors of the soul. Addie’s eyes were exquisite. He hadn’t experienced this type of reaction toward a woman for quite some time. Although Caleb wasn’t blind to attractive women, he was taking a hiatus from relationships.
All of a sudden, his ex-girlfriend’s face flashed before his eyes. Felicity Mathers had wrapped him completely around her finger in their one-year relationship. Beautiful and polished, Felicity was a news anchor. She was glamourous and eye-catching. She had made him feel things no other woman had, and in the end, she had dished out more pain to Caleb than he’d ever imagined possible.
Although Caleb had always struggled with commitment issues, Felicity had inspired him to dream of white picket fences, a house full of squabbling kids and a summer home in Breeze Point, Cape Cod where his Donahue cousins lived. But their relationship had imploded when Caleb had discovered Felicity was cheating on him with another guy. His agony had been almost unbearable. And when he’d confronted Felicity—ready to forgive her—she’d been cavalier about her infidelity. She had cruelly turned things around on him, blaming Caleb for her having cheated on him. In short, Felicity had told him he hadn’t been enough for a woman of her status.
Even though he’d been head-over-heels in love with her, Caleb had known that Felicity would continue to smash his heart into bits if he allowed her to do so. Walking away from her had been incredibly painful. Even though he had wanted to love her for a lifetime, he was practical enough to know it was never going to happen. Fidelity and truth were way too important to him. Once bitten, twice shy.
In the dark recesses of his mind, he knew it was all tied up in his birth mother. Letting go of the people he loved was a constant struggle. It gnawed at him.
“Caleb.” He heard Addie saying his name. It jolted him out of his thoughts about Felicity.
He looked up. Addie was standing a few feet away from him in the doorway.
“Sorry,” he said. “I was daydreaming for a second.”
“You’re allowed, Caleb, considering how hard you work. I’m going to sit in the back office and go over some paperwork,” Addie said. “I’m going to do a little double checking on a few items.”
Caleb frowned. “Did you see something that didn’t add up?”
“No, it’s nothing alarming,” she said in a hesitant voice. “I’m really good with numbers, so certain things jumped out at me. It’s not a big deal, but it’s always best to have our records as clear and precise as possible. Who has been keeping your books?”
Caleb felt foolish. He made a face. “Me. I’ve been doing them.”
Addie’s face fell. “Caleb. You’ve been doing way too much around here. You should feel really proud about what you’ve achieved, but you need to delegate. You’re wearing too many hats. You’re the owner. Head chef. Social media person. And now you’re telling me that you’ve been keeping the books?” She shook her head in a stern fashion. “This place is making money. It won’t kill you to delegate certain responsibilities.”
Addie was right. He’d been trying to rein in expenses by not hiring more staff. It had led to him feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Success at all costs had been his mantra, but now that the bistro was bringing in a nice chunk of change, he could take a deep breath and allow others to chip in more. It was counterintuitive to the way he’d been thinking, but he knew it was for the best.
“You’re right. I need to let go a little bit. All this time I’ve been holding on out of fear the bistro wouldn’t succeed. I’m blessed considering how well it’s doing and the plans you’ve mentioned regarding growing the business. I just need some bodies to fill these roles.”
“I’m right here, Caleb. I’ve got to earn my partnership with you. Trust me. I don’t ever want anyone to say I’m sliding because I’m Sebastian Fontaine’s daughter.” She wrinkled her nose as if she’d smelled something rotten.
“Is that something that worries you?” he asked. He hadn’t even thought about the pressures Addie must be facing. Sebastian Fontaine had a formidable reputation. He imagined it wasn’t easy being the daughter of a very wealthy, well-known magnate.
“It doesn’t consume my every waking moment,” she said in a light tone, “but I want people to judge me on my own merits. I don’t want anyone to think I’m riding his coattails.”
He shook his head. “No one will think that. Not here anyway. You’re a hard worker, Addie. Your work ethic speaks for itself.”
Addie beamed. She looked as if she’d been lit up from the inside. “I appreciate that vote of confidence. I want our partnership to be beneficial for both of us. I promise to never lose sight of the fact that the Blue Bayou is your baby.”
“I appreciate that, Addie. I have to be honest.” He wanted to tread carefully with Addie’s emotions. “My goal is to one day be able to buy it back so I’m the full owner. I hope that doesn’t hurt your feelings.”
“Of course it doesn’t. I don’t blame you one bit. You came into this thing on your own after all. It’s perfectly natural to feel that way.”
“Thanks for understanding. Ever since I was a little kid I wanted this,” he confessed, sweeping his arm around the place. “My parents own a diner here in town called the Silver Spoon, so I grew up loving the hustle and bustle of the restaurant industry.”
Addie’s jaw dropped. “The Silver Spoon. I used to love going there when I was a kid. My twin sister and I used to love going there with my parents. Milkshakes and burgers. What great memories we made there.”
Caleb grinned. “See. Your reaction is just how I want people to feel about the Blue Bayou. It may sound corny, but I think feeding people is an act of love. And I’m not just talking about the industry. I made a point when I opened this place to develop a partnership with the Pelican Bay shelter on Dowses Street. All viable leftovers are donated to the shelter. And when I gather with my family for our weekly dinner, I feel rejuvenated. Between the company and the food, it’s sheer heaven.”
“It sounds like it. My family has never done weekly dinners or anything remotely resembling it. My parents divorced back when I was a child.” She let out a sigh. “It was a rough time. We’d never been a perfect family, but at least we’d been together. Everything changed so quickly. After the divorce, daddy moved out and we stopped attending church together. There were no more game nights or spaghetti and meatballs in our pajamas while sitting at the dining room table. Things got bitter in a heartbeat. And when we lost my twin sister to leukemia it got really dark.”
“I’m so sorry, Addie for your loss. You’ve been through a lot with your parents’ divorce and then your twin’s death.” He blew out a deep breath. “No doubt it’s made you stronger, but you’ve had a tough way to go.”
“I won’t argue with you about that,” she responded. “Thankfully, God was with me. Once I forgave Him, my heart opened up to His love.”
“Forgave Him?” Caleb asked with a frown.
She quirked her mouth. “I blamed God for losing Tabitha and for my parents’ divorce. I blamed Him for all the ills in my world.” She made a tutting sound. “It got me nowhere in the grieving process. It just made me bitter and lonely and isolated.”
“How did you move toward forgiveness?” he asked, intrigued by Addie’s journey. Underneath her calm exterior, there were undercurrents swirling under the surface.
He stared at Addie’s full lips. She was nervously chewing on her bottom lip. “It wasn’t easy, but being angry at God didn’t rest well with my soul. I missed Him. So one day when I was at rock bottom I fell to my knees and cried out to Him.” She ducked her head down. Caleb had the feeling she was dealing with a large amount of emotion.
He reached out and tipped her chin up. “Don’t be ashamed of what you’re feeling. Your story is inspiring.”
“Thanks,” she said, blinking away moisture from her lovely brown eyes. “I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve.”
Caleb didn’t admit it, but he’d been known to do the same thing on a few occasions.
“Some might say that’s a good thing,” Caleb said. At one point he’d wished his ex-girlfriend had been more emotional. Felicity had viewed life in a cut and dried manner. She’d never loved him. Not really. Even though they had exchanged words of love, Felicity hadn’t been in love with him. Not in the truest sense of the word. In the end, her actions had shown him the truth. Real love didn’t yield pain and betrayal. Love shouldn’t hurt.
“I might have to pick your brain about how you dealt with the divorce,” Caleb said, his thoughts veering toward his parents. The shock still hadn’t worn off about the separation of Jude and Penelope Donahue. The news had gone off like a bomb in the Donahue family. Everyone had been shocked. Not a single one of his siblings had seen it coming. Caleb knew he hadn’t. Not in a million years. He was trying not to allow his own feelings to dominate the situation. Both of his parents needed his unwavering support, especially considering some of his siblings weren’t taking the news so well. Heath was already spiraling out of control. Now that he was living with Caleb, at least he could keep a closer eye on him.
Addie winced. “I’m sorry to hear that. No matter how old we are, we’re still our parents’ kids. It hurts. It feels like the end of the story of our childhood.”
“That’s exactly how it feels. And I keep wondering at what moment did it all start unraveling? And why can’t they work on their issues? I’m honestly not in any position to judge them. I love them both more than I could ever express in words.”
“But?” Addie prodded.
“They took vows. That should mean something.” There! He’d said it. The thing that had been resting on his heart for the last few weeks. This feeling of being so disappointed and jaded about the state of his parents’ marriage. As a Christian, he hated the idea of judging them, but as their child he felt betrayed. He’d invested in their love story. He’d thought their marriage was tried and true. Till the end of time. Unbreakable.
“I’m sure it does, Caleb. But that doesn’t mean they can live out the rest of their lives together. Marriage is complicated. That’s what I had to accept with my own parents. Their choices—however I felt about them—were their choices. You have to do the same thing. It sounds as if they are both God fearing people. I’m sure it’s a struggle for them.”
Silence stretched out between them as Caleb allowed Addie’s words to marinate. He was walking through the situation very carefully. He wanted to be thoughtful and measured regarding the situation. In a family as big as his own, Caleb knew all too well that things could get dramatic at a moment’s notice. He needed to take the high road and be compassionate. At the same time, he prayed for a reconciliation. It wasn’t over until it was over.
Addie’s words helped immeasurably. He knew it was normal to have feelings of anger and shock. But Caleb was determined to be a support system for his family throughout this emotional ordeal.
“You’re right. And I’m going to continue to pray for them. And hope.” He prayed every day for his parents and for his seven siblings. And he was going to hold on to hope that his parents would find their way back to each other before their separation turned into something more permanent.
“Sounds good,” Addie said with a nod, checking her wristwatch. “Oops. I didn’t mean to send us down the rabbit trail. I better get to work.”
Caleb watched as she headed off in the direction of the office. She had a spring in her step. Addie radiated enthusiasm. He couldn’t be certain, but he thought her confidence had blossomed during the short time she’d been working at the Blue Bayou. She seemed far more centered than the young lady who had unceremoniously showed up at his eatery and announced she was his partner. Caleb felt a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. If anyone had told him a few weeks ago that Addie would be a breath of fresh air for his restaurant, he would have called them all kinds of crazy.
But now, Addie was infusing the Blue Bayou with her gentle nature and positivity. She’d added a much-needed feminine vibe to the place.
All of a sudden, he noticed Paolo standing nearby. When he turned toward him, Paolo was studying him with a curious expression etched on his face.
“What’s up, Paolo?” he asked.
“The two of you have…what’s it called?” Paolo scrunched up his face. Caleb knew he was searching for the English word he wanted to use. As a Spanish speaker, Paolo sometimes struggled with finding the right words to express himself, although his English was amazing. “Chemistry?”
Caleb coughed. “Chemistry? If you mean we get along, sure. Addie’s a great woman. But if you’re insinuating something else, my friend, you’re all wrong. It’s strictly business.”
Paolo chuckled and gave him an all-knowing look. He held up his hands. “Don’t kill the messenger. I could be wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
**
Day by day, Addie was getting used to working at the Blue Bayou. It was shaping up to be a wonderful experience. Caleb was smart and capable. He took the time to explain things to her and he didn’t just expect her to know it all off the bat. This morning Addie had arrived at the Blue Bayou early. She’d opened up the place and let a few employees inside.
The moment Caleb arrived, Addie sensed his approach before he’d even made a sound. She swung her gaze up. Her heart constricted. She was having trouble offering him a simple greeting. Why did this man make her heart skip a beat?
Did Caleb ever have a day when he didn’t look gorgeous? Did he have to be so appealing? The crisp white shirt he wore looked nice against his brown skin, while the fit of the shirt showcased his strong chest and powerful arms. She nervously bit her lip, wishing she didn’t feel such an incredible attraction for her co-worker. Men like Caleb had never been interested in her. She’d always been the plain Jane.
“Morning, Addie,” Caleb said in a boisterous voice as he strode toward her.
“Good morning, Caleb,” she said, forcing the words out of her mouth. On instinct, she brushed her hair down. Her mane had a life of its own at times. Last night she’d gone to the salon to have it styled and curled. The hairdresser had given her some tips about different ways of managing her flyaway hairs. Addie had been in love with the finished product. Nothing extreme had been done, but Addie felt she looked more professional and stylish. At the same time, she still felt like herself. Baby steps, she reminded herself.
Caleb stood and stared at her for a moment. He scratched his jaw. “You look different. I hope I’m not putting my foot in my mouth or anything, but every time I see you, there’s something different about you.”
Addie felt crimson heat creeping onto her cheeks. She didn’t even know how to respond to Caleb’s comment. She was fairly clueless about men.
She shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “You’re right. I got my hair done last night.” She couldn’t help but feel sheepish.
Caleb snapped his fingers. “That’s it. You look really nice.” He held up his hands. “Not that you didn’t look nice before.”
Bless him! He had no idea how his notice of her new hair style made her feel. She rarely got attention from men. And when she did, it was the wrong kind of attention. This felt like a sweet victory.
Addie let out a light chuckle. Caleb looked mortified, as if he was deeply worried about hurting her feelings. “No worries, Caleb. I’m not the type to get in an uproar over something like that.”
He dramatically wiped his hand across his brow. “I’m relieved to hear that. I have a younger sister who tends to be a bit over the top about things like that.”
“A younger sister? That’s great,” she said, her thoughts veering toward Tabitha. What she wouldn’t give to have one last conversation with her twin.
“Do you have any other siblings?” Caleb asked. “I know you said your twin passed away.”
“No,” she said in a low voice. “Tabitha was my one and only.”
Caleb’s face fell. His handsome features tightened. “Oh, Addie. I’m so sorry for your loss. That must have been so painful for you and your family.”
Addie felt emotion rise up in her. “Yes. Since we were twins, it made things a bit more intense for me.” She could see the sorrow etched on Caleb’s face.
“Oh, Addie,” he said, his voice cracking. “I can’t imagine.”
“It’s still hard to navigate life without her,” she admitted. “She was the more courageous twin. She always had an answer for every problem under the sun. And she encouraged me to reach for my dreams.”
“She sounds amazing.”
“She really was,” Addie said. “I was really angry for a long time at God for taking her away from us, but now I think God needed Tabitha in heaven. She’s probably taking charge and bossing the angels around.” She let out a light chuckle at the image of Tabitha being bossy in God’s paradise. Somehow it helped take the sting away from missing her sister. They would meet again one day. She knew it with a deep certainty. Her faith told her so.
She felt shocked at how open she was being with Caleb. Tabitha was not open to discussion as far as Addie was concerned. There were very few people in her life who she discussed her sister with—usually close friends and her mother. Her father still wasn’t able to talk about Tabitha in any meaningful way. Although her father was brusque and it was difficult for him to show his feelings, she knew he loved his family. It was just hard for him to show vulnerability over Tab’s death. Maybe one day those wounds would heal.
“I wish I could have met her,” Caleb said in a wistful tone.
“She would have liked you,” Addie said. She grinned at the idea. She’d known her sister like the back of her hand. Their twin connection had been strong. Tabitha would have taken one look at Caleb’s stunning face and made an over-the-top comment about his handsomeness that would have given her giggles for days. It made her happy to think of Tabitha giving Caleb a wholehearted thumbs up. She didn’t know why it mattered to her so much, but it did. Caleb was now her business partner. Day by day they were developing a friendship. Tabitha would definitely approve! And it made Addie all kinds of happy.
**
The Blue Bayou was hosting its very first event. A baby shower. Caleb didn’t know about babies, but he knew a successful event when he saw one.
Caleb had been surprised at how quickly it had all come together. They’d received a phone call from a frantic sister who wanted to give her baby sister a fantastic shower attended by her close friends and family members. A sudden burst pipe in her own home had left her without a place for the event. Although Caleb had wondered how they could pull things together so quickly, he and Addie, along with the entire staff, had made it happen. They had worked together like a finely oiled machine, proving that teamwork was essential in the restaurant business.
Cassandra—the heavily pregnant sister—thanked them profusely for making her baby shower dreams come true. Lizzy, the sister who’d arranged the festivities, stood by them grinning from ear-to-ear.
Once all the guests had left and the clean-up had come to a close, Caleb and Addie found themselves alone together in the kitchen.
Addie folded her arms across her chest. “I think it went well.”
“Me too,” Caleb said with a satisfied nod. “I never thought hosting events here could be so lucrative.”
“Oh yes, it’s really a great way to increase revenue. I have a lot of friends who are always on the lookout for bridal and baby shower venues. Not to mention birthday parties and retirement send-offs. I’ll spread the word.”
“I’ll do the same thing on my end. And I’ll ask my family members to do the same.”
He looked at his watch. It was almost dinner time. He’d promised his folks to attend family dinner this evening. Truthfully, he’d been working so hard all day he had forgotten to grab something to eat. Fairly ironic since he was a chef and bistro owner.
Caleb was going to do something impulsive. He was hoping Addie would say yes.
“I’m having dinner with the family tonight. Would you like to join us?”