CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - LUKE
I walked into work the next day with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. Memories of my evening with Amber danced through my head, filling me with warmth. It was not a feeling I was accustomed to, especially at work. But I wasn’t going to fight it.
Danny seemed to notice right away. “Someone’s in a good mood this morning.”
Part of me wanted to tell him to shut up and mind his own damn business. But I really was in a good mood. I didn’t want to spoil it by laying into Danny. He was just trying to be friendly.
“What can I say, Danny? It’s a good day. The critics left happy. I think we impressed them. Their reviews should be great. The restaurant will be set up for the next year. I think that’s reason enough to be in a good mood.”
Danny bobbed his head back and forth. “I mean, I guess. But you’ve been different for a while. Even before the critics. Like more relaxed. Happy even.”
“Please, tell me more about how my happiness bothers you. Honestly, Danny, if you’re trying to put me in a bad mood, you’re doing a great job.”
He raised his hands, palms out, in a placating gesture. “Whoa. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s a good change. Whatever you’ve been doing, please keep doing it.”
“Thank you for giving me your permission to live my life however I want to. I feel so relieved.”
Danny shook his head. “All right. I get it. There’s still some of the old you left in there.”
I slapped him on the shoulder. “You better believe it. You’ve been doing a good job lately, but the moment that stops, I’m not going easy on you. On any of you.”
“I know. And at the risk of pissing you off even more, I wanted to tell you. I’ve been talking to the rest of the crew. They’ve noticed the change, too.”
I frowned. “Let me guess. They think I’ve gone soft. I guess today I need to remind them—”
“No,” Danny interrupted. “They’re actually happier. I think they’ve been working harder. It’s a good thing, all around.”
“And yet, you still seem troubled.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, well. I told you there’s something wrong with me. I work better when you’re cracking the whip. I don’t know. I think it’s cause my father—”
“Okay, enough. I’m not your goddamn therapist. Now get back to work before I kick your ass to the curb.”
Danny grinned from ear to ear. “Thank you, Chef. I will.”
I headed back to my office, thinking that I might have broken Danny somehow. I felt a twinge of guilt about it, but by his own admission, he thrived under strict supervision. Maybe I’d done him a favor. I’d have to think on it.
“Yo, Luke,” a loud, baritone voice called from the back door of the restaurant.
I recognized the voice immediately. “Colton?”
He rounded the corner and stopped when he saw me. “Luke, you son of a bitch.” He damn near ran at me before embracing me in a hug. “It’s good to see you, man.”
He squeezed me so hard I could barely breathe.
“You, too,” I managed to say. “Now let me go, fucker.”
He pulled away with a laugh. “Don’t be such a baby. It’s been a long time.”
I nodded. “Too long. What brings you to my neck of the woods?”
“The Food and Wine Festival. I was out there pimping my restaurant. I thought I’d see you there. But no, I had to track you down to this greasy spoon in the middle of nowhere.”
I snorted. “Whatever. I’ve seen your place. The only happy diners are the rats and the cockroaches.”
He bellowed with laughter. “Goddamn it, I’ve missed you.”
“Come in to my office, and make yourself at home.”
I sat behind my desk and Colton sank into the chair on the opposite side. He barely fit in it, he was so big. Not fat, but a big burly dude. He made me feel small, and I was damn near six-five.
“So, this is the world-famous Emery?” he asked.
“I don’t know about world famous, but this is my baby for sure.”
He nodded. “And you named it after your actual baby. I like it. How’s she doing anyway? She’s gotta be, what? Like five years old?”
“Six, actually.”
“Crap, I’m getting old.”
“Yup. Thirty-six. Your best years are behind you.” I gave him a grin as he chuckled. “But Emery’s doing great. She’s off from school for the summer so she’s at home, bugging the nanny.”
“So she’s a little hell raiser? She must take after her old man.”
“Better me than her piece of shit mother.” I ran my fingers through my hair.
Colton nodded somberly. “You ever hear from her after she left?”
I shook my head. “Good riddance, I say. Any woman who could leave her child without saying goodbye, without even leaving a note, has no business in my life or Emery’s.”
“Yeah, but aren’t you the least bit curious why she left? Or where she went?”
“No, I don’t give a shit. She made her choice. Emery and I are just fine without her.”
“I’m sure you are,” Colton said. “So it’s just the two of you? You never settled down and got married?”
“No. After everything that happened, I don’t know if that’s even something I want.”
“Yeah, I was there after she left. I know what you went through.” He grinned and shook his head. “How the hell did this conversation get so depressing?”
I laughed. “No idea. Things aren’t all bad around here though.”
I told him about the critics coming in the day before and how much they liked the food. Colton whistled through his teeth, impressed.
“Those are some heavy hitters in the industry. Once those reviews come out, you’re gonna be famous.”
“I doubt that.” I shrugged.
“Just try to remember the little guys like me when you’re hosting your own show on TV.”
“That’s never going to happen. I’m a chef and that’s all I want to be.”
“I hear that, brother. So what the hell else is going on? It’s been five years. Something else exciting must have happened.”
I looked down at my desk and thought of Amber. She was the most exciting thing that had happened to me in a long time. I wasn’t sure if I should bring her up. Things with us were still sort of new. Sort of undefined. I didn’t even know if I could properly call her my girlfriend.
Screw it.
“There is one more thing worth mentioning, I guess. A girl. Amber.”
He grinned at me. “I thought you said you hadn’t settled down.”
“Oh, I haven’t. We’ve only known each other for like a month, but she’s pretty fucking amazing.”
“Glad to hear it. I was worried you’d end up an old spinster. So, what’s her deal? What does she do?” He tilted his head to the side.
“Well, she’s a chef. She actually works here with me.”
Colton hissed through his teeth again. “Yikes.”
“What?”
He spread his hands wide. “Come on, dude. You know better than to shit where you eat.”
I ran a hand over my beard. Colton was the first person I’d told about Amber and me. I wasn’t ready to explain myself.
“I know it’s a risk, but I’m telling you, if you met her, you’d understand. She makes me laugh, she’s great with Emery, and well, she’s smoking hot.”
“Then maybe I should.”
“Should what?” I asked.
“Meet her. Someone’s got to make sure you’re not fucking up your life. And even though it’s been a long time, I’ve still got your back.”
I considered the idea. “Sure. I don’t see why not. How about you join us for dinner tomorrow? My house. Around seven.”
Colton nodded. “It’s a date.”
I laughed. “You wish, bitch. Now I have to start prepping for lunch. So, unless you want to jump on the line-”
“Yeah, yeah. You’re getting rid of me already. That’s fine. I have to go put on a smile and dazzle the crowds at the Festival.”
“Have fun with that, pretty boy.”
“Pretty and I still can’t get a date?” He wagged his eyebrows as he stood.
“Get out.” I rolled my eyes and laughed.
It was good to see him.
***
I punched in Amber’s number on the phone. Even though it was almost noon, her voice sounded muddled with sleep.
“Did I wake you up?” I asked.
“Yeah. It’s my day off, and somebody kept me up late last night.”
“Still recovering, huh? Sounds like a real stud.”
She groaned. I could almost see her eyes rolling through the phone. “Does it hurt your back when you suck your own dick that way?” she asked.
“Damn. That sounds so much worse now that I’m on the receiving end of it.”
“Yeah. No shit. It was a real dick move. And yet, for some reason, I still put up with you.”
I grinned. “Because I’m such a stud and someone likes her men hung.”
“Oh, Lord. I’m hanging up now.” Despite her words, she was laughing on the other end of the line.
“So I’m not just calling to brag about my cock. It’s about our plans for tomorrow night. A friend of mine came into town. A chef from California. We’re going to have dinner.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. “If you’re ditching me for another woman, I’m going to burn your restaurant down.”
I grinned and stifled a chuckle. God, I was falling in love with this woman. “Relax. It’s a guy. A big burly guy. Looks like the love child of a Viking and a bear.”
“Wow, ditching me for a hairy beast?”
“Yeah, pretty much. And I’m not ditching you. I want us all to have dinner at my place tomorrow night. I want you to meet him. What do you say?”
“I say I can’t believe you have an actual friend. There’s no way I’m going to miss this. I’ll agree on one condition.” Her voice left me wanting to see her so badly.
“And that is?”
“I get to cook for you.”