Turning Up the Heat: A Sizzling Modern Romance Novel

27. Oskar

Early December

I was sittingin my office on Thursday, going over bills and orders for the past month. Things were looking good. Things were actually, shockingly, looking good.

I stared at a picture tacked on the wall, a picture of the broken-down adobe-walled restaurant I’d bought with the majority of my inheritance. I’d been an outsider in a close-knit community, taking on a project that could have been a disaster.

I’d had no backup plan, no contacts, and zero reputation.

And somehow it had worked. Against the odds, it had worked. Within a year, we were not only paying the bills but turning a tiny profit. I was still the new kid on the block, but once people realized that I had really settled here and wasn’t just on an extended vacation, they were welcoming and accepting.

If there was anything that people on the Central Coast respected, it was hard work. And I had worked my ass off. There were weeks I felt like I never left the restaurant.

The local and seasonal cooking I’d built my reputation on had started out purely as a way to make ends meet. In the beginning, I made do with whatever was cheapest that week and built my menu around it. At the time, it was the only way I could keep the doors open.

I heard my email alert, and I smiled when I saw an email from Austin Smith.

My God, he was persistent, wasn’t he? I tried to feel bad about fucking with him for the past few months, but I just couldn’t bring myself to care. After all, there were many fine charities that had benefited from Austin’s misguided attempts to win Kelsey back, and she hadn’t heard from him in months, making her much happier.

Three weeks before…

Josh snapped.“I know, I know. Technology grants for Amish schools. Those kids don’t even have notebooks. I saw a documentary about that on YouTube.”

Josh, while generally a very intelligent person, did have his moments.

“Josh, it has to be a real charity, something he can find online. This is Austin. If it has a website, he’ll donate. I’m pretty sure there’s no actual organization that grants money for technology to Amish schools.”

“Huh. I wonder if I could start one just so he could donate.”

“I think that would be way more effort than we actually want to put into this. Plus it would be pretty unethical to just keep his money. Funny but unethical.”

“You’re probably right.”

We were silent for a few moments while we both thought a little more.

“Isn’t there some sort of weird animal charity collective that we can point him toward?” Josh asked.

I thought for a moment. He might be onto something there. “Hold on a second.”

A quick search online landed me a gold mine. Bay Area Obscure Animal Rescue and Refuge. Bingo.

“Hey, Josh?” I asked.

“Yeah?”

“I think someone’s already done our work for us.”

“Thank fuck. I was getting sick of that persistent douchebag.”

I hadn’t heardfrom Austin since passing on that last charity idea. Apparently Bay Area Obscure Animal Rescue and Refuge was keeping him busy. As I opened the email, I silently prayed he wasn’t writing for more ideas. I was frankly tired of the whole thing but felt like I didn’t want to give up on it quite yet. It still had quite a bit of comic potential.

To: OskarOlsonChef

From: AustinSmith1656

Subject: Thank you

Dear Oskar,

I just wanted to write you and thank you for directing me toward the excellent people at BAOARR. They have been most helpful. In fact, I am beginning to understand what Kelsey finds so rewarding about supporting these local charities. I cannot thank you enough for all your help winning her back. I’m sure that very soon I will be writing you to tell you of our happy reunion.

Take care,

Austin Smith

An email from Austin always put me in a good mood, and as this one required no brainstorming from either me, Felipe, or Josh, I was doubly pleased. I forwarded the email to my two coconspirators and shut my computer off.

Felipe had been correct when he predicted that Victor would grow from his first major fuckup. He had, and in the weeks that followed Kelsey’s visit in October and then at Thanksgiving, he had proven himself to me again.

I was leaving in a few hours to drive up to Marin County to visit Kelsey, my sister, and her new boyfriend.

Apparently everyone loved this Stan person. I was reserving judgment until I met him.

That wasn’t entirely true. I was actually fighting my natural urge to dislike the man who was dating my little sister. I had developed a new respect for Josh. I couldn’t imagine being as relaxed around my sister’s boyfriend as he was with me. It might have helped that we were friends before, or it might be that he was just more easygoing than I was.

Either way, it didn’t seem to help that I had to force myself not to show up at Hanna’s house and scare the shit out of whatever asshole thought he was good enough for my little sister.

And I was completely baffled by my reaction to the whole situation. She had dated plenty of people over the years—some of the nicest men and women I’d met were through Hanna—but none of them had caused this response. I was still friends with one of her ex-girlfriends who was a chef in the East Bay.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more going on with this guy. She’d seemed different at Thanksgiving.

“Chef?”

I heard a quick knock before Victor popped his head through the open door of my office.

“Yes, Chef, what’s up?” I looked up at his eager face.

“Just checking if you wanted to go over anything before Leslie shows up and we start on the prep for dinner tonight.”

I frowned and thought for a moment. Victor had really proven himself over the past month. He had been completely up-front with me and hadn’t hesitated to call if he had any questions. I felt like he was ready for another chance.

“I think we went over everything. Do you have any questions?”

Victor looked at me with a slightly panicked expression.

“That’s not a trick question, Victor.”

He exhaled in relief. “Okay. I really think we’re good, Chef. Both Leslie and I have been cooking this menu for a couple of days now. I think we’ll be fine.”

I nodded, got up, and slapped him on the back. “I trust you, Chef. I know you’ll do great. Want to know why?”

“Because if I fuck things up again, you’ll kill me, bury my body on Josh’s ranch, and tell everyone I went on one of those Save the Whales expeditions to the Antarctic?”

“It’s like we’re sharing a brain, Chef.”

He laughed ruefully and shook his head. “Have a great weekend, Chef.”

Marin County

I was bouncinglike a fucking schoolgirl by the time I pulled my truck into Kelsey’s driveway in San Anselmo. I’d run into traffic in the city, so it was already dark as I walked up to the front door of her cottage. I wondered what she was planning on doing with this place. I knew she loved it and would have doubts about selling it to just anyone.

I knocked quickly and turned the knob on the front door. It was open.

I growled in frustration as I walked into the warm cottage.

All the lights were on, naturally. Kelsey always left her door open, claiming that San Anselmo was very safe and she didn’t have to worry about crime. I didn’t care. I wanted her to put deadbolts on everything.

“Kelsey?”

I heard her come down the hall. “Oskar!”

“I’m late. I’m sorry.” I wrapped my arms around her, then leaned down and kissed her. She tasted delicious and smelled amazing. I covered her neck with kisses as I murmured, “I missed you so much.”

She giggled. “Whoa there, Chef. Better put me down. We have to head over to your sister’s house in a few minutes.”

Fuck. I set her on her feet. “I haven’t seen you in two weeks. Are you serious?”

“Oskar, I told you she and Stan were hosting dinner for all of us tonight. She’s been planning it. She may actually be cooking.”

“She’s not cooking.”

Kelsey looked exasperated. “You know your sister; I don’t want to be late.”

I pouted. “But I thought we were going over there, you know… After.”

“You’re running a little late, Chef. It’s almost seven o’clock.”

I wasn’t going to whine. “Fine.”

Fifteen minutes later, we were headed over to Hanna’s house, but I still wanted Kelsey. I wanted to be curled up in bed with her, laughing and running my hands along her skin.

Instead, we were driving over to my sister’s house to meet her boyfriend.

Kelsey glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. “Don’t get that look, Chef.”

“What?”

“You’re getting that stubborn look on your face. It makes you look like a grouchy old man.”

“I don’t have a grouchy-old-man look. I’m extremely good-looking.”

Kelsey whispered, “Look whose ego isn’t going to fit out of the car door.”

I had to smile. She was always able to get me out of a mood.

“Look at him.” She continued teasing me as I finger-combed my hair with exaggerated vanity in the visor mirror. “Blue steel.”

“That’s right.”

She gasped. “How did I get so lucky?”

It was moments like this that I missed the most when we were apart. She made stupid, mundane shit fun. Nothing else beat that.

She grabbed my hand, holding it over the console as I leaned back into the seat next to her.

“Have you talked with Octavia at all about moving down south?” I didn’t want to push, but Kelsey had a tendency to put stuff like that off when she didn’t want to deal with it.

She cleared her throat. “I have a meeting with her next week. I didn’t say what I wanted to talk to her about, but she may have an idea.”

“Good. That’s good.” I nodded. This was progress, but I didn’t want to nag her. I decided to change the subject. “Tell me why I should like the boyfriend.”

“You know, I would think you would be a little more understanding considering how easy Josh’s been on you, boyfriend of mine.”

I muttered unintelligibly.

She was much quieter when she spoke again. “Listen, Oskar, I think he’s good for her. Really good for her. You’ll see. You love her; you’ll be able to tell. He makes her happy.”

“Yeah?” I was skeptical.

“Yeah.” She nodded.

I grunted. “We’ll see.”

Felipe openedthe door at Hanna’s house. “Hey, honey.” He reached over to hug Kelsey, then looked over to me with a frown. “What’s your name again?”

“Very funny.” I slapped his back as I hugged him hello. We’d talked on the phone and in emails, but I hadn’t seen him or Caroline since before the accident. I could tell how much stress he had been under in the weeks of her recovery. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too.” He grinned. “I told your sister you were gonna be late.”

“Fifteen minutes!” Kelsey said. “He ran into traffic.”

“Sure he did.”

The first thing I saw when we got to the kitchen was Caroline in a wheelchair near the counter, and my heart flipped.

Life was fragile. She was our age, and she could have been gone in a blink. And if Caroline hadn’t been with Hanna, my sister could be gone.

I pulled Kelsey into a hug while I steadied myself.

“Is Oskar getting all emotional about me?” Caroline asked. “I’m okay, big guy! But hug me, not Kelsey, right?”

“Really relieved you’re okay,” I said quietly as I embraced her. “Thank you.” I squeezed her shoulders. “I don’t even want to think about what could have happened to Hanna if you weren’t there.”

“Don’t even.” She squeezed my arm. “Your sister is amazing, and we adore her.”

I straightened and saw my little sister leaning against the counter near a man around my own age with his arm around her back. I looked him over quickly. He was average height with dark curly hair, his green eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses.

He was sort of good-looking in a rumpled, somewhat scruffy way; he was not what I had ever pictured for Hanna. He had a serious—and seriously nervous-looking—expression on his face.

Good.

Then I really looked at Hanna and mentally cursed.

Dammit, she did look happy.

Her shoulders were a little more relaxed than normal. Her smile was small but genuine, and her eyes shone with warmth when she glanced at the quiet man standing next to her.

Was this what my sister looked like when she was in love?

“Hey, Bamse.” I called her by the nickname I hadn’t used since our parents died. She walked forward and gave me a hug all on her own.

Whoa. Wow.

I squeezed Hanna one more time, then turned and held my hand out to the boyfriend. “Oskar Olson. You must be Stan Brent.”

He grasped my hand firmly as we shook. “Really nice to meet you.” He sounded a little nervous, which made me happy. “Hanna talks about you a lot.”

Hanna left my side and went again to stand by him. “I already told him you were tall. Are you wearing boots just so you seem more intimidating?”

I gave my sister the evil eye. Only she would notice something like that and mention it. “So Hanna, are you and Stan going to get married and have lots of children? I’m toying with the idea of writing a cookbook for children. That might work.”

Felipe snorted. Caroline and Kelsey were speechless. I’m pretty sure I heard Stan spit out his wine, but Hanna stared me down, squinting a little as she considered my amused expression.

“Probably,” she said. “We’re practically living with each other. But be serious. You’d never write a children’s cookbook.”

“Hanna.”

“Er du overrasket?” She answered me in Danish. “You asked.”

Felipe was still laughing; Kelsey and Caroline were gaping. I think Stan was coughing in the corner.

“Jeez, Hanna.” I could tell she was serious by the look on her face. Honesty, thy name is Hanna.

She shrugged. “Like I said, you asked.” She turned to Kelsey and tugged at her arm. “Come with me. Felipe planted flowers in the backyard. I wanted to show you. I’ll probably kill them as soon as he and Caroline have to leave, so you better look at them now.”

The two of them walked out of the kitchen, Kelsey throwing me a smile and mouthing something that looked vaguely like: “Be nice.”

Maybe she should give Hanna that advice.

I turned to the boyfriend. “So, Stan, you and my sister are living together?”

He paled a little but looked me directly in the eye. “I just moved into a big place in the Marina. It used to belong to my grandparents. She’s helping me decorate it, so we spend a lot of time there.”

“She did say practically, didn’t she?”

He smiled a little. “Yes and she usually says what she means, doesn’t she?”

I smiled back. “Yes, she does.”

“I like it.” Stan smiled. “You never have to guess where you stand with Hanna.”

Dinner flew by.Felipe prepared a delicious dinner of fresh Dungeness crab, steamed and cracked. It was crab season in California, and from the Central Coast to the north, Californians were enjoying the rich taste of Dungeness crab served hot, cold, barbecued and made into crab cakes, crab salads, and crab cocktails.

Stan and Hanna brought sourdough bread from Boudin Bakery in San Francisco, and Caroline had made a fresh spinach salad with bacon, mushrooms, and red onion.

We enjoyed the crab with one of Josh’s whites, a smooth blend that added the perfect bite to the rich dinner.

We all enjoyed cooking except for Hanna, so we talked about that and travel destinations, which Hanna and Stan both seemed to love. There were moments throughout the evening when I saw Stan quietly take Hanna’s hand, and I noticed the almost imperceptible relaxation that seemed to spread up her arm and into her shoulders and face.

She was still all Hanna, just a little bit more comfortable in her own skin.

Kelsey leaned over and whispered, “What’s going through that brain of yours, Chef?”

I kissed the top of her head. “She loves him.”

She nodded, smiling.

“You know, she told me I loved you the first night she met you.”

“Really?” Kelsey’s eyes went wide.

“I realize now how she could tell.”

I glanced at Hanna and Stan and saw him lean over and whisper something in her ear.

Hanna looked at me. “So Oskar. Kelsey tells me you’re absolutely hopeless at cooking eggs.”

I glared at my girlfriend, who was stifling laughter.

Same old Hanna.

We were havingdrinks in Hanna’s ultramodern living room before I was finally able to talk to my sister in private. Kelsey and Caroline were deep in conversation, and Felipe was helping Stan clean up the last of the mess in the kitchen.

I had gone down the hall to call Sophie and find out how things were at the restaurant. She reassured me that everything was going well. The tables were full and turning over. The service was humming, and so far, no problems appeared to be occurring in the kitchen.

I had just hung up my phone when I spotted Hanna coming down the hall, heading toward the guest bedroom. “Hey.”

She turned and saw me. “Oh, hello.” She glanced at the phone in my hand. “How’s the restaurant?”

“Fine.” She had assumed, correctly, that I was calling the restaurant in the middle of her dinner party. “I’m sorry.”

She frowned. “For what?”

“I… I think I’ve worked too much over the past few years. I wasn’t—I don’t know—there for you. I feel like I’ve been really self-centered.”

“Oh.” She frowned. “I probably wouldn’t have accepted you being ‘there for me.’ You know I like being independent. I’m fine.” She nodded brusquely. “Really I am.”

“I’m glad.” I hugged her. “And I like Stan.”

She actually held on to me for a little while, probably more for my sake than hers. I heard her speak softly after a few moments. “There are things to say. About what happened after Mother and Father died. Stan says there are things I should tell you. Not tonight though.” She looked at me, and I nodded.

She slipped into the guest room then and emerged a moment later carrying a small prescription bottle. She held it up. “Caroline.”

I nodded and put my arm around her again as we walked back down the hall toward the living room. “I’m going to be a better brother, Hanna.”

“I won’t repeat this if you pay me, but you’re a great brother.” She stopped, turned, and looked me in the eye. “A great brother, Oskar.”

“Love you, Hanna.”

She elbowed me in the ribs. “I love you too.”

Kelseyand I were driving back to her house. Well, she was driving and I was enjoying the very pleasant buzz brought on by an after-dinner glass of whiskey combined with not much sleep. My arm reached across the back of her seat, and she glanced at me in amusement, her golden hair glowing softly in the light from the streetlamps.

“You’re so beautiful.”

She smiled. “And you’re just a little drunk, Chef.”

“You’re going to take me home and take horrible advantage of me, right?”

She smiled. “I think you’re going to fall asleep before we can get there.”

“You are though. Beautiful. I don’t tell you enough. I think it all the time, but I don’t say it.”

She smiled. “Thank you. You’re pretty handsome yourself.”

“Our kids are going to be gorgeous.” I think I was wiggling my eyebrows or something.

She rolled her eyes a little. “Is that so?”

She could try to put the brakes on all she wanted. In my tired, slightly drunken haze, I realized the truth: we were inevitable, the two of us. We were destiny.

“Oh, we are, huh?”

I must have said that last bit aloud. I grinned at her. “Yep. Inevitable. Even your brother said it. It’s destiny.” I drew the last word out dramatically and tried to lean over the console to kiss her.

“Oskar.” She pushed at my shoulder, but she was laughing. “I’m driving. Hold your horses. We’re almost home.”

We arrived at her house a few minutes later. I leaned on her as we walked into the house, trying not to put too much weight on my tiny girlfriend. That last whiskey was probably not the greatest idea. I collapsed onto her bed, and Kelsey helped me take off my boots and peel off my jeans as I drifted in and out of sleep. A few minutes later, she was crawling up next to me in a little tank top and shorts.

I lifted my arm so she could tuck herself under it. She curled into me, drawing the blankets up to cover us, and my arm curled around her back with my hand resting lightly on her soft waist.

“Love you, Oskar,” she murmured.

“Best way to fall asleep ever.”