Chapter 23 - Knox
KNOX
It was not okay. I was standing in the entryway of Valero Pub & Grill, waiting for Felix, the owner I was interviewing with, to come out and meet me.
But all I could think about was Lucy. It had been almost an entire day since I’d left him—at least, it felt like it. And Lucy could still be upset from whatever had happened.
I just fucking wish I knew what had happened. It felt like I was going in blind.
My phone rang, and I answered it without looking.
“Lucy?”
“No, Maisie, but you’re on the right track.”
I blinked. “Maisie? What’s wrong? You never call me.”
She sighed. “It’s Lucy. Have you seen the news today?”
I stiffened. “No, I haven’t. But Lucy was upset last night, and I got my feelings hurt, so I left. I was going to go over there today to see if he would talk to me again.”
Silence for a moment. Then a groan. “Knox, tell me you’re fucking joking.
Because Lucy apparently got sold down the river last night by all the rich snobs and his own family.
They’re saying he’s immature, like a teenager, and that he’s basically ruined his entire family’s reputation and future rubbing noses with the other rich snobs!
For those people, this is really bad, and I’m scared what it could mean for Lucy. ”
I couldn’t breathe. My lungs were tight, my gut knotted, and my heart hammering with adrenaline.
“What?”
“Which part did you miss, Knox!”
I rubbed a hand through my hair, pacing. “His family, too? I just–he’s been working his ass off. What happened?”
“Apparently, his painting was offensive or something. Had some lady clutching her pearls and crying. Personally, I thought the painting was sick, but for stuffy old people…”
“Wait, what?” I repeated, my thoughts scrambling. “That painting was great, and it followed their stupid Valentine’s Day theme to a T.”
“Are you sure?” Maisie sure didn’t sound it. “Because it was all dark and angsty. Like some dark romance or some sad romantasy where the love interest is brainwashed, but he still pines over the heroine.”
I gasped. No fucking way. “Was it dark? With red in it?”
“Yeah, definitely moody, and some dots in it or whatever, but mostly a super dark night sky kind of background and a fair amount of red.”
“That’s our painting,” I breathed, at a loss.
“Your painting?”
“He brought our painting to the exhibit instead of the bubble gum lovey dovey one, and they’re tearing him apart for it.”
The anger was back, sharp and hot. I wanted to punch Lucy’s dad’s face in. How could anyone cause such a big fuss about one painting? It was fucking romantic as hell! Didn’t that fit the theme perfectly?
“He-oh…” Maisie’s voice trailed off. “I-fuck, that’s adorable. I didn’t know you two were in love. Well,” she amended, “I didn’t know you were admitting it.”
“We aren’t,” I denied. “I haven’t—I’m working on it.”
Maisie laughed. “Well, you’d better get your ass over there and work on it some more, because if that was me getting blacklisted by my own family, I’d be crying my eyes out.”
“Tucker would never.”
“Tucker knows better, because I’d kick his balls in.”
I snorted. “That fits the bill between you tw–”
“Mr. Bristol, sorry for the wait.”
I spun around to see Felix Valero standing in front of me, a confused smile on his face because, yeah, I was being rude as fuck and was on the phone when I was supposed to be in an interview.
“Wha–” Maisie interrupted, “Who was that? Knox?”
“I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you later.” I frowned. “Maybe.” Because I would be going to Lucy’s and trying to confess my feelings.
Right after this interview.
I hung up and pocketed my phone, though my heart didn’t stop skipping in my chest, aching to go back to Lucy right now and fix all of this.
“Sorry about that, sir.” I smiled and shook his hand. “I just got some news, but I’m good to go now.”
Valero shook my hand with a firm grip. “Nothing to worry about. Family’s important. Nothing emergent, I hope?”
I shook my head, but I felt the lie tug at me again. “No, but something I’ll have to handle later. For now, I’m really grateful you found the time to talk with me about the position.”
He grinned. “I’m glad, too. Family is important to us, as a family-owned business, so let’s get this rolling. I’ll show you the place, then we can sit down and chat.”
He led me back through the dining room, with at least a hundred seats, all surrounding darkly stained wooden tables and dark chairs. There were wall decorations that I’d never seen before, quotes made from black iron, a coat of arms made in that same black iron in the shape of knives.
They matched the feel of a pub-and-grill restaurant perfectly, and I knew I would have been stoked to pour over all the details under normal circumstances.
But today wasn’t normal circumstances. Today, Lucy might be crying into his pillow because his family are jackasses who don’t actually give a fuck about him past the notoriety he could bring them.
“We have a small staff right now, but we work hard for our customers.” Valero’s voice cut back in, pulling me back into the moment as we stepped into a roomy, clean kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a slew of prep that was being done by three prep cooks, their knife cuts thrumming evenly throughout the echoes of the room.
“And you work with your sister, right?” I asked, because I’d done my research. This place had been really tempting. I liked their values on their website and the family-first mentality.
Felix grinned. “Yes. Isabel. She and I are twins, and we spent every spare moment together growing up. We learned young how to cook from our mother, despite our father’s insistence.”
I frowned. “He didn’t want you to cook?”
Felix shrugged. “He wanted to provide for us and Mama. That meant stopping her from cooking food that has bonded her family together for generations. I don’t think he ever really understood that, even if he tried to.
He’s high society, you see, so when Isabel and I decided to start this business, he and Mama were finally excited about the same thing.
Dad thought it was a great business venture, and Mama was touched that we are carrying on our family legacy with food. ”
“That’s really sweet.”
And it was. I felt myself relax as Felix continued the tour, explaining the expectations they had for me as assistant kitchen manager and sous chef.
Not only was it about cooking and leading, but also about managing inventory, learning where our ingredients came from, and how to source the freshest food at the best price.
Even so, as that chef part of me called to this place, my heart couldn’t stop thinking about Lucy.
He needed someone right now, and I wanted to be that someone.
“So, what do you say?”
I tuned back into the conversation, where Felix was grinning at me and leaning across the bar from the other side.
“Sorry,” I shook my head, “I missed that part.”
His smile fell, a concerned frown taking its place. “Are you sure you’re alright, Mr. Bristol?”
I winced. “It’s Knox, and…”
Lucy’s eyes came to my mind, even as I tried to swat away the sight. But I couldn’t. It was driving me up the wall.
I needed to see him.
“And?”
“I’m sorry.” I shook my head, decision made. “I have to go. Someone needs me.”
Felix’s eyes widened. “What? Why? You have to go so soon?”
“I appreciate all your time.” I couldn’t believe what I was saying. Was I seriously giving up this opportunity for a guy?
This could cost me everything: my nana’s house, her memories…
And yet…
“Knox?”
“I’m sorry,” I repeated, turning away and striding for the door. “Good luck with everything here. It’s incredible, and I’m sure it will be an amazing opportunity for someone else.”
“Wait–”
But the door closed behind me, and I was rushing down the street.
Duke’s car wasn’t back yet, and I couldn’t wait for him. If I ran, I could reach Lucy’s door in fifteen minutes. It wouldn’t have even been faster by car, given the traffic.
“I’m coming, Lucy,” I murmured a promise.
For once, I didn’t even regret my choice to leave the job behind.