Chapter 7
Wayne
“I still say you could’ve done more butter.” Mom smirked at my new pastry chef but winked at me.
“Mom, leave Livvie alone,” I said, even though I knew Livvie wouldn’t take Mom seriously. My mother loved to butt in when it came to baking.
When it came to anything at all, really. She stuck her nose in all over the place. Which was why I was relieved I’d never told Mom about Bianca.
It had been nearly three months since I’d seen her. And it had been torture in some ways, but in other ways not. The running theory was that because I had every intention of going back to her and winning her over, my dragon was allowing this separation.
“Oh, you know I’m teasing.” Mom moved away from the pastry counter and peeked at the chicken casseroles I was assembling. “I’m so proud of you. You’re so much happier this way.”
That was true. So true. Since I’d drastically cut down on my personal service, I’d been happier and more relaxed.
Not long after I quit Bianca, Miss Olivia from the local restaurant and catering company had approached me about a partnership.
She was a silent partner once everything was up and running.
I used her enormous industrial kitchen and started a food service.
We had a delivery person, a pastry chef, and the menu was limited.
Customers had to order a week in advance, whether they wanted one meal or forty.
They had whatever we felt like cooking to choose from for the week.
After Olivia helped me get set up with my employees, she sort of faded into the background and took ten percent of net profit in exchange for her expertise and location. She’d also signed a contract saying I could buy her out for a dollar after five years if I wanted to branch into my own location.
It had been a smart move on my part, and I knew she was helping her granddaughter as much as me.
Livvie was my pastry chef, but I only needed her part-time.
Olivia was training her to take over the restaurant and catering company, and I had a feeling that it would happen in five years when my contract with Olivia was up.
I loved our arrangement and my new position.
I went in every day and made a bulk order of whatever delicious menu item I’d chosen to make for the week.
Customers could pick them up daily or wait and get them all on Friday.
Their order was either refrigerated or flash frozen, depending on their selection.
If they paid a premium price, it was hot and ready for them to take home.
And I still had more business than I could handle. Miss Olivia and I were making money hand over fist, and my hours were greatly reduced.
Which had given me time for the rest of my plan. Just stopping the in-home aspect of my business had lifted a big weight off of me. As had the lack of harassment and other irritation that came from customers being right in my face all the time.
On the urging of my mother, I’d started going to a yoga and meditation class the next town over.
I didn’t really know anyone there, so it wasn’t exactly embarrassing.
And once I got into the class and learned what yoga was really all about—and how difficult it was to do—I knew I could’ve taken the class anywhere.
If anybody too macho wanted to give me a hard time about it, well, they could shove it.
I’d also started online anger management therapy, something I had been keeping under wraps.
Therapy was still far too much of a stigma, especially for men.
I hoped to one day help change it by talking about it more, but until I figured out how to deal with naysayers without getting angry—the whole point of the classes—I kept it under wraps.
But I was working on myself so that I could become a better mate for Bianca one day. Hopefully, one day sooner rather than later.
Thinking about Bianca made my chest ache. Nothing I couldn’t handle, since I wasn’t pushing the bond away. Just postponing it.
Tonight, though, was a rare time I’d taken on a catering event.
I’d talked to Olivia about it, and she knew my reasons for taking the job.
Well, as much as a human could know. I couldn’t exactly tell her I was eager to do it because it would help me rebond with my fated mate.
She just thought I had a crush on Bianca.
I picked up the last tray and backed out the door to put it in the van. We did the catering as Miss Olivia’s Table, but Miss O wasn’t coming tonight. Just me and the servers.
Mom followed me out and pressed a kiss to my cheek after I put the tray on top of the others in the van. “Have a great night, sweetie,” she said. “I’ll see you later for the run?” Even though it was a flight, we always referred to it as a run, just in case someone overheard us.
There were some people in from neighboring clans, and Mom was hopeful I’d pick one of the women as my mate.
I loved the woman dearly, but she wasn’t subtle, not by a longshot.
“Love you, Mom. See you later.” And that was why I hadn’t told her about Bianca.
Case in point. She would never have left me alone over the last three months to let me take the steps I’d needed to take.
I had a much better handle on my emotions and didn’t feel like I needed to run from my mate anymore.
I was ready.
It didn’t take long to get to the event location, since it was being held in the club beside Jace’s Place downtown. They sometimes rented out their space in the daytime for some extra money, and Bianca had chosen it for her special day.
My anxiety rose the closer the van got to the club. I couldn’t wait to see her. All this time, I hadn’t run into her, and I’d managed to convince myself to steer clear and not try to find her for an ‘accidental’ run-in.
I got busy as soon as I hit the door, keeping an eye out for Bianca as I worked. Of course, I wanted her to think I did an excellent job at the catering, so I ran around making sure everything was perfect and wishing I’d brought an assistant instead of just the servers. They weren’t even here yet.
My tattoo burned, startling me as I lit one of the chafing dishes. Turning my head, I stomped down on my anxiety as Bianca came walking through the front door of the club. It hadn’t burned like that since the day I walked out of Bianca’s apartment.
It was a welcome pain. It meant I was in the presence of my mate again, finally.
When Bianca’s gaze landed on me, her eyebrows lifted and her smile widened, but only for a second. She sucked in a deep breath before schooling her features.
But I’d seen the smile. She was happy to see me. Her knee-jerk reaction had been positive.
That was excellent news. It meant I hadn’t completely ruined everything by running off at the mouth and being totally opinionated about her.
It was going to be a battle, convincing her to trust me and like me again, but I was up for the challenge. Deep down, she was still happy to see me.
After noticing me, it didn’t take Bianca long to make her way over. “What are you doing here?” Her voice wasn’t unkind, just direct.
“Catering,” I said with a smile and a wink as I took the cover off of a tray of lettuce for her taco bar.
She eyed the food. “Seriously? You’re a caterer now?”
“Why else would I be here?” I asked, unable to keep the smile off of my face.
“Stop being a smartass,” she hissed.
Here we went. But this time, the sparring with Bianca made me ridiculously happy.
“I’m not being a smartass,” I said with a short laugh. My blood pressure rose in a good way, not in the usual, angry way. I couldn’t wait to know her, know more about her. I felt so much more settled now. It was amazing the difference a career change and three months could make.
“Why are you smiling?” She crossed her arms and looked at me suspiciously. But my dragon hearing was on point, and I couldn’t help but hear her breath skip a beat when she stared at my smile. She liked it.
“Because I’m happy to see you again,” I said. Looking around, I made sure none of my servers had shown up to eavesdrop. “You look great, as usual.”
I didn’t miss the way Bianca lowered her eyes for a second, even as she cocked her head at me. She liked the compliment. “That’s beside the point,” she said. “I didn’t know you would be working for me today. It was supposed to be Miss Olivia.”
I furrowed my brow. “I’m sorry. Do you want me to leave?” She seemed happy to see me in one second and annoyed with me in the next.
She blew out a breath. “No. I need the food here.”
Well, at least she hadn’t asked me to leave. I’d figure out the hot and cold thing later. In detail. With a big smile on my face, I looked down at my mate and inhaled her scent. Not a hint of old-lady floral, thank goodness. She smelled like a sugar cookie.
Damn if I didn’t want to eat her.
I’d known exactly what I was doing when I took this job, and it was time to set my plan into motion.