4. Chapter 4
TRISTAN
Parked in the bank’s lot across the street, Tristan stared at The Pointe through his windshield, unsure. Even though he’d gotten an interview, he knew that he didn’t have a chance at being their ma?tre d’, no matter how much Rain had assured him.
With the economy the way it was, Tristan hadn’t been able to find a better gig than the gourmet restaurant, but he was way past his limit.
He needed something more in line with his personality, something happier.
According to Rain, The Pointe was happier; he’d been a server there for almost a year and hadn’t stopped raving about it.
But the ma?tre d’ position sounded too good to be true, which meant that it probably was.
While Tristan liked to think of himself as an optimist, he still kept both feet in reality.
He’d managed parties and small conventions before, but as ma?tre d’, he’d be responsible for the brides and grooms all day at one of the biggest events in their lives.
They wouldn’t give that task to someone with zero experience in weddings. He was wasting his time.
Someone knocked on the passenger window and Tristan jumped out of his skin.
His head snapped to the right, and he found Rain and Mason outside his car, both of them bundled up against the cold.
Trying to catch his breath, Tristan unlocked the doors, and the two of them piled in, Rain beside him and Mason in the backseat.
“What are you two doing here? Not that I don’t like seeing you.
Hello, Mason.” Tristan nodded, and Mason silently nodded back.
Smitten once again, Rain and his kitten Mouse had moved back in with Mason, and Tristan had spent Christmas with them, meeting the quiet and taciturn photographer for the first time.
He was the polar opposite of Eve, and Tristan understood why Rain liked him.
“We’re heading to the photo store and The Pointe is on the way, so I figured we’d stop and wish you good luck!” Settling down, Rain looked him over.
“What happened to texting? Calling?” Tristan sighed.
“What happened to parking next to the building? Tristaaaan, please go inside and talk to Owen. I swear, you’re exactly what they’re looking for.” Rain crossed his heart. “Don’t make me go in there and get the job for you.”
“Are you sure that the higher-ups won’t have a problem with us working together?” His current job had him leaving his guard up, so he couldn’t help his suspicions.
“You’re fine,” Rain snorted along with Mason. “Owen is practically married to his old assistant, Liam, and Finn’s brother is one of the new sous-chefs. You’ll be fine. More than fine.”
Tristan shifted, watching construction workers walk in and out of the wedding hall.
A fire had ripped through the place months ago, but the owner had greased every palm available to quickly repair it.
While the outside looked immaculate, with white stucco walls and a golden-peaked roof that shone like a beacon, the inside was clearly still being worked on.
“Okay, okay, I’ll take your word for it. Thanks for looking out for me, kid.” Tristan chucked Rain under the chin, his doubts shrinking a little.
“You got this, Tristan!” Leaning across the center console, Rain hugged him.
“Good luck,” Mason said in a low tone before they left, and their encouragement bolstered Tristan. Steeling his shoulders, he parked in The Pointe’s lot and headed inside before his confidence wore out.
The scent of paint and the sound of power tools hit him as he made his way through the foyer, following Owen’s directions to the office upstairs, where the door was left slightly ajar.
Knocking twice, Tristan stepped back as it swung open all the way, and a blond, blue-eyed man in his mid-thirties smiled at him.
“Hi! You must be Tristan. I’m Owen Parker, the venue manager.
” They shook hands. “Come on in!” Owen gestured towards the couch instead of the desk and they settled comfortably on either side of it, but things weren’t awkward.
Owen gave off a fatherly, comfortable energy, and the rest of Tristan’s doubts began to fade away; maybe Rain had been right.
“I saw your resume,” Owen began, talking like they were old friends. “But before I get to the job stuff, Rain told me you hiked the Appalachian Trail? That’s impressive.”
“It changed my life. I’d been wanting to thru-hike since I was a kid.” Always eager to chat about his adventure, Tristan leaned into the ice breaker.
“Are you going to do another one? Like the big trail on the west coast?” Owen seemed genuinely interested.
“The Pacific Crest Trail?” Tristan shook his head, not liking that he had to lie, but if he told Owen that he was planning to work at The Pointe for two years at most, then he’d be shown the door.
“I got what I needed out of this thru-hike, and even if I wanted to? I had to rehab my knee.” He pointed down at his right leg.
Almost healed, Tristan had one more week of physical therapy, and he considered skipping it since Jax had stopped showing up.
Tristan thought that he might be under the weather, but as the weeks piled up, Tristan lacked the motivation to go, somewhat sad that he’d never see that striking face again.
Even though Jax still haunted Tristan’s mind, he figured it would fade with time, and to be honest, he was sad about that too.
“Ouch,” Owen declared with a wince.
“It’s rare to do a thru-hike and not come out with some kind of injury, especially after thirty-five.” Tristan gave a self-deprecating snort.
“I understand. I’m young at heart, but I don’t know about the rest of me!
” Owen grinned, and Tristan nodded along because lately his joints popped and crackled like a campfire.
“Okay, job stuff! Rain said you’d be perfect, and now that I’ve met you in person, I agree.
I know you don’t have ma?tre d’ experience, but Marci wants to train someone, and your hospitality background already gives you a leg and an arm up. ”
Tristan chuckled at Owen’s strange sense of humor; this was definitely not a normal interview. “I appreciate your faith in me.”
After a few more minutes of conversation and another handshake, Tristan shuffled out of The Pointe with a packet of new-employee paperwork in his hand and a job offer that didn’t sink in until he got to his car .
Driving to a strip mall up the road, he parked and cheered for himself, dancing in his seat. For the first time since he’d gotten back, he didn’t feel like he was willingly being caged. This was exciting, a challenge, and he’d get to work alongside Rain and some other great people.
And the best part was that he’d never see another micromanaging, nitpicky text from his terrible manager.
Picking up his phone, he unlocked it, about to call Rain, but then he stopped, all of his joy draining away as he read the five-word message that sat across the screen.
Tris its eve call me.
He never replied to Eve and blocked her number.
One of the things he’d learned from his thru-hike was that his easygoing personality was far too close to doormat for his liking.
While he’d been raised to always be empathetic, to understand where the other person was coming from, to turn the other cheek, it had caused him to grow up without a backbone, keeping him locked in a relationship with Eve for almost ten years.
So, he’d been trying to build a spine, but it was a work in progress.
Tristan figured that she’d been calling to find Rain, since he’d cut her off and moved in with Mason, but she hadn’t contacted Tristan once since the breakup. She hadn’t even shown up to say goodbye when he’d started the trail. Why would he help her with anything? She was on her own now.
But she’d never been good at taking no for an answer, and a few weeks later, on the way to his first day at The Pointe, he got a call from an unknown number and stupidly answered it, thinking it was someone from the wedding hall.
“Tris? Guess who!”
“Eve?” he sputtered without thinking. She must’ve used a different phone to get around being blocked. “Why are you calling me?”
“Come on, Tris. Not even a helloooo? ”
He winced at her voice. Was it always that annoying? When he’d first met her, she’d seemed so free-spirited and fun, like a goddess, but she’d actually love-bombed him for years and then used his kindness against him, so he stayed silent, wanting nothing to do with her.
“Fiiiiiiine,” she drawled. “Listen, I just need one teeny-weeny favor. I can’t find Rainy.”
“He doesn’t want to talk to you.” Tristan could hear her huff through the phone, and he shook his head, turning right.
“I’m his mother . And you know where he is,” she hissed, her demeanor instantly changing.
He could deny it, but she wouldn’t believe him.
“I’m going to find him.” Her voice remained low, threatening, and Tristan reminded himself that he was currently building a backbone.
“Leave him alone, Eve.” Pulling up to the wedding hall, he parked away from the building.
“I know you still talk to him.” She pitched her voice soft and sweet again, and he hated himself for ever thinking that he loved her. “Tell him Josh kicked me out.”
Josh? The last Tristan had heard, she was with someone named Gage.
She sniffled as if she were crying. “He promised me everything and it turned out he was married. I have no place to live! I need money.”
And there it was.
Gathering all the strength he’d vowed to have once he was off-trail, Tristan blurted, “I can’t help you,” and ended the call, quickly blocking her again.
Now he was upset for his first day of work, but he’d shown up super early, so he took some time to calm down, and once he felt ready, he brushed off the lapel of his tux jacket and headed inside.
As soon as he stepped through the glass doors, a petite woman with a sharp, green gaze and commanding energy sized him up.
“Hello, I’m Tristan.” He held out his hand. “And you must be Marci.”
“You’re perfect, that’s what you are,” she smirked as they shook hands, and he felt like he’d somehow aced another interview. “I’ve only heard good things from Rain.”
“He’s bragging. I just do my best. ”
She stared at him for a few seconds, and that smirk bloomed into a smile.
“Okay.” She clapped her hands together. “I’m pretty sure that Owen hasn’t given you the lowdown on how this place works, but I’m the heart, and he’s the brains.
” Her smile turned dangerous. “I’m also the brains.
John, the owner, only shows up once a year, and he’ll probably fly in to meet you pretty soon.
Prepare yourself because he’s a rude bastard, but he has a heart of gold. ”
“Rain’s told me a little about him.” Tristan sort of looked forward to seeing the man in person.
“Honestly? He’s harmless,” she laughed before giving him a rundown on his duties as ma?tre d’, and Tristan took notes in a small book, which seemed to impress Marci even more.
He learned that he’d be in training for a bit before shadowing Marci on some small parties once The Pointe reopened. Then, he’d do three of his own so he could polish his skills for Valentine’s Day, when he’d be ma?tre d’ for Marci’s wedding - the biggest event of the year.
But the pressure didn’t get to Tristan because The Pointe had a unique energy. Marci had introduced him to anyone who passed by, and the staff seemed content and excited. He’d had some nice gigs in the past, but this was already exceeding his expectations.
Marci promised Tristan a tour and a kitchen meeting once he came back from his break, which he took outside despite the freezing temperatures. Checking his phone, he sighed in relief when he saw that Eve hadn’t called again.
He should probably talk to Rain about her, but what would he say? That she was trying to find him? Rain already knew that; besides, the last time she’d contacted him, he’d had a panic attack and cried in Tristan’s arms.
Tristan didn’t want to put Rain through that again, so he’d stay silent for now, but if she became more of a problem, then he’d have to let Rain and Mason know.
Finishing his food, he walked back inside, put his coat in his locker, and wandered to the foyer, lost in thought.
“…and there are two more event spaces downstairs. That’s why we need both of you and another ma?tre d’.” Marci’s voice broke through his contemplation; she must be giving someone else a tour. “And here he is! Hi, Tristan.”
Eager to meet more of the staff, Tristan brushed off his lapel and turned, but he stilled in shock, his eyes going wide and his heart almost beating out of his chest.
Beside Marci, wearing a chef coat and a stunned expression, was a man Tristan never thought he’d see again.
Jax.