Chapter Ten
Ruby
“And then he had the audacity to flirt with me! After everything, he thought, yeah, I’ll give her my sexy eyes and make her fancy me.”
I’m storming back and forth across the living room floor. I told Amber about Flora, who Amber thinks is his friend, and then I filled her in about Cookie, and my skirt mishap. Well, technically, it’s her skirt and my accident. I didn’t tell her I broke my car light because I was too nervous to return to the cookery school and ask him to move the van. It took me ten minutes to move my car.
“You think his eyes are sexy?”
I freeze before glowering at Amber. She’s in the cuddliest pyjamas. Her vomiting has subsided, and she’s spent the rest of her day reading spicy romance under the comfort of a blanket.
“Not the point.”
Her laugh is music to my ears. I’ve missed her so much. She beckons me closer, knowing what my look means. I tuck myself under the blanket and cuddle up to her. She smells of the cookie dough and marshmallow brownies I baked for her late last night. I rest my head against her shoulder and sigh. Garett’s eyes are sexy, and this afternoon, I realised I’d missed laughing and teasing someone for years. And the time he took to redress my cut was full of care. The loving yet sexy alpha way he was with his dog also got me. But he was still an arsehole for nearly the entire day.
“How are you, really? You must be exhausted after vomiting all morning before devouring the brownies.” She hums her non-reply. A sexy bodyguard fills the front cover of her book. “Have you heard from him?”
“No,” she replies, instantly understanding that I mean Kalen, her husband. “His operations, especially secret ones like these, can go on longer than expected.”
“I guess that’s the life of the wife whose husband spends months on submarines.” I’ve only seen Kalen a handful of times since their wedding, although I’ve spoken to him on the phone.
“Yeah, I know. He was a sexy stranger who saved me from an impossible situation when we met,” she says with a sigh before her voice muffles. “I don’t know how long he’ll be away, and I’m scared he won’t return before the babies come. I can’t do this alone.”
Tears slip down her cheeks. My sister is hard as nails, but the last months have taken their toll. She’s struggled through a lot of sickness during the pregnancy. “I’m not the same as a strapping naval husband, but you’ve got me. Mum and Dad aren’t far away and there are lots of people in this small town who could help.” She cuddles me tighter.
“And you’re okay with keeping the cookery school going until Christmas? Kalen is leaving the navy soon, hopefully. We’re going to shut down the school in January when it’s quieter, and with Garett’s skills, Kath running the back room, one of the admin team I was training, and Kalen and me in the background, I should be able to make it work from February onwards. Mum and Dad will look after the twins on days I need to work, but the key thing is we won’t need a full-time person at the cookery school. It’s just to help us out right now.”
I could stay longer and want to, but she’d say if she felt the same. I don’t know what I’ll do from January.
“We’ve got enough money to keep going until then. Kalen’s health insurance means I can do this pregnancy privately, so he’s not too worried while he’s away.”
I nod. “That reminds me. Clive Macdonald, the owner of Balencia, who Garett once worked with, is running a competition, and the closing date is tomorrow. I’m thinking of entering. The winner gets ten thousand pounds and a job developing a baked goods option at his restaurant. I probably won’t even get shortlisted, but it would be fun to try out. The competition day is on Christmas Eve. Is that okay?”
Amber smiles. “Of course. Be wary of Clive, though. Mum said something about him when I last visited. She was the one who convinced me to take on Garett, not that I’d say no to a skilled chef like him. But she was adamant.”
“She is the wisest person we know.”
Amber nods. “Do you remember catching her talking to Dad about how Neil wasn’t the guy for you in the first months of your relationship?”
“Yeah. It was partly what convinced me to leave to be with him.” And because I was a fool and decided I needed to be independent.
I squeeze my hands, making fake dough, until Amber’s cheekiness draws me out of overthinking. “Maybe Garett won Mum over with his sexy eyes.”
I elbow her.
“Are you going to visit Mum and Dad soon?” she asks tentatively. “They’ve missed you, and they know you love them even after everything.”
I cuddle her harder, avoiding her question. “I still can’t believe I chose Neil over them with the way he treated me, especially when Grandma and Grandad died. I’ve been the worst daughter, including where the cookery school is involved. I hate that I can’t get the lost years back.”
“You can’t keep feeling guilty for grandma and grandad or about rejecting their gift of the cookery school,” Amber replies. “Besides, Jem was a brat and rejected it, too, although we know his interest was only in eating food, not helping others discover the joys of it.”
“Bloody Jem.” Shame sits like a spiky ball in my belly. It’s been there for the last couple of years, but I’ve ignored it by keeping busy. I will visit with my tail between my legs. But not yet. I need to prove myself first. “I’ll think about seeing them.”
We sit in silence. I need to win that ten thousand pounds for Amber. She never mentions money, but running the cookery school can’t be cheap or easy, and she said she’ll have enough money until the babies are born. She probably needs it more than she says. It will be a nice gift for her, as she’s letting me live in her garden cabin, but more because she never gave up on me.
“I’m going to enter Clive’s competition and win it.” And be polite but not friendly to Chef Garett. “Maybe if I work under Clive for a year, I can start my own baking business again, but with much more knowledge and as the sole business owner.” It would put my past to rest and help me with my self-worth.
“Okay, and I’ve got your back, remember.”
I snuggle with Amber a little longer while working through my plans. The key is to not waste time with things that aren’t moving my career forward and to ensure that Amber isn’t alone or struggling with money.
“And I’m always happy to eat your practice bakes.”
“Well, obviously.” I chuckle before untucking myself and jumping up. “I need to complete the application within the next couple of hours. But grab me if you want anything, okay? You’re not alone. I’m here for you, no matter what.”
Amber’s tears are gone, and a grin fills her face. “Thank you, sis. I’m so glad you’re home.”
“Me too.”
“And promise me you’ll visit Mum and Dad at some point?”
I nod. I walk out of the room, but her shout brings me running back.
“Is everything okay?”
“Why were you wearing hold ups at the cookery school, baby sis?” she asks while laughing.
I throw the flyer from the cookery competition at her.
“I wore them because I don’t have tights. When I worked in a bakery, I wore jeans. My legs were cold today, and all I had were hold ups.”
She raises her eyebrows and smirks.
“And I wanted to feel confident, okay? I didn’t expect to end up flashing them at my number three chef.”
“Number three? I thought he was second.”
I huff. “Not after his behaviour today, even though I’ve seen his forearms up close now. They’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever witnessed. I bet his dick tastes of magical cookie dough, too. But I won’t fancy that grumpy bastard. He was such an arsehole today.” Although, I need to get him onside if I’m going to have his help as I prepare for the competition.
Her laughter stops at the sound of the doorbell.
“You have to answer it. I am in no fit state to receive visitors,” she says, faking a sad face.
“But what if it’s mum and dad?” Already, my fingers are trembling.
“I’m pregnant and tired,” she whines, although her eyes are twinkling.
“You can’t use that for everything you don’t want to do while I’m staying.” I creep slowly to the door. A rattling exhaust suggests whoever the visitor is, they’re already leaving. I ease open the door to find my favourite flowers—pink lilies—a foil-covered dish, and a note.
Whatever is under the foil smells like heaven, but I’m snapping my teeth to open the note. As I rip it open, I take in the moonlight hitting the stone-covered driveway and the leaves rustling on the slight breeze. There’s no other movement, and the only vehicle in the driveway is mine. Maybe my mum and dad dropped it off because they’re not ready to see me, either.
I unfold the note. The scrawly handwriting has more curves than I do.
To Ruby. I’m sorry for how I behaved today. I was a grumpy arsehole chef, and I shouldn’t have taken my lousy morning out on you. I hope from now on we can make the cookery school a success because that’s all I want. You and Amber have probably already eaten, but this lasagne should be good for a couple of days. Heat it in the oven with the foil on 180°C/160°C fan for 20-30 minutes and it will be perfect.
From Garett
It’s hardly an emotion-filled message, but maybe I should move him back to number two on my chef list. That’s when I see the last sentence.
P.S. I never apologise, so don’t get used to it and I’d prefer it if we didn’t talk about this again, as I have a reputation as a grumpy chef to uphold.
Men!