Chapter Eight
After dinner, Chantel stood on the back porch. Her hands were wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee. The crisp November air bit at her cheeks, but she didn’t mind.
Dinner with Zach’s family had been enjoyable. Everyone kept the conversation light. There was no mention of her situation back home, which she felt was Zach’s doing, and she was grateful for it.
His family seemed really close, which she envied. They had shared family stories, making her feel completely at home.
Chantel turned her attention back to the area surrounding the Walker’s home. It was peaceful here. Beyond the porch stretched a sprawling backyard. An in-ground pool sat at the center, its surface now covered with a sturdy tarp for the season. She could imagine it in the summer with kids splashing, adults lounging with drinks in hand, and the flower beds surrounding the pool bursting with color. Zach’s mom clearly had a green thumb. Even in late autumn, the neatly trimmed bushes and perfectly arranged planters hinted at her touch.
Chantel took a sip of her coffee, savoring the quiet, but her peace was short-lived. Her phone buzzed on the porch railing where she’d left it, Mario’s name lighting up the screen.
Not again. She thought to herself.
She hesitated, her fingers hovering over the device. But no. She wasn’t ready to deal with him yet. She let it go to voicemail, her stomach twisting with unease.
A minute later, the phone beeped, letting her know she had a message waiting. She set her coffee down and picked up the phone. Hitting play, she listened to the message. Mario’s voice came through, tight with frustration and anger.
“Chantel, it’s me. Again. Look, I get it—you’re mad. You’ve got every reason to be. But this is ridiculous. It’s been two days, Chantel. Two fucking days you haven’t shown up to work, and I don’t know what kind of point you’re trying to prove, but it’s childish. You have responsibilities, and people are counting on you. I’m counting on you. If you don’t call me back, I’ll have no choice but to come looking for you. And believe me, I’ve got plenty of ways to find you. You can’t hide forever.”
The message ended, leaving Chantel clutching the phone in a grip so tight her knuckles turned white. His words sent a shiver down her spine, but she shook it off. Mario wasn’t scary. He was just desperate. He could threaten all he wanted, but she wasn’t going to let him bulldoze her into submission.
Still, she couldn’t ignore the restaurant. So far, Ivan had managed with her backup recipes, but Thanksgiving was a whole different beast. During the drive earlier in the day, she had scoured the internet for simple, crowd-pleasing recipes that Ivan and the team could handle. Tomorrow, she’d call Brian and tell him everything.
She sighed, staring out at the yard again as she let the chilly air ground her.
“Lost in thought?”
Chantel jumped, nearly spilling her coffee as Zach appeared behind her. His grin was boyish, his eyes warm, but she swatted at him playfully.
“Do you always sneak up on people like that?” she asked, her voice half-scolding, half-amused.
“Only when they look like they’re overthinking,” he teased, stepping onto the porch beside her. He glanced at her phone. “Was that him again?”
“Yeah,” Chantel admitted, tucking the device into her pocket. “He left a voicemail. He’s angry. Said he’ll come looking for me if I don’t call him back.”
Zach’s easygoing demeanor shifted, his jaw tightening. “He threatened you?”
She shook her head quickly. “No, not really. Mario’s all bark and no bite. He’s just panicking.”
Zach didn’t look convinced. “Still, it doesn’t sit right with me. You okay?”
The concern in his voice made her heart squeeze. “I’ll be okay,” she said softly. “It just still hurts. But being here helps.”
Zach gave her a long look, stepped closer, and shocked her when he wrapped his arms around her in a protective hug. Chantel let herself sink into him, the warmth of his body chasing away the chill in the air.
For a moment, it felt like the world had stopped spinning as if all the pain, frustration, and heartbreak didn’t exist. Surprisingly, she wished they could stay like that, suspended in time.
Zach pulled back just enough to look at her, his face inches from hers. Her breath hitched, her pulse quickening as his eyes dipped to her lips. The space between them grew smaller, and Chantel felt her heart leap into her throat.
“Uncle Zach!” a young voice shouted from inside the house, followed by the sound of a door slamming open.
They jumped apart as two children barreled out onto the porch, followed by a man who shared a resemblance to Zach, and beside him was a woman who was smiling as she watched the two kids run straight toward Zach.
“Hey, guys!” Zach laughed as he knelt to wrap both the little girl and boy in a big hug. The little girl squealed, her little arms flailing in delight, while the boy gave a dramatic groan. “Uncle Zach, you’re crushing me!” he teased, though his grin betrayed his words.
Chantel smiled as she watched Zach lift the girl off the ground, spinning her in a quick circle before setting her down. She giggled uncontrollably.
“You two are getting way too big,” Zach said with mock sternness, though his eyes gleamed with excitement seeing the kids.
Zach turned his attention to the couple.
“I thought mom said that you guys weren’t arriving until Wednesday.”
“That was the plan, but then we decided to leave early to get here before the snow hit,” the man said.
“Well, it’s good to see you both,” Zach said, giving the man a friendly slap on the back and then hugging the woman.
Zach then turned his attention to Chantel and waved her over.
“Chantel, this is my brother, Bear, and his wife, Jocelyn. And these little tornadoes are Max and Amira,” Zach said warmly. Turning to his family, he added, “Guys, this is Chantel.”
Bear’s handshake was firm, and Jocelyn’s smile was welcoming. “Jenelle has been singing your praises,” Jocelyn said.
“It’s nice to meet you. And Joce isn’t joking. My mom has been non-stop talking about your cooking,” Bear said.
Heat rose to Chantel’s cheeks.
“It’s nice to meet you both as well.”
The little girl Amira appeared by Chantel’s side, and she looked up at her. “Mommy said that you were a chef and were helping Grandma make Thanksgiving dinner because she got hurt.”
Chantel smiled and knelt next to the girl. “I am. Do you like to cook?”
Amira grinned and nodded. “Mommy lets me help her sometimes.”
“Well, if it is alright with your mom, how would you like to be my sous chef?”
The little girl scrunched her nose up. “What’s a soup chef?”
Everyone laughed.
“A sous chef is the chef’s top assistant. And with all the food I’m going to make, I’m going to need some help.”
Amira’s eyes widened, and she looked up at her mom. “Mommy! Can I? Can I please help Ms. Chantel make Thanksgiving dinner?”
Jocelyn laughed. “Of course.”
“Yay!” Amira shouted, then turned back to Chantel. “Are we going to make macaroni and cheese? I love macaroni and cheese.”
Chantel chuckled. “It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without macaroni and cheese.” She leaned in closer, pretending to be telling her a secret, though everyone standing around could hear her loudly and clearly. “I’ll even teach you my secret mac and cheese recipe.”
“Really?” Amira asked.
Chantel nodded. “Really.”
“Mommy, did you hear that? Ms. Chantel is going to teach me to make her secret mac and cheese.”
Jocelyn chuckled. “I did hear that.”
Without another word, Amira darted back inside the house, saying that she was hungry.
Chantel was smiling as she stood back up.
“That was very sweet of you, Chantel,” Jocelyn said.
“It’s my pleasure. I was around Amira’s age when I first got interested in cooking. You never know. Maybe you’ll have a little chef on your hands.”
“She loves learning new things,” Jocelyn told her, then glared at Bear. “Though some are not kid-appropriate.”
Bear’s cheeks turned a shade of red. “Joce, I’ve already apologized, and you have to admit, I’ve been watching my words around her.”
“Bear, she called her classmate a chicken shit.”
Chantel tried not to laugh, but then Zach started laughing. His deep, resounding sound sent tingles through Chantel’s body. Even his laugh was sexy.
As if sensing his brother’s need to get out of the situation, Zach spoke up.
“Well, you guys are probably tired from the drive. Plus, Amira said she was hungry. There’s plenty of pizza left.”
“Saved by the brother,” Jocelyn teased, which made everyone laugh.
As they headed back inside, Amira’s voice echoed through the house, excitedly announcing her new role as “soup chef” to anyone who would listen.
Before Chantel stepped back inside the house, Zach stopped her, placing his hand on her arm. When she looked up at him, his eyes were full of affection.
“Are you sure that you’re okay?” he asked.
She knew he was referring to Mario’s message.
She smiled up at him. “I’m good. You have a wonderful family.”
He grinned. “I think they think that you are pretty great too.”
Chantel felt a lightness settle over her, the earlier tension from Mario’s message fading with each laugh and shared moment.
As she followed Zach back inside, the warmth of the house wrapped around her like a blanket.
For now, she was content. Mario could wait another day.