Chapter 26
Jamie
“Corey, be careful!” I said, coming up behind to see him chopping up a carrot, the blade moving a millimeter away from the tip of his index finger. “Hank will never forgive me if you lose a finger in your first week.”
Corey paused. “What?”
I reached around him to fold his fingers in. “Keep your fingers curled in, okay? You’ll have more stability, and you can work faster without risking cuts.”
“Okay.” He licked his lips. “Sorry. I’m trying.”
“You’re doing great, Corey.” I smiled reassuringly. “Everyone has to learn as they go.”
He nodded. “Okay. I just don’t want to mess anything up.”
Corey had a lot to learn about food prep. He wasn’t a natural, but he was eager, and Marissa had been stressed enough about staffing to agree to training him if I took the lead.
I would have done it even if he wasn’t Hank’s brother, because I didn’t want Marissa to continue to rely on me. I’d love for someone more qualified to come along, but in a small town like Granville, you worked with the resources you had.
Corey was a quick study. He continued chopping, fingers curled just so, and his speed and accuracy immediately picked up. Good. Maybe the kid would have a future in this business after all.
“Jamie!” Marissa called. “Darren and Linc just pulled up outside. Do we have the plantains ready to go?”
“Yep!”
“Get it plated while I get them settled,” she said. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
The guys had hired us for a rehearsal dinner, but they wanted to keep it casual, with a taco bar.
We were dressing it up a little with some exotic ingredients like fried plantains, fresh pineapple salsa, seared tuna, Caribbean jerk chicken, and roasted poblanos.
Of course, we had all the usual Tex-Mex taco fixings like ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and guacamole, as well.
I spooned fried plantains into small tortillas, along with black beans, pickled onions, and queso fresco, topping it all off with pineapple salsa.
Corey came over to watch. “Damn, it looks weird, but my mouth is watering. Who knew?”
Marissa returned just then and raised an eyebrow at his comment.
Corey blushed. “Sorry. I’m sure it’s good!”
Marissa smiled. “If Jamie made it, then I don’t doubt it.”
“Yeah, he’s so good at this stuff,” Corey said. “I’m lucky he’s teaching me.”
“We’re both lucky in that regard,” Marissa said with a chuckle as I handed her the plate.
“Come on out and say hi to the guys. They’re gonna be our easiest wedding clients of the year. I can already tell.”
I followed her out, teasing, “Really? I don’t know. Linc looks like a total groomzilla.”
“I heard that!” Linc called as we emerged from the kitchen.
Marissa cast me a chastising look, but Darren just laughed. “He’s got you pegged, princess.”
“As long as my day is perfect and I look amazing, then I’ll be whatever you want to call me.” He winked.
“Your day will be perfect,” Marissa enthused. “You’ll both make such handsome grooms. Won’t they, Jamie?”
“Silas is their planner. They won’t have a choice.”
Darren laughed harder at that. “He’s a force of nature, that one.”
I smiled. “He is, but you’ll have an amazing wedding.” I slid the plate onto the table. “Here is a sample of our plantain tacos for you to try.”
“Ooh, interesting,” Linc said, picking one up to take a bite.
Darren looked skeptical, but when Linc’s eyes lit up with pleasure, he tried it too.
“Hmm,” Darren said. “Not really to my taste.”
“It’s delicious!” Linc cried. “What’s wrong with you?”
Darren laughed. “I don’t know, man. I guess I’m not sophisticated enough for plantains. I thought we were going to have regular tacos.”
“You will,” Marissa assured. “We have all the traditional taco fillings and toppings. We just thought it might be fun to throw in a few special options you don’t find at Taco Loco.”
He chuckled. “Fair enough. What else have you got?”
I turned. “Corey, bring out the jerk chicken tacos you prepped. I think those will go over better with Darren.”
Marissa talked the guys through how many options they wanted to serve on the bar and how many guests they’d be feeding while Corey and I brought out a sampling of tacos and salsas.
By the end, Linc sat back with a groan. “Well, I’m stuffed. Everything is so amazing. I can’t possibly choose.”
“I want the jerk tacos for sure,” Darren said.
“And the plantains!” Linc urged. “If we have any vegetarian guests, it’ll be a good option.”
“Do we know any vegetarians?”
“Maybe?” Linc hedged.
Darren chuckled. “Babe, you can just say you like them. You know I’ll give you anything you want.”
Linc beamed. “Okay, fine. I like them. I’ll eat them all if no one else wants them, and then you can roll me out of there.”
Darren patted Linc’s tummy. “I’ll pack some sweats so you have room for all the food.”
“Aw, so thoughtful,” Linc teased. “It’s like you never stopped wooing me.”
“And I never will.”
Darren snuck a kiss, and my heart melted a little. Not so long ago, I would have been envious. But now it just made me eager to wrap up this shift and go home to Hank.
Corey judged me. “Stop thinking about kissing my brother.”
My cheeks heated. “I’m not.”
Marissa chuckled. “Happiness looks good on you, Jamie. No need to deny it.”
It was two more hours before we were able to clean up the kitchen and head home for the night. I gave Corey a ride, since we were headed to the same place.
In the car, he turned to me. “I was just kidding, you know? I think you make Hank really happy.”
I glanced sidelong at him. “Yeah? He makes me happy too.”
He nodded. “Anyone can see how good you guys are together. But um…”
“Yes?”
“Could you maybe spend the night at your place tonight? No offense. I just need a break from sleeping with earbuds in.”
I laughed as embarrassment seared through me. Were we really that loud?
“Sorry.”
“Nah, don’t be. I’d go to Rachel’s, but she’s been busy with family stuff lately.”
“Anything you want to talk about?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just feel like I never come first with her. I’m trying not to be jealous or possessive or whatever, but she goes out with friends more than with me. I have to try to fit into her schedule. Her priorities are her family, then her high school friends, and then me.”
“Well, I don’t know Rachel or her situation,” I said carefully, “but it sounds like maybe you should talk about how you’re feeling. A relationship doesn’t work without honesty.”
“How do you and Hank do it?”
“Do what?” I asked, confused.
“Make it look so easy.”
“Oh.” My heart fluttered. “I didn’t know that we did. It’s really new for us, Corey. I don’t know that it’s fair to compare. We might have problems in the future. I’m sure we will. We’ll just talk about them, and I really hope we’ll work them out. Maybe you and Rachel will too?”
He smiled uncertainly. “Yeah, maybe. Thanks for the advice.”
“Sure.” I threw open the door. “Thanks for wearing earbuds to bed every night this week.”
Corey laughed. “Believe me, I was doing it for me, not you.”
My face burned, but happiness swelled inside me as I followed him up to the front door. When we got inside, Hank greeted me with a big kiss.
Exactly what I’d been craving since watching Darren and Linc together. Maybe that would be us one day, setting our wedding rehearsal dinner.
Corey mumbled something and walked away. I was too busy kissing Hank to notice. When we parted for air, I smiled up into his eyes. “Pack a bag. I want you in my bed tonight.”
“Yes, sir,” he murmured. “Who could refuse that kind of order?”
I grinned. “Not you.”
“No,” he agreed. “Definitely not me.”
I watched him walk into his room to grab his things, while the dogs mobbed me with affection. How lucky was I to have met a guy who loved dogs as much as I did? Who might even love me?
Hank had seemed impossibly out of reach for so long, but now he was mine.
And if I had my way, I’d keep him forever.