Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
CONSTANTINE
I hide in the kitchen the rest of the day. By the time Bittersweet closes, you can’t tell anyone’s ever baked a single muffin in it because I’ve scrubbed every surface like I’m competing against Cinderella.
Okay, maybe I’m freaking out a little here. Julius smells nice. Like really nice. And he’s so tall and big. His arms are like tree trunks and he’s…everywhere.
Bittersweet isn’t a huge place, and we work well together. Me in the kitchen baking to my heart’s content and him in the front making coffee and talking to his customers.
I’ve seen firsthand how adored he is by everyone in town.
And when he said yes to helping the kid with her fundraiser without even knowing what it was for?
Be still my little heart.
Who can blame me for having a tiny, little, minuscule, barely there crush on my boss?
“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the kitchen so clean that I could lick the counter,” Julius says, taking his apron off.
“Don’t.” I chuckle.
“You don’t have to do everything on your own, you know? I’m happy to clean up. You put in more than enough hours just baking.”
I shrug. “It’s ingrained in me. Years of military service.”
“You were in the military?”
“Michelin-star restaurant kitchen. Same thing.”
He smiles and those dimples that make me weak in the knees appear.
“Right, I um…should go up. Leo must be wondering what’s for dinner.” I hang my apron and turn toward the back door.
“Constantine?”
I turn around. “Yeah?”
“Thank you for volunteering for the fundraiser. You didn’t have to do that, but just so you know, I’ll help with the cost of the ingredients.”
“You don’t need to. I’m already planning on using your kitchen. I don’t want to abuse your generosity.”
“You’re not, and I’m glad to work beside you on it.”
“Thank you.” I feel my cheeks heat again. “It’s a cause that…I’m passionate about. I didn’t mean to overhear the conversation, but the kitchen door was open.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’m glad you heard it. It’ll be fun doing it together. Kay’s dad is the lead singer in Hall of Fame, so I bet the band has been roped in to perform. You said Leo is a fan?”
“He’s going to be fucking stoked just to see the band perform.”
“I’m sure he’ll get to meet them in person too.”
He wasn’t wrong when he said I’ll score all the bro points. I’m going to milk this with Leo for as long as I can.
Don’t want to help with the laundry? Who took you to see Hall of Fame?
Room not tidy? Remember meeting Hall of Fame?
“You’re making a list, aren’t you?” Julius asks, laughing.
“Yup.”
“All right, I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
I climb the stairs to the apartment two steps at a time. Partly running away from the guy who has me all twisted up just by existing and partly to see my little brother. With all the hours I work in the kitchen, we don’t hang out as much.
When I get inside, Leo is on the couch staring at the TV with red-rimmed eyes. I close the door and run over to him.
“What happened?”
“What happened is that you told them. You promised, Connie. You promised.”
I hold his shaking hands. “What did I tell and to whom?”
“About me. You told the school that I’m HIV positive, and now this holier-than-thou nosy girl is going around the school telling everyone all these facts about HIV/AIDS and organizing some fundraiser thingy.”
Ahh, that would do it. I sit next to him.
“Listen to me, Leo. What did I promise you?”
“That you’d always be here for me.”
“And that includes not breaking your trust. If I had to inform the school or anyone else, I would tell you first.”
His eyes meet mine and he looks so lost it breaks my heart.
“Sweetie, I promise this fundraiser idea has nothing to do with you. It’s a coincidence. One of the teachers gave a talk about HIV/AIDS, and it seems to have struck a note with Kay.”
He stands all of a sudden. “If you’re not involved, how do you know her name?”
“Leo, can you please sit and let me explain?”
“No. Tell me the truth.”
Leo starts to calm down as I explain what happened earlier. And then I figure I can cash in the bro credit.
“How would you feel about meeting Hall of Fame?”
His whole body locks in place as he drops onto the couch. “Don’t even joke about that.”
“You know,” I say, dragging it out, “for someone who claims to be a true fan of the band, I’m surprised you didn’t recognize Kay.”
Leo gasps. “No. Fucking no. I knew her face was familiar.”
“I’m sure the AIDS epidemic isn’t a new concept for her. As you tell me all the time, the band does a lot of charity work. Maybe you could learn a little from your holier-than-thou friend.”
“She’s not my friend.”
“Maybe she could be?”
He huffs and sits back. “What’s for dinner?”
Hmm, interesting. Maybe I’m not the only one with a tiny, little, minuscule, barely there crush on someone.
“How do you feel about pizza?”