Chapter 26
SUTTON
“Hey, Sisi. One sec.” I answer the video call and see my sister’s face fill the screen.
I set the phone down on my desk and lean back into my office chair.
I might be taking the night off to spend with Kelsey, but I still came in to help with prep work before we opened.
After our first mishap planning a date years ago, I’m not leaving anything to chance.
“Hey, Sutt. I know you’re probably in the middle of prep for dinner service tonight. You sure you’ve got time?”
I prop my feet up on the desk and inspect my nails. “Took the night off. What’s up?”
“I’ve got good news and bad news. Good news first, all of the RSVPs have come back, which means I’ve got the numbers for entrees so you can start planning that.”
“Just text me the totals and I’ll put together the list for the supplies and we can get the grocery order scheduled.”
“Perfect! So…” A moment passes and my sister’s silly grin grows by the second.
“So… what?” I challenge.
“So, why’d you take the night off?”
I sit up in my chair, steepling my fingers in front of my mouth. “Can’t I just take a night off for myself?”
She gives me that knowing look she saves for calling me and my brothers out on our shit. “Believe me, I wish you would. You need to, but you never take time off unless it’s to help one of us. So if you’re taking a night off in Jackson, I want to know why.”
I strum my fingers together and smirk. “Oh, this is killing you to not know, isn't it?”
She huffs and rolls her eyes. “You’re impossible. I was just hoping it was something fun like a date, but I know that’s not it because you’ve only been interested in one person for years.”
I hum in amusement. “Interesting.”
I don’t say anything else because I’m enjoying this far too much. It’s a rare treat that I get to tease her. She somehow always knows everything about my brothers’ lives and mine.
She tilts her head and narrows her eyes on me. “No! You’re not...she didn’t…are you serious?!”
Well, shit. That was short lived.
“We’re having dinner tonight.” I cave and give in. Even through the phone screen my little sister can still read me like a book. It probably doesn’t help that I’m grinning like a happy fool because she’s meeting me in less than half an hour. “On that note, I need to start getting ready.”
She claps her hands and practically squeals. “Oh my god, don’t let me keep you. We’ll talk soon. You’re going to have to give me all the details.”
I smirk. “OK. We’ll talk soon. Love you, Sisi.”
She waves into the camera. “Love you too, Sutt.”
I end the call and my phone immediately pings and I swipe to open the message.
Sisi: 49 people
5 vegan guests
7 vegetarian guests, 2 with peanut allergies
12 Poultry/no red meat entrees
25 steak entrees, 3 with sesame allergies and 2 with gluten sensitivities
Well, that’s going to make for a fun night of cooking. Another message comes through and I groan when I read the message.
Sisi: Also don’t hate me, but I forgot the bad news. Can you help find some extra serving and catering staff? I’ve tried to find some extra help, but I think we’re a bartender and at least one server short.
Fuck me. Leave it to my sister to bury the lead and wait until after we talked to give me the bad news.
I get it though because she’s very non-confrontational.
That doesn’t change the part where I was already stretching myself thin, but adding in that we’re going to be short staffed for the wedding is less than ideal.
On the bright side, having my hands full does mean I can put my sous-chef, Jade, to the test even more.
Frankly, this will be a good trial run. She’s run the restaurant for a night here and there on her own, but never a full weekend.
That’s what it’s going to take for me to handle my sister’s wedding in Sterling Springs.
My phone pings and this time I’m half tempted to just turn it off because it’s probably Sisi telling me that I also need to bring doves or something for the wedding.
I can’t turn my phone off though because I’m hopelessly watching for any word from Kelsey because she said she would text me when she was on her way.
We planned to meet at my apartment at five o’clock, which she thought was early for a date. I told her it would be perfect and to leave the rest to me. I still haven’t been able to stop looking at my phone.
I wish I would have ignored my phone though because when I look at the message, it’s not my sister or Kelsey. It’s Slade.
Slade: I put a deposit on this place.
LINK: Capitol Hill Gem
I click on the link and to my immediate surprise, I’m relieved. The link isn’t for another building to convert into a restaurant. Scrolling down though, any relief I felt is gone. It’s a listing for an apartment in downtown Seattle.
So much for ‘just think about it’.
“I look good, right?” I glance down, but her feline eyes give nothing away. I look back in the mirror while I finish trimming my facial hair down to a fine stubble and brush my hair out of my eyes. “Seriously, I don’t have anything in my teeth or something?”
Meow.
“Wow. That’s what I get for taking you off the street and into my home. Thanks, Oscar.”
My stupid cat licks her paw before hopping off the vanity and sauntering out of my bathroom. I guess I’m on my own now.
Shadow: We’re five minutes away.
My pulse speeds up for a minute. We? Who is she bri—
Shadow:
My heart slows back to its normal rhythm.
OK. She just means Felix. Of course, Felix should be with her.
Shit. I need to calm down because I want tonight to be perfect. I’ve waited forever for this moment and I don’t want anything to screw it up. Easier said than done though because my wonderful, but unrelentingly demanding family has wormed their way into my head today.
I take a deep breath to clear my mind and give myself a final once-over in the mirror. Then I grab my phone and walk through my apartment to the balcony overlooking the restaurant patio below and mountains in the distance.
Me: We’ll see you soon!
Shadow: Dork
I swipe to close out my messages, but I still catch a glimpse of the earlier texts from my sister and brother. Sisi, I get. It’s not her fault that her caterer bailed. That’s shitty and frankly I wanted to help her. Sometimes things happen for a reason and work out in the end.
Slade though, that’s something else. He went freaking apartment shopping for me. Not just shopping, but he actually put a deposit on a place when I’ve been very clear with him that I’m only considering accepting the Seattle restaurant.
What’s more infuriating is that the apartment is perfect.
It has views of the mountains. It’s a block from the restaurant.
It’s got that homey and lived-in feel compared to some sterile cookie-cutter place.
It would be perfect if I knew I wanted to be there.
I love and hate that my brother knows me this damn well.
There’s only one person I ever want to be in my head like that and it’s definitely not him.
Sitting out on the balcony, I admit to myself that I know this decision isn’t going to go away or make itself for me.
I’m going to have to face my brother and whether or not I want this opportunity eventually.
I’ve put so much work into my career—for over a decade—that I owe it to myself to at least consider it.
My eyes lift when I hear the jingle of a collar from inside the apartment.
Felix trots in from Kelsey’s door into my living room.
He flops on the ground and rolls on his back next to Oscar.
She proceeds to climb on top of him and starts making biscuits on his neck fur.
Maybe I just needed a giant dog to keep my cat occupied all along.
None of that matters though because Kelsey walks into the room next, and my heart stops cold in my chest. She’s wearing a light and flowy sundress that stops just above her knees and it makes my brain malfunction. She crouches down to pet Oscar and Felix and I stay put, taking all of her in.
The dress is cut low enough in the front that her lotus tattoo is on full display and tells me she’s not wearing a bra again. That knowledge sends blood rushing straight to my cock. That would explain my hardly functioning brain at least.
Her bare shoulders are exposed by the thin straps and I can just spot her delicate black and gray floral tattoo. It sits just below the nape of her neck and her long black hair.
I can’t take my eyes off her dress though.
It’s a gray that reminds me of staring into her eyes, except it has a lavender colored floral pattern on it.
With her creamy skin, that splash of subtle color is so vivid and striking.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wearing anything other than muted neutrals or black and gray, but it suits her perfectly.
Suddenly, I feel woefully underdressed. Her eyes flit over to me and I catch her little smirk before her eyes work their way up my body.
I just wore my favorite worn in Wranglers, Chelsea boots, and a dark gray short sleeved henley.
It might have been the right choice though because her eyes linger on my forearms before meeting my gaze.
When her eyes find mine though, I forget every single thing that’s crossed my mind today.
I’m lost in her eyes in an instant, but I feel like I see just the slightest bit of worry or anxiety in them before she stands up.
Whatever it was, it’s short lived. When she walks through the door to join me on the balcony, her typical unimpressed expression is back and directed at me.
“Are you just going to sit there and stare at me or are we going to go on this date? Also, I think this is cheating, you should at least have to pick me up or bring flowers to my door or something. Meeting at your place feels like you’re getting off too easy.”
She cocks a hip out, folding her arms over her chest.