Chapter 22 Josie
“I am going to see about getting a loan.” Fleur adjusted her scarf, gesturing to Carter’s truck.
“You don’t have to do that, mom. It’s fine.”
Josie focused on unlocking the door, almost wishing she hadn’t told Fleur about Carter’s ambush.
Earlier this week, when Avery or Nancy weren’t in the kitchen with her and Carter was in between the lull and busy time, she felt like he was watching her.
So, she told her mom. And ever since, Fleur came with her to open, popped in during the day, and Carlos just happened to drop by at closing.
The fact that their overprotectiveness didn’t rankle her, she knew, was a sign that Carter really did unnerve her.
“Avery and Nancy will be here soon. You don’t have to stay.”
“Your coffee is better than mine,” Fleur followed Josie into the kitchen.
“Fine, you win.” Josie turned on the lights, hung up her jacket, and started the oven.
“Can I help?”
“No, you can sit and drink coffee and tell me about your Christmas plans with Carlos while I work,” Josie scooped coffee grinds into the basket and started the machine. “He’s kept you out all week.”
She turned to see the blush on her mom’s face and laughed.
“You mean like Ares has taken you to dinner every night? Are you going to invite him to Christmas Eve?”
“Nice subject change,” Josie poured the coffee, focused on stirring in the cream and sugar to buy herself time from answering.
When she drove home on Sunday, she didn’t want to say goodbye. Ares had sent her a goodnight and a good morning text every day.
When she came to work on Monday, there was a bouquet of roses waiting for her.
Their dinners were quick bites of casual fast food. It seemed Ares’s phone always rang, or she needed to finish one more thing in the kitchen.
But Club Bandit’s holiday party was tomorrow night.
A flare of nervous anticipation coursed through her veins, and she had to concentrate on passing her mom the cup of coffee without spilling it.
“I could ask him.”
“Good,” she heard the smile in her mother’s voice as she took down the task list for today and started to go through it.
“I like him a lot.” she blushed, saying the words out loud.
“I know, honey. You haven’t stopped smiling since you started seeing him. I still have concerns.”
“Mom, I think we’re getting serious.”
But even as she said it, other than the talk about the goldendoodle playing in the yard, nothing had been promised.
Did she need a promise? Wasn’t the way Ares looked at her, as if he wanted to devour every inch of her, enough?
It was until she mentioned her relationship to her mother that doubts started clawing at her belief that this thing between her and Ares was solid.
“I think you’re overreacting.”
“Maybe. But you thought Ethan was the one.”
“I think I wanted him to be. I didn’t think I was going to find someone because of my disability.”
“Josie! That’s not true.”
Josie kept her back to her mom, forcing herself to read today’s prep list. “I know you think that, but you know what Ethan told me stayed in my head. I kept saying no to Ares because I didn’t know what he saw in me. He makes me laugh. He doesn’t bring up how I walk.”
“I don’t like that Ethan made you feel that way about yourself. You’re smart and kind and funny and whoever you choose is lucky to have you.”
“Thanks mom. I think Carlos is lucky too. He’s coming for Christmas Eve dinner?”
“Yes, and then he’s taking two weeks off and wants to take me to Montreal to celebrate New Year’s Eve.”
“I knew you had plans!” Spinning to look at the smile on her mother’s face, Josie broke out in laughter and every time they caught each other’s eye they couldn’t contain their giggles.
The chime on the door rang as Avery breezed into the kitchen. “Good morning!”
“Morning Avery! We have so much to do today.”
“I’m on it. Hi, Fleur.”
“Great timing, I’ll make my meeting.”
“Have a good day,” Josie kissed her mom’s cheek.
“You too, girls. Bye.” Fleur gave a wave on her way out.
“Your mom’s so sweet.”
“She’s kind of overbearing.”
“It could be worse.”
“I know, I’m lucky.”
Avery grabbed an apron and took out the veggies for the soup. “I’m good to work Christmas Eve.”
“It’s only for a few hours. I want you and Nancy to be gone by four. I thought of being here on Christmas Eve, but not enough customers said they would pick up.”
“Maybe they think you need a break too,” Avery said.
“Possibly! You guys can take the week off and I’ll be here on Boxing Day.”
“It’s going to be great!” Avery flashed her a smile, then started prepping vegetables.
A knock on the doorframe startled Josie, preventing her from punching down the dough. She turned to see Carter standing in the doorway.
A knot formed in her stomach immediately.
His hair was ruffled, and his clothes looked like they’d been slept in.
“Morning. Is that coffee fresh?”
“Yes, help yourself.”
Nerves buzzed around her stomach at having Carter so close to her. Stop it, you’re being ridiculous.
She hadn’t told Avery or Nancy about what had happened between her and Carter, not wanting to upset them.
“Thanks. My neighbours kept me up all night with a new puppy.”
“Aww, poor puppy,” Avery said.
“Yeah. I came here for some quiet. I have bookkeeping to do.”
“My least favourite part of the business.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to take them back. Would Carter take that as proof that she doesn’t know what she’s doing and use it as an opportunity to insist she needs help?
“Haven’t met a chef who likes crunching numbers,” Carter winked. Josie breathed a sigh of relief.
Carter said he was sorry and nothing he did since that night told Josie that he didn’t mean what he said.
“We made the decision that we’re going to be closed between Christmas and New Year’s.”
“Need the downtime?” Avery asked.
“Yeah. My staff deserves time to celebrate with their families. Do you have plans for Christmas?” Carter’s tone dipped an octave lower, and his total focus was on Josie, making her so nervous she almost dropped the tray.
“Same old.”
“Aren’t we exciting?” Carter asked, grinning.
The phone rang and Avery grabbed it before she could get there. “Josie’s Plates, how can I help you? Mr. Parker, let me check…” Avery grabbed the tablet and flipped through the orders.
Josie set the buns in the oven, started the timer.
“Thanks for the coffee,” Carter set his mug in the sink.
“Sure.”
“Josie?” He ran his hand through his hair.
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry about last weekend. I didn’t mean to be a prick. I don’t know. I guess I got ahead of myself thinking you wanted more for your business and needed someone to bring it to the next level.”
“This is the next level for me,” Josie crossed her arms over her chest. To go from working out of her mother’s kitchen to this commercial one, allowing her to do more volume, was huge.
“I get that, I do. I got something for you.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Please accept it as an apology. I won’t give you any more advice unless you ask me,” Carter reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white box. “Here.”
“Carter, I can’t accept that.”
“Yes, you can. A gift to a friend from a friend.”
The way he stepped closer to her made her take a step back, but she opened the lid of the box and gasped. “A key?”
“Yes, it’s a little charm to put on a bracelet. I wanted you to know that I’m not going to kick you out of here. You have the key.”
“Oh Carter.” She didn’t realize how much having this space of her own meant to her until she heard him say it wasn’t going to be taken away from her.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Merry Christmas, Josie.”
“Merry Christmas. Come by for a cinnamon bun before you leave.”
“I will,” Carter flashed her again and gave her a wave.
Josie slipped the key in her apron and caught Avery’s eye as she stepped back into the kitchen. With Carter realizing that he had overstepped and her kitchen in order, and the hot guy who refused to give up, this was going to be a great Christmas.