Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
I t turned out Brandon got an editor. But getting an editor would be just the beginning of his writing career, which didn’t include a paycheck…yet. So, he returned to work for Anthony and prepped for his new gig as general manager. People stopped asking about his vacation, and no one mentioned Cora. Mia filled in waiting tables without a problem, and everything returned to normal.
Except it wasn’t.
Nothing felt normal.
Like before, his thoughts carried back to Cora as he performed mindless tasks before opening the restaurant again for the hundredth time.
“Have you seen the new restaurant yet?” Mia asked as she polished silverware. “Is it really cool?”
“Yeah, it’s really cool,” he said, not really caring one way or the other. A few months ago, he’d be psyched for the opportunity. The extra money he’d earn could go toward a house or pay off some of his college loans.
“Will the menu stay the same?” she asked.
He shook his head. “It’s going to be more casual, bar-food-style, family-style.”
The front door’s bell rang out.
“Aren’t we closed still?” Mia looked up from the silverware.
Brandon listened and heard someone calling from the front.
“Hello?”
He didn’t know if his mind was playing tricks on him, but he thought it sounded like Cora.
“Hello?” her voice said again.
“Cora!” Mia exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen.
Brandon froze, not sure what to do. “Hey, Cora.”
She smiled at him, holding a basket in her hands. “Hey, Brandon.”
“What’s up?” he said, not moving from his spot by the line, unsure what, if anything, he should do. She hadn’t called or texted that she would be stopping by. Was she visiting to see her former workers?
“I wanted to bring you all some gifts,” she said, opening the basket’s lid.
She pulled out a folded bundle from inside and passed one to Mia. “Here. This one’s yours.”
Mia untied the ribbon wrapped around it and opened the folded material. The red-and-cream linen apron was gorgeous. “I love it!”
On the bottom corner, he noticed her logo—three blueberries among juniper-green leaves.
Cora pulled out an apron and passed them around to everyone except for Brandon. She looked at him when she got to the last item in the basket. “Do you have a second to talk?”
He had a second, but he didn’t have privacy. “How about we talk out back?”
Cora nodded and walked toward the back door. She handed him the last piece of material from her basket when they stepped outside.
He held up a small twelve-by-twelve piece of linen, confused that he didn’t get an apron like everyone else. He noticed that, just like the aprons, her logo of three blueberries in leaves was stitched in the bottom right corner. “It’s a square,” he said.
She laughed. “It’s a handkerchief or a pocket square.”
“These are very classy,” he said, folding it into a smaller square. He held it in both hands. “I love it.”
“I read your book,” she said.
And he suddenly felt exposed entirely in front of her. “You read it? How?”
“Julian gave it to me before he left.” She clasped her fingers together in front of her. “I thought it was one of the most powerful pieces of writing I’ve ever read.”
He didn’t know what to say. His whole soul had been written within those words. “Thank you.”
“Do you think your main character, James, regretted never telling Maura he loved her?” she asked, looking into his eyes.
“Yes,” he said without hesitating. “But I’m not this great guy. I’m not a perfect man.”
“I don’t want perfect,” she said, walking to him and taking his hand.
She leaned closer as he stepped forward, letting her hold his hand in hers. Their foreheads touched, and she looked up at him. He brushed her hair back, away from her face, and said. “I’m glad you stopped by.”
Her lips practically touched his. “I just wanted to say hi.”
And that’s when he put his arm on her waist, slightly lifting her off her feet, and kissed her.