CHAPTER TWELVE

Liam

 

It was hands-down the most beautiful orgasm I’d ever seen. So beautiful I couldn’t get it out of my mind all day. Twice Toni came over to check on me, as I’d been over-prepping the entire morning. She threw a soup on the menu at the last minute to get rid of all the vegetables I’d cut up.

“You barely even do prep anymore. What’s gotten into you?” she asked.

Adam walked into the kitchen just then.

“What’s up, boss?” I asked.

“I was just coming in to tell you we’ve got a couple of VIPs tonight, but frankly I’m more interested in this discussion. What is going on?”

“What do you mean? Both of you? Everything is fine,” I insisted.

“I don’t know,” Adam mused. “I think it’s got something to do with this showmance you’ve got going on.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I’ve seen you walking around with that look on your face. I’ve met Justin’s sister. You’re too good for her. Don’t do anything stupid,” he said.

“For Christ’s sake. Can we leave this alone?”

The two traitors exchanged knowing glances and left me to my work. Adam discussed the VIPs in hushed tones with Toni, and I plugged in my headphones and got back to chopping celery.

 

*

At around five o’clock, Maggie sent a text letting me know she was having a late dinner with her parents at a French restaurant down the street and asking if I’d come by when I was done my shift so we could all walk home together. I sent her a thumbs up.

I spent the next several hours in the weeds, cooking up a storm with Toni and seeing lots of empty plates coming back. It was my kind of night. Bree came into the kitchen with cocktails and we toasted a great service. As I was packing up my knives, Toni came over and waited silently by my side.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Going to see your fake girlfriend?” she asked.

“Yes, I am.”

“You’re sure there’s nothing…?”

She let the question trail off, and I waited. She just stared at me.

“Toni. There’s nothing going on. I owe Justin, you know that. It’s just a few more days. Once her parents are gone, we’re done. There is nothing between us.”

“I don’t know, Chef. Seems like she’s messing with your head.”

 

*

When I got to the restaurant, the Grants had just finished eating and were lingering over coffee and dessert. I said a quick hello, then went over to see Jerome, the owner, and took care of the bill. In a small town, it was essential to build relationships.

My phone rang as I was walking back to the table. I glanced at the Caller ID, nervous it would be some woman I’d made plans with and had forgotten about, but it was Duke, my contractor.

“Duke, what’s up?”

“Liam. Sorry, man. I know it’s late. I just knew you’d want to know as soon as we were done. We’re done. You can move back in tomorrow,” Duke said.

“Wow. That was fast. Fantastic. Send me the invoice.”

I hung up the phone and sat down to join them at the table. Maggie eyed me curiously, and I shook my head slightly, indicating we shouldn’t discuss it at the moment. She took the hint and turned to her mother.

“So? We ready? We can walk back home through the square. It’s such a nice night, and there’s usually a band playing during the summer,” she said.

“Sounds lovely. Let’s do it.” Mrs. Grant stood up and waited for her husband to join her. I got up and put out my hand for Maggie. She took it, getting to her feet, and then didn’t let go as we walked out the front door.

“Darn, the bill,” Mr. Grant grunted.

“Taken care of,” Jerome called from the back of the restaurant.

The Grants all turned to me and I shrugged, sheepish. Mrs. Grant leaned in towards her daughter and said in a whisper I wasn’t meant to hear, “He’s all right.”

When we got outside, the warm air hit us like a wall after the air conditioning of the restaurant. It was unusually hot for June, but I had no complaints. We’d come out of a long, cold winter and I loved summer in Mountain Valley. This would be my second one, and if last year had been any indication of the number of incredible women who passed through over the course of three months… I glanced down at Maggie, but it wasn’t like she could read my mind or anything.

It was close to nine, but still light out. There were tons of people around—families with young children, elderly couples, young lovers—the sleepy little town had come alive. Sure enough, there was music coming from the square, and we crossed the street and made our way over, Maggie and I staying a few paces behind her parents.

“So how was your day?” she asked.

“It was great. Busy. You?”

“It was okay. I was, uh, kind of distracted.”

I looked down at her and grinned, squeezing her hand.

“We’ve got three more nights. Let’s see how much more damage, I mean research, we can do.”

“What did you have in mind?” she asked, lowering her voice despite the noise of the crowd.

I stopped walking and turned to face her, leaning down and whispering in her ear.

“Has anyone ever gone down on you before?”

I watched in delight as the blush crept up her neck, colouring her cheeks and making her freckles all but vanish.

“I’ll take that as a no. Well, then. If you thought last night was something—”

“Liam!”

“I’ve been told I’m quite good at it, actually.”

“LIAM!”

Her parents turned to look at us, her mother shooting a questioning look. Maggie smirked in return, then turned back to me with a mortified expression.

“Stop it,” she pleaded.

“Research, Em, remember? Research.”