I smile and open my mouth to introduce everyone at the table to Alex, but Sabrina chimes in with, “Professional courtesy? Did you get a promotion, Hailey? I thought you made desserts at your parents’ restaurant.”
Every cell in my body screams for me to lash out at her for that little swipe at what I do, but I don’t get the chance to even give her a nasty look before Alex says, “What Hailey does at her job is very much the same as what I do. If you can’t see that, you need to look again at what she creates. She and I are equals when it comes to our professions.”
Meadow squeezes my arm under the table, and I turn my head to see her gazing up at Alex like he’s a fantasy come true. I can practically read her mind.
Gorgeous, great job, and so considerate.
Trying to beat Sabrina to the punch before she opens her mouth again, I quickly thank him and add, “Alex, this is my friend Meadow. Her sister Sabrina and I are here celebrating Meadow landing a job with the design firm of Durkin and Chestnut.”
He graciously congratulates her and reaches out to shake her hand. I think Meadow might pass out she’s smiling so much.
“Interior design? I should definitely call you because my place could use some real help. I’m ashamed to say it looks the same as it did the day I moved in, and that’s not saying much. It’s a combination of just graduated with bachelor, and it’s not good.”
Meadow presses her knee so hard against mine I’m afraid she’s going to push me off my chair. She quickly rifles through her purse and hands him her business card. “I don’t have any new ones made up yet since I just got the job, but this one has my number on it. Give me a call. I’d be happy to see what we could do to get that place of yours in much better shape.”
“Will do,” he says with a smile, and I notice he can’t take his eyes off her.
“Well, I better get back to the kitchen or they’re going to think I abandoned ship. Enjoy your meals ladies, and it was wonderful meeting you. Hailey, don’t be surprised if Cade and I come back to Comfort Food to try more of your creations. I look forward to seeing what you make next time.”
Alex gives us all one more smile and walks away. Sabrina lets out a disgruntled huff that I can’t figure out, but Meadow and I let out a collective sigh before turning to look at one another.
“Okay, who is Cade and why didn’t you tell me you met my future husband?” she asks with a giggle.
“Cade is his cousin. Yeah, I think that’s it. He actually looks a lot like Alex. Maybe a few less tattoos. Or maybe more. I’m not sure. I only saw them together that one time. They stopped into the restaurant last week when I made chocolate lace cookies. I think that was Thursday.”
Meadow scrunches her face up at me. “Stop getting lost in the minutiae. Tell me everything about them. Who are they? Why haven’t I ever seen them before in my life? This city isn’t that big.”
“I don’t know much more than you do. His name is Alex, and his cousin’s name is Cade. He drives a red Jag. I do know that.”
Her dark eyes get wide like saucers. “That man, the man who’s the star of every fantasy of mine, drives a red Jag? I think I’m in love.”
Shaking my head, I explain, “No, I don’t know what he drives. Cade drives the Jag. Sorry.”
Meadow lets out a sigh. “It’s okay. I can live with Greek god who has a great job and is sweet and sexy no matter what he drives.”
Chapter Nine
Cade
On my way out the door to drive over to the club and do my time behind the bar for my father, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I consider not answering since it’s probably just boss man wondering why I’m not in the building yet.
As if I need to be positioned behind the goddamned bar at six o’clock at night. Did he fire every other bartender he has in anticipation of having me work day and night there?
When I lift the phone out of my pocket, I see it’s Alex calling and quickly answer. “Hey, I’m on my way to prison. What’s up?”
“Prison? What are you talking about?” Alex asks, obviously confused by my attempt at humor.
“Club X. I’m doing my bartending gig tonight and probably for the rest of fucking time. I’m guessing I have to wear all black and the white stripes come after a few months. Speaking of working, aren’t you doing just that tonight?”
“Yes, and if you’d stop riffing about how much you hate your job, I’d be able to tell you what I called you about,” he says, every word dripping with frustration.
I stop at my car and open the door to get in. “Nobody’s stopping you, man. What’s got you so upset tonight?”
“Not upset, and shut the hell up so I can tell you this. That Hailey girl is here with her two friends. They just ordered their meals, so get down here and coincidentally run into her.”
“What is this? Eleventh grade and you found out where some girl’s locker is so I can coincidentally run into her? Who the hell does that?” I ask as the thought of driving to this job makes me hate life.
“She looks really good, Cade. I just thought you might want to try your hand at getting to know her here. Maybe she won’t run away this time.”
Just what I need from my best friend—some ball busting about her running away from my last attempt. “Fuck you, man.”
Alex laughs at my frustration. “Okay, don’t then. I already made inroads with her friend, who is fucking hot, so you just stay at home alone or behind the bar dealing with drunk women and their slurring when they tell you how much they want to fuck you. Your choice. Either way, I have to get back to work.”
The call ends, and I know I have a choice to make. I can go to the club and do what I promised my father I would and hate every minute of it, or I can rush down to CK and hope to catch Hailey and maybe make some progress with her.
I press my foot on the gas and scream out of the parking lot of my condo toward the restaurant. No fucking way am I ready to give up a good time with a beautiful woman.
Not yet.
After I schmooze the maître d’ and have to throw my family’s name around to finally get in since I’m not dressed for CK, I catch a glimpse of Hailey sitting at a table in the middle of the restaurant. Good. I’m not too late, even though I swear every last soul in this damn city is out tonight and clogging up the streets.
I duck into the kitchen to find Alex before I try to chat Hailey up again, but I hear someone follow right behind me. Turning around, I see my uncle standing there smiling like something’s amusing.
“What’s up, Cassian?”
His eyebrows slowly raise up into his forehead. “I was going to ask you that very question. It’s not every day you come waltzing into my kitchen.”
I can’t tell if he’s angry or busting my ass, so I quickly give him a smile to smooth over whatever feathers I’ve possibly ruffled. “Just here to talk to Alex for a minute. I’ll be out of here in no time.”
Cassian nods, but I still don’t know if he’s pissed. “I thought maybe you’d decided to come work for us after all these years. Your father told me you’re going to be starting a new job soon, so I wondered if maybe I missed something and Kane hired you.”