Graham is more than that, and we both know it. We’ve become close over the last year, and if we didn’t have this much trust in each other, neither of us would have agreed to become partners in this endeavor in the first place.
I flip the steak in the pan and shove it into the oven for a few minutes to ensure it's the perfect medium-rare. “You're more than that, and you know it. I could never have done this without your backing. You clearly have impeccable taste.”
He laughs and sips his wine. “I won’t argue there.”
“I could probably use your help finalizing all the little décor and interior things. It’s not really my forte, and we need it to look perfect.”
“Where are we looking on the timeline?”
“Danny stopped by today and says he can have everything we discussed with the interior done in the next month as long as everything is in stock. And then we can start decorating and probably get opened in six to eight weeks if things go smoothly. Closer to three months if there are delays.”
Graham considers me for a moment, running over something in his mind. “You're happy with that timeline?”
I rest my hands on the counter and sigh. “Obviously, sooner is better, in my opinion. Normally, I wouldn't worry at all considering how long it typically takes to open a restaurant, but…”
He inclines his glass toward me. “But now you have another restaurant opening right next door.”
“Exactly.”
While at first, I wasn’t concerned, the longer the day went on and I saw people going in and out of her side of the building just as fast as they came and went in mine, the more tense I became. For all I know, her side of the shared wall could be much closer to completion than ours. She may be able to open next week.
“Do you know the girl?”
I shake my head and absently drum my fingers against the counter. “No. Never heard of her. And I only know her name at all because her friend told me when she flashed my magazine at me.”
“So, she knows who you are.”
I grin at him. “Of course, she does.”
One of his dark eyebrows wings up. “And she isn't worried about opening a restaurant right next to you?”
Worried seems like a bit of an understatement after seeing her reaction this morning. She was livid—which might have had a bit to do with the whole parking situation—and scared at what it means to have Jameson Fury next door. “Oh, she most definitely is.”
“So, it's going to be a rush to open?”
“It seems like it.” I shrug because I honestly have no idea what her plans are. For all I know, she might decide to give up on the location and go somewhere less problematic. “But if she stays, I have no doubt she's going to try to launch before I do in order to ensure that she gets as much media attention as possible before we open and everything becomes about us.”
Because that’s exactly what I would do if I were in her shoes.
Worry twists Graham’s lips. “Any idea what kind of restaurant she's opening?”
I shake my head and rub at my jaw. “No, but you better believe I'll be keeping an eye on her.”
He chuckles and takes another sip of his wine. “Oh, I have no doubt about that. She cute?”
I turn back to the oven, pull out the pan, and transfer the steak to a plate that I slide in front of Graham. “She was drenched from head to toe when I met her and absolutely livid.”
“That's not an answer to my question.”
And that was completely intentional.
My new neighbor being smoking is irrelevant to what’s going on. “I'd be lying if I said I hadn't noticed she was hot.”
It was hard not to with her nipples standing at attention in that tight, wet shirt, and even with the rain plastering her hair down around her face and the black make-up smearing under her eyes, she was still beautiful.
It's too bad we have to be enemies.
“Why do you have that devious smile on your lips?”
Shit.
I hadn’t even known I was smiling. “I'm just thinking about ways I can mess with our new friend next door. Maybe get her to leave and learn some more intel about what she’s up to.”
He points a finger at me. “You be careful. The last thing you need is another enemy.”
“Another enemy? What's that supposed to mean?”
He smirks. “I watched your season of Prime Chef, you know, and you didn't exactly make any friends.”
I shrug. “I wasn't there to make friends. I was there to cook and win the money.”
“It's a good thing you did; otherwise, I probably never would've met you catering the party at the Met, and we wouldn't find ourselves here on the brink of opening this restaurant together.” He cuts his steak and shoves a piece into his mouth. His eyes widen slightly. “The steak is incredible, by the way. What all did you put on it?”
I wink at him. “If I told you, I'd have to kill you.”
“Hey!” His brow furrows. “I’m your business partner.”
“That may be true, but anything that happens in the kitchen is my business, not yours.”
He holds up his hands. “Fair enough. But you want my help with the interior?”
“Now that I think about it, maybe I should have my sister come help me pick out plates and napkins and all that little shit. A woman’s touch.”
Graham takes another bite, chews slowly, then swallows. “That’s a good idea. And I'm glad you're going to have a woman's touch with this.” He glances around my tiny apartment. “No offense, dude, but your decorating taste sucks.”
I chuckle at his very apt observation. “I'm not here very much. I've always been at whatever restaurant I was working at. So, it's not like I really need to decorate.”
“When you first mentioned wanting my help, I was actually going to recommend you talk to Soraya.”
I jerk back from the counter. “Oh, hell no. I know better than that.”
His eyebrows fly up. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Your wife has quite the reputation.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” He holds up a hand. “You better back that bus up, buddy.”
“One of my uh…friends…worked with the designers who redecorated your place.”
He shakes his head. “Oh, hell. So, you heard all about that, huh?”
“I sure did. And let me tell you, the last thing I want when I'm trying to get it in with a hot redhead is to hear her bitching about my business partner’s wife and what a bitch she is.”
His jaw drops. “She called her a bitch?”
I snort and chuckle. “She called her a lot worse than that.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah, she was displeased, and that made for a less than enjoyable booty call for me.”
Graham winces and takes a drink of his wine. “Sorry my wife cock-blocked you, dude.”
“Me too.”
“That's one thing I have to say about Soraya, though. There's no reining her in when she knows what she wants, and I wouldn't even try. It's one of the reasons I love her.”
“Yeah, plus, she's hot as hell.”