“I am enjoying it,” Dru grumbled, sticking out her lower lip at the thought of having another person taking over the control that she held on to like a lifeline.
“I know you are, honey, but just think about how nice it would be to do something on a day other than Monday. Take in a movie, or maybe go on a dinner date . . .” I suggested, and knew I was busted again when her eyes narrowed on me.
“Mr. Adorable Dimples asked you out to dinner, didn’t he?” she accused.
I nodded slowly.
“So, this isn’t so much about us enjoying our lives, but about you fitting time into your busy schedule to get Dimples in the sack.”
I could feel my face flush as I stammered, “No . . . uh, it’s not that. You know I’m thinking of all of us, not . . . just me . . . and I don’t want that . . . errr, at least, not yet.”
“Calm down, Mills, you know she’s just messing with you,” Tasha said gently, shooting a glare at Dru, before admitting, “You and I both know she’s right. It’s time to grow a little bit and take a little time for ourselves. As much as we love what we’re doing, we’re all exhausted. Plus, if we had a full team, we’d have to turn away less clients. It’s a win/win, Dru.”
“I’ll think about it,” Dru said, which essentially meant she was giving in.
“Yay!” I cried, jumping from my chair and bounding over to lean down and hug my twin. “I’ll talk to Claire about coming on full time when I ask her to cover for me Friday night.”
Claire was my hardest working part-timer in the kitchen, and I knew she’d be a perfect sous chef. She was my first hope for a full-time employee.
“This Friday?” Tasha asked. “Where’s he taking you?”
“Prime Beef,” I replied, too happy to notice Tasha’s scowl at the mention of the restaurant across the street. “I figured I can get almost everything done before four, then head upstairs to get ready and let Claire finish up. Then, maybe I’ll ask Jackson up for dessert.”
“Whoa!” Dru exclaimed, wiggling her eyebrows at me. “Dessert, huh?”
“Bow chica wow wow,” Tasha sang, then started laughing.
“Shut up,” I hissed, hating that I was blushing once again. I hated that I was so much more conservative and easily embarrassed than my sisters, even as a grown woman. “I mean actual dessert. I thought I’d make him my Lemon Crème Brule.”
“One bite, and he’ll never leave . . . I guar-an-tee,” Dru said sweetly, allowing my subject change and having my back, as always.
Jackson
“WHY DO I HAVE TO go to Grandma’s tonight? I want to stay home and play with Jess. I’ll see them on Sunday.” Kayla had been complaining since we got home from school, which had made trying to get her packed up, and myself ready for my date, extremely difficult.
I looked at my daughter, hoping what I was about to say next was the right thing. We didn’t keep secrets from each other, unless it was something I thought she was too young to know, so I took in her scowling face and made a decision.
“Dad’s got a date tonight, so Mama and Papa said they’d watch you. They said something about popcorn and movie night; I know you’ll love that,” I said, watching her closely as I spoke.
Because she had my undivided attention, I saw her scowl deepen and eyes narrow.
“A date?” she bit out, sounding more like Julie than ever.
“Yes, sweetheart, a date. I’m taking Millie out for dinner at Prime Beef.”
“Millie, from my birthday party?” Kayla asked, her hands going to her hips as her lower lip jutted out in a pout.
“Yup, you liked her, remember?” I asked hopefully, not sure how to deal with this new version of my child.
“You can’t go out with her . . . you’re married, remember? Besides, I didn’t like her. She’s stupid.”
“Kayla Ann Heeler,” I warned, my voice low and firm. “You don’t talk about people that way, and you certainly don’t swear. Your mom has been gone for almost a year now, don’t you think it’s time for me to move on, have some fun, be happy?” I paused, hoping she’d give me something, but when she just kept scowling, I frowned at her and said, “We have to go, but we’ll talk about your behavior later. Now, go get your bag and meet me at the car.”
“Whatever,” my normally sweet, angelic girl said under her breath as she whirled and stomped off toward her room.
I stood there for a moment, watching after her and running a hand through my hair in frustration.
I deserve a little happiness, don’t I? It’s not the end of the world for a man to go on a date with a beautiful woman, enjoy some steak, and hopefully get to kiss her luscious lips again, right?
With a sigh, I turned to gather my things, then went to the door and paused, cocking my head to the side as I listened for movement.
When I didn’t hear any, I bellowed, “Kayla, let’s go!”
“Fine!” she shouted back, then I heard her door slam and her footsteps pounding down the hall as she came toward the door.
“You’re really asking for it,” I muttered as she moved past me and out the door.
She didn’t reply, just got into the backseat and sunk low in the seat. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her belligerence as I locked up and rounded my truck. Kayla only ever sat in the back seat when she was in a snit about something. It was one of her passive aggressive ways of letting me know she was mad at me.
I turned up the radio, since I knew the short drive would be filled with angry silence. When we arrived at her grandparents’ house, Kayla jumped out and ran up the steps, disappearing into the house without saying goodbye.
I left the truck running, but got out to go say hello to my mother-in-law and let her know that Kayla was in a mood.
I knew she’d already figured that out when she stepped out onto the porch and asked, “What’s up with Kayla?”
I waited until I was a few feet in front of her before replying gently, “I told her I was going on a date tonight.”
The look on her face was sad, but understanding.
“I’ll speak with her, Jackson,” she said softly, then looked like she was trying to figure out what to say next, when she added, “It’s time, son.”
My heart clenched as the love I had for this woman filled me and I leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek.
When I pulled back, I asked, “Have you heard from her?”
My mother-in-law shook her head sadly.
“I’m sorry, Ruth. I’m going to hire someone to find her, so I can get her served with divorce papers.”
I watched her eyes fill and felt her pain right in my gut.
“Please,” she whispered. “Let us know if you find her.”
“I will, Ruth. Of course I will.”
She nodded, wiped her cheeks, and managed a smile.
“I’ll talk to Kayla, you go and have a good time. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Ruth. Love you.”
“Love you, too, Jackson,” Ruth said, and I stood there until she shuffled back into the house and shut the door.
I hated Julie more in that moment than I had in months. I didn’t understand how the woman that I’d known, the woman I’d married and had a child with, could turn out to be someone so totally different than I thought.
Pushing thoughts of Julie, Ruth, and Kayla from my mind, I got back in my truck and headed to Three Sisters Catering to pick up Millie. Although, Kayla and her unusual behavior kept inching its way back into my thoughts.
I prayed she wasn’t still harboring hope of Julie coming home and us being a family again, but even as I thought it, I knew that was it, and my heart sank.
I’m going to have to break my daughter’s heart all over again.
Fucking Julie.
Millie
I WAS WATCHING BY THE window, without trying to look like I was. I didn’t want to appear too eager, or like I was waiting for Jackson with my nose pressed against the glass of our storefront.
So, instead, I was half
hiding behind the door to the back, watching like a creepy stalker.
I saw him pull up, park, and hop out of his truck. As he rounded the front, he wiped his palms against the side of his slacks, then pushed his glasses up his nose.
He’s nervous.
I took a deep breath, a small smile playing on my lips, calm now that I knew he was feeling exactly the same way as I was, and walked fully out into the storefront and to the door.
Jackson’s head came up as he caught my movement and he broke into a happy grin. He opened the door as I approached and held it so I could walk out past him. My arm brushed his hand as I passed, and I felt a tingle of anticipation run through me.
“Hi,” I said softly, a little shyly.
“Hi,” he replied, his tone also soft.
We stood there for a moment, on the sidewalk in front of my business, grinning at each other and taking the other in, then Jackson took my hand in his and brought it to his lips. When he brushed them against the back of my hand, my belly fluttered, and I allowed myself to enjoy every second of that moment.
“I can pick you up from your house,” Jackson said, his hand still holding mine. “I didn’t even think of it before, but I hope you didn’t have to go home, then come back here to meet me.”
“Actually, you are picking me up from home,” I replied, a small laugh escaping unwittingly at his confused face as he looked back in through the window. “Upstairs,” I clarified. “There are four studio apartments up there. Dru, Tasha, and I all live in them, and use the fourth for storage. They aren’t big, but it works for us, at least for now.”
“Oh, wow, that’s pretty cool,” Jackson said, his head falling back as he looked up at the window that led to my apartment. He brought his head back down to catch my eye and asked, “Are you hungry?”
“Starved,” I admitted, and I was. I hadn’t been able to eat lunch. I was too excited about the date, and wanted to make sure everything was done and Claire was fully briefed, so while I was out with Jackson, I could focus totally on us.
“Well, luckily, we only have to cross the street,” Jackson said, gesturing jauntily toward Prime Beef, making me laugh at his silliness. He released my hand and crooked his elbow so I could tuck my arm though his. “Shall we?”
“Let’s,” I said with an exaggerated nod and a laugh.
We marched across the street, laughing the whole way. When we reached the entrance, Jackson paused and put a finger to his lips, then straightened up to full height and made a show of becoming serious.
One more laugh escaped me, but he shook his head with mock sternness. I nodded and did my best to put on a straight face as well.
I looked him over as I pulled myself together, and was struck by how handsome he was wearing dark slacks, a maroon button-down shirt, and a tie with small busts of Shakespeare decorating it. His hair was styled, but he had a small cowlick sticking out at the back, which only made him look more attractive somehow.
“Everything okay?” Jackson asked when he realized I was no longer playing along, but rather standing in front of the restaurant staring at him.
I felt my blush rise as I answered, “You look very handsome.”
Jackson’s eyes lit with pleasure, and he gave a half smile as he bent dramatically at the waist. When he straightened, he said, “And you, Millie, look gorgeous, although, you always look gorgeous. I’m sorry, I didn’t say that right away. I was just so nervous, I forgot myself and started acting like a dork to cover my nerves.”
I took a step closer to him, put my hand on his cheek, and assured him, “You’re not a dork. I love your ability to have fun, be silly, wear a Shakespeare tie. I want you to feel comfortable with me and always be yourself. And, I’ll let you in on a little secret . . . I was nervous too, and you calmed my nerves.”
Jackson lowered his head, and my breath caught as I waited for his lips to touch mine. When they did, they did so only briefly, but oh, so sweetly. They brushed across mine once, then twice, before he pulled back slowly and smiled down at me.
“Ready?” he asked again, and I nodded somewhat dreamily, causing his smile to widen.
We shifted and he pulled open the door, then held it for me as we went inside.
Prime Beef was a classic steakhouse, with lots of rich wood, low lighting, and the beautiful sound of a saxophone playing throughout the room.
I hadn’t eaten there before, since we never really had time, plus, anytime I’d seen the owner, he was scowling, so I’d never really had the urge to be a patron in his establishment. I had to admit though, if the food was anything like the décor, our experience was going to be fabulous.
I was beyond surprised to see the owner of Prime Beef, and the scowly face, walking toward us with a large grin, his hands outstretched.
“I thought I was going to have to call the fire department to turn the hose on you, Jacks,” the tall, striking man said as he approached.
“Shut it,” Jackson replied, taking his offered hand, then pulling him in for one of those man half-hug clap on the back things. “How’ve you been?”
“Pretty good, ready for football to start back up; you?”
“Great. School is good and Kayla is awesome,” he replied, then he put his arm around my shoulder and said proudly, “And, this is Millie. Millie, this is Jericho, the owner of Prime Beef and my fantasy football nemesis.”
“It’s lovely to meet you, your restaurant is gorgeous,” I gushed, holding out my hand.
Jericho turned to me, took me in, then his welcoming smile dropped. I guessed he wasn’t a total jerk, because he did take my offered hand briefly, rather than leaving me hanging, but when he muttered, “One of the three sisters,” and continued to look like he’d taken a bite of something rotten, I wondered what we’d done to earn that look.
Jackson
I DON’T KNOW WHY JERICHO’S demeanor changed when he realized who Millie was, but I didn’t like it one bit.
“Hey, brother, I’m not sure what just happened, but your tone, and your face, are kinda pissing me off,” I warned, low enough so his employees couldn’t hear me, but so that he definitely could.
Jericho’s eyes shot to mine and he grimaced, then said sheepishly, “Sorry, man.” Then, he turned his attention back to Millie took her hand back in his. “I apologize, Millie, it’s very nice to meet you. Jackson is one of my great friends and I trust his judgement. I’m sorry for being rude.”
Millie looked at him uncertainly, then asked softly, “You don’t even know me, so why . . . ?”
Jericho looked over our heads, toward Three Sisters Catering.
“I know your sister, and let’s just say, when things ended, they didn’t end well. But, that has nothing to do with you, and I’m sorry for acting like an ass all this time. I’m happy to have you and Jackson and would love to take care of your dinner tonight.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I replied, because, seriously, my first dinner date with Millie wasn’t going to be on the house. I didn’t use my friends that way, and I didn’t want her to think I did. Plus, there was something about paying for her meal that made me feel good, like I was taking care of her . . . If that made me old-fashioned, so be it.
“My sister?” Millie asked, still stuck on Jericho’s explanation.
“She should tell it,” Jericho said with a wave of his hand, and I knew he was done talking about it. He turned and held his hand out toward the dining room. “I have your table ready, if you’ll follow me.”
I shot a smile at the hostess as we passed, taking Millie’s hand as we followed Jericho through the dining room, to a rounded booth in the back corner. I’d called ahead and told Jericho I was bringing a date. Since he was my friend, and happy that I was finally moving on from Julie, Jericho promised a romantic evening.
I let Millie’s hand go so that we could both slide in, meeting each other in the middle on the other side. I smiled, liking that she chose to sit next to me, rather than across, although the brush of her thigh against
mine might make focusing on my meal difficult.
“Ky will be your server tonight, but don’t hesitate to call if you need anything,” Jericho told us, then gave us a slight nod before walking off toward the kitchen.
“That was weird,” Millie muttered as she watched Jericho push through the swinging door.
“Yeah, I’ve never seen him act like that; he’s usually really easy going. Do you know what it’s about?”
Millie shook her head, then turned it toward me.
“No, I mean, I thought maybe he didn’t like us moving in and being competition, even though we really aren’t, or that he was just a grumpy guy.”
“He’s not.”
“Strange . . . And, now, I’m dying to know if he was talking about Tasha or Dru, and why whoever it is never said anything.” Millie shook her head again, then smiled sweetly up at me. “Enough about them, that’s a puzzle to figure out later. How was the rest of your week?”
“Great, the kids are diving in to Pride and Prejudice, which always brings about the best discussions.”
“Oh, I love Pride and Prejudice,” she gushed, her face taking on that dreamy quality that always came up when women thought of Darcy. “And, Kayla, how’s she doing?”
“It’s nice of you to ask,” I said, wondering if I should tell her about Kayla’s behavior earlier, or allow us the opportunity to get to know each other better, before weighing her down with my parenting woes. I decided on the latter and simply said, “She always loves spending time with her grandparents.”
“Good,” she said as she picked up the menu and opened it. “So, I’ve never been here, but I’ve heard great things. Is there anything you’d recommend?”
“Well, they make a mean martini, you can’t go wrong with the steaks, and the dessert . . .” I put my fingertips up to my lips and kissed them. “Magnifique.”
I noticed her cheeks get red, and couldn’t help but be charmed when I learned why.
“Actually, I thought I’d have you back to my place for dessert. I made a Lemon Crème Brule that I think you’ll enjoy.”
A Pinch of Salt Page 5