Stay a Little Longer

by Kait Nolan

  “Athena—”

  “No, listen. I’ve been thinking about this, and I need to get it out. I came back to you for selfish reasons. I thought I could be okay with that, with doing the whole casual sex thing, whenever, wherever we wanted.”

  A tendril of panic slithered through Logan’s system. Had she brought him all the way down here to break things off? “What are you saying?”

  “That even though that’s where we started, with the casual, it’s more than that. You’re more than a distraction. I need you to know that. To know that I’m not…using you. You were right when you said there’s something here.”

  Relief had his knees going loose, all the ready fight draining out of him. She wasn’t going to make him fight to convince her. Instead she’d given him a gift, acknowledging the weight of what was between them. It was more than he’d dared hope for yet. Maybe that meant things were already swinging in his favor. Maybe he already had more weight on the stay side of the scales than he’d thought. That uncharacteristic impatience reared up, urging him to talk, to share, to plan for the possible future that felt just out of reach. But he held it in because he understood this was as much as she could handle right now.

  He stroked a thumb down the parallel lines between her brows. “That worries you.”

  “I don’t know what to do with this. With you.”

  “There’s time to figure it out.” He’d done everything he could to make sure there was. Wanting to lighten the mood, give her some of that distraction she craved, he pulled her in. “And I’ve got a few ideas about how we can use it.”

  Lowering his head, he captured her smile with a kiss.

  Athena didn’t know what she’d expected, stepping into the diner kitchen for the first time in nearly a decade. She felt like an entirely different woman from the girl who’d worked here. But the diner had changed little. The same ancient grill and commercial range had been scrubbed to gleaming, and the worn tile floors still showed the tracks of years of the dance between counter and range and walk-in cooler. A faint scent of grease lingered beneath the sharp bite of lemon cleaner. It smelled like home. In high school, this had been one of her sanctuaries. At Crystal’s elbow, she’d honed her natural culinary skills sharp enough to land her a spot in her first high-end kitchen in London. From there she’d cooked her way across Europe until she earned her way into Chef Ossani’s kitchen—her gateway to Le Cordon Bleu. After high school, she’d left here for Europe, full of hopes and dreams and drive, so relieved to be escaping this small town, where she’d felt judged. She’d gone to prove herself. And she had. But after everything that had happened, this return felt more like disgrace than triumph.

  The door to the dining room opened. Crystal swung through it, leading with her generous hips. “You’re here!” The older woman beamed at her, wiping hands on the towel tucked into her apron.

  “I am.” Athena wondered if Crystal could hear the nerves. “Thank you for letting us host the cooking school here.”

  “I’m just pleased as punch to have you back in my kitchen. I knew you were destined for big things, and here you are, a famous chef, sharing your knowledge with us common folk. I’m just so proud of you!” Crystal bustled across the kitchen to envelop Athena in a coffee-scented hug that she didn’t know what to do with.

  Athena’s throat went thick. Crystal had been another sort-of mother to her growing up. And maybe she hadn’t really realized that until right this second, when she was missing Joan so damned much it hurt. So she resisted her first urge to put distance between them to regain control of her emotions and opted for the truth.

  “I don’t know if I ever said it back then, so I’m saying it now. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work here, for being there for me growing up. You were a big part of my success. In giving me my foundation.”

  “Oh!” She gave a mighty sniff and squeezed Athena again. “I always considered you one of mine.”

  Had Athena realized that as a teenager? She’d been so wound up about feeling like an outsider, sometimes even with her sisters, she’d lived life with shields up all the time. That had been standard operating procedure since…well, always. What else had she missed because she was too busy protecting herself?

  Eyes prickling, she awkwardly wrapped her arms around Crystal.

  The bell above the diner’s front door jingled.

  “That’s probably my first students.”

  Crystal patted her back and released her. “You go on out there and greet people.”

  People. Yay.

  But Athena wiped damp palms against her pants and pushed through the door as ordered.

  It wasn’t students. Not yet. It was Logan balancing two huge boxes of produce from the farm. Athena’s mood lifted at the sight of him. Ari trailed in his wake with one more box.

  “Hey gorgeous. You ready for this?” He looked calm and steady and unflappable as usual. Did he have any idea how appealing that was?

  Behind him, Ari beamed, her little cupid heart clearly fluttering on overdrive.

  Athena couldn’t handle that on top of everything else, so she firmly turned away from her niece to focus on Logan’s question. “Not even close. But we’re here, so I’ll muddle through.”

  He set the boxes on one of the tables that had been rearranged to make two long rows of work stations and slid a hand around her waist. “You’re going to be brilliant.”

  The lingering kiss he laid on her did a lot more to settle her nerves than his words.

  “I’m just gonna go help Crystal in the kitchen,” Ari sang.

  “Take your time,” Logan murmured.

  Athena hooked her fingers through his belt loops. “Are we sure we have to do this? I can think of way more rewarding ways to spend our afternoon.”

  “You won’t seduce me out of this. But I’ll happily seduce you after.”

  “Promise?”

  “Cross my heart. By the time this is through, you’ll have earned a very thorough reward.”

  The fresh hum in her blood muted the anxiety a little. She’d been finding out exactly how thorough Logan could be.

  “I’m holding you to that.”

  He grinned, slow and wicked. “Yes, Chef.”

  In all her years cooking, Athena had never imagined seducing anyone in her kitchen. After walking in on Mari and Jayson, she hadn’t imagined she ever would. But looking up at Logan Maxwell, with his farm-made good looks and sexy smile, she thought she might change her mind. It might be extremely gratifying to give him orders and have him jump to do her bidding…

  “Are you ready to finish setting up the stations?”

  Flushing, Athena stepped back and didn’t quite meet Crystal’s gaze. “Yeah, we should put out ingredients.”

  As she, Logan, and Ari split up the contents of the boxes among the various stations, Crystal began divvying up utensils, cutting boards, and bowls. People arrived in a trickle. She recognized a few familiar faces. Abbey Whittaker, one of Pru’s best friends, who worked at the spa. Cayla Black, Kennedy’s wedding planner. Essie Vaughn, Xander’s dispatcher and office admin at the Sheriff’s Department. Kennedy’s boss, Denver Hershal, who owned Elvira’s Tavern, and his girlfriend Misty something-or-other. There were other locals, whose names she didn’t remember, and several other people she didn’t recognize. Excited chatter filled the spaces. Athena couldn’t help but wonder whether the students were really here for the food or to get a gander at her, the failed chef. Which one of them would ask her about the video or want to talk about the lost star?

  Anxiety settled heavy in her gut, like a gravy spoiled by too much starch. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea.

  Logan pressed a hand to the small of her back and leaned in to whisper, “You just have to get through the first one right this second.”

  Right. And if she kept them busy, maybe no one would have time to ask her awkward questions.

  Straightening her shoulders, Athena reminded herself that, for the next few hours at leas
t, this was her kitchen. Her kingdom. She called the shots.

  Clapping her hands, she stepped away from Logan. “Welcome, everybody. I’m Chef Athena Reynolds. Today we’re making maple-braised pork chops, with crispy Brussels sprouts, and creamed spinach. We’ll be operating two and three to a station, so please grab an apron from my sous chef Ari, here, find your partner or partners, pick your spot, and we’ll get started.”

  Everybody leapt into motion. It was mild chaos as people bumped into one another, paused to greet each other, and took their sweet time. Athena had to remind herself that they weren’t trained, so she couldn’t expect the efficiency of her staff at Olympus. Once everyone was settled at their respective stations, Athena took her position.

  “Before we begin, I want to introduce you to the people who are making all this happen.” She gestured to Crystal. “This is Crystal Blue. This diner is her place, and she’s graciously offered up the space for our classes. It’s also worth noting that she makes the best damned fried chicken I have ever eaten. If you’re in town long enough, I encourage you to pop back by during regular business hours and get some.”

  Athena wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen Crystal blush that much in all the years she’d known her.

  “Oh now. Thank you. It was my grandmama’s recipe.”

  “Family recipes are often the best. But food is only as good as the ingredients you put into it, and that brings me to my last introduction. Our ingredients today have all been provided by Logan Maxwell. Logan, do you want to tell these folks a little bit about what it is you do?”

  He hesitated a few beats, clearly surprised at being put on the spot.

  Athena arched a brow. Turnabout is fair play, Farmer Boy.

  Evidently resigning himself, he straightened from the wall and joined her in the center of the room. “Well, to put it simply, I’m a farmer. But that really undersells the reality of what we do out at Maxwell Organics.” He launched into his explanation, easy and in his element, clearly discussing his passion. The low cadence of his voice settled more of Athena’s nerves, such that by the time he finished, she felt far more in control.

  “In short, we’re all about sustainable, organic agriculture.”

  A hand shot up. One of the out-of-towners. “Do you give tours of the farm?”

  “Sure. From time to time. I think it’s important for people to see where their food actually comes from.”

  “What about the farmer’s market here in town?” This came from Abbey.

  “We absolutely have a stand at the farmer’s market during the season, and we sell CSA shares by the season. I’ll be happy to provide a schedule at the end of class for those of you who are interested.”

  Athena stepped back into the center of the room. “Thank you, Logan. Now, let’s get started. You’ll notice that each station is fitted out with a hot plate, two cutting boards, knives, assorted bowls and ingredients. The pork is still in the refrigerator, brining until we need it later. This is everything we need to make the creamed spinach and the Brussels sprouts. It’s good practice to pull out and organize every single ingredient before you begin so you don’t run into any surprises by finding out when you’re already in the middle of something that you’re out of a key component. In French cooking, we call this mise en place or everything in its place.”

  Another hand shot up. Another of the out-of-towners.

  Athena tensed and began rehearsing the carefully prepared rebuffs she’d worked out earlier this week. “Yes?”

  “Is it true you studied with Francis Cano?” She said his name with the reverence the great chef deserved.

  “I did.” Her apprenticeship was something she certainly didn’t mind talking about.

  “What was he like?”

  “Soft-spoken, brilliant, and utterly terrifying. He says things once and only once. If you miss it, he’ll toss you out of his kitchen. But his food is so good it could start—or end—wars.”

  The woman grinned. “That is so cool.”

  Athena found a hint of a smile herself. “Yes, yes it was. Now, to begin, I’m going to get y’all to dice the onion. I’m sure everybody has their way to do this, but I’m going to show you the proper technique.” She took them through it, demonstrating the correct way to hold the knife and walking them through the steps to create a nice, even dice without risking fingers.

  She answered more questions as they went through the recipe. But no one asked about the video. No one said a word about Olympus or the lost star. As the class progressed, Athena realized that maybe her perspective on this whole thing was skewed. She’d become so accustomed to thinking of her restaurant and her life—which really had been one and the same for years now—as the center of the world. Any drama that impacted those things felt like big news that everyone knew because everyone in her circle was part of that same small, foodie world.

  But these people seemed to know nothing of all that. They knew the stuff that had been in her website bio. The big stuff that was readily out there in the non-trade publications. But the industry gossip, the details of her humiliation hadn’t even pinged their radars. Because, surprise surprise, she wasn’t the center of everything.

  On some level she’d known that. But she’d needed this very real-world example to prove what Logan, Sean, and the rest of her family had been telling her for weeks. She wasn’t ruined. Not to everyone.

  For the first time since she’d walked out of Olympus, Athena felt like she could breathe. More, she felt the familiar spark of excitement at sharing good food with people. By the time the class sat down hours later, family-style, to eat the fruits of their labor, she was actually having fun.

  “What are we cooking next week?” Essie asked.

  “I’m not sure yet. Our menu today was inspired by what was freshest on the farm when we walked the fields this morning.” With a quick look at Logan that was part question, part apology, Athena asked, “How would y’all like to come out to the farm before class starts next week? Get that tour and pick your own produce?”

  The idea got an enthusiastic yes. Over the rest of the meal, they hashed out the details and Athena was already considering possible lessons.

  Sunset streaked over the sky above the Ridge by the time the last student walked out of the diner.

  Logan twisted the lock. “Well, I’d say that went pretty damned well.”

  More than a little giddy with relief, Athena began shoving tables back into their proper places. “It went far better than I expected.”

  “I enjoyed seeing you in your element. I always enjoy watching you cook.” He glanced at the closed door to the kitchen, where Crystal was loading the industrial dishwasher, and lowered his voice. “Though I confess, I prefer watching you do it in nothing but my shirt.”

  “Well, you did promise to seduce me as a reward for getting through the class.”

  He hooked her around the waist and pulled her in. “Baby, you did so much more than just getting through. And maybe it’s a stupid thing to say, since you’re a badass chef and all, but I’m proud of what you did here today.”

  She’d received praise and accolades from some of the biggest names in the industry. But none of them gave her quite the same feeling as his quietly spoken words. “Thanks.”

  “So tonight, I say we celebrate. It happens, I’ve got a bottle of champagne chilled in my fridge and the season’s first fresh strawberries. I expect you’ve got some ideas on how best to utilize those ingredients.”

  The hum in her blood that had stayed with her all through class flashed to a sizzle. Lips curving, she slid a hand up his chest and into the hair at his nape. “I expect I do.”

  “There’s one thing, though.” His expression hit somewhere between teasing and serious.

  “What’s that?”

  “I might need all night to properly reward you. The class was that good.”

  “You want me to stay the night?”

  “Not if you’re not ready. But yeah, I want you to stay the night. I
want to wake up next to you in the morning.”

  Athena’s heart gave a hard knock against her ribs. All night with him. It sounded like heaven.

  Rising up to her toes, she brushed her lips to his. “I like the way you think, Farmer Boy.”

  Logan jerked at the first strident call from his feathered alarm clock.

  Beside him, Athena jolted and curled tighter into her pillow as she spewed a string of vicious curses. “I’m going to wring that bastard rooster’s neck and turn him into jerky.”

  Even as he wished he could wrap around her and find a better way to greet the day, Rudy crowed again. Logan pressed a kiss to Athena’s shoulder. “Try to go back to sleep. No reason for you to get up this early while I see to the animals.”

  As soon as he vacated the bed, she confiscated his pillow and jammed it on top of her head. The sight of her in the thin, wispy light of dawn had him smiling. Leaving her there was maybe not quite what he wanted for a start to his morning, but a damned fine thing to wake up to nonetheless. Dragging on jeans and a t-shirt from the clean hamper, he unearthed some socks and headed downstairs to start his day.

  The dogs rose from their beds in the den and padded over, wagging, butting his legs, his hands. He offered rubs and scratches and opened the door. Bo and Peep streaked off the porch and headed around the back of the house to do their business. Logan retreated inside to pour his first cup of coffee—brewed on a timer. Thank God for modern technology. With the warm mug in his hands, he stepped out on the porch to survey his domain. Sunrise lightened the horizon, limning the fields and outbuildings in an ethereal light. He loved this time of day, loved the quiet before everything got up and running. For these first, few, quiet minutes, he enjoyed the peace and bone-deep happiness of knowing he was where he was supposed to be doing exactly what he was supposed to do. And today, he had a beautiful woman in his bed. One he’d spent his whole night making love to. The crash of no sleep would hit him later, but that was why God made coffee. Finishing his, he left the mug inside and began his chores.