House of Belonging

by Andrea Thome

  Looking around, she felt her affinity for and personal impact on this space were palpable, from the seamless glass that made up the entire back wall of the restaurant, to the soft-gray color of the walls and the irregular slate floor. It was the creative opposite of her home, all modern and sleek, which pleased her. She’d always professed to her friends that if she could have dozens of houses, each in a different style, it still wouldn’t be enough to express all her favorite design aesthetics.

  Laina glanced at the clock, glad she’d told Van to meet her here at one. That meant she had a little more than thirty minutes to get her head back in the game. She shuddered when she thought about the letter she knew she had to write later, pushing the thought away to be dealt with in her more productive late-night hours.

  She reached for one of the small ceramic cups on the glass shelf along the back wall and set about making herself an espresso, using her new favorite toy. The gleaming La Marzocco machine had set her back over $20,000, but it had been well worth it. Nothing ruined a great meal like a terrible cup of coffee at the end of it, and she’d not have a subpar cup of anything served to her customers. The Italians knew how to make an espresso.

  The machine finished its important work, leaving a perfect, steaming shot of espresso before her. Laina plucked the cup from the stainless-steel contraption and was about to take a sip when she caught sight of someone out of the corner of her eye.

  “I said hello, but that noisy machine of yours must have drowned me out.” Logan was standing just inside the doorway of the restaurant, his hands in the air, proclaiming his intrusion harmless.

  Laina smiled before she could help herself. “It’s a beautiful sound, no? Like a tiny symphony of gears brewing up the most perfect cup of goodness a girl could ask for.” She took a sip, trying to figure out what to do next. What is he doing here?

  “Well, I might not have put it that way, but that’s why you’re a chef and I’m a cowboy. Besides, the mugs I drink my coffee out of are a whole lot bigger than that toy you’ve got there.” His lone dimple revealed itself as he smiled, watching her enjoy her drink.

  Laina raised her eyebrows. This man needed an education about the joys of imported Italian coffee. She’d bite. Turning around, she reached up to grab a second cup, placed it on the shelf of the machine, and conjured it to life again.

  Logan watched her as she worked. She was wearing a sleeveless black shirt and fitted jeans, and he could see the delicately sculpted muscles of her shoulders flexing as she pulled the different levers and knobs on the machine, thumping the old grounds out of the small basket to make room for a new fresh scoop. He could see that her skin was tan, a little pink even, as if she’d spent some time in the sun that morning.

  She turned back around, her face unreadable but her eyes sparkling, as she silently handed him the delicate cup.

  Logan laughed, taking it awkwardly into his large hands and lifting it to his mouth for a sip. He’d had espresso before, so he was prepared for the bitter brew to assault his taste buds, but the flavor surprised him. It was strong, yes, but it was almost creamy in its consistency. He finished it in one quick gulp before offering the cup back to Laina, who was smiling at his reaction.

  “It’s small but mighty. You’d likely need three cups of your cowboy coffee to match wits with this little guy.” She dangled the tiny espresso mug from her fingers as she spoke. It was easier to focus on the beverage than the chemistry that was still there between them in the room, crackling with expectation.

  Laina cleared her throat. “So, what brings you in?” She broke up the energy by stepping behind the bar to rinse out their cups, setting them upside down on a towel to dry.

  Logan filled the empty void that led behind the bar with his large frame, casually bracing himself with his hands on either side of the countertop. Laina had to work hard not to let her eyes travel the length of him, but with just a cursory look, she’d noticed how spectacular he was in his jeans and T-shirt. Of course it was a U2 shirt. She’d always had a thing for The Edge.

  “That coffee was worth the trip for sure, but I’m here on behalf of Walland House, actually.”

  Laina smiled, relaxing a little. It was business. She was good at that. She gestured toward the nearest seats, and they settled in across from each other, the table a welcome safe zone between them.

  “Please. Tell me what I can do for my friends at Walland House.”

  Logan detailed the idea that the team had discussed that morning, encouraged by Laina’s reaction as he spoke. He’d thought she’d be more reluctant to agree to such a huge undertaking with all that she had going on in advance of her opening, but she surprised him with her enthusiasm.

  “Honestly, this is such a great opportunity for me. I love the idea of the first event in this space being a sort of organic experience.” Laina leaned in toward him. “I’ll let you in on a little secret; that’s what I’m envisioning for this place. I’d really like it to be a space for other chefs to host their own temporary pop-up restaurants. Everyone assumes that because I designed and built the space, it’s intended to be my signature restaurant, but that’s not exactly what I have in mind. Sure, I plan to be the executive chef here for the foreseeable future, but I want to have options. I want to travel. As much as I love it, I don’t want to be tied to this place.”

  Logan was surprised by her admission. “So you’re not convinced you’ll stay in Aspen long-term?” Suddenly, time felt a lot more of the essence.

  Laina sighed, folding her hands in front of her on the table. “I’m not saying that at all. I love it here. But I want this restaurant to be a fresh concept, and it can only remain that way if I periodically host different culinary minds, giving me time to go back to the drawing board creatively myself. Travel is a great way to become a better chef. Also, it’s gotten so expensive to open a restaurant these days; it’s nearly impossible to do in New York City anymore. That’s the reason Food and Wine magazine recently decided to move their headquarters down south, and a part of the reason I moved here. The industry is constantly evolving, and we have to keep up with the changing landscape. Hosting other chefs is a nice way for me to give back to the culinary community too.”

  She’d gotten up during the conversation to grab them two bottles of water from under the counter, returning to her seat and handing one to Logan. “So many chefs use pop-ups to test new concepts, or build their culinary reputation, and I have the opportunity to help them do that with this space.”

  Taking a sip of water, she continued. “Back to your idea of hosting the opening event of the Classic for Walland House. It’s so perfect, because I also want this restaurant to be a vehicle for fund-raising.”

  She paused, her eyes lighting up with possibility. Logan was completely captivated by her energy. He could listen to her talk like this, full of passion, all day long.

  “I’d like the proceeds from this inaugural event to benefit Grow for Good. I’m all about supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture, and I think that vibes with the philosophy over at Walland House too. What do you think?”

  Her face was open and excited, and he hadn’t thought she could be more beautiful than she’d been the previous night on the dance floor, but he was dead wrong. He struggled to focus on the reason he’d come. “I think India and Susan will be thrilled you’re interested, and they’ll agree to pretty much anything you’d ask of them in return.”

  He debated whether to pose the question, but he couldn’t stop himself. “Do you need to check with Van before you give me a final answer? That’s cool if so. I mean, he’s your partner, right?” Subtle, Logan.

  Laina stifled her grin. He is fishing. She couldn’t let the poor guy go on thinking she and Van were a couple, could she? She was considering the idea when she spotted Van outside on the sidewalk talking to a tall brunette. It was pretty clear from their interaction that he was getting her phone number.

  Logan followed her stare, turning to look over his shoul
der. It took only a moment for it to dawn on him what was happening, and he looked back at her with a knowing grin on his face, only to see that Laina had slid out of the booth and was headed toward the front of the restaurant.

  The door opened with a soft whoosh, and Van walked in, his sunglasses covering his eyes and a huge smile on his face as he spoke.

  “Finally. I’ve been giving that lass the glad eye for weeks.” He kissed Laina on the cheek, dropping his messenger bag on the floor next to the hostess stand. “I had to put in some serious hours of yoga to make it happen too. I’ve practically mastered my downward dog!”

  It was then that Van spotted Logan rising from the booth where he’d been listening. It was too late to throw it into reverse, though, and Van could tell by Laina’s expression she was irritated with him.

  “No reason to give me the boss eyes, lass. I didn’t know you had company.” Van turned his attention to Logan, nodding hello. “Well . . . Logan, isn’t it? Aren’t you the bad penny, turning up all over the place?”

  Logan bit his tongue as he stood up. The look on Van’s face was teasing, and the accent made the irritating Scot seem harmless, but Logan knew that it was time to go.

  “Van, good to see you again.” Logan turned his attention back to Laina. “I’ll be sure to let India know you’re interested, and we’ll reach out to finalize the details in the next couple of days.” He crooked his eyebrow at her. “Thanks for the espresso. Kind of makes me want to invest in one of those machines. The effect was . . . memorable.”

  He ducked out the front door before she could fully read his expression, but she’d sworn he looked a little mischievous when he said that. She was totally charmed, in spite of herself.

  Van had quietly watched the exchange, and he was about to throw out a sarcastic comment when the look on Laina’s face stopped him. She seemed almost . . . hopeful. He didn’t want to take that away from her after the morning they’d had, so he quickly changed his approach. “Sorry I’m a little late. What was that about? What is it exactly that you’re interested in?”

  Laina spent the next few minutes recapping her conversation with Logan, excitedly filling Van in on her early ideas for the Walland House event. He was just as intrigued as she was by the possibilities, and before long, they were knee-deep in legal pads filled with notes and to-do lists for the rest of the week.

  The afternoon blew by in a whirl of deliveries, unpacking boxes, and interviews for the final few waitstaff positions. Most of the jobs had already been filled in the initial call for applicants by career waiters in town who were eager to get in on the ground floor of this rumored-to-be hottest ticket in town. Laina left Van in charge of filling the remaining positions while she went about setting up the back of the house. Actually, that was just a turn of phrase, because this particular kitchen was a completely open space, set in the middle of the restaurant. There was a hidden ramp down to a storage area where extra supplies and everything else that she wished to remain out of sight would be stowed. It gave the unique appearance of a floating kitchen, with dining tables all around it. Between the breathtaking views of the river and surrounding forest, and the open kitchen, there truly wasn’t a bad seat in the house. Laina wanted diners to feel like they were part of the creative process, from beginning to end.

  It was nearly eight by the time she and Van had finished their respective tasks, and the light had changed, indicating sunset was near. Laina was grateful that her opening was happening on one of the longest days of the year, ensuring the views would be optimal for as long as possible.

  They locked up and decided a quick beer wasn’t a terrible idea before calling it a night. It was still just warm enough to enjoy drinks alfresco, so they walked over to the Ajax Tavern in the hopes there would be an outside table available, and they were in luck. Laina dug her sunglasses out of her purse and sat facing the plaza, enjoying the final moments of the sun on her face before it dipped and finally disappeared over the west side of Dean Street, rewarding them with a brilliant display of pinks and purples.

  The chef heard Laina and Van were outside and sent out a complimentary charcuterie board and some of the tavern’s famous truffle fries, so they lingered for a while, enjoying the delicious gifts and chatting about their plans for the coming week. They had just requested their check when Van raised his hand to wave at someone headed their way. Laina turned to see India and Wyatt strolling toward them, having just come from inside the restaurant. Wyatt was smiling widely, but India had a strange look on her face that Laina couldn’t quite decipher. India looked mildly uncomfortable, turning to glance over her shoulder before giving Wyatt’s hand an almost imperceptible tug as she addressed Laina and Van.

  “Hey, guys, are you finished? We were just about to wander around town. Take a walk with us! Isn’t the sky incredible? Why don’t we have these oil painting sunsets in Tennessee? I mean, they’re beautiful at home too, but this is something special. Come on . . . let’s stroll together and catch up.”

  Laina was about to tell her that they hadn’t yet paid their bill when she glanced across the table and saw Van’s jaw tense up as he stared at something over her shoulder. She followed his gaze, peering behind her. Across the patio, at a table tucked away in the far corner, were Logan and the blonde from the wedding. Laina felt a stab of something she couldn’t identify and didn’t want to, and was about to turn back around when Logan caught her eye and blanched. As if she’d slapped him, he physically sat back in his chair, defeated by the sight of her.

  Laina faced her friends once again. “A long walk is exactly what I need after this ridiculous day I’ve had. Let me just run inside and say thank you, and use the restroom quickly. I’ll be right out.”

  She stood and rushed inside, unaware that Logan had gotten up from his table to follow her.

  India watched the whole scene, shaking her head with a frustrated smile. “Come on, guys. Let’s walk ahead a bit. I have a feeling Laina might need a few minutes before she joins us. I swear, I adore Logan, but that man has got to learn to get out of his own way.”

  CHAPTER

  FIVE

  Laina made a beeline for the ladies’ room, chiding herself for feeling like she needed a few moments to regain her composure before she thanked the chef. She had no reason to be as rattled as she was. She’d seen Logan with the blonde after the wedding, and from the looks of things, it had been the beginning of something and not the end. She let the water run warm before washing her hands, and took her time applying her nude lip gloss. With a deep breath, she turned and swung the door open wide, stepping out into the dark hallway, only to stop short at the sight of Logan nervously waiting for her.

  He pushed away from the wall and stood in front of Laina. Reaching out, he touched her arm before speaking, but dropped his hand as soon as he’d made contact, as if he’d rethought the intrusion. “Laina, I just wanted to be clear about what you saw. I was here with India and Wyatt, having dinner and talking about our conversation this afternoon, when Kiera showed up and asked me to have a drink with her. I felt bad about having led her on last night, so I agreed to one glass of wine. It’s not a date or anything.”

  He would have continued, but Laina held up her hand to stop him.

  “Please, you don’t owe me any explanation. I was sitting with—Kiera, is it?—at the wedding, and I know she was really into you. I can see now that she doesn’t waste any time. What is it they say? The squeaky wheel gets the oil . . . or wine, in this case, I guess?”

  Laina forced a smile and prayed he’d step aside so she could leave with her dignity intact. She was pissed that she’d allowed herself to be vulnerable that afternoon with him, particularly in light of everything she was already dealing with at the moment. But she must have misjudged his attentions; it wouldn’t be the first time she’d done that with a man. It had just seemed so easy between them.

  Logan didn’t move away. Instead, he stepped toward her, just enough to make her instinctively lean backward. They wer
e tucked into a nook at the end of the hallway, leaving the bathroom doors clear for other customers. It was dark, and Logan was backlit by the light flooding in from the dining room, but she could hear the regret in his voice.

  “Listen. Is there any reason at all that I should keep holding out hope that one of these days you’ll finally give me a chance? Is that totally out of the realm of possibility?” Laina paused, considering the question.

  Logan sighed in frustration, looking over his shoulder to make sure they were alone.

  “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’ve been trying to find a way to date you, but apparently, I suck at it. First India tried to help me last year, and you clearly weren’t having any of that approach. Then, I thought maybe you and Van were a couple and that I should leave you alone, but after today, over those toy cups of coffee, I got my hopes up again. I just spent my entire meal getting unsolicited advice from India and Wyatt about how to stop stepping all over myself and finally get you to agree to go out with me, and then you show up and see me with Kiera and think I’m some playboy again. So when you finally agree to give me a chance . . . which I’m hoping will be now . . . well, we’ve certainly taken the long way around to a first date. Maybe that means it’s gonna be a really good one?”

  Laina could feel that energy between them again, in a way that was almost tangible, and it scared her. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark now, and she could see that he’d changed into a pair of dark jeans and a crisp white T-shirt that made his tan face more prominent. But there was something about the way he was watching her expectantly, his eyes soft despite the wrinkle of worry he wore between them. Laina fought the urge to reach out and smooth the emotion away with her fingertips. She had to give him credit for his honesty. She just wasn’t sure she had the time or energy to start something new with Logan, or with anyone for that matter. She instinctively knew a relationship with this man wouldn’t be light and airy. Standing eye to eye with him, she opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t bring herself to say no.