Calla's Kitchen_One of the Boys

by Teresa Crumpton

  The dining room is bustling, so Trey heads back into the kitchen. Calla and Mr. Grimm sit in silence while he eats. She hasn’t touched her glass of wine yet, and I’m unsure if she’s even taken a breath since sitting down. I wish I was next to her, holding her hand as he passes judgement. I’m about to say, “screw it,” and join them just so I know she’s breathing, when he pushes his plate away. The man never finishes a meal when he’s working.

  Having eaten dinner with him before, it surprises me that he’s finished the dish so quickly. And in silence. His plate is empty, and he hasn't made any notes in his little black notebook that’s laying open on his right.

  “Calla. This is the food you were born to create,” he tells her before picking up his wine glass and taking a sip.

  “Thank you.” She finally breathes as she beams at his words.

  This is the best news, and thank fuck it comes from him.

  “By chance, did you create a dessert for me?” He grins at her, and I do a fist pump.

  Calla studies Mr. Grimm, frowning slightly. I chuckle inwardly. I get what she's doing. She’s trying to fuck with him and make him worry a little, just like he does to chefs. It's one of the sexiest things I’ve seen her do. I pull out my phone and send Trey and Forest a text.

  Me: He wants dessert.

  Forest: On it.

  Calla scans the bar in search of Adam, I’m sure. Instead of finding Adam, her eyes land on me. While she’s still slightly guarded, I’m hoping she knows now that I’ll always have her back, even when I’m being a stubborn son-of-a-bitch. And to make sure she knows I’m in her corner, I wink at her. Calla returns her attention to her uncle, and they converse over the wine a little more. A few minutes later, Adam approaches me and hands me the dessert plate.

  I swiftly stride over to their table and place the dessert plate on Mr. Grimm’s left.

  “Mr. Grimm,” I greet. He sits back a bit, giving me room to remove the dirty dinner plates.

  As soon as the plates are in my hand and out of his face, he slides the dessert plate in front of himself. I study Calla's eyes one more time, making sure she's okay and that her nerves haven't gotten the better of her. Not that I really need to. She’s doing great. Before heading away from the table, I catch the soft smile that crosses her perfect mouth.

  “My favorite!” her uncle exclaims.

  She winks, and I turn my attention back to him just in time to see the biggest smile on his face.

  “I know.” She chuckles and takes a sip of her wine.

  Audible sounds begin filtering out of Mr. Grimm's mouth as he thoroughly enjoys his dessert. His childlike enjoyment makes Calla giggle.

  A server steps up next to me and offers to take the plates, and Adam passes by with another glass of wine. This time it’s a white, and most likely a dessert wine. When I get back to where I’d been standing before, I turn back around and watch my woman continuing to make her uncle proud.

  Mr. Grimm’s full focus is on Calla, and the realization that she made this specifically for him lights his face. They sit quietly for a few minutes while he writes a few notes in his book. He smiles with every stroke of his pen, giving me hope he’ll give us a really good review. He finally sets his pen down and closes the book.

  “Did you truly enjoy the meal, Uncle?” Calla asks, biting her lip.

  “Yes! I'll admit, I had prepared myself to write a bad review. You, of all people, understand that I can't be biased when it comes to work. But this… this was better than I've ever given you credit for.” He reaches across the table and holds out his hand.

  She places her hand in his, and he squeezes it once before letting go. They each take another sip of their wine, and Mr. Grimm slowly slides his chair back before getting to his feet. Calla follows his lead as he gathers his things. She waits next to the table while Mr. Grimm walks toward her.

  “See you soon, my dear.” He kisses her cheek and surrounds her in a big hug.

  She smiles and nods then she walks Mr. Grimm to the front door. Stopping at the hostess station, Calla watches her uncle exit Belladonna. I head back to the kitchen, hoping I can keep that smile on her face.

  I pace once I’m in the kitchen. I’m impatiently waiting for Calla to come back. I peer out of the small window in the kitchen door with every turn. When she finally pushes the door open, I pounce on her, my nerves shot to hell. Even though I startle her, we laugh. As do Trey, Forest, and Adam, who’s right behind her. While I wasn't paying attention, Trey moved to the front station and is now leaning against it, watching me intently for what I’ll do next. I guess he’s ready for me to get my head out of my ass too. Without thinking, I pull Calla into my arms.

  “I love you. I’m a complete jackass. But I love you,” I whisper in her ear.

  Smoothly, I lean away from Calla to look into her eyes. My hands move to hold her face, and I passionately kiss her in front of everyone. The kitchen goes crazy with people cheering, hooting, and hollering while they watch us.

  “I love you too,” she says with tears in her eyes as we come up for air.

  “It’s about damn time!” Trey announces, patting me on the back.

  Adam wholeheartedly agrees and exits the kitchen with a wide smile on his face.

  “Can we try this for real?” I request. “You and me living together? I want you in my bed every night, so I can wake up to you wrapped around me every morning.”

  “Yes, please,” she replies, grinning before whispering, “sir.”

  My grip tightens around her waist, pulling her further into me and my now hardening cock. “Mine. You are all mine,” I growl into her ear.

  Epilogue

  Forest

  Six months. I can’t believe it's been six months since Ella and Jax came into my life. Jax is a godsend. I honestly don't know what I would've done without her. Ella took to her like a moth to a flame, which helps so damn much. In fact, their bond is what's giving me hope for the question I’ve been dying to ask Jax since the moment we met.

  Crossing my fingers, I dial her number.

  “Hey, Forest! What's up?” Jax answers. Music is playing in the background, and I picture her dancing around the kitchen as she bakes. Just like she does when she helps Ella and me make donuts.

  Taking a deep breath, I begin. “So... I wanted to see what you are doing tonight?”

  “After work, I’m going out with CJ. We haven't hung out in awhile, and I think something’s going on with him.”

  Well, damn.

  “Oh, okay. Maybe we can do something next week,” I throw out, rubbing the back of my head.

  “Is there something you needed for Ella?” she asks, her voice changing in pitch.

  “No, Ella's doing great. She's with my parents tonight, so I was going to see if you'd like to have dinner. Um… just the two of us,” I explain, pacing the living room.

  “Oh. I... uh….” There’s a long, awkward pause.

  Shit! I just fucked up.

  “You want to have dinner? With me?” Her words break through my chastising thoughts.

  “Yes!” I reply, a little too forcefully. Fuck! I’m screwing this up. Taking a calming breath, I try again. “Sorry. I’m doing this all wrong.”

  “Doing what all wrong?” Is she smiling? The sound of her question makes me recall conversations we’ve had with Ella, where Jax's cheeks redden, and she grins from ear to ear right along with Ella.

  “Woman, you're going to make me spell it out aren't you?” I grin at the playfulness we always seem fall into.

  “Yes.”

  Chuckling, I jump right in. “Jax, I’d like to take you out on a date. If you and CJ don't go out tonight, would you like to have dinner with me? We can either go out, or I can cook.” I hold my breath, waiting for her answer.

  “How about I suggest something else?” she proposes, and I’m intrigued enough to hear what her idea is.

  “Okay, shoot.”

  “How about you come over to my place, and I’ll make you dinner
. I know it's not the same as you taking me out, but we bake at your place regularly. I’d like to do something here,” she explains, and my heart races.

  Holy shit! She wants to cook for me?

  It takes me a minute before I can respond. “That sounds like a great idea, actually. When you know you're not doing anything with CJ, why don't you text me your address? And let me know if you want me to bring anything to help with dinner.”

  “Great. Let me talk to CJ, and I’ll get back to you shortly. Bye, Forest.”

  “Bye.”

  She disconnects, and I stare off into space.

  “Dude. Did she say yes?” Wes calls out from across the room.

  I can't believe these fuckers talked me into this. But after the shit we gave Wes and Calla, I can't say a damn thing to them. Besides, Jax has become part of our group. And now that Ella and I have settled into a routine, even she has started asking if I am going to date Jax.

  I fucking love my little girl.

  “Jax is going to get back to me. She was trying to hang out with CJ tonight,” I reply.

  “I told you the other day to ask her out. Why don't you ever listen to me?” Nessa tosses her hand up in a frustrated gesture.

  Flipping her off as usual, I head over to the table where my friends are sitting. We’re all gathered at Calla and Wes’s place having a meeting. It's the first business meeting I’ve been able to attend since we all officially became co-owners of Belladonna. After that turbulent week when Wes had his head even further up his ass and walked out, Calla put the business talk on hold. Not that I was in on the first discussion, though. Ella had been on fall break, so she and I took a mini vacation.

  We’d gone to Houston to visit my little sister, Piper, and Ella's friends. Then we headed down to Corpus Christi for a little fun in the sun. That week, Ella talked about Jax nonstop. Not that I really minded. That's when she started pestering me about asking Jax out.

  Since dating Jax wasn't just about me, I told Ella that I wanted us to get settled in, first. Damn, if she's not a little spitfire like Nessa and my mother, because while she agreed with me at the time, anytime we met with Jax to perfect our donut making skills, or just hung out with her, Ella would tell me, “Daddy we‘re good. Ask Jax out.”

  This morning, when I told her she’d be staying with Nonna and Gramps, and the reason why, she jumped up and down, she’d been so excited. The smile on her little face was huge. I even took a picture so I can show Jax.

  Fingers snap in front my face. “Earth to Forest! Come in, Forest!” Nessa, my twin, laughs. Right before punching me in the arm. “Get your head out of the clouds. We need to finish this paperwork and actually discuss Belladonna.”

  Everyone in the room chuckles, and Adam, Wes, and Trey salute me with their highball glasses. Yeah, they understand. My phone buzzes with an incoming text.

  Jax: Dinner is on at my place. I’m at 305 Jackson Road #500. I’m on the 3rd floor of the Whiteman building. I have everything, so just bring yourself.