Falling Sweetly (Starling Falls #2)

by Aidan Willows

  And all of a sudden you’re agreeing to work with him on his new restaurant idea, after avoiding him like the plague for months. Did something happen during the time you both disappeared that I should know about?” she asked with a salacious grin.

  “Ooooh. Is there more gossip? You told me you agreed to help him with his restaurant and that was it! Niki-Ray, if something else happened and you didn’t share it with me, your best friend and confidante, I’m gonna be pissed,” Mitch chimed in looking engrossed.

  “For goodness sake, you two are delusional! He was obviously upset about something, so we talked, and I helped him come up with a solution for his problem because that’s what friends do, and that’s what we are… friends. There’s nothing more to tell,” I sighed in annoyance.

  Mitch and Liya exchanged a look that made me nervous. The thought of them on the same page about anything, let alone anything concerning me, was terrifying.

  “Okay, if you say so, Niki. When do you guys start working on the menu?” Liya asked as she walked around me and back to the coffee pot to pour more coffee into a take away cup.

  I shrugged, trying to ignore the flip-flopping in my stomach.

  “I’m not sure. We didn’t really get a chance to talk about that yesterday. He sort of sprung the whole idea on me.”

  “Yeah, I gathered that from your many ‘Huhs’ and what-planet-have-I-landed-on expression.” Liya yawned before grabbing another scone. “What you doing this evening? You want to come round for dinner?”

  I stared her deadpanned. “You want me to come to your house for dinner? Does that mean you’re actually going to cook and don’t expect me to bring the food to you?”

  Liya burst out laughing. “Oh, Niki. You are so funny.” She hugged me and started walking towards the door. “Dinner at eight? Bring pizza. Caleb’s working so it’ll just be the two of us.”

  “Fine, I’ll bring the pizza but you need to stop at the store on your way home and buy ice-cream. Someone finished the last tub of Rocky Road that was in my freezer.” I sent her an accusatory glare.

  “Really? That is awful. Some people have no freaking manners,” she said as she stepped outside. “See you later, Little Bug. Bye, Jackass.”

  “I know I’ve asked you before, but I have to ask again; how the hell is it possible that you’re related to that?” Mitch asked, shaking his head.

  “It’s like you guys are sugar and spice, but you got all the sugar and she got all the spice. And not the good kind either. She’s like the spice that burns a hole in your tongue.”

  “Leave her alone. You’re both as bad as each other,” I chided as I walked back into the kitchen to check on the muffins in the oven.

  The message alert on my phone sounded, and I pulled it out of the back pocket of my jeans.

  “Who is it?” Mitch asked, peering curiously over my shoulder.

  I rolled my eyes at his nosiness. “You ever heard of a little concept called privacy?”

  “Yes. I just choose to ignore it.” He bumped my hip with his. “So, who is it?”

  “It’s Douglas. That lawyer I’m supposed to go on a date with tomorrow,” I told him unenthusiastically.

  “Wow, you seem super excited. Stop jumping up and down about it,” Mitch said sarcastically.

  “I know. He seems like a decent guy from our conversations, but… I just don’t feel there’s any kind of deeper connection between us.”

  “What number is this one?”

  “Well, excluding the horrific speed dating thing Addie made me go on, I think it’s maybe date eleven or twelve? I don’t know. I stopped keeping track after the guy who brought his mum on the date with us.”

  Mitch threw his head back and cackled. “And I thought I had bad luck in the dating world.”

  “Well, his mum gave me a great meatloaf recipe. So at least that date wasn’t a total waste of time.”

  The message alert on my phone sounded again. I groaned quietly thinking it was Douglas wanting a response from me confirming our date.

  I swallowed when I saw that it wasn’t from him, but it was a text from Jake.

  Jake: Hey, Niki. Just wanted to apologize. I realised I kind of bulldozed you into agreeing to help me yesterday. If you want to back out, I get it.

  I bit my lip, realising that he had just provided me with a potential out clause. I stood frozen in the kitchen as Mitch bustled around me, my fingers hovering over the screen as I debated how to respond to his text.

  He’s going to be Liya’s brother-in-law - he’ll be around all the time. You have to get over your feelings for him sooner or later.

  I started to respond and immediately deleted the message I’d typed with a groan.

  You’re supposed to be his friend. Friends help each other.

  You know you’re going to do the nice thing here. So, stop being a coward and just reply already.

  Groaning, I finally responded.

  Me: You did kind of blindside me. But it’s okay. I’ll help you in any way I can.

  Jake: You’re the best. Thank you. You free tomorrow around 12 to come look at empty sites with me? I’d like your opinion on them. And then maybe start to brainstorm some menu ideas?

  Me: I can be free at noon. I’ll ask Laurie to come in to help Mitch.

  Jake: Great, I’ll come pick you up around 11.45?

  Car. Jake. Me. Alone.

  Fan-flipping-tastic.

  Me: Ok.

  Jake: Great. See you then, Niki. And thanks again. I owe you. Lunch is on me.

  Lunch? What lunch? We’re doing lunch now too?

  Oh crud.

  CHAPTER 10

  Jacob

  I was sitting at the small table in our kitchen, with Nate, waiting for Niki’s response to my text. After what felt like an hour, her reply caused me to let out a huge breath I hadn’t realised I had been holding.

  “Who is that?” Josh asked, as he sat at the table with a bowl of cereal. “You’ve been looking at your phone like it’s about to detonate.”

  “Was waiting for Niki to text back about helping me tomorrow.”

  “Oh, right. By the way, that was a smooth move you pulled, bro.” He grinned deviously at me over his bowl.

  I stared at him blankly. “What move?”

  “Don’t insult me. I know you too well. You’ve had moon eyes for the little Abbott sister for months now. Asking her to help you by just saying that she’s helping you, knowing that she’d be too much of a sweetie to say no... That’s some evil genius shit right there.”

  Nate snorted but didn’t say anything. He turned the page of the newspaper he was reading and took another swig of his coffee.

  “I’m not that much of a dick.” I frowned at my twin. “I just sent her a message apologizing and saying I get it if she doesn’t want to help me after the way I just sprung it on her yesterday.”

  “That’s not all you’d like to spring on her though, am I right?”

  “Fuck you, Josh,” I said angrily. “Don’t talk about her like that.”

  My outburst caused Nate to look up from the newspaper and arch an eyebrow in surprise, while Josh looked at me shocked.

  “Whoa, calm the fuck down, Jacob. I was joking; I didn’t mean anything by it. You know I respect Niki.”

  I sighed and rubbed a hand over my face, knowing that I had overreacted.

  “I’m sorry, man.”

  Josh nodded at me warily. “What the hell crawled up your ass and died?”

  “I’m just stressed. I’ve got a shitload of stuff to do today. We’ve got the last day at the restaurant today, and then I’ve got to go the bank about the loan and then the listing agent to look at vacant spaces.”

  I massaged my temples in an attempt to soothe the headache that was building.

  “I still can’t believe it. It’s fuckin’ crazy. I don’t understand how you haven’t gone after Dillon with a crowbar for what he did.”

  “Believe me, I want to so badly. But Marco made all of us at the restauran
t promise that I wouldn’t go near the rat-bastard. And then he started talking about karma sorting things out and violence creating negativity that messes with our auras.”

  “What?” Josh asked, his face screwed up in confusion.

  I shrugged and reached for my coffee. “I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about most of the time. I don’t know about my aura, but my fist would have felt better if I’d punched Dillon in his stupid face,” I grumbled.

  “You know, I still can’t believe you kept this from me, Jake. I get not telling the others. But not telling me? When did we start keeping shit from each other?” Josh said unhappily.

  Of all my brothers, I’d always been closest to my twin, but there had been a rift that formed between us in the last couple of months.

  I knew it had been caused by me being a moody asshole even before the situation with Dillon and Canatta.

  I hadn’t been an easy person to be around, and I knew I had to begin making amends. Josh was the most easy-going person I knew, but I could read him well enough to know that he was genuinely hurt by my not confiding in him.

  “I felt like an idiot, man. I got played, didn’t feel like spreading that news.”

  “Still. I’ve always got your back no matter what. Next time shit hits the fan, don’t be a mopey dick about it. Just talk to me, man.”

  “Yeah, I know, Josh. I know.”

  The corner of Nate’s mouth turned up. “You two going to kiss and make up now? Your little love fest is making me sick.”

  The corner of his mouth turned up further when both Josh and I flipped him off at the same time.

  Josh went back to his cereal. “So, what’s your plan of action with little Niki?”

  I frowned at him. “Little Niki?”

  “What? It suits her, don’t you think?”

  My frown deepened. “Don’t give her nicknames, I don’t like it.”

  Josh quirked an eyebrow. “You’re not going to turn into a possessive prick like Caleb are you?”

  I shrugged, not wanting to admit I was pretty sure I was already at possessive prick level. The thought of Niki with anyone else made me want to spill blood.

  “Well, you’ve got your work cut out, man. She’s seriously skittish. When we were alone on the drive to the surprise party, she was so nervous it made me uncomfortable. How could anyone be nervous around me? We all know how irresistibly charming I am.”

  I rolled my eyes at my brother’s highly elevated levels of self-confidence.

  “Maybe she was just fearful for her life. You drive like you’re in a car chase.”

  “Screw you, asshole. You wish you had my skills behind the wheel.”

  “I wish a lot of things, but that is definitely not one of them, Joshua.” I took a bite of my now cold toast.

  “I have a plan. I figure I’m just going to let nature runs its course. She’s finally actually talking to me again, and she agreed to help me. We’re going to be spending more time together, things should just happen naturally from there, right?”

  Nate snorted and said dryly, “Yeah, that’s how this situation is going to play out cos your plans always work so well.”

  * * * * *

  All the restaurant staff was gathered in the empty dining area of the restaurant. Tisha and I had made the decision to prepare a meal for the entire kitchen and wait staff to commemorate our last day together.

  I looked at the group of people whom I had come to trust and had become good friends with over the years.

  “I’ve only been here ten years; I know some of you have been here a lot longer than that. I’m not a big speech giver, but just know that it’s been a privilege to work with each and every single one of you.

  I’m sad that this is how it’s ended, but we’ve had some awesome times together, and I hope that wherever you end up next, you’re happy there. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication over the years. Now let’s eat!”

  There was a resounding cheer as people raised their champagne glasses and downed the expensive contents. Marco hadn’t turned up for the party, but he had told us to spare no expense.

  From what I could gather, he had been extremely generous with the severance packages. Most of the staff had already found work, and a few of the older servers who had started when Marco first opened the restaurant had decided to finally retire.

  I headed back into the kitchen with Tisha, and we started hauling the huge platters of food out. We had stuck true to Marco’s French-Italian routes and cooked a combination of both types of foods.

  The tables had been joined to allow all the staff to sit together. As I sat at the head of the table and started heaping pasta onto my plate, Tisha took the chair to the right of me. Her eyes looked suspiciously red.

  “Tish, you okay?”

  “Yes. I’m fine. Why?” she replied sharply.

  I raised my hands defensively. “No reason.” I handed her my pasta filled plate and took another empty plate for myself.

  She nodded her thanks to me and started eating. Martina came and sat silently on the other side of me with a plate of boeuf bourguignon and mashed potatoes. She sent me a small smile and patted my hand gently before she began to eat.

  As I looked around the table at the sad but happy faces, I felt guilt but also a sense of relief and excitement at the new venture I was about to start.

  Now I just have to not fuck anything up.

  * * * * *

  A couple of hours and several bottles of wine and champagne later, the tables had been cleared and only a few people remained in the restaurant.

  I had asked Martina, Tisha, and the rest of the staff, whom I knew hadn’t found work yet, to stay behind after the others had left. They were all staring at me with curious expressions.

  “What’s this about Jake?” Martina asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I’m thinking about starting something. I want you guys to come on board.”

  “Starting what?”

  “My own diner… or restaurant. I haven’t figured that part out yet. But the food is going to be nothing like the stuff we had on the menu here. Strictly comfort food. Casseroles, stews, pasta and pies, but with a difference.”

  Tisha and Martina exchanged a look, before Martina asked, “Are you serious?”

  “As a heart attack. I’m going to the listing agents and the bank after we’re done.” I was met with a silence that made me nervous.

  “I know it’s a risk but-”

  “Of course I’m on board!” Martina said, giving me a hug.

  “I’m in too, Chef,” the new, young kitchen assistant Derek, whom I’d never even heard speak before, said quietly but firmly.

  A few other murmurs from some of the wait staff echoed with interest.

  “But just so you guys know, I can’t afford to pay you what you were getting here. At least not to begin with, but as soon as business picks up, and I’m able to, I’ll match it. I get if that changes things. A lot of you have hungry mouths to feed and families who depend on you.

  “No hard feelings if you want to find somewhere else that pays what you were getting here. I’d give any of you a glowing recommendation.”

  A few nodding heads were amongst the small group. “There’s no time limit on my offer. Any of you ever want a job, you’ll have one with me. Go home, think about it, and let me know.”

  A chorus of ‘Yes, Chefs’ sounded before people began to make their way out of the restaurant.

  I nodded at the staff as they left. An oddly calm Tisha came up to me. I didn’t think I’d ever seen her smile that widely before, and it was starting to freak me out. “Tish? You in?”

  She was silent, but kept smiling at me, with a chilling yet serene expression. I’d imagined that was a look she would generally give someone before they lost a limb for pissing her off.

  You should be afraid.

  I opened my mouth, but closed it again, deciding to let her speak first. Maybe then she would at least have the dec
ency of allowing me a head start before she inflicted any kind of injury on me.

  She was silent for a moment longer before she spoke. “You. Asshole. You let me worry about having to find a new job and moving, and all along you knew you were going to open your own place?”

  “No, I didn’t. I literally made the decision yesterday. I didn’t even know if you would want to join me, Tish.” I started inching towards the door.

  She frowned at me. “Why wouldn’t I want to join you? I mean, you’re okay. Working with you hasn’t been awful.”

  High praise indeed.

  “You said you made the decision yesterday? Weren’t you at your Aunt and Uncle’s party?”

  “Yeah. I was thinking about taking a job in Chicago, when Niki gave me the idea of opening my own restaurant, but cooking what I want to. I can’t believe the idea never occurred to me.”

  “Niki?” Tisha looked confused before recognition flashed across her face. “Oh, the bakery girl?”

  I grinned and nodded. “I’ve asked her to help with the new menu.”

  Tisha looked very unimpressed. “Is this just a way for you to get into her pants? Because I swear, if it is Jake-”

  I didn’t let her finish. “She’s an amazing cook and she’s got a great palate. I really think we could use her input,” I paused, “And if anything just happens to transpire between us while we’re working together, well…” I trailed off and let my wide grin speak for me.

  Tisha groaned, “Oh God. I’m going to be stuck between the two of you acting like a pair of sappy idiots.”

  “That’s the hope.”

  CHAPTER 11

  Annika

  I tapped my fingers nervously against the steel counter in the kitchen of the bakery, as I waited for Jake to arrive.