The Fortune Cafe (A Tangerine Street Romance)

by Wright, Julie

  “Not quite what the governor ate, but I didn’t think you’d want leftovers.” He moved off and grabbed a couple of wine flutes along with a bottle of wine. Then he wrote something down in a ledger.

  “Five-star restaurant leftovers are probably pretty great,” Stella said.

  Evan laughed, setting down the wine glasses and pouring them about half full.

  “So… what did you feed him?” She took a sip of wine, watching Evan.

  He sat across from her. “A little bit of each of their favorites.”

  Stella was mesmerized as he described the recipes. The way he talked about food was like an artist talking about blending the perfect color. “Did you always do the cooking when you were married?” she blurted out. She could have choked— just because she was wondering about it, didn’t mean it was polite to ask. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to ask such a personal question.”

  “It’s all right,” Evan said, his gaze amused. “As long as I can ask you a personal question as well.”

  Stella took another sip of wine. “Deal.”

  Evan started cutting his meat with a fork and knife— which appeared to be sterling silver. “Being a chef isn’t the same thing as being a construction developer, and your house is the only on the block that’s never quite finished, or being a janitor and the last thing you want to do when you get home is clean. Cooking is something that I never get tired of.”

  “I guess if we all get hungry enough, we’ll end up cooking.”

  “Or ordering takeout.”

  Stella flushed, but she didn’t think he knew exactly how his comment sounded to her. Stella cut into her food and took the first bite. It was heavenly. “This is excellent. Really.” She took another bite. “So do you have a fully equipped kitchen at your place?”

  He grinned. “With a pink fairy-princess bedroom in my ‘pad,’ it’s not the standard bachelor hang out.” He ate a bite of his food, then said, “I’m pretty picky, so my kitchen is fairly well stocked. It’s not like I’m cooking gourmet all of the time, but I like fresh ingredients and have my favorite recipes. My ex-wife, Michelle, is really picky. I had to stick to the basics with her.” He took another bite. “Now, it’s my turn to ask you a question.”

  Stella raised a brow.

  “Has Andrew bothered you again?” he asked.

  She couldn’t have been more surprised by his question, but she realized that he was probably curious— after that kiss and all. Her neck heated up, and she took another sip of wine. “He’s texted a couple of times and called once, but didn’t leave a message.”

  “Did you guys date long?”

  “A couple of years,” Stella said. “Everyone liked him in the program, and he was a magnet with the women. I guess he was with me too.”

  Evan held her gaze as he said, “I’m not surprised he noticed you— you’re hard to miss.”

  “Evan…” It had been a long time since she’d been complimented… and she didn’t count Andrew. Stella stared at Evan for a moment, then smiled. “How is it possible you’re divorced? I mean, you’re sweet, good-looking, and you cook. You’re like the dream man.”

  She nearly regretted her questions when he turned red. He gazed at his wine glass for a moment before answering. “I had no control in my marriage. And I’m not a controlling person, but what I mean is that I had no say. No voice. It was like I was put in a corner to observe while Michelle ran everything and made all of the decisions.”

  Now Stella did regret being so blunt with him. The haunted look in his eyes was back, darkening their sea-color. She was about to apologize when he continued.

  “A strange thing happened to me when Katie was born,” he said. “I’d always thought I loved my parents, my sister, even my wife. But Katie was something else. It was like she was a part of me, and everything I did was now for her.”

  Stella nodded. She could definitely see that when he’d been in the shop with his daughter.

  Evan took a sip of his wine. “Maybe Michelle noticed that, and she didn’t like it. Since I worked afternoons and evenings, I’d spend all morning with Katie while Michelle shopped or spent time with friends. Sometimes I felt like we were trading our kid back and forth.”

  He looked down at his plate of food with a shrug. “Despite Michelle’s love for deep fried food, she was very picky in other areas. Katie was toilet trained by eighteen months. She was reading by the age of three with the help of a private tutor. Before she turned four, she was in a private preschool that only movie stars’ kids attended.”

  “Wow,” Stella said, trying to process it all in her mind. Was Michelle a trust fund baby or something? It didn’t sound like she had a career. Then he told her about Michelle’s insistence that Katie move to Japan for a year. Stella’s mouth dropped open. She didn’t want to bash his ex-wife out loud, but Stella was definitely trashing her in her mind.

  “That’s pretty much my marriage in a box,” Evan finished. His gaze met hers tentatively. “Sorry to dump it all out there.”

  “That’s fine. I guess I would have found out eventually.”

  “Eventually.” His smile was back, which was much better than the previous storminess in his eyes. “I like the sound of that. It implies more of this.”

  Stella moved to take another sip of wine, then thought better of it. Evan’s gaze was much too encompassing, and her body temperature was rising. “Can I have a glass of ice water?”

  “No problem,” he said, standing to fetch it.

  “So you have joint custody of Katie?” Stella asked when he brought it back.

  “Yeah.” Evan sat down. “Although with the two-hour drive between us, I only get her about one weekend a month.” He pushed the food around on his plate.

  Stella was getting full too. “This food is amazing— really. Did you always want to be a chef?”

  “Not specifically. I was a latchkey kid, and so I was on my own a lot. I guess I got tired of cold cereal and started experimenting.” Evan rose and gathered the plates.

  Stella stood too. “I should do that since you cooked.”

  “You’re my guest,” Evan said waving at her to sit back down. “I hope you like cheesecake.”

  Stella groaned. “I love it, but I’m stuffed.”

  Evan set the plates into a vast sink, then opened one of the massive refrigerators. A moment later he came back with two chilled plates of cheesecake drizzled with chocolate sauce, and topped with blackberries.

  “Take one bite, and then you can take home the rest.”

  Stella stared at the yumminess. “I could never take this home.”

  “I have a to-go box.”

  She met his gaze. “Oh, it’s not that…” She hesitated. “It’s my mom. You know she’s diabetic— but she doesn’t have much self-control.” Stella had never told another person this much about her mom. She wouldn’t call her mom a food addict, but maybe someone who couldn’t resist. If it was in the house, then she’d eat it, no matter what the risk.

  Evan didn’t look too concerned. “You can take the whole cheesecake home to her— it’s sugar-free.”

  “Really? How is that possible?” The dessert looked much too good for that.

  “Just taste it,” he said with a grin.

  Stella did. It was creamy, smooth, sweet, and the combination of the chocolate and raspberries perfect. She looked up at Evan. “I don’t believe you.”

  He leaned back in his chair, his eyes steady on hers. “I have a whole slew of recipes for people with special dietary needs. The best thing about them is that you don’t need to lose the flavor because some of the ingredients have to be altered.”

  “If my mom tasted this, she’d ask you to marry her,” Stella said, thinking about the smuggled M&M’s she’d found under the couch the week before. She had to do a thorough inspection every couple of days.

  Evan laughed. “Is she as pretty as you?”

  “Very funny,” Stella said, her face burning up. She took a swallow of the ice water,
then dug into the cheesecake. She didn’t care if she was full. Each bite was divine.

  “Will you continue to work at the shop if your mom gets better?” Evan asked.

  Stella set her fork down. She really had to stop eating, or she’d never go back to takeout again. “She won’t get better, at least not enough to do what she used to. And…” she started, a realization coming to her, “although I never expected to come back after college, I’ve enjoyed it— mostly.”

  “What would make it better?”

  Stella found that she was staring at him, and she backtracked quickly. “Nothing, really. I mean, it’s a quiet place if you’re local. People are always coming and going, so there isn’t really a point to establishing a relationship.”

  “Like dating someone?”

  Embarrassment heated her cheeks. “That too.” She gave him a sheepish smile.

  “You’re here tonight,” he said.

  She laughed, wishing she didn’t feel so embarrassed. “True. Although it’s practically the middle of the night.”

  “Practically…” He smiled.

  “What about you?” she asked. “Is this a temporary job for you?”

  “Being the head chef is a move up in my career, but I don’t like being so far from my daughter. I’d love to stay for a while, but a few things depend on that.”

  “So you like your job that much?”

  Evan gaze held hers for a moment, then he nodded. “I got lucky.”

  But Stella didn’t think he was talking about his job now. He rose and cleared the dessert plates.

  Stella stood as well and carried the wine glasses and utensils to the sink where Evan stood rinsing everything off. “I’m serious about taking the cheesecake home,” Evan said. “The rest is in a box. See what your mom thinks.”

  “I’d love to.” Stella looked around for a dishwasher. “Do we load these somewhere?”

  Evan turned off the water. “No, we’ll leave them soaking in the sink. The kitchen will open around 5:00 a.m., and I’m not going to mess with Mr. Goodrich’s method— he only allows things to be done in a certain order.”

  “I wish I had a Mr. Goodrich at my house.”

  Evan laughed. He dried off his hands, then pulled out the rest of the cheesecake from the refrigerator. He crossed to Stella, and reached for her hand. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car. We don’t want to keep Amelia up too late.”

  “You’re probably right.” She followed him out, trying to ignore the way her stomach fluttered like crazy at his casual touch. They exited a side door that opened onto the parking lot.

  Stella breathed in the cool, salty air. It had been a great evening. And that had everything to do with the man holding her hand right now. Yeah, he had some history, some heartbreak in his past, but that just made him all the more interesting to her. Maybe it wouldn’t be so complicated to date him, especially since the more she was around him, the more she liked him.

  “There’s my car,” Stella said, coming to a stop as they reached her VW.

  “Vintage, huh?”

  “Seemed to fit Seashell Beach, so I bought it when I moved home.” She dug in her purse for her keys. When she found them, Evan held out his hand.

  She gave him the keys, and he unlocked the back door and set the cheesecake on the seat. Then he opened the driver’s door for her.

  “Thanks,” she said. “I think you’re pretty much perfect, Evan Rockham.”

  He laughed. “I’m not even close.”

  Stella realized he hadn’t moved back and was standing very close to her, his left arm leaning on top of the door. He reached for her hand again, and Stella’s breath hitched. This time his thumb caressed her palm, sending goosebumps up her arms.

  She wondered if it would be too forward to kiss him on their first date. Yes. Except she’d already kissed him. He was quiet, not saying anything, just watching her. Even though the night was dark, she felt like she could see the color of his eyes. It wasn’t only that his eyes were incredible, but everything about him was pretty awesome as well. “Do you cook for all of your dates?”

  “No, only the ones I’m trying to impress.” Evan leaned closer, and if Stella moved back, she’d be sitting in her car. So she stayed still, almost feeling the warmth from his body.

  “Why would you want to impress me?”

  “Because you’re pretty amazing,” he said in a soft voice. “You left a prestigious college to run a jewelry shop for your mom.”

  She loved the way his soft tone sent warm shivers through her body. “It’s a great shop.”

  He smiled. “It is. And you chose your mom over your spoiled boyfriend.”

  “That wasn’t as hard as it might sound.” Standing here with Evan made her realize that she and Andrew were never a good match.

  Evan’s fingers threaded through hers “I love that you have Post-it reminders stuck to your walls,” he said.

  “Really?” Stella laughed. “It just proves that I can’t remember anything unless it’s written on a fluorescent square of paper and tacked right in front of me.”

  “It’s much better than those electronic devices everyone else uses.” Evan tugged her hand toward him, and she naturally moved closer. “And one more thing, I love that you called me today.”

  Stella knew he was going to kiss her. There wasn’t any doubt. And if it had been two days earlier, she probably would have stepped away. But it wasn’t two days earlier, and she had enjoyed looking into this man’s sea-colored eyes and telling her what he loved about her. So, she didn’t move back.

  His fingers released hers, and one hand brushed against her jaw, then moved behind her neck. Stella knew immediately that this kiss was going to be a lot different than their first kiss in the office.

  Evan’s lips touched hers, and he kissed her softly, tentatively, as if he was unsure of her reaction. Stella melted into the kiss, sliding her hands up his chest, then behind his neck. She pulled him closer, kissing him back, and his hands wrapped around her waist. Her body seemed to meld with his, her pulse hammering like mad.

  The touch of his mouth warmed her through, and the kissing turned more intense. Evan moved her until her back was pressed against the car. She lowered her hands to his shoulders, feeling the strength there as she held onto him. Evan’s kiss slowed, and she was able to catch her breath. When he lifted his head, she opened her eyes.

  “Hey,” he whispered.

  “Hey,” she whispered back. She smiled, still cocooned between his body and the car. Whatever was happening, she didn’t feel lonely anymore.

  Evan rolled over in bed with a groan. His cell was ringing, and it felt like he’d barely fallen asleep after his date with Stella. A quick glance at the time told him it was almost 3:00 a.m. But his heart nearly stopped when he saw that Katie was calling.

  He’d given her a basic cell phone to call only him. It was the best way to stay in touch with her about simple things like asking how school was going without going through Michelle first.

  “Katie?” he answered.

  “Daddy?” Her little voice coming through the line tugged at his heart.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked, sitting up in bed and switching on his lamp.

  “Mommy’s not home, and I’m scared.”

  Panic shot through Evan. “Where did she go?”

  “She went with R-Randy.”

  Evan knew about Randy— Michelle’s latest fling. He had to admire a man who could put up with her. None of her boyfriends lasted very long. “You’re there alone?” He tried to keep the panic out of his voice so he didn’t scare Katie.

  “Mrs. Gordman is here, but she’s snoring on the couch.”

  Relief shot through Evan. Katie wasn’t alone— she just wanted her mom. “Well, your mom is late, that’s all. Go to sleep, and when you wake up, I’m sure she’ll be home.”

  “She said she wouldn’t be home for two days,” Katie said, a pout in her voice.

  “What?” If Michelle was gone for the
weekend, why wouldn’t she bring Katie to him?

  “She said I would be bored, so I had to stay home,” Katie said, then yawned.

  Anger pulsed through Evan. Why wouldn’t Michelle bring Katie to him or at least give him the option? Or even better, wait to spend the weekend with her boyfriend when it was Evan’s turn with Katie? He hated divorce. But he’d hated being married to Michelle even more. It was times like this that he wished he’d tried to get full custody during the divorce proceedings. He decided he’d have to make a call his lawyer to modify the custody agreement so that he’d be the first choice babysitter.

  “Look, sweetie,” Evan said after taking a measured breath. “It’s the middle of the night, and you’ll be super tired tomorrow if you don’t go back to sleep. How about I tell you a story?”

  “About the green giant?”

  Evan laughed quietly. “Sure. Now lie down and close your eyes.”

  Ten minutes later, he could hear Katie breathing softly and steadily. He didn’t dare fall asleep for a while in case she woke up needing him again, so he kept the phone next to his pillow. He didn’t expect to sleep. Thoughts of Stella returned with full force. They’d kissed and talked for another hour in the parking lot. It was like he could tell her anything. He’d never felt that comfortable with another person so quickly— not even Michelle. He didn’t know if he’d ever felt like he could totally be himself with Michelle. The more he analyzed their relationship and marriage, the more he realized it had always been all about her. It had just taken him years to see it.

  Evan turned on his side, thinking about how Stella hadn’t exactly been shy in returning his kisses. The thought shot heat through him. She was definitely interested in him— and wasn’t afraid to show it. And knowing that she hadn’t dated anyone since Andrew the year before told Evan that she wasn’t a player. He thought of the way she fit against him, and how she’d run her fingers along his neck and shoulders, then told him to kiss her some more.

  Being with Stella was not about the physical attraction though. He’d been watching and listening to her, wondering how she’d be around Katie. That was more important than being with a woman who liked him or made him feel good. Evan had to think about the long term because Katie was his priority.