A Delicious Dilemma

by Sera Taíno

  “Enough talk of your business,” Grace interjected, filling everyone’s glass of wine. “Let’s talk about mine.”

  Philip backed down, and even Andreas visibly relaxed. “Charity is not business.”

  “I beg to differ, darling,” Grace said, unperturbed by his comment. “I’m holding a fundraiser next weekend and I’d love it if you came, Philip. Étienne will be there.”

  “Are you two working on another project together?” Philip asked.

  Grace’s eyes, the very same deep shade of blue as Philip’s, twinkled but she simply shrugged in response.

  “What are you two plotting?” Andreas asked, also catching Grace’s mood.

  Grace practically danced in her chair. “Well, if you insist. We’re thinking about auctioning off a limited edition bound photography series. It’s a huge draw because the photography is his.”

  “Nothing like a nice family photo series by Étienne Galois,” Andreas said, refilling his wineglass.

  Grace laughed. “Oh, no, love, we don’t want this to be family photographs. We’re thinking more like the style of his last series.”

  Étienne was riding the wave of a successful series celebrating human sexuality. His photographs were posted all over social media, and his exhibit had been written up in all the major fashion magazines.

  Philip leaned back, nodding with admiration. “That’s really progressive for your charity.”

  “Oh, darling.” She waved her hand—and his words—away. “We keep up with the times. Plus, those photographs are absolutely stunning.”

  The tone of her voice as she described the photos made Philip uneasy. Andreas was again quick to react. “Grace! Are you ogling young models?”

  “No, but that exhibit is quite possibly the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. That’s why it’s so popular.”

  The expression on his father’s face was almost worth Philp’s discomfort at the knowledge that his mother showed any kind of interest in sex. “Why on Earth would you admire those models when have me?”

  “Okay,” Philip said, shooting to his feet. Maybe the look on his father’s face was not worth it after all. “Time for a bathroom break.”

  “Oh, dear, who would have thought you were such a modest thing?” Grace teased as Philip walked away, her voice dropping to a low whisper in response to some comment his father made.

  But Philip’s mind was whirling. His father was hesitant about the proposal. That he didn’t reject it outright was a good sign, but he might need a nudge in the right direction. The fundraiser would be a perfect opportunity to do this. He’d bring Val, if she accepted, and introduce them to each other. Right now, the work in East Ward was just buildings and plans, but if Andreas met Val, he would be putting a face on the work they were doing. It was hard to run roughshod over someone when the personal stakes were revealed. Val’s tour of her neighborhood had taught him that.

  It would also be a way to earn Val’s trust, once and for all. She was still holding herself back from him despite an obvious attraction, as if she were ready at every turn to defend herself. He acknowledged his own responsibility in that. But some of it came from her past, and some days, he just wanted to reach back into her history and punch the fool who’d put those fears in her.

  Besides, his mother planned some of the best parties. Étienne would be there, most likely with Malena, which would help Val feel more at ease. Unlike his father’s fondness for zero-sum games, Philip preferred everyone to win. And he’d get to spend an evening with Val, and that was possibly the best part of all.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Val leaned against the counter with hot tea in hand, relieved that the last customer had finally left. She had another hour to go before closing but she’d hoped to start cleanup early and maybe get in a run. It had been a mild day, the ever-lengthening hours sliding into a warm if breezy evening. It would free her mind from work, awaiting approval for the mortgage on their building, and the proposed changes negotiated between the EWFHC and Wagner Developments.

  She wondered, as she often did, what Philip might do on a night like this. She quickly punted the thought out of her brain.

  Nati calling Val from the kitchen snapped her out of her thoughts.

  “Are you here?” Nati asked.

  “Where else?” Val answered, taking another sip of tea. When Nati appeared, she wasn’t in her scrubs, but freshly washed and cheerfully radiant despite a twelve-hour shift. Val would kill for a scrub down with her loofah about now. It might clear her thinking and keep her mind from flying to the same place—or person—every single damned time.

  “I’m here now, hermana,” Nati sang, giving Val a sloppy kiss on the cheek. “Want some help with cleanup?”

  Val’s mood instantly lifted. “Yeah! Want to have dinner first?”

  “Oh, I ate already. I’m too wired to sleep so I figured I’d be useful. Where is everybody?” Nati answered, tying an apron behind her back.

  Nati had an uncanny ability to know when Val needed the most help. In fact, she’d lucked out with her siblings. Neither had ever said no when she needed backup in the restaurant. “Papi had an appointment. Everyone else either called in or had to go home. Today was a mess.”

  “Well, didn’t I show up in time?” Nati chirped, getting to work right away on clearing off the last of the tables.

  Val’s phone vibrated. She took another sip of tea and pulled it out of her pocket.

  “Oh,” she mumbled.

  “What is it?” Nati said, pulling the phone over to look at the text.

  “It’s Philip. You know, Philip Wagner. Says he wants to stop by and see me,” Val said, glancing at herself in the mirror above the espresso maker.

  Nati’s easy smile evaporated as she leaned in close to her sister, dropping her voice to a whisper. “I thought he was public enemy number one? He’s making house calls?”

  Val grimaced. She hadn’t told Nati about giving him a tour of the neighborhood. It had been strangely personal, and she hadn’t wanted to submit it to the collective scrutiny of her family. But Nati was fully aware of the work EWFHC was doing with Philip and his people.

  “Maybe it has to do with our last meeting,” Val said, rubbing her rosary between her thumb and forefinger.

  “Didn’t you say it went well?” Nati handed the phone back to Val.

  “It did. So I’m not sure what he wants to talk about. What if it’s bad news?”

  Nati pointed at Val’s phone. “Ask him.”

  Val nodded and tapped out her message.

  Is it anything I have to worry about?

  His answer was almost instantaneous. She really hoped he wasn’t driving.

  Nothing bad. Promise. Just a proposition Maybe we can discuss over dinner?

  Dinner? That was even more nerve-racking. “No bad news,” she said. “But he said he could tell me over dinner.”

  Nati tapped her chin, thinking. “Maybe ask him to stay for dinner instead of going somewhere else. You know—keep your enemies close and well-fed.”

  Val tilted her head, considering her sister. “Did you read that in one of your manuals, Dr. Machiavelli?”

  Nati gave Val a glare before shaking her head. “No. Everybody knows men dig food.”

  “I think the whole species digs food, hermanita.”

  Val typed out a message to Philip with Nati’s laughter ringing in the background. Dinner in her restaurant wasn’t a half-bad idea. It would give her a sense of control, at least until she found out what he wanted from her.

  Last customer just left. How about we have dinner here?

  Once again, Philip’s response was immediate, and their exchange became as lively as always.

  I don’t want to trouble you. Just wanted to ask you about something.

  No trouble. It’s not like I’m cooking. It’s already prepared.
<
br />   Okay. OMW

  Don’t you want to know what’s on the menu?

  I’ll eat anything.

  Except goat.

  Except goat :)

  Val tucked her phone in her back pocket. “We’ll have dinner here.”

  Nati chuckled. “You better get it ready, because I think he’s the one parking his car out front.”

  “What?” Val rushed to the front door, peering through the letters glued onto the windows of the restaurant.

  “Nobody in this neighborhood owns an Alfa Romeo.” Nati gazed out the window, as well. “He’s not playing around, is he? The man literally texted from outside your door,” Nati chortled before peering more closely at him.

  Val ignored her, panic clawing up her chest. “He’s here. I need lipstick,” Val said as she darted past her.

  “Why do you need lipstick? Val!” Nati called, following her to the bathroom in her father’s office.

  “Just because it’s a business thing doesn’t mean I have to look washed out.” Val half crawled under the sink, rummaging through the bottles and pouches stuffed inside.

  Nati shot a hand past her and grabbed a bulging gold lamé case. She pulled out a tube and handed it to Val.

  “Here. Courtesy of Fenty Beauty. It’s the good stuff.”

  Val applied the lip gloss and smoothed down her hair before turning toward her sister. “Well?”

  “Supermodel. Now go. He just walked in.”

  “He’s here. Okay.” Val took a long, deep breath, clutching her rosary as she numbered off what was available. “Pernil. Rice. Beans, maduros, ensalada...”

  “I think he broke your brain,” Nati said between chuckles.

  Val shook herself. “No, no, I’m good. Right as rain.” She smoothed out her apron and walked toward the front. She had no reason to act like she’d never seen a man before.

  The tinkling bell gave away his arrival. Val popped her head around the wall of the kitchen.

  Philip wore a dark gray-blue suit vest, sleeves rolled up to his elbow to reveal perfectly defined forearms, top buttons of his dress shirt undone. She imagined him tearing his jacket and tie off as he left his office, reserving the careful work of rolling up his sleeves and unbuttoning the top two buttons for when he was relaxed in the driver’s seat. He’d finish undressing when he got home, discarded shirt and undone pants pooled at his feet.

  The visual. She had to get that visual out of her head.

  She was self-conscious about her worn jeans and faded red T-shirt beneath her stained apron. She had readjusted the bandanna that held her hair back, hoping the festive color would brighten her work-worn appearance.

  “Someone told me dinner was to die for,” he said by way of greeting.

  “Don’t die,” she said with a shaky laugh. “It’d be bad for business.”

  Philip’s eyes flicked over her before scanning the restaurant. “It looks even cozier during the day.” His gaze lingered on the large mural at the far end of the restaurant. “I liked that painting the first time I saw it.”

  “It’s Arecibo, the town my father is from.”

  “It’s exceptional,” Philip said as he studied it.

  “This building has quite a few murals. They were painted back when East Ward was an artist community. Maybe I’ll show you one day.”

  Wait.

  No.

  She clamped down on her tongue before she said any other idiotic things.

  He turned back to her, the entire force of his gaze leaving her wanting for oxygen. “I’d like that very much.”

  “Let’s take this table here,” she said quickly, leading him toward her preferred booth. A flourishing tree grew outside the window, bark mottled by pollution and the carvings of couple’s names. It was majestic but its roots were distorting the concrete around it. She expected the city to come out and take care of it at some point, but until then, she enjoyed it while watching people walk along the sidewalk, the thick leaves shading them from the worst of the sun.

  “I don’t want to give you more work. We can always go somewhere else.”

  “It’s really no prob—” The clatter of pots erupting from the kitchen cut across Val’s words. She hurried toward the swinging doors. “Nati? Are you okay?”

  “Sorry, they slipped out of my hand,” Nati answered with a decidedly unapologetic tone. She glanced past Val to where Philip sat watching them. Nati lowered her voice to a whisper. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you guys.”

  Val rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay. Come meet him.”

  She led her extra-nosy sister to the table. Philip stood upon their approach like a perfect gentleman.

  “You must be Philip,” Nati said, not bothering to wait for Val.

  “Nati. Val talks about you all the time.”

  “Nothing good, I hope.”

  Philip appeared caught off guard by her comment, but he recovered quickly. “Not one good thing, now that I think of it.”

  Nati raised an eyebrow before a laugh burst out of her. “Good to know my reputation precedes me.”

  Val watched as Philip gave Nati a smile that bedazzled them both before taking her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  Nati stood with her mouth gaping open. Val almost pitied her. “Since Philip and I are going to have dinner, I’ll take care of cleanup.”

  Nati managed to tear her gaze away from Philip long enough to answer her sister. “I already said I’d do it. You guys take as much time as you need.”

  No way. Nati thought she was going to weasel her way into hanging around, but it wasn’t happening. “You really don’t have to. I know you have things to do,” Val said, her eyes boring into her sister’s, sending her a message she was clearly intent on ignoring.

  “No I don’t. Anyway, I’ve done cleanup a million times. I can handle it. Want me to help you get your plates ready?”

  She was going to throttle her in the kitchen. “Yeah, sure, why not?” Val answered. She turned her attention to Philip, who was still standing, watching them with a humorous expression. “One special coming right up.”

  “Sounds perfect,” he answered. Nati gave Philip moon eyes once more before turning and following Val to the back.

  “Not a word,” Val snapped when Nati began to speak.

  “You did not tell me that the bad corporate man was so cute,” Nati said, talking over her.

  “He’s not entirely bad.” Val murmured, then silently cursed herself.

  “But he’s still a Wagner so you have to be careful. Hey, you don’t think he’s here because he wants to talk you out of buying the building?”

  “Shh,” Val snapped. “He doesn’t know I put in an offer.”

  “Good to know you don’t trust him, either.” Nati’s words left her hollow, but they were also the truth. “Well, I’m sticking around, just in case.”

  “Nati!” Val objected, but Nati used her selective hearing to ignore her and busied herself arranging plates on the tray. Val’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. Just don’t hover.”

  “I’m not going to hover. I’m not weird.”

  “So you say,” Val retorted. “Help me carry the trays?”

  “Okay. But before you do that...” Nati stepped behind her, undoing the knot and pulling off both the bandanna and the apron. “These are not high-fashion accessories.” She finger-combed Val’s hair until she was satisfied. “Now you look like an off-duty restaurant worker.”

  “Tonta,” Val snapped, which made Nati laugh harder and brought a smile to Val’s face. Nati’s chortles followed Val to where Philip sat studying the restaurant as if he hadn’t spent the night with her there.

  Val tried to see Navarro’s through his eyes. What she saw tugged at her heart—the kitchen where she used to follow her mother around as a child, learning to cook. Tables where she’d done her homewor
k, illuminated by sunlight. This was her home, an extension of who she was, and she was sharing it with him.

  “Dinner is served,” Val said, ignoring her sister’s grin as they set down the trays. When Philip looked at her, the hair along the nape of her neck stood at attention. She struggled with the equally powerful impulses to both run away from him and crawl into his lap, each reaction more disconcerting than the other.

  Nati helped Val arrange the plates before tucking the serving trays under her arm. “If you kids need anything else, just wave at me.”

  “Thanks, Nati.”

  “Oh, please, you never take a break.” She turned toward Philip, jabbing a thumb in Val’s direction. “It’s a good thing you showed up or she’d be running till midnight.”

  “She strikes me as pretty driven.”

  Nati waved her hands at Val. “If Val didn’t exist, someone would have had to invent her.”

  She wandered off, leaving Philip with his brow furrowed. “Your sister is nice but she speaks in riddles, too.”

  “Oh.” Val laughed. “She just translated a Spanish saying. I think what she means to say is that I’m unique, though she doesn’t always mean it as a compliment.”

  He leaned forward so that only she could hear him. “I agree with her. And I mean that entirely as a compliment.”

  Her heart unstuck itself from her chest and ended up somewhere in her throat. She took too much time unfolding the napkin Nati had added to the tray and placing it over her lap.

  He took a bite of the pork and let out a low moan.

  Val froze as the sound exploded through her body. This had been a terrible idea. Not only did she have to wait to find out what he wanted, but he was inadvertently edging her with nothing more than the sound of his pleasure. She clenched her legs shut, releasing a shuddering breath, praying he wouldn’t notice. It was excruciating to sit opposite him and not climb across the table, scattering plates and cups to do filthy things to his mouth.

  “This is excellent,” he said when he finished chewing.

  “You think?” Val squeaked before clearing her throat. “You should eat it with the rice and beans. Some people mix it with the cassava.” She pointed at the white root on his plate, smothered in onions. “Or you can dip the meat in the mojo.”