Unexpected Rush

by Jaci Burton

  "He wishes. No, he won his game this afternoon, so he's being interviewed."

  "Always bragging, isn't he?"

  "Yeah. What a dick."

  Harmony came in and sat on the sofa next to Barrett. "That's your brother, isn't it?"

  "Yeah."

  They all sat quiet and listened to Tucker talk about the game, giving credit to the five runs his team had gotten as well as the solid defense his team had put up.

  "He pitched a shutout," Flynn said. "Well done."

  "Yeah. He did good. Like a Cassidy should."

  The sportscaster was all over him, kissing his butt, too. Barrett shook his head.

  Flynn smirked. "Next thing you know they'll be interviewing Grant."

  As if Flynn's remarks were telegraphed on the screen, mention was made of the Cassidy family, and there was Grant on the screen, talking about the upcoming season for the St. Louis Traders football team.

  Barrett looked over at Flynn and rolled his eyes. "Notice how they only interview quarterbacks?"

  Flynn nodded. "It's like the defense doesn't exist."

  "Which is total bullshit because we're the ones who win the games for the teams."

  "Really," Harmony said. "You do manage to score points now and then. And you keep the score close by preventing the opposing teams from scoring."

  Barrett put his arm around her. "See why I like her?"

  "I see that. But her brother plays defense as well, so she kind of has to root for the defensive side of the ball."

  "Hey," Harmony said. "I do not. I just know where the true talent lies and where all the hard work is done."

  "Hell yeah," Flynn said, lifting his bottle of beer and tapping it against Harmony's glass of tea.

  "How did your interview go today, Flynn?" Harmony asked.

  "It went good. Amelia has all the experience I need. We'll see how her cooking skills measure up when she gets here tonight."

  "I can't wait. What's she cooking for us tonight?"

  "I don't have any idea. She wouldn't let me do any of the shopping, insisting on doing it herself."

  "Really. That's interesting."

  "She said something about needing to prep stuff in advance and choosing the ingredients herself."

  "What difference does that make?" Barrett asked.

  "I have no idea."

  Harmony shifted to face Flynn. "Well, you like to cook, right?"

  "Yeah."

  "How important is it to you to be able to choose your own food, your own ingredients?"

  She watched as Flynn pondered it for a few seconds, then shrugged. "Not at all. If I walked into a kitchen where the raw ingredients were already there, I could still dig in and cook."

  "Okay, then maybe it's something that's important to Amelia. It's part of her process."

  "I guess so."

  The doorbell rang. Flynn got up to answer it and pulled the door open.

  Harmony got up as well and saw a stunning blonde standing at the door with a large roasting pan cradled in her arms.

  "Here, take this," she said. "I have some other things in the car."

  "Barrett," Flynn said, "come here."

  "I've got this," Harmony said, taking the pan from Flynn. She took it into the kitchen and, since the pan wasn't hot, laid it on the kitchen counter.

  Flynn, Barrett and Amelia walked in with several bags.

  "I could have taken you shopping," Flynn said.

  She waved her hand. "I didn't need you to take me shopping."

  "And what's this?" Flynn asked, motioning to the pan.

  "I'm soaking cedar in apple cider."

  "I could have done that for you as well. Did you buy the roasting pan?"

  "I did."

  "I have roasting pans here."

  She lifted her chin. "I have my own methods, and I didn't mind buying the pan. And if you're worried about reimbursing me for the pan, don't bother."

  "Did I say I was worried about reimbursing you? And of course I intend to pay for everything. I'm the one who invited you here to cook."

  She waved her hand at him. "Whatever." She turned and smiled at Harmony and Barrett. "Hi. I'm Amelia Lawrence."

  Harmony held out her hand. "Harmony Evans."

  "I'm Flynn's brother Barrett. Nice to meet you, Amelia."

  "We're so thrilled to have you here tonight to cook for us," Harmony said, setting her glass of tea on the counter. "I was just about to refill my iced tea. Would you like a glass?"

  "I'd love one, Harmony. Thank you."

  She fixed the glasses of tea then handed one off to Amelia, who had already tied her hair back, put on an apron, and was busy opening all of Flynn's cabinets and pulling out pots, pans, mixers, and generally taking over his kitchen. Flynn, in the meantime, had grabbed another beer and a stool at the kitchen island.

  "I think we'll get out of their way," Harmony said.

  Barrett just shrugged and followed her into the living room.

  "Wasn't that interesting?" she asked as she and Barrett took their seats on the sofa.

  "What?"

  "The sparks between your brother and Amelia."

  "Really?" Barrett looked into the kitchen, where Amelia was whipping something with a whisk. "I thought it was more like her being snippy, and him being a dick."

  She laughed. "That's what I mean. Sparks. It wasn't like he didn't like her. The chemistry between them is intense."

  "You think so, huh?"

  "I definitely think so."

  "I guess you'd know about all the chemistry stuff."

  She shifted her focus away from what was going on in the kitchen and onto Barrett. "Excuse me? What does that mean?"

  He picked up a piece of her hair and played with it. "It means, woman, that you have loads of chemistry. It's why I can't take my eyes--or my hands--off of you."

  "Oh." She smiled.

  "And what did you think I meant by that? Some sexist remark?"

  She laughed. "Actually, yes."

  "There you go, disparaging my gender again."

  "Sorry." She laid her hand on his knee. "I promise to make it up to you later. When we have some alone time."

  He ran his fingers up her bare leg, making goose bumps break out on her skin.

  "Have I mentioned to you how much I'm looking forward to being alone with you?"

  "You have not."

  "I was thinking earlier that I wished we had stayed at a hotel. Then I could have you to myself."

  She liked hearing that, and she had to admit she'd had similar thoughts. "But you need to see your brother."

  He let out a laugh. "I see more than enough of him. You, on the other hand, I haven't seen nearly enough of. In fact, right now, I'd like to pull you onto my lap, lift your dress and rub your pussy until you start moaning."

  She shifted her gaze to the kitchen, where Flynn was acting as assistant to Amelia, who was barking orders at him. An amusing sight.

  Meanwhile, Barrett was distracting her by walking his fingers ever closer to the hem of her dress. When his fingers disappeared, she inched away.

  "Stop," she said, though she didn't want him to stop. Not at all.

  He gave her a wickedly sexy smile. "Later."

  Later couldn't come soon enough.

  They ended up watching a movie on television until Flynn came into the living room to tell them dinner was going to be ready soon.

  "Would you like me to set the table?" she asked.

  He shook his head. "I've got that covered."

  "It smells wonderful," she said.

  "Yeah," Barrett said. "Whatever she's cooking up in there is making me hungry."

  "You're always hungry," Flynn said.

  "Okay, that's true, too."

  Flynn went back into the kitchen.

  "So whatever she fixed went outside on the grill," she said to Barrett. "Any thoughts?"

  "Steak."

  She shook her head. "Doesn't smell like steak, and she wouldn't have made a steak on the grill." />
  "Why not? That's where I cook mine."

  She laughed. "You're not a chef."

  "So you say. I'll have you know I make killer steaks."

  "I'm sure you do. But I'm talking restaurant quality."

  "There you go, insulting my manhood again."

  She rolled her eyes and they focused on watching TV.

  Flynn came in a bit later, a bottle of wine in his hand. "Dinner's ready."

  Harmony stood. "I'm excited."

  "I'm hungry," Barrett said, following her into the dining room, where Flynn had finished setting the table.

  "This is lovely, Flynn," Harmony said, as Barrett held a chair out for her and she slid onto it.

  "Thanks. Our mother made sure we knew how to set a table. If Barrett isn't doing that for you, let me know and I'll give Mom a bad report about him."

  "Shut up, Flynn," Barrett said.

  Harmony didn't even try to fight her smile. "Actually, he has cooked for me and he did very well. He told me you taught him everything he knows."

  Flynn grinned.

  "That is not what I told her at all. I said I picked up a few pointers from you."

  "Which is pretty much everything," Flynn said. "Other than how to microwave hot dogs, he knew nothing before."

  "You're full of it," Barrett said.

  "He was telling me about his prowess in steak cooking," Harmony said.

  "Oh, those charred and black things he pulls off the grill?" Flynn said. "I guess you could call those steaks."

  Barrett poured wine in all the glasses. "I can out steak you any day of the week."

  Amelia brought salads and set them on the plates. "Are the brothers always like this?"

  "In the times I'm around them, always," Harmony said.

  "Interesting."

  Flynn held out a seat for Amelia, who acknowledged him with a nod.

  Flynn held up his glass. "I'd just like to welcome Amelia, and thank her for cooking dinner for us tonight."

  "Agreed," Barrett said. "And whatever you cook, I know I'm going to love it."

  "Thank you, Amelia," Harmony said.

  Amelia smiled. "Thank you all. For starters this evening, we're having a crab, apple and watercress salad with a walnut vinaigrette. I do hope you enjoy it."

  They sipped their wine, then dug into the salad. Sweet and tart flavor combinations burst on Harmony's tongue, and the crab was delicious.

  "This is so good, Amelia," Harmony said.

  "Thank you."

  Harmony looked over at Flynn, who seemed to be dissecting his salad with the tines of his fork. But he ate every bite, then looked at Amelia and nodded.

  Amelia stayed mostly silent while they ate, but Harmony noticed Amelia watching all of them.

  Harmony was nervous for Amelia, though she had no idea why. The salad was amazing.

  Flynn and Barrett cleared the table, and Amelia went to dish up the main course. When it was presented, it was gorgeous, with salmon, onions and fennel.

  "Dinner is grilled cedar plank salmon, sweet onion and caramelized fennel."

  Salmon was Harmony's absolute favorite seafood, and she couldn't wait to see how Amelia had prepared it. When she took a bite, the savory flavor filled her senses.

  "This is wonderful, Amelia. How did you prepare this?"

  "I marinated the cedar plank in apple cider for several hours, then used the plank on the grill to provide a smoky cider flavor to the salmon."

  "It's . . . incredible."

  "Thank you."

  "It's amazing, Amelia," Barrett said. "I really like it."

  "The fennel and onions are also amazing," Harmony said, realizing she could use the word "amazing" only so many times, but the food was fantastic.

  Harmony focused mainly on her food, and carried on small talk, but she also noticed the looks shared between Amelia and Flynn. She also noticed Flynn didn't comment on the food.

  She could only imagine how stressful this must be on Amelia, having her meal judged while she was in the middle of eating it.

  She understood Flynn was evaluating Amelia as a prospective employee, so he was probably waiting until the end of the meal. Still, it wouldn't hurt for him to say something tasted good, would it?

  And when Amelia brought out dessert, a chocolate mousse with a white chocolate truffle topping, Harmony was certain there was no way Flynn wouldn't hire her.

  "I'm in love with this dessert, Amelia," Harmony said. "It's incredibly light and airy, yet the taste is decadent."

  "I'm so glad you're enjoying it."

  She could tell from the smile on Amelia's face that she was proud of the meal she'd served.

  After Barrett ran his spoon around the empty ramekin several times, he said, "This was a kick-ass meal, Amelia. Thank you."

  "You're welcome."

  They all looked to Flynn, who nodded. "It was very good."

  Amelia nodded back. "Thanks."

  Harmony wanted to throw her shoe at Flynn. Very good? That was it?

  "Tell me about your life in--Portland, is it?" Harmony asked.

  "I'm actually in the process of selling my house and making a move here to San Francisco."

  "Oh. Do you have family here?"

  "No. But I've been here many times and I enjoy the vibe of the city. And of course, the food and restaurant culture here is spectacular, so this is where I want to settle."

  She nodded. "I can understand why. This is my first trip out here, but I love what I've seen of the city so far."

  Barrett shrugged. "It's an okay place, if you like architecture, incredible vistas, history, great music and incredible food. Otherwise . . . eh."

  Amelia laughed. "I'm really looking forward to making the move here."

  "And I'm looking forward to eating wherever you end up as chef," Barrett said, giving his brother a pointed look.

  "I'm sure Amelia will be successful wherever she ends up," Flynn said.

  "Now that Amelia fixed us this amazing meal, Flynn and I will do the cleanup," Barrett said, standing. "Harmony, why don't you and Amelia take the bottle of wine and head out onto the front porch and relax?"

  "That's a great idea."

  Clearly Barrett had had enough of his brother's noncommitment as well. She grabbed the bottle and her glass. Amelia followed her.

  They sat in the oh-so-comfortable cushioned chairs. It was cool out tonight, so Harmony was glad she'd grabbed her sweater.

  "Are you cold?" she asked Amelia, who was dressed in flowing pants and a short-sleeved silk top.

  "I'm fine, thank you. This weather feels perfect to me. A lot like home."

  "Did you grow up in Portland?"

  "Seattle, actually. But I've lived in Portland for the past five years."

  "What brought you down there?"

  "My marriage. My husband--ex-husband now--moved there for work, and I followed. But I loved it there. It was a great city to live in, and I had a phenomenal job as a chef at a fantastic restaurant."

  "And yet you're moving here."

  Amelia stared down at the glass of wine in her hand, as if it were some kind of crystal ball that would yield her a glimpse into her future. "Time for some changes in my life."

  Harmony didn't want to pry, but she figured Amelia could tell her to mind her own business if she wanted to. "I imagine the ex is the cause of those changes?"

  Amelia lifted her gaze to Harmony's and smiled. "Oh. Definitely."

  "Sounds to me like you need to get the hell outta town."

  Amelia laughed. "I'm not fleeing or anything, but yes, I want to put some distance between myself and my ex-husband."

  "You're safe though, right?"

  "Yes. It's nothing like that. I just want a clean slate, and I'd like to establish new memories. Portland reminds me too much of him, and of all the promises he made to me that were never fulfilled. Does that make sense?"

  "Yes. It absolutely does. Well, you've chosen a beautiful city to start over in."

  "I think so, too."
/>
  "And about Flynn. I don't know why he wasn't gushing over that meal you cooked. I thought it was phenomenal."

  Amelia waved her hand. "Oh, don't worry about that. I considered it part of the interview. I'm sure he'll speak to me about it later."

  "So you weren't pissed? I'd have been pissed."

  Amelia laughed. "Not at all. I've often had to fix a meal for prospective employers, and they very rarely comment at all while they're eating. Though I appreciate you and Barrett overcompensating on Flynn's behalf."

  "I was not overcompensating. If it wasn't inappropriate, I might have kissed you. I kind of have a thing for food."

  "Then I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Now tell me about you, Harmony. You said you were visiting out here. Where are you from?"

  "I live in Tampa."

  "Oh, a lovely city. And warm, too."

  "It can get very warm. But it's my home and I love it there."

  "What do you do for a living?"

  "I'm an interior designer."

  Amelia's eyes widened. She shifted in her chair to face her. "Seriously? What a fabulous career."

  "Thank you. I love it. Right now I'm working on redesigning the new house Barrett just bought, among other things."

  "I love design. I don't really have a knack for it, other than I know I like pretty things. But to be able to select the right things and appropriate colors, to put an entire room together must be the most exciting thing ever. And to top it off, you get to spend other people's money."

  Harmony laughed. "I have to admit, that part is fun."

  Barrett and Flynn came outside. Barrett had a beer in his hand. Flynn didn't.

  "Get those dishes done?" Harmony asked.

  "Yeah," Barrett said. "Amelia, we bagged up your roasting pan. We figured if you can't take it back to Portland with you, then maybe your friends will want it."

  "Thank you."

  "I can have it shipped up to you in Portland if you want," Flynn said.

  "That's not necessary."

  Flynn nodded. "Are you ready to head out?"

  "Yes. I can call for a car."

  "I'll drive you back to where you're staying," Flynn said. "It'll give us a chance to talk."

  "All right." Amelia stood and turned to Harmony. "It was such a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad we had a chance to talk."

  Harmony hugged Amelia. "Me, too. I'm going to give you my number. Let me know how it goes. How everything goes."

  "I will."

  They exchanged phone numbers.

  "Nice to meet you, too, Barrett," Amelia said.

  "Same here. Thanks for the awesome dinner."

  She smiled. "You're welcome."

  "I'll be back later," Flynn said.

  Barrett nodded, then gave his brother a look. "Take your time."

  "Yeah, well I've got some people I need to meet up with, so I'll probably be back late."