An Acquired Taste

by Kelly Cain

  The bartender sets my wine in front of me in a fancy glass and smiles, his eyes lingering. I return his smile, then turn back to the kitchen because I’m completely enamored.

  “Wowza, Amber. Those are some pretty spectacular legs you’ve been hiding.”

  My face heats with the energy of a thousand suns and I nearly topple my drink, but Knox scoops in and stills my hand.

  “Whoa, there. I don’t want to have to replace another spilled drink.” He laughs as though he thinks he’s actually funny.

  He’s not.

  “Knox.”

  “Rowan.”

  I down my drink in one swallow and lift my finger to the bartender. He nods but raises his brows at the bane of my existence standing behind me.

  “Does he need your permission to serve me?”

  He slides onto the seat next to me, white chef’s jacket absolutely pristine against tanned olive skin. His aqua eyes dance as they take me in. From. Head. To. Toe. “Not at all. He wonders if we’re a thing because he was interested.”

  “You got all that from a raised eyebrow?”

  He chuckles and leans in close. “Amber, I saw you the minute you stepped across the threshold. He was flirting with you before I walked up. You just couldn’t tell because your covetous eyes were trying to steal the hearth.”

  I huff and fix my mouth for the denials, but I can’t lie about it. “It’s lovely.”

  He smiles wide, eyes crinkling. “It is pretty great.”

  “Your idea?”

  He has the nerve to look sheepish. Whoa, does Knox actually have some humility deep down under that haughty covering? “T’was.”

  “Very nice.”

  “Not that I’m complaining, but what brings you here today?”

  “Just scouting the filming.”

  He furrows his brows. “Really?”

  “Haven’t you heard? We’re back in. They’re coming to our place tomorrow.”

  He freezes and stares with wide eyes. Then he slowly melts and grins. “That’s incredible. How?”

  I shrug because I really don’t want to explain how we’re in by default. He’ll find out soon enough though. I’m shocked he didn’t already have all this information. I could have sworn he had the inside track. “The Ortizes dropped out. Personal reasons.”

  “Well, whatever the reason, you deserve to be there. I tried calling the restaurant to tell you, but…”

  “I figured you were calling to gloat. After all, you did say you didn’t need to beat me.” I rotate my chair away, putting my back to him.

  He spins my chair and reaches for my shoulder, thinking better of it after I give him a stern look. “You misunderstood me. That’s not what I meant at all. You’re an exceptional chef. I just wish your confidence matched your talent.”

  I blink. And stare. Then I ease my hand over my mouth to keep it from dropping open.

  This time he takes the liberty of squeezing my knee. “I have to get back to the kitchen, but order whatever you want. It’s on me.” He winks and leaves.

  All I can do is stare after his retreating back. His fine, beautiful back.

  *

  Have I mentioned Sundays are our busiest days? Although I no longer work at Smothered in Love, I am today for the B-roll footage. It’s still Sue’s kitchen, but she’s being gracious and letting me run it just for today. Not that I don’t think her cooperation is altruistic, but if we win, it benefits her too. If we lose, we’re back to square one and will more than likely lose the restaurant.

  I can’t help but think how stubborn Mama’s being. She benefits the most. Keeping the restaurant means holding on to her health insurance, something she needs now more than ever. Matter of fact, I don’t benefit at all anymore. Like LeBron, I’m taking my talents elsewhere. I’m just not sure where yet, but hopefully winning Restaurant Family Feud will open doors for me. Okay, maybe I benefit a little too.

  Mama came in while filming—looking more fatigued than the last time I saw her—took one look at me, Hannah, and Wyatt playing it up for the cameras, and walked into her office, slamming the door. Hopefully that wasn’t captured, but more than likely it was and will be exploited for ratings. I can see the narrative now—matriarch and owner kicked off competition by her own family.

  As the camera crew wraps, I take in our tiny restaurant. I’m proud of it and how far it’s come, but it’s no Everheart Bar and Fine Dining. Not by a long shot. Our B-roll footage against theirs will be a little embarrassing.

  I take off my chef’s jacket now that the show crew is leaving and I no longer have to pretend that I work here. I need to finish packing since we leave tomorrow night and we’ll be there almost a week. I definitely won’t be taking that sundress Knox was ogling.

  And as if I conjured him straight from the bowels of hell, in he walks, all smiles and charm, greeting the camera crew as they exit the restaurant. He exchanges words with the second-unit director and they both laugh.

  I cross my arms and narrow my eyes as Knox approaches.

  “Rowan.”

  I’m not playing that game today. “What were you saying to the director?”

  “We were just laughing about when Weston showed him his fan fiction yesterday. He actually wants it included in background.”

  Oh, okay. I guess that’s fine. “Why are you here, Knox?”

  “Jeesh, you’d think after drinking a bottle of our best Cabernet and eating the most expensive lobster and filet mignon on the menu yesterday, you’d at least have a kind word for me.”

  “You said to order whatever I wanted.” I learned petty from the best. Unfortunately, I ended up having to Uber home because I was miserably full and drunk. My car is still in their parking lot.

  He grins wider and shakes his head. “That I did.” His aqua eyes sparkle.

  “You still haven’t said why you’re here.”

  He shrugs and moves closer. “I thought you might need a ride to your car. You remember where it’s parked, right?”

  “Ha ha ha. Yes, I know where it’s parked. I plan to Uber over later to pick it up.”

  “Well, then, I’m right on time.” He spreads those delicious arms as though he has the world figured out. He’s wearing shorts again—no surprise there—and a T-shirt with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. Super casual today.

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath. There’s really no reason for me to decline. But why is he offering? We’re more than twenty minutes in the suburbs so it’s not like he was just passing this way and decided to help a sister out. He has an ulterior motive, and I’m not sure I want to discover what it is. Nothing good can come from a Knox Everheart concealed incentive. When I open my eyes, he’s patiently waiting, but his grin has faltered. “Okay, sure. I need to check in with my mother first though.”

  I trudge through the kitchen to Mama’s office, the door still shut. My knocks are met with silence. I know she’s mad, but I promised Daddy to look after her tonight so we need to make up. “Mama, can I come in?”

  Still no response so I try the door which is locked.

  Knox comes up behind me. “Is something wrong?”

  “No.” I sag against the door. “Yes. She’s upset with me because I replaced her in the competition. She hasn’t been well, and I thought it would be too much strain.”

  I renew my knocking and jiggling of the door. “I know you’re upset, but let me know you’re okay in there.” A panicked electricity travels up my spine. She’s been mad before, but never childish.

  Hannah also joins our little party at the door. “What’s going on?”

  “Mama’s not answering. You try.”

  She raps on the door. “Ms. Lillie. Everything okay?” No response.

  Knox frowns and narrows his eyes. “We need to get in there.”

  Tears spring in my eyes and I kick the door. “Mama, please.”

  “Move, Rowan. And call 911.” Knox pushes me out of the way, but I’m frozen in place.

  Hannah fumbles with her pho
ne and connects with the emergency line.

  Knox shoves his shoulder against the door, but it doesn’t budge. He backs up and charges the door. It splinters open and he kicks it the rest of the way.

  I finally loosen my limbs and speed past him into the room. “Mama!”

  She’s collapsed on the floor by her desk, gasping for air.

  I fall down by her side, pulling at her arms, feeling her head, calling her name.

  Knox leans down next to me and asks Mama, “Are you okay?”

  She doesn’t respond so he taps her on the shoulder. When she doesn’t acknowledge him, he bends down to her mouth and listens, then checks her pulse. He starts compressions on her chest, and the realization of what’s happening hits.

  I cry harder and back against the wall, paralyzed with fear. “Mama! Mama, please.”

  Time passes—it could be five seconds, five minutes, or five hours for all I know. The EMTs barrel in and take over. One stands over me and starts asking me questions. I can’t hear her through the rushing in my ears.

  Knox is there with me, pulling me into his chest, rubbing my back. “She’s okay, Rowan. They need to take her to the hospital though.”

  I rush to where they’ve put her on a stretcher. “Mama.”

  Her eyes are open and she’s responsive, but she’s weak and can only blink at me.

  “They need some information from you.” Knox again, leading me by the elbow over to the EMT waiting with a tablet.

  I’m buoyed by Mama looking at me from the stretcher. I stiffen my back and take some deep breaths, then answer the woman’s questions as they wheel Mama out of the office. When we finish, I look around. Her chair is turned on its side and there are electrode stickers littering the floor but otherwise nothing else seems disturbed. I look in the desk and retrieve her purse in case they need identification or something else at the hospital.

  Hannah waits at the door, tears staining her face, anxious eyes following me.

  I ask, “Where’s Wyatt?”

  She rubs her arms and takes a breath. “He left right after filming. I haven’t been able to reach him.”

  “Keep trying.” I pass her at the door and head for the parking lot through the back porch. When I can’t find my car, I scream in frustration.

  Knox grabs me from behind and holds me against his chest.

  I crumple against him, still standing only because he’s holding me up.

  “I’ll drive you.”

  He pulls me along to his car and settles me in the passenger seat, then speeds all the way.

  When we get to the hospital, he lets me out at the emergency room door and I hurry to the desk asking for Mama. They buzz me through and point me to her room.

  She’s hooked up to an EKG, and her mouth and nose are covered with an oxygen mask. I steal myself but seeing her like this breaks my resolve. I stand back in the hallway until I can get myself together and be strong for my mother.

  *

  Knox and I sit in identical armless plastic chairs, hard and unyielding. I take whatever comfort he offers as we watch Mama. They’ve taken her for tests, drawn blood, and given her medication, and she’s been completely cooperative, a fearful glint in her eyes. She’s finally resting while we wait for a room to be made available for her upstairs, the steady beeping from the monitor an odd comfort.

  I’d been running on adrenaline, but now that she’s stable, I’m a tired mess. I lean against Knox, and he puts an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer into his chest. “Thank you for saving my mother.”

  He squeezes my shoulder, and I think plants a kiss in my hair. I’m so tired, I could have completely imagined it. “I’m just glad I could help. I’m happy it was only a minor attack. Is that why you were worried about her competing?”

  I speak into his hard chest because I don’t have the energy to lift my head and look at him. “Yes. Her lupus has complications and one has been elevated blood pressure. She hasn’t changed her diet enough so she’s been really fatigued the last few weeks. Plus, my father said the doctor told her to get more rest. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t know what was going on.”

  He rubs my arm and leans into my hair, resting his head on top of mine. “It’s after two in the morning. You should eat something to keep up your strength.”

  I shake my head, but my stomach rumbles. “I don’t think I could hold anything down. I didn’t realize it’s so late. You should go home. Have you packed? What time’s your flight?”

  “Don’t worry about any of that. My flight isn’t until nine tonight and I’m mostly packed.”

  “I wonder where Wyatt is.” If I had the energy to spare, I’d be worried about him.

  “What’s the woman’s name who called 911?”

  “Hannah. She’s Wyatt’s fiancée and subbing in for Mama.” I whisper that last bit in case Mama’s not as asleep as I think.

  “Before we left, Hannah said he’d gone somewhere with your father, but his phone was going directly to voicemail.”

  I sit up at that little revelation. The side of Knox’s face has my curl pattern imprinted on it and his eyes are red and tired. “My father went to Houston for a meeting later this morning. Why would Wyatt go with him?”

  He pulls his eyebrows together. “What a coincidence. My father went to Houston too.”

  I don’t spare a thought for that because I’m sure it’s a coincidence. My father doesn’t have any dealings with Knox’s father. Instead I check around for my purse but don’t see it or Mama’s.

  Knox anticipates what I want and digs in his backpack for both, handing them to me.

  I pull my phone out and check my notifications. I have several missed calls from Hannah and Sue, but that’s it. I call my father’s phone and although it doesn’t go directly to voicemail, it eventually does after ringing a few times. When I call Wyatt’s phone, it doesn’t even ring. I set my phone down on top of my purse and lean over in the chair, placing my face in my hands.

  Knox rubs my back, and it is a comfort. Maybe it’s my muddled state, but I’m having trouble puzzling out why Wyatt would be with Daddy. Did I miss one of them saying he was going? Could I have forgotten with everything else going on? Why would Hannah tell Knox, but not me? Before I can ask myself any more questions I don’t have the answer to, my phone vibrates. I pick it up and go out into the hallway, leaving Knox to watch over my sleeping mother. “Daddy?”

  His voice is raw with sleep. “Hi, darling. I saw you called. Is everything okay?”

  “No, it’s not at all. Mama had a heart attack and we’re in the emergency room.”

  “What? Oh no.” His voice booms through the phone.

  “She’s okay. It was minor but they’re admitting her for observation before she can go home. Is Wyatt with you?”

  He hesitates and my already tingling Spidey-senses go up another notch. “Yes, he rode down to Houston with me.”

  “Well, Hannah’s been trying to reach him ever since this happened over six hours ago. Why is his phone going directly to voicemail?” I know my tone is accusatory, but I don’t have the strength to temper my words.

  “I haven’t a clue. Let me go knock on his door and one of us will call you right back. You’re sure she’s okay? Can she talk?”

  “She’s resting. Just let him know what happened. Don’t try to come back here in the middle of the night. Just go to your meeting, then come back.” I don’t want to have to worry about them on the dark country roads in the middle of the night on top of everything else. “I need to get back in her room so I’ll call you if anything changes.”

  “I think we better head back now.”

  “She’s okay, Daddy. Maybe she’ll be ready to go home by the time you get back as planned later today.”

  He’s quiet for a few moments, no doubt thinking. “Okay. We should be back by noon at the latest. I’ll call you when we’re on our way.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m sorry you had to be there by yourself. I love you,
sweetheart.”

  I’m not by myself thankfully, but he doesn’t need all the details and I don’t feel like answering any questions. “Love you too, Daddy.” I disconnect the call and go back into the room.

  Evidently while I was preoccupied with Daddy in the hallway, a nurse came into the room. He’s standing next to the bed typing on a bedside computer. Knox is standing on the other side of the bed holding Mama’s hand. Or maybe she’s grasping his.

  I slide up next to Knox and replace his hand with mine. Her hands are warm now and feel normal. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

  “Tired but better than I did when I got here. I’m ready to go home though.”

  I glance at the nurse who smiles. “We’ll get you out of here as soon as we can, Ms. Townsend. Meanwhile, let’s get you up to your room.”

  I say, “Oh good. Her room’s ready?”

  “Yes, room 634. We’re just waiting on the nurse from that floor to come get her.”

  I squeeze Mama’s hands between mine. “That’s good news. It’ll be more comfortable up there.”

  She closes her eyes, lashes fluttering.

  I look at Knox and shrug.

  He grins. “I guess it’s comfortable enough down here for her. At least she’s getting some rest. Is Wyatt coming?”

  I’m glad Mama didn’t ask me about Wyatt because I’m not certain what to tell her. I have no idea why he’s with Daddy in Houston especially when we’re supposed to be traveling later today.

  I pull on Knox’s shirt, leading him back to the other side of the room near the chairs we were sitting in earlier. “Not until later. Daddy has a meeting first thing this morning. He offered to come now, but I didn’t want them driving back in the middle of the night. I’d be too worried.”

  Before Knox can respond, another nurse comes in. She’s wearing bright green scrubs with kittens on them. Stark contrast to the emergency room nurse wearing plain blue ones. “Hi. Are you Ms. Townsend’s family?”