“Oh my god. This is delicious.” She spears another bite, then picks up the wine pairing.
“Glad you’re enjoying it,” I say, reaching over to fork a bite of the duck for myself. When I taste it, it’s as good as I imagined and I take my time savoring the rich bite with the crispy skin.
Kelsey arches a brow at me. “What? Does it not meet yourexactingstandards? Because that is one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth.”
I tilt my head at her and drop my voice low enough that only she can hear me. “I can think of something better to put in your mouth after dinner.”
I grab the red wine from her. In return, she gives me a playful glare, but I don’t miss the crimson flush that creeps up her neck and over her delicate collarbone. The image running through my mind of her lips wrapped around my cock is nearly enough for me to throw her over my shoulder and carry her upstairs to the apartment. But I bury that thought because I want her to actually get to know me and not just my dick.
Taking a sip of the wine, I’m not surprised in the least that it pairs perfectly with the duck. I swirl the glass in front of me before looking back at Kelsey. “To answer your question though, this exceeds my standards. Jade is fantastic and has the natural curiosity to learn that makes a chef great.”
She reaches over and snatches the red wine back from me. “Exceeds? You aren’t worried she’ll be better than you?”
I cut into the ravioli—the smell of sage and truffle wafts through the air, making my mouth water. “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I wasn’t preparing her to run her own restaurant one day. It could be this one or another one of ours—hell maybe she’ll even open her own—it doesn’t matter, because if I’m not helping her grow, then I’m a terrible boss and an even worse mentor.”
She smiles and shakes her head, taking another bite of the food. “Rich was right.”
“About what?”
“These people really are your family.”
I shrug. “Looks like we’ve come full circle because that’s the second most important thing Gloria taught us. Food is about family.”
She tilts her head and squints at me. “Wait, what was the most important thing?”
“Life’s short, so always order dessert.”
She snorts and covers her mouth with her hand. “I guess that explains at least part of your sweet tooth.”
“So, what about your grandma? I know you said you two were close. What kind of lasting wisdom did she impart on you?”
I know I’m pushing my luck and going into dangerous territory with that question, especially right here in her grandma’s old house. But if we’re going to have any shot at a real relationship, we can’t just ignore the obvious. I live and work in a house that she has a deep connection to.
I watch as she takes in the restaurant, her gaze stopping on the bay window at the front of the dining room before looking back to me. She takes a deep breath while I nervously wait for her answer, hoping I didn’t push too hard. Finally she sighs and looks at her fork.
“That if you’re patient and working hard, things will eventually work out the way they’re supposed to.”
“That’s pretty great advice actually.” I raise the glass of white and tip it toward her. “To grandmas.”
A subtle smile graces her face when she raises the glass of red to mine with a muted clink. “To grandmas.”
I look around the room and then back to her. “So how long did she live here?”
She looks up in thought. “At least fifty something years. My grandparents bought it right after they had my mom. We spent all of our holidays here and Grandma would watch me when she wasn’t at the coffee shop.”
I shake my head. “That sounds a lot like our family. What about your parents? When did they move to Rodgers?”
She eyes the plate of ravioli in front of me and I cut her off a piece. I swap our glasses so she can enjoy the pairing that Jade nailed.
“Right after I graduated high school and moved in with Monica. They loved this town, but I don’t think they ever feltas bonded to it as me. They got a way nicer home, but Grandma was never going to leave this place. The house was paid off and she stayed here until the end.” Her eyes scan the room and settle back on the bay window. “That was her favorite spot. She had a view of the mountains and could still watch people walking by.”
I smile back at her. “That’s the table I save for couples and families celebrating a special occasion. Everyone loves that spot.”
Kelsey watches the couple sitting there, probably thinking back to days before this became Gloria’s. Her lips tug up into a warm smile. “I can see why people like it. It has the best views, but it feels warm and cozy.” She looks back at me and my heart skips a beat with the way she points that smile at me. “This whole place still feels like a home, not a stuffy restaurant. Your staff, the way you saved the charm of the house—I think my grandma would have loved it, but she’d insist on having a burger or something simple on the menu.”
I huff a laugh. “I think I can make that a special on the bar menu, but I’m glad you think that. It means a lot to me that people feel comfortable and welcome here.”
She smiles and brings the bite of ravioli to her mouth. She slowly chews it, and her eyes flutter shut when she lets out a contented sound of approval.