“Even with my shirt on?” he teased.
She gave him an up-and-down look. “Well, we could scandalize all the nice ladies and gentlemen at the brunch if you want to flip omelets half-naked and piss off my boss. It would certainly liven things up.”
Wes buttoned up his black jacket and gave her a wry look. “My Shirtless Chefs stint is done. In fact, this will be my last fill-in of any kind for a while.”
“Oh yeah?” Suzie asked, perking up. “Did you hit the magic number you were saving for?”
He pinned a name tag to his jacket. “Not exactly. But now I’m not going to need it. I found…an investor. She bought the bus I was looking at as a charitable donation for the after-school program where I work.”
“What? When did this happen?”
“A little over a week ago, so the details are still coming together, but I’ll be in charge of it. We’re going to remodel it, and the kids are going to be a part of the whole thing.”
He still couldn’t believe the words, even as he said them. Nine days had passed since the night in the used car lot with Rebecca, and his head had been spinning ever since. Half the spinning had been panic. Agreeing to the project meant digging his roots deeper in his current job, something he hadn’t planned on doing. This wasn’t going to be his restaurant. Not in the financial ownership sense. And he knew by saying yes, he was committing to a longer stint as a teacher. That had freaked him out a little, but he’d calmed down by reminding himself that it wasn’t forever. He’d set the goal of getting the food truck remodeled, launched, and running smoothly before he left. Then he could walk away with a clear conscience because he would have left the program in better shape than when he’d joined it.
But putting long-term career goals aside, the other half of him was filled with genuine excitement. He was going to build a restaurant. He was going to cook again. Be in charge of something again. All because of Rebecca.
Rebecca, who he hadn’t seen since that night. He’d wanted to celebrate, to take her out again. But she’d been swamped at work and tied up with doing things for her father’s campaign, so their conversations had been limited to emails and late-night phone calls where they spent part of the time flirting and the other part planning world domination with the food truck.
The week had been great, though. He’d gotten to know her better, and they’d discovered new things about each other. The phone brought out things that wouldn’t have come out in person because late-night conversations tended to devolve into the random. Like how he read cookbooks like novels and how she had to watch Shark Tank before bed. Of course, then they’d had to debate which “shark” they’d want investing in the food truck.
The whole thing had been strangely easy, the rhythm of talking to her at night like they’d been doing it for years. The phone calls had given him something to look forward to after a long day of work, but they’d also made him realize how lonely his nights had become since getting sober. It’d hit him when she’d told him Friday night that she’d be out of pocket until Sunday night. Before, he wouldn’t have said he minded the solitude, but last night he’d felt the loss when he didn’t get to talk to her.
Suzie’s face brightened and she did a little clap, breaking him from his thoughts. “Yay! That’s fantastic news, Wes.” She stepped closer and threw her arms around him in a quick, enthusiastic hug before grinning up at him. “I’m so glad it’s all coming together for you. What happened to you…” She narrowed her eyes. “Well, let’s just say there’s a special place in hell for people who purposely try to kill someone’s spirit. Britta
ny’s spot has been reserved.”
He let out a breath. “I played my own part in that train wreck, but I’m glad that smoking pile of metal is getting smaller and smaller in my rearview mirror.”
“Well, I’ll be the first in line at your truck,” Suzie declared. “What are you thinking concept-wise? May I suggest no shirt?”
He chuckled. “Let it go, Suze. I’m going to make the kids a big part of every step, so it will need to be a consensus. We’ll brainstorm this week. I want them to visit the food-truck park, see if they can find a gap in the offerings, see what would make business sense but also be innovative, that kind of thing.”
She shoved him in the shoulder. “Well, look at you, all teacher-y and stuff.”
The comment rained a little on his happy mood, but he tried not to show it on his face. “Go ahead, make fun.”
“No,” she said, palms lifted. “I’m not teasing you. I know it wasn’t your plan, but it’s an oddly good look on you. You were always a good kitchen manager, and so much of that is mentoring and teaching. This isn’t that far of a leap. This is good news all around. Plus, the world needs your food. It’s cruel to deny them.”
“That’s very dramatic, but thank you. It feels good to be psyched about something again.”
Suzie put her hand to her hip and considered him. “We should go out sometime. Celebrate this return to the world of the living.”
He frowned. “You know I can’t do the bar scene anymore.”
He and Suzie had hung out a lot after hours in culinary school and when he was getting his restaurant ready to go. She was going to be the restaurant’s sous chef, so he’d worked with her closely. Brittany had accused Wes of having an affair with Suzie since they spent so much time together and often ended up drinking late into the evening, but he and Suzie had never crossed any line except staying out too late and drinking too much.
Suzie huffed, the air making her bright-pink bangs flutter. “I’m not saying let’s go get wasted, Wes. Believe it or not, I’ve dialed back a lot on that, too. I’m saying let’s, you know, go on a date with food and nonalcoholic beverages.”
He blinked. “A date?”
“Yes, you know those things that unmarried people do when they are interested in the other person.” She gave him a patient look. “I know you don’t do much of that since the divorce, but it wouldn’t have to be anything serious.”
The request caught him completely off guard. Suzie was fun, a talented chef, and attractive in that quirky, do-her-own-thing way. If he hadn’t been married back when they’d worked together, they probably would’ve already hooked up. Now they could. But the thought fell flat for him. “I’m sorry. I’m down for grabbing dinner one night or something, but just as friends. I’m seeing someone.”
The words tumbled out before he knew they were happening. He’d meant to give his standard answer. I don’t date. But that wasn’t true anymore, was it? Dating wasn’t exactly the right word. He and Rebecca had only agreed to be friends with potential benefits, with no exclusive label or commitment. He didn’t even know for sure if Rebecca would want to take it to the level of sleeping together. But this thing with her felt…precious for some reason, something singular that should be protected. He didn’t feel any desire to pursue anyone else right now.
Suzie stared at him, eyes wide. “You’re seeing someone?”