DONOVAN
Things were really starting to take off. We had Petra on board and that asshole, Chad, at the bakery had reluctantly agreed to step aside. Patrick and I ironed out the escrow details and set up an account. That way Petra could order whatever it was she needed, and it would all be paid out of the fund.
Her impromptu meeting at the bar made me grin. I’d known she was a go-getter from the beginning, but watching her work made me pleased. I knew my investment was in good hands. She’d already presented me with a plan of attack which included cost estimates for most of the major renovations she wanted to do.
That and the collection of other businesses in the area was really going to help me make a name for myself. I was already thinking about the rollout and how to generate enough press for the endeavor. We would have a grand reopening, I thought, as soon as all the upgrades were complete. It would be like a block fair with balloons and food trucks. We would invite the entire city down to see our progress. Maybe then I would announce my bid for election.
I had people working on it behind the scenes, and they agreed with my assessment. I was going to make a big splash on the city, and Petra was my ace in the hole.
I saw her making eye contact with Cory a few times. It bothered me a little bit since I wasn’t sure what it meant. She was relaxed and friendly with all three of us, but there was something a little bit extra in her unspoken communications with Cory. It was as if they had crossed a threshold that Gavin and I hadn’t.
That made me a little bit worried. It wasn’t that I cared about Pat and his “don’t date my sister” rhetoric. That stuff was important back in college, but now that we were all adults, Petra was free to date whomever she wished.
I didn’t want to muddy the financial waters with intimate relationships. You weren’t supposed to mix business and pleasure. It would make things a lot more complicated in the long run. I didn’t want anything to derail my plans and the thought of Cory’s libido bringing down the whole house of cards made me nervous.
Luckily, he decided to go home early. I would have to circle back and talk to him. I wanted to know exactly what was going on. As the senior partner in the investment deal, I felt like I deserved answers.
“I’ve got an early morning,” Cory explained, rising from his seat.
Disappointment registered on Petra’s face, but she was quick to contain it. That was yet another clue that something was going on between them. She stood up to give him a hug goodbye.
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?” she asked.
He held on to her just a little longer than was appropriate in my book. “I promised a friend I would do this cross fit thing at six a.m.”
Petra smiled and stuck out her tongue. “If you have to.”
“Good luck with that.” Gavin held out a hand for Cory to slap.
I wondered how much Gavin knew about what was going on with Cory. He seemed not the least bit interested in the way Petra leaned into the embrace, or the way her eyes followed Cory as he walked away. I didn’t want to admit that jealousy played a little part. I certainly wasn’t falling for our bakery maven, I told myself. That just wasn’t in the cards.
When Cory was gone, it was just the three of us, and we moved on to lighter topics. Petra regaled us with stories about cooking school.
“I went to Paris to do a wine tasting,” she said.
“That seems extreme,” Gavin observed.
“It wasn’t just a wine tasting,” Petra walked her statement back. “There was also a foreign student exchange type of thing. French cuisine is one of the staples of culinary arts. I don’t like it too much, too many heavy sauces.”
“So, you have a cooking degree?” I guessed.
“Of course,” she said. “I can let you see my resume.”
“Please do.”
“I’m a legitimate pastry chef. I also took some business classes.”
“This just keeps getting better and better.” I smiled at her over a sip of water.
“Oh hey.” Gavin perked up. “I think I see someone. I’ll be right back.”
He stood up without any formal goodbye, grabbing his phone and heading toward the bar. Both Petra and I watched as he touched another man on the shoulder to get his attention. The other man seemed surprised but pleased, and Gavin ordered another drink to have with his friend.
That left Petra and me alone at the table, grappling for conversation. I didn’t want to let the awkward silence linger, so I suggested a drinking game. “Have you tried this one? We ask each other questions, and if the answer is no, you have to take a drink.”
“I’m game,” Petra agreed. “But you’re going to need something stronger than water.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I said with a smile.