“Sure . . . yes,” he stammered and opened the door wider.
Tonya did not want to believe the man was even more attractive than she remembered. He had covered his hair with a black baseball cap. A sprinkling of gray in his stubble served to enhance his masculine beauty. A white tee, relaxed jeans, and running shoes were not what she considered required attire for a high school teacher.
“I called the other day and told Eustace I was coming in.”
“Eustace didn’t say anything to me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Does your brother tell you everything?”
A hint of a smile tilted the corners of Gage’s mouth. “Apparently he doesn’t. Put your stuff away and come into the kitchen.”
Tonya resisted the urge to salute him as she slipped out of her lightweight jacket and left it on a hook in the storeroom. Reaching into her oversize tote, she took out a large bandana and covered her head, and then removed a rolled-up canvas with an assortment of chef’s knives and walked into the kitchen. It was ablaze with lights, while a large stockpot simmered on the stove.
“Where’s Eustace?” she asked Gage when he handed her an apron.
“He’s working out. He’ll be here around eight.”
She blinked slowly. “Working out?”
“Yes. His New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, lower his cholesterol and blood pressure before his high school’s fortieth reunion, and I’ve offered to come in early Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays cover for him.”
Tonya smiled. “That’s great.”
Gage flashed a warm smile. “What’s great is that he’s already lost five pounds. His goal is to lose ten pounds a month. By the time his reunion rolls around in May, he wants to tip the scales at two hundred.”
She quickly did the math in her head. “Your brother weighs over two-forty?”
Gage nodded. “Eustace was always a big boy. He weighed ten pounds at birth. He takes after Pop’s side of the family, while I’m built more like the men in my mother’s family.”
“He should’ve played football.”
“He was offered full athletic scholarships to play ball at several colleges, but he turned them down to help Pop run this place. At that time they were open six days a week serving lunch and dinner.”
Tonya remembered Eustace telling her how he had to decrease the hours and days of operation, which made her think about how many days and hours she would devote to the supper club. “Did he ever regret not playing ball?”
“I’ve never heard him complain about it. Chez Toussaints is a family business that hopefully will be around for generations to come. Once Eustace hangs up his apron, my nieces will take over. They’re trying to convince their husbands to come into the business, but right now they’re not ready to change careers. Melinda’s husband is a firefighter, while Nicole’s is a sheriff in Baton Rouge.”
“What about you, Gage?” Tonya asked. “Have you considered stepping in when Eustace retires?”
* * *
Gage went completely still. It was a question his brother had asked him so many times that he had lost count, and occasionally it was a topic of contention between the two of them. Eustace had insisted he decide whether he wanted to be a chef or a musician, but at this time in his life, Gage did not have to make a decision as to one or the other. As long as he was able to teach during the week, play at Jazzes on the weekends, and assist Eustace whenever he had to cater a party, then he did not see the need to change his current lifestyle.
“No!” He gave Tonya a direct stare when she opened her mouth, but then closed it quickly. He hadn’t meant for his response to come out so harsh, but it was too late to retract it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bark at you.”
Tonya lowered her eyes. “Apology accepted, even though you seem to do that a lot.”
His brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“The last time we were together you were rather condescending when I told you I wanted to run my own restaurant, and your comeback was ‘good luck with that, chef.’ ”
His eyebrow lifted. “I said that?”
“Yes, you did.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he angled his head. A few minutes ago, when the bell had rung, he had opened the door and was shocked to find Tonya standing there. In that instant everything he had remembered about her came rushing back like frames of film: her flawless skin, sexy mouth, and the scent of the hauntingly hypnotic perfume that lingered inside his car for days.
“I don’t know what had gotten into me to have said something like that.”
