An attractive man picking up a bowl of noodles shouldn’t have triggered a throb between my legs. I hadn’t given much thought to my unintentional dry spell. Now I was sexually dehydrated, and my quest for relief was making me see and want things that probably weren’t there.
Jude was a sexy oasis in my self-created desert.
“I made it with chicken since you never know who is or isn’t allergic to shrimp,” I offered after Jude set down the bowl, sucking in a quick, deep breath to slow down my words and stop rambling. “Like I said, I never know how to cut a big recipe, so there’s plenty.”
I gave the noodles a stir before grabbing George’s plate and filling it up. “I like extra bean sprouts and green onions, so I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s all great, sweetheart. We’re happy to be here.”
George beamed at me when I set his plate down in front of him, the friendly smile he regarded me with triggering a flood of warmth through my chest. I didn’t really know George either, but he seemed so genuine and full of life, which said a lot about the type of man he was. My chest pinched a bit when my eyes fell on the walker folded next to him. From the little I knew of his story from Peyton and Jude, he’d had a rough few years. If he were my father, I would probably hover enough to piss him off too.
George wasn’t the enigma his son was, but in those precious but short moments Jude had relaxed with me, I’d spotted that same goodness. I still didn’t doubt it was real, that a nice guy was in there somewhere under all that grumbling.
I just never knew which Jude I would get.
13
CLAUDIA
“That was delicious,”George mumbled around a mouthful. “Your father taught you well.”
“He will be happy to hear that,” I said, settling into my own chair. “Do you want more water?” I asked when I noticed his empty bottle. I’d relaxed a little after we sat down, making small talk and enjoying Jude’s reluctant chuckles and eye rolls as his father busted his chops all through dinner.
“I’ll get it.” Jude’s chair screeched against the deck as he stood.
“As much as I’d love a beer or some wine,” George said, swirling his fork around his last mound of noodles, “real food is as adventurous as I’ll get with my diet tonight.” He winked at me as he took another bite.
I chuckled and nodded. “I can understand that. Would you mind grabbing another bottle for me? They should still be nice and cold.” I ran my hand down my neck again, wishing I could blame the sweat beading on my skin on the heat instead of the fight not to ogle Jude’s ass as he bent over the cooler.
“I don’t mind,” Jude said, setting a bottle down in front of me. I noticed his fingerprints in the condensation before I took a long swig, hoping to cool off or shock myself out of my turbulent, boy-crazy thoughts.
Even though my thoughts weren’t about a boy. They were about the gorgeous man at the end of the table who intrigued me enough to make me a little crazy.
“What’s the name of your father’s restaurant in Brooklyn?” George asked before taking a pull from his water bottle.
“Park Palace. We live in Park Slope, and he thought it was a fun name play. He opened it a few years before I was born after working a ton of different jobs for years to save for his own business. He always jokes that I was his second child after the Palace, and I always tease back that the Palace is his favorite kid.”
“Ah, so you’re an only child like Jude. With skills like this, you could take the place over.”
“I don’t know about that. Like I told Jude before, I know enough to be dangerous.” I watched Jude twirl his fork with gusto, almost halfway through with his second plate already. If he didn’t enjoy me, I was happy that he at least enjoyed my cooking. “It’s a little weird for me to eat this with a fork, but I only found one set of old chopsticks in their kitchen drawers.” I picked up my own fork to eat. “But no, my dad has already got my cousin lined up to succeed him. Which is good and a relief, especially since I won’t be living in Brooklyn anymore.”
“Where are you going?” Jude asked, dropping his fork next to his plate as he squinted at me from across the table.
“No one knows this but Jake and Peyton…and Larry,” I said, sucking in a long breath as I looked between Jude and George. “If the bank approves my loan, I’m buying Halman’s. And moving up here to run it.”
“That’s fantastic news.” George’s eyes were wide as he reached over the table to squeeze my hand.
“Really? You don’t think it’s nuts?” I asked, swallowing away the scratch at the back of my throat at the pure happiness in his eyes, a deep blue like his son’s but so much brighter. But I wasn’t brave enough to look his son’s way just yet.
“That bar is old and tired. You could give it some life.”
My cheeks heated. “You hardly know me.”
“I know enough. The day I met you in the park, you were brighter than the sun. This town could use your light.”
“Wow,” I whispered, my hand flying to my chest as I fell back in my seat. “That may be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. And I needed that.” I squeezed George’s hand back. “I really want to do this but am mostly clueless as to how.”
George snuck a look at his son. I caught Jude’s eye roll and the shake of his head, and I wondered what I was missing between them.
