“I did. But you made it go a lot smoother, Kaleb. Thanks to your financial support, I was able to focus on my studies and become the chef that I am today. And let’s not forget something… Jeremy got me fired from The Kane. I didn’t have the power or the influence to clear my reputation at the time. I was running low on cash, too?—”
“You know I would’ve covered for you.”
“That’s not what this is about,” I say, shaking my head. “Kaleb, the guys brought me in without telling me it was for Haus of Sin. But the gig itself was everything I’ve dreamed of. Free reign over the kitchen, room for me to experiment and develop dazzling menus. I grew in those weeks more than I would’ve at The Kane, I’ll tell you that much. And now, they want me to do the same with The Black Swan. And you know the guys, Kaleb. You know them well.” I smile at him.
“You know how driven and how passionate they are about every business they invest in. I guarantee The Black Swan will overshadow The Kane before the year’s end. And if I’m the one headlining that kitchen, I’ll probably be able to open my own Michelin-starred restaurant in the next five years, tops. All because these men saw past our troubled childhood and didn’t stick us in the same box, like others would have.”
Slowly, I can feel his energy smoothing over. His thoughts unfold almost before my eyes as I gaze at him and see the sense return. Beyond the anger, there is reason. Beyond the pride, there is logic. They’re always there, waiting for someone to bring them back to the surface.
“Fair enough,” Kaleb admits.
“Let’s not forget about what they did for you. Alex, in particular.”
He nods once. “I was a nobody. Didn’t stand a chance anywhere. He took me in, showed me the ropes, kept me focused. They were my best friends, not just my mentors. Maybe they still are, I don’t know. God, Raina, did I blow this? I got carried away because of you.”
“You saw red, as any protective brother would. But now, it’s time for you to listen,” I tell him. “I want this baby. I want them. And they want me! I know it’s weird and mostly unheard of, I know it’s not the traditional mom-and-pop scenario you probably imagined for me, but here we are. It’s happening. It’s real, and I want it.”
“Raina…”
“And the best part? They love you, too. Okay? They want you back at the shop, thriving and doing what you do best. Theywant you to be happy. So it’s time to put your pride aside and deal with this the way you’re supposed to deal with this.”
He stares at me for what feels like forever.
“So what? Do I just walk into the shop first thing in the morning and pretend like nothing happened?” Kaleb sighs. “No, that’s not it. I need to apologize for the punch I threw, first and foremost. Damn, I almost blew this.”
“Key word here being ‘almost,’ big brother. You’re fine. I’m fine. We’re all going to be fine. We just need to stick together, because I’ve got a feeling we’ll come across more Deannas and Jeremys in the future, one way or another,” I reply. “Not everyone will understand us, not everyone will like seeing us happy and thriving. But I know that, with my brother by my side, with my guys keeping me safe, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.”
“You know, if you ever fail in the hospitality industry, you could always get into motivational speaking,” Kaleb quips. “You’d score a pretty penny.”
“I inspired you, huh?” I shoot back with a cool grin.
He shakes his head. “Nah, you smacked the sense back into me. And I can’t thank you enough.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being an overprotective brother.” I hug him tightly, and he welcomes my affection with a deep sigh. “All you have to do now is let go of that. I’ve got three guys who are head over heels for me. That’s the only thing that really matters.”
“They were so cool about it at the hospital,” he remembers with a slight frown. “I didn’t even know how to behave. It felt weird.”
“It was only weird to you,” I remind him. “They just want you back in the fold.”
“Right.”
“So the next thing we’re going to do, after a copious lunch at Green Fork, because I would probably kill for one of their meatball sandwiches right about now, is go to the shop and get your job back.”
Kaleb looks at me with renewed pride. “When did you grow all the way up?”
I laugh and shrug. “Pending motherhood will do that to you.”
“You’re going to be an incredible mom, Raina.”
“Thank you, Kaleb.” All I can do is give him another long, heartfelt hug. “Come on,” I say after a deep breath. “I need to eat. And you need your job back.”
“I’m not gonna grovel.” Kaleb shakes his head at me. “I will, however, deeply apologize. It’s the right thing to do.”
“You’re an honorable man, Kaleb. You’ll be fine.”
“I guess you’re right.” He chuckles softly. “What about you? I practically yanked you out of that Black Swan deal.”
I smile wryly. “I’ll handle it.”
