“Let me get you ladies a table away from the mannies.”
They followed me, still bickering. I figured my day of doing the accounts had been hijacked, at least for lunch.
The table still had a direct line of sight to the men, including Jack, who was now sitting down, Eliza still on his knee. He looked incredibly comfortable holding her, confident and relaxed and her response suggested that he was her new best friend.
“How are things going with you two?”
Sophie poked my arm and I realised I’d been staring again, paying no attention to whatever Sophie and Vanessa had been saying. I’d spoken to Sophie about Jack during the week, shortly after the Sunday I’d spent at his after cooking at the centre.
“I don’t know.” I didn’t. I thought they were going well, but how could I be sure when I had nothing to measure them against.
“What do you mean,you don’t know? Is he still driving the orgasm train every night?”
Sophie’s descriptions were occasionally toe curlingly bad.
“Orgasm train?” Vanessa raised a brow. “That hasn’t been frequenting my station.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Night feeds?” Sophie said. “Or sleep shifts?”
“Both. Sheer exhaustion. Claire’s talking about having another one as she misses having a baby. I don’t know how she does it. I think Teddy might be an only child.”
Vanessa did look tired, but that wasn’t stopping her gaze from being pulled towards Jackson and their son.
“He won’t. You know that. I’ll babysit him this weekend.”
“You were anyway.” Vanessa’s eyes fell on Sophie, glaring. “I’m meeting Victoria, Ava and Payton to arrange Maxwell’s birthday party.”
“Of course.” Sophie beamed. I knew she’d forgotten.
So did Vanessa.
“We were thinking of having it here. Or, if the Tipsy Toad needs a practice run, we could have it there?” She lost her frown when she looked at me.
“I think we can do that. I’ll ask Jack.”
Jack who was now four footsteps away from us, was thankfully no longer holding Eliza because I didn’t think my ovaries could take the pounding.
“Ask Jack what?’
“A birthday party for Maxwell at Toad Hall.” I looked up at him, his shoulders broader than ever, thumbs tucked in his jeans pockets, usual half smile as he looked at me.
“We can do that. Be a good chance to get some feedback on the menu.” He’d been working hard at it this week, even suggesting some dishes that we could transfer over to Mount Street as a way to highlight the connection between the two places.
Giving someone else even a modicum of control had me several miles outside my comfort zone, but Jack seemed to get that. He didn’t push and instead of telling me what he thought should go on the menu, he cooked for me instead and let me suggest what should happen.
“Does Max know about this?” I had a feeling I knew the answer.
Victoria smiled, long straight dark hair dripping over her shoulder. I had never seen her unravelled, even when Max had been at his crankiest.
“If he did, he’d have booked a holiday to avoid it.” She sipped at her drink. “And this is his last birthday as an unmarried man.”
“Speaking of which,” Vanessa’s eyes narrowed on me. “Are you coming on Vic’s hen do?”
I made sure my mask was fixed. “I’m not sure I can leave the restaurants.” It was a five-night trip to Iceland. I’d be away for seven days. I hadn’t left Blue for more than four nights since it had been opened.
“Why’s that?” Jack’s voice grumbled.
