68
Jack
My brothers went back to watching TV, claiming they were too tired and famished from decorating to help cook.
I didn't mind. I wanted to spend the time with Chloe. She had started assembling all the ingredients for the fried pork chops she was going to make, but I stopped her before she could start chopping.
"I have a proposition for you," I told her. "Just please keep an open mind."
She looked at me in confusion. I ran to my workroom and returned with a 3D model of the empty two-story retail space in the ground floor of the tower.
"What is this?" she asked, wiping her hands.
"First of all," I said, "just know this isn't a handout. I'm not offering you this restaurant because I feel sorry for you. I need you to run it."
"A restaurant?" She sounded shocked and not all that enthusiastic, so I launched into my pitch.
"I know you can do it," I said. "You can hire whoever you need. I already promised Mark Holbrook you would run a restaurant. Also, the Svenssons said that several tenants wanted to rent in Frost Tower because of your appearance on the show, and they are really excited about having your restaurant as an amenity. It’s a huge space. There's room to do commercial cooking as well as catering to supply desserts to other restaurants, hotels, and events. And—"
"I accept," she said.
"Oh. But I'm not done with my spiel."
She kissed me lightly.
"I'm sure it was a nice spiel. If my running a restaurant will help you, then absolutely."
"I know you didn't want to do a restaurant," I said.
"What's wrong with a restaurant?" she asked.
"Well, you told me you didn't want to run a restaurant, that it was too much work."
"That was hypothetical," she snorted. "But now someone is offering me the space, and I'll have a captive audience in the tower, so to speak."
"You don't want to think about it?" I asked. I didn't want her to wake up a month from now and feel like I had pushed her into doing something she didn't want.
She looked thoughtful. "I'll obviously have a bakery component in the restaurant. Also, my oma always said, 'If a man gives you a cow, don't sit there and complain he didn't bring a butter churner, too!'"
I chuckled.
"You know," Chloe said, "I wonder if Nina and Maria would be interested. It will be fun. If a stalker mall Santa can run a restaurant, certainly I can."
"I know you can," I said, feeling relieved. "I'll give you anything you need."
"I'll have to commute in from Queens, I guess," she said. "I can't afford rent near your tower."
"You could live with me," I offered then regretted it. Chloe was probably tired of men assuming she wanted to be with them forever and ever. Having a stalker could ruin one’s whole outlook on life.
"Seems soon," she mused. At least she didn't seem horrified at the idea.
"In New York, you move in practically after the first date because rent is so high," I told her. "By Manhattan standards, we've been dating for years."
Chloe looked around. "Itisa nice penthouse."
"We can remodel the kitchen, and you can have a craft room," I offered.
She seemed intrigued.
