“Holy crap. You’re a chef. I know you.” James’s eyes went wider. “Yeah. I know you.”
Best not to make him think too hard on it, wasn’t it? This type of thing definitely wouldn’t go over well with the executives at Nosh if it got out.
“Ethan Greene.” Ethan nodded, since it was who he was. “Formerly, of the Nosh Network. Currently, of Bradbury Drive.” He gestured toward the direction of his house.
“Who?” Em asked.
“The man who created the meatsicle,” James said with an awe that made Ethan uneasy.
“The what?” Em asked.
“You know,” James said. “Nosh Network? Barbecue show?”
Em shook her head. “I… I guess I missed that one. I don’t watch a lot of television.”
“This is the man who started the Barbecue World Championship,” James said, again with more awe.
“And the man who would be grateful if we could make tonight go away for my new neighbor here,” Ethan said with a pointed glance he hoped would do the trick. “Perhaps I could drop off a gratitude cake at the firehouse sometime? For your trouble?”
James pursed his lips. “You aretheEthan Greene.” He shot Em an unreadable look. “I’ll see what I can do.”
He strode back to his mates.
“I’m not enjoying tonight.” Emmaline frowned.
Ethan didn’t care for that frown.
Of note, she didn’t mention a thing about his celebrity. He appreciated that. He was more than a bloke on the telly, but women rarely saw that in him.
“Your secretissafe with me.” He held his pinky out to her.
She stared at his pinky like he’d sprouted an extra off the side.
“You know.” He linked his pinkies together to illustrate the way his daughter had him make promises.
“Oh.” Emmaline linked her pinky briefly with his. “Right.”
“Em,” James said, her name curt and abrupt.
Oh wonderful, brother bear is back.
“You’re off the hook,” James said, drawing the last word out a tad too long. “The guys all agreed this didn’t happen. All that jazz. Somebody tossed matches. Happens all the time.”
“That’s great news.” Ethan smacked his palms together.
Emmaline, however, was letting off an odd energy. The way she crossed her arms? She did not seem to be so friendly about the way this was working out.
Yeah, not with the way she stared at her brother like a feral animal ready to pounce.
“I know you,” Emmaline said, staring daggers at James. “This isn’t over.”
“You’re right.” James nodded, his villain grin the stuff of sibling rivalries. “I’m going to hang on to this one.”
He winked. The wanker winked.
“That’s an odd thing to hang on to,” Ethan murmured, because it was.
James gave him the empty picnic basket look again. “I meant the knowledge that this happened. Hanging on to that.”
