Page 37 of Grant’s Blaze

“No!” As if realizing how panicked her answer sounded, she spread out both hands in a diplomatic gesture. “I mean, nothing new going on in my love life. I’ve been on a few dates, but I think I’m too picky. And I’m in love with my job, remember?” She stuck in the last of it while the waitress placed her salad on the table.

“I don’t think there’s such a thing as too picky when it comes to finding a person you’re compatible with.” I gave up a cocky smile as the waitress inserted her approving hum of the statement before departing. “I don’t think we should ever be asked to dial back our expectations.”

“That’s such a better way of looking at it, instead of blaming myself all the time,” my young friend said, letting her shoulders fold forward toward the table.

I narrowed my gaze. “Are you using one of those dating apps?” I asked it out of curiosity more than anything. “I never really did, but I’ve heard good things and bad things…”

“I’ve tried a few.” She scrunched her face up and continued. “But so many of the guys are just looking for a hookup.”

“Really?” My astonishment was real. “I thought just the one was like that.”

“Not anymore.” She shook her head. “And I can do that on my own. I don’t need an app and three hours of bad dinner and a worse movie for that. Right?”

We both laughed, and I offered her a fist to bump. “I’m sure there is no shortage of suitors coming around your house with five beautiful girls inside. Are any of your sisters in a relationship?”

Hannah squinted one eye as if running down the roster in her memory. “Yes, two of them are at the moment. They’re both really nice guys. My youngest sister is in high school still.” She snorted softly before remarking, “Now there’s a girl we could all learn from.”

“How so?”

“She has the most carefree spirit I’ve ever seen. And she has this motto, much to my parents’ chagrin, ‘take no shit, give no fucks.’ But it works for her. No one will ever take advantage of Miss Clemson Farsey, that’s for sure.”

I wished I had been that way at that age. I wondered how many things in my life would’ve ended up differently. I pushed my salad plate back a bit so our server would know I was done if she came by.

Pointing with her fork, Hannah said around her last bite, “That was really good.” She nodded a few times and then continued, “Oh, yes. I’d eat here again. In my family, that’s how we judge if a restaurant was good or not.”

“Seems like you guys are pretty tight,” I submitted. “Your family, I mean.” Though the observation seemed like a no-brainer, I hoped it opened her up a little more. Already I was envisioning the Farseys as what I’d fantasized the Gibsons would be—before realizing, much too late, how far off the mark I’d actually been.

Hannah popped her head back and forth a few times before confessing with a smile, “We are. It’s…nice.”

I had no idea how to interpret that strange little pause in her reply, and something told me there was no more room for exploration either. Instead, I filled in, “This is my treat, okay? I can write it off, so don’t argue.”

She held her flat palms up in surrender. “All right, since you put it that way.”

And we both laughed again. Wow. I’d laughed more times on this short lunch outing than I had in the past week and a half.

Out front, we hugged, and I reminded her I’d be seeing her back at Abstract in just a few minutes, but I thought it was important the rest of the team didn’t know we were hanging out off the clock. At least until I knew the new crew better. The restaurant we lunched at was only about five miles from the Inglewood location, so we vowed to do this again soon.

The kitchen was relatively calm when I walked in. Music played in the background, and everyone there was busy doing something. But they all stopped their tasks with unnerving abruptness when the door hinge squeaked and announced my arrival.

“Hi!” I said cheerfully, and the three staff members we had hired since Abbi went on maternity leave came over to hug me hello. This really was a great group we had assembled, and the more I thought about it, the more confident I was that it was time to return to work. “I just wanted to check in with everyone and tell you all in person that I’m coming back to work starting Monday. So be ready to have your asses run ragged.”

Hannah came in the door just then, and I plastered on a smile. “Hey there! I’m so glad I didn’t miss you. I was just telling the rest of the team I’m returning to the grind on Monday.”

“Oh my God, Rio! That is awesome news.”

She hugged me in celebration, and then I went right into business mode. “I was hoping we could go over the pantry and walk-in inventory so I can get back on track with purchasing. Do you have time for that now? I know I should’ve called, but I was in the area having lunch, so I decided on a whim to come in instead.”

“Yes, absolutely. Let me set my stuff down and wash up, and we can get down to it. Also, since you’re here, I wanted to run some menu ideas past you and get your approval.”

I spent the rest of the afternoon dipping my toe back into the pool of my own business, and it felt so satisfying to be back. As the sun dropped down behind the buildings in the distance, I felt like my mind, body, and soul were realigned. All the bad shit that had happened to get to this very spot—to have the exact feelings I had right then—was about to be put to rest. Harmony. Peace. Contentment. Yes to all of the above.

Now, if I could get my home life with the program, I would be on top of the world. Even with those unsettled thoughts rattling around in my skull, I felt better than I had in a very long time. I made my way south to my home in Seal Beach. I knew a handsome black-and-white boy kitty who would be very glad to have his mama in bed with him tonight.

And I knew one very tall, handsome, blond, overgrown boy who was not going to be happy when he realized I wasn’t going to be in his bed tonight.

Chapter Nine

Grant