Page 24 of A Sudden Romance

“Remember what I’m capable of doing to people who mess with me?”

“No kidding.” His heart was light, the most comfortable he’d ever been in her presence. “Your ten siblings trained you well.”

“That’s what I mean.”

When they arrived at the grill near the amphitheater, they shed their coats as they found a table. Then she surprised him by ordering nachos, so he ordered the same thing.

“I’m paying for this,” she said once the server left after taking their orders.

“Not a chance.” Sabastian stared at her, waiting until she sipped her water and looked at him. “I’m already offended that you ordered nachos for dinner.”

“Only because you don’t cook nachos.” Her eyes danced with sparkles in the ambient lighting. “You’ve set the bar with your food. Whenever I think of the best food in the world, I think of you.”

His heart swelled.

“Your food belongs in the grandest of places—but even that wouldn’t be fair because everyone in the world needs to taste your food, not just my family or those who can afford suave restaurants.”

“I’ve thought of opening a restaurant someday, but then...” Ignoring the commotion around them as people chatted at the nearby tables, he found himself confessing his plans, some of them at least. “I just don’t want to throw myself out there if I shouldn’t.”

She leaned in, her full lips demanding attention from his eyes—maybe his mouth as well? Would he ever get the nerve to kiss her? Would she hate him if he did?

“There’s always a reason not to start something. You know that?”

His reason was legit—both his reason not to kiss her or start a relationship with her and his reason not to start a restaurant. But he uttered his other fear instead. “What if I fail?”

“You wouldn’t.” Her eyes widened, and she slapped the table, jostling silverware and glassware and catching other diners’ attention as she leaned in. “One of Nate’s friends runs several restaurants. He’s visiting Pleasant View next week. I don’t remember everything he said about this show, but they are looking for chefs for their show in January.”

His heart rate kicked up as she told him all she remembered about her conversation with the food taster, executive TV director, restaurant owner, and several titles that piqued Sabastian’s interest to search about the guy.

“Do you know what TV show he works for?”

“I don’t remember if I asked.”

If it was anything like Chopped, Sabastian doubted he could cook under pressure, but when she told him she had the guy’s business card, it didn’t sit well.

Men asked her out no doubt, but blessedly, he never had to know about it and preferred to pretend it didn’t happen.

“If you’re interested, I can give you his business number so you can talk to him.”

“If the show is in January, they probably have enough chefs—”

“Maybe they don’t.” She held up a finger. “It isn’t an open event for every chef to submit an application. They’re selecting cooks after they taste their food. Just tell him Iris Stone gave you his number and told you about the event.”

While he’d rather ask her to call and talk to the guy on his behalf, he had to show her he was capable of getting out there. Plus, he didn’t want her chatting with any man who might end up getting any ideas of asking her out.

He couldn’t chance competing with another man for Iris. He’d lose.

When their food was served, they prayed. While they ate, he arranged the perfect bites of nacho with olives, salsa, cheese, and sour cream. Too bad he couldn’t brave reaching over and feeding her one. Instead, he asked, “Tell me about your work.”

“I love it. I get to build people’s dream lives. It’s like I’m still playing with my Barbies and setting up dream houses for them. My sister—Julia—accuses me of building castles in the sky, rather than living in reality. But castles or not, all my foundations are strong. Right now, I’ve got a project in Maine and an upcoming project I’m still waiting for permits for in New York.”

She scrunched her nose, clearly not liking the paperwork stage. Then her eyes lit up. “My favorite time is always the early stages of a project since I get to draw the designs.”

He nodded along, crafting one perfect nacho experience after another, but not able to share them. She just dipped her chips in salsa and ate as she talked, not taking the time to make any of them the perfect structure she’d have created if they were building material for her worksites. Taking photos, measurements, drawing, and anything that involved using her hands all seemed to suit her adventurous personality.

When they made it to the amphitheater an hour later, the Spin Twisters band had a diverse group of vocalists and musicians. Their versatile music from pop, rock, and country had the crowd cheering and dancing.

Only standing room, but there was enough space for people to dance if they wanted to.

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