Page 78 of Go Cook Yourself

On the edge of the bed are my favourite cookery books and some clothes I didn’t pack when I left Neil’s. As if reading my mind, Garett fills me in. “Kath told me there were nice things back at your ex-boyfriend’s that you wished you’d kept, so Jem got some back.”

I whip around. “Was everything okay?”

He nods but doesn’t add anything else. I start leafing through all the stuff in my cabin but freeze when out of my clothes falls the box where I kept my sex toys. If my brother saw my sex toys, they’re going straight in the bin. “Did Jem go there alone?”

“I helped. He hasn’t had anything to do with what’s in that box,” Garett says.

“Cool.” I can’t stop swallowing.

“Shall we get back to the party? I expect you’ll want to eat one of those cakes I made you drop.”

He leads me back to the party. Suddenly, he whispers in my ear, making my shivers less about the frosty atmosphere and more about his seductive growl, “And that purple vibrator in your box looks especially powerful. I’ve charged it because I hoped to watch you use it later.”

My eyes are wide as I stare at a chuckling Garett walking away. The sooner this party finishes, the better, because all I want is for him to instruct me and call me his good girl again as I put on a show for him.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Garett

Rubes has talked to people for the last hour. The hugs she gave Jem and Kalen is another reminder of the family I’ve never had. But that’s less important to me tonight because this family has welcomed me. Even Kalen hugged me. It hurt because the guy is like a brick shit house, but I loved it.

Every time Ruby smiles at me, a zip of happiness fills my belly.

“Hey, big bro. Stop making goo-goo eyes at Ruby, or everyone will know how much you like her,” Flora says as she bounds up to me. She nudges me hard. “You did good, though. I’m really proud of all your hard work tonight. Any news from you-know-who?”

My phone burns a hole in my pocket. I was checking it for messages from Flora and Ruby’s parents about when to arrive at the party, but as we were leaving, I received a message from Ciara.

“She’s formally offered me the job.”

“And?” Flora whispers.

Ruby looks over, and I grin at her.

“And I’ve got to tell her by Christmas Day if I’m going to take it.”

“And?” Flora raises her voice, but no one is close enough to hear us.

“And,” I whisper, “I will decide by then.”

“I want what’s best for you, and so will Ruby. But make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.”

I don’t know what the right reasons are anymore. Before I worked at the cookery school with Ruby, my decisions were always determined by what would make me the most successful.

“Okay,” I reply before yawning so wide it hurts my face. I’m exhausted from going to Neil’s house as backup for Jem. I briefly spoke to the jerk and told him to leave Ruby alone. Jem was okay with me during the trip, although he made it clear several times that I wasn’t to date his sister. Thankfully, he’s already left, because I’m unsure how long I can hide my “goo-goo eyes.”

“I told her you made all the food for the party, by the way,” Flora adds.

“For Amber’s party.”

“For Ruby’s sister’s party,” she teases. That’s the other reason I’m tired. I didn’t go to bed last night because I wanted it to be a banquet.

“It’s really kind of you to help plan this. Party planner, secret keeper. Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Make you make the right decision,” she says with a half-hearted laugh. “Besides, I owe this family. They gave you a job, helped us rescue Cookie, and Ruby’s mum told me I could stop by their house whenever. They gave both of us a chance. Ruby thanked me for helping, too.”

“You didn’t mention Clive, though?” I ask sharply.

Flora shakes her head. “No, he’s still a brilliant chef and competition organiser as far as she’s concerned.” I let out a sigh of relief. “She’s mentioned a couple of times that it was your ex-girlfriend that kept your dog. Are you going to tell her the truth?”

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