Page 29 of Just This Once

I smiled. “She’s still behind bars, then?”

“Oh, yeah,” he assured. “She got five years for attempted murder.”

“Sweet.” I nodded, glad he’d found some justice for getting run over by Miss Gusano with her car, only to return my gaze to Grumpy. He was refusing to look up as if he were trying to hide something, and an idea started to brew in my head.

“You know…” I murmured, watching him carefully. “When we drove by V-Eleven, I thought the sign actually said seven in Roman numerals.”

“Hey, yeah,” Alec answered, lifting his eyebrows in surprise. “It really does look like a Roman numeral seven, doesn’t it?”

When Parker looked up and narrowed his eyes at me, almost as if in warning, I answered, “It sure does. And it wasquitea coincidence that your two favorite chefs from the other place ended up there.” Turning my attention to Sleepy, I added, “Don’t you think?”

Hudson only shrugged. “I guess. Why?”

“No reason.” I took another bite of my meal, only to add, “What’d you say the owner’s name was again? Of V-Eleven?”

Shut up, Parker mouthed, clearly warning me to drop the subject.

“I actually don’t know,” Hudson answered. “He’s some kind of silent partner or something. Wants to remain anonymous, I guess. But I met the manager. Decent lady. She used to volunteer at the grief center, in fact.”

“Didshe?” I nodded, still watching Parker. “How interesting.”

“What the hell are you getting at?” Keene finally demanded, not a fan of my evasive hinting.

But I just kept being vague as I shrugged. “Nothing. I just think it’sincrediblyhandy that a new restaurant opened uprightwhen Sleepy needed a new job,plusits mysterious unknown owner was able to snag Hudson’s very favorite chefs from his nemesis’s restaurant so he could return to working under them again. Then there’s the fact that the number seven is hidden in the very title of the place and a former grief center volunteer runs everything. All such a strange and interesting coincidence. Huh,Grumpy?”

Ignoring me, Parker tipped his glass back and drained it dry.

Hudson’s mouth dropped open for a full two seconds as he glanced between me and Parker, adding everything together in his head.

At the card table, I heard Happy whisper, “Holy shit,” as the pieces fell together for him as well.

Suddenly, Hudson slapped his fork down and spun to Parker. “You bought me a damn restaurant?”

Parker refused to acknowledge him as he set his empty glass on the table gently. Then, he sent me a condemning glare. “You really don’t know when to shut up, do you?”

I lifted one shoulder, unconcerned by his anger. “You shouldn’t have been so obvious if you didn’t want anyone to know.”

“Obvious?” Hudson cried. Lifting his hands, he glanced around at the others. “Did anyone else know about this?”

As a load of no’s murmured their way from the card table, and Alec shook his head insistently, while Keene swore, “Fuck, no,” Hudson relaxed a little more. “Well, at least I wasn’t theonly clueless dumbass.” But he slumped lower in his chair when he asked, “So, you, what—forcedthem to hire me?”

“What?No,” Parker insisted. “I didn’t even mention your name. I only suggested that they could look for candidates still in culinary school, if they wanted. And you were the first person they mentioned.”

Hudson blew out a long breath and shook his head as if having a hard time believing that. “You swear?”

Parker lifted both hands. “I swear. Theywantedyou in their kitchen.”

“Jesus,” Hudson breathed, closing his eyes briefly. “You interfering son of a bitch. Come here.” Swinging an arm around Parker’s shoulders, he hauled Parker against him for a side hug and then pressed his temple against Parker’s. “Thank you,” he rasped before releasing him. “But gah, we really need to find something worthwhile for you to spend all your money on.”

“Amen,” Faith agreed.

Only for Oaklynn to speak up from the other table, “And for God’s sake, Ohrley, score us a reservation there, won’t you? Damien and I have been on a waiting list for threeweeksjust to get in.”

Chuckling out a small smile, Parker nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Ooh, Alec and I want to eat there as well,” I spoke up, hooking my arm through my brother’s and pulling him close. “Get us a reservation too, won’t you?”

But Grumpy only sent me a sharp scowl. “You’llbe lucky to survive the night. Blabbermouth.”

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