Page 9 of Tactically Tied

“Mitch, those fries are soggy. How many times do I have to say it—crisp, golden, perfect.”

Jed’s crew had been with him for years, and they were good, but today, everything was rubbing him the wrong way. He leaned over the pass, checking each plate before it went out, finding fault with nearly every detail.

He pushed a plate back toward the line. “The garnish is sloppy. Come on, we can do better than that.”

“Yes, Chef” was all he heard in response. Those two words used to thrill him. Now they rubbed him the wrong way.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Jed yanked the device out, glancing at the screen. Rick Landers. Great. Just what he needed in the middle of this chaos.

Jed answered the call, walking to the corner of the kitchen, but his eyes never left the line. “Rick, not a good time.”

“Jed, listen. I know you’re busy, but I’ve got good news. We’ve got one spot left on the show, and we really want you.” Rick’s voice crackled through the phone, full of excitement. “We even have a girl lined up to pose as your fiancée. It’s perfect!”

Jed’s mind wasn’t on reality shows, and it sure wasn’t on pretending to be engaged. Not when all he could think about was her.

Jami. And Ryan.

What was she doing with him? Ryan had always been wrong for her. The guy was a mess—always broke, always one bad bet away from losing everything. And the loser had lost everything. He'd lost Jami all because of a stupid dare.

But even before the dare, the writing was clear on the wall about Ryan. Jed’s stomach twisted as the memory surfaced, clear as day. The night Ryan had asked him for a loan while he was on a date with Jami. They’d been at some fancy restaurant, and Ryan’s debit card had gotten declined. Jed had ended up footing the bill, watching Ryan play the doting boyfriend with Jami none the wiser.

And now she was back with him? Why? Why would Jami go back to someone like that? Jed’s grip tightened around the phone, his knuckles white as the frustration surged.

“Jed? You there?” Rick’s voice brought him back. Barely.

Ever since that night of the debit card disaster, Jed had fairly stalked Ryan and Jami. The thought of Jami being embarrassed in front of others or having to pay for Ryan's mistakes irritated him like nothing else. And it was a good thing Jed had hovered. The first decline of Ryan's card hadn't been the last. And then there had been the dare.

The dare that never should have happened. But Jed was so glad it had. He'd never have gotten a taste of Jami otherwise.

"It would be great exposure for you and the restaurant. And trust me, this girl knows the score. She just wants the screen time to build up her social media following and then you can go your separate ways."

Jed had thought Ryan and Jami were going their separate ways when he'd learned they'd broken up. But when Jed had asked Ryan about it, Ryan seemed to think they were just on a break and they'd be getting back together. Jed hadn't been convinced. and Ryan had likely read it in his expression. That's when the joker had made the dare.

"I mean, think about it—a nationally televised competition. You can't beat that kind of publicity."

Jed had had to watch for nearly a year as Ryan paraded her around. Or more like she led him around on a leash. Ryan had never been the most assertive of guys. Which was again why Jed had never understood the attraction.

Jami deserved someone who could keep up with her, someone who didn’t drag her into their messes. Someone who saw her for everything she was—fiery, brilliant, unstoppable.

"Her name is Mika."

What kind of name was Mika? It sounded like a truncated version of Michael. It certainly wasn't lyrical like the name Jami.

“I’m out, Rick,” Jed said abruptly, cutting off whatever pitch Rick had been making. “I’m not doing the show.”

“Wait, what? You don’t want to do it?”

“No,” Jed said, his voice firm. “I’m not interested.”

“Jed, this is a huge opportunity. You sure you?—”

“I’m sure,” Jed interrupted, his tone final. Because the only woman he wanted for the part wasn't available.

Jed hung up, not waiting for a response. He didn’t want a fake fiancée for a reality show. He didn’t want a fake anything.

He wanted Jami. He wanted her to know that. He needed to tell her. He’d waited too long, and now she was slipping through his fingers. Back into the arms of the wrong man.

Jed pushed open the heavy kitchen door and stepped into the back alley behind Grits and Grub. The sharp scent of grease and smoke from the kitchen was replaced by the crisp evening air, carrying with it the faint odor of the nearby dumpster. He rubbed his neck, feeling the tension from the day winding tight in his muscles, his mind still reeling from that phone call with Rick and, of course, Jami.

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