Page 7 of Sensuous

I turn to look at Kat and see her attempt a smile. It ends up more like a grimace than anything happy, though.

“Sadie’s more of the club kind. I’m more of the hang out at home kind. Boring, I know, but after a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is deal with people.”

“I work as an assistant to the CEO of Starling, and Kat is a chef at Frederick’s across town. What do you do?”

My ears perk up at hearing one of them actually does something in the business I’m in, but the look on Kat’s face quickly turns from a slight grimace to a downright glare for her friend at the mention of her job. I don’t know much about the restaurant she works at, but she clearly didn’t want Sadie to tell me what she does for a living.

“I’m the head chef at CK,” I answer and then turn to look at Kat who’s practically cringing now. “You don’t like working as a chef? We’ve got some great people in that position at my restaurant.”

“It’s fine. Excuse me, please.”

Sadie and I watch her walk away, and my curiosity about why she left gets the better of me. I turn back to look at her friend and ask, “Was it something I said?”

Frowning, she answers, “She’s not happy at her job. She’s a really great chef, but her boss keeps giving promotions to other people who got hired after her. It’s not fair. Just because Kat isn’t a kiss ass she punishes her every time there’s an opening.”

“That must suck,” I mumble, silently thanking my luck at having family who own a restaurant I can work in.

“I better go find her. I’m sorry, Alex. It was nice to meet you, though.”

“It was nice to meet you too.”

And with that, Sadie runs off in the direction of the bathrooms to find her unhappy friend. Cade appears at my side a few seconds later with another drink for me and his trademark sensitivity.

“Struck out with both of them? Jesus, Alex. The one in purple wanted to do my father. You must be losing your touch.”

Lifting my glass to my lips, I consider telling him to fuck off, but maybe he’s right. Maybe I have lost my touch. Or maybe neither one of them was what I wanted tonight.

I shrug and let him have his fun. “I’m not crying over it. Women are a dime a dozen, Cade. You’d remember that if you didn’t have your dick tied in a knot.”

Suddenly, all the fun leaves his expression. “Dude, I thought you liked Hailey.”

“I do. She’s one of my favorite people.”

Relief washes over him, and he sits down on a barstool next to where I’m standing. “Oh, good. I thought for a second there that we had a problem. I’m not sure what I’d do if you and she didn’t get along.”

Christ, he can be so stupid sometimes.

“What you’d do is continue living your life and being happy with the woman of your dreams. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Well, I guess I would, but the thought of my best friend and my girlfriend hating one another sounds pretty fucking terrible.”

I pat him on the shoulder in an attempt to comfort him since this clearly bothers him. “Don’t worry, Cade. Sometimes I like Hailey even more than I like you.”

A big grin lights up his face, and my favorite cousin shakes his head. “Fuck you.”

After a few moments of listening to the music, I hear him say, “So seriously, you struck out with both of them? Doesn’t this worry you?”

“You sound like my father. Why the hell is everyone so damn interested in me finding someone? I’m blaming you, my brother, and Liam. I’m single and happy about it. So what if I didn’t get those women tonight? Tomorrow’s another day.”

“Okay, onto another topic. I think you should do that reality cooking show.”

I turn to look at him in confusion. “Why the hell should I do that? I don’t even watch reality TV.”

Cade waves away that excuse and rolls his eyes. “What does that matter? Are they going to pay you?”

“No, but there’s a chance to win a million dollars, so I guess that’s sort of like getting paid for the person who wins,” I explain, still baffled that Cade thinks I should do this stupid show.

“You could open your own restaurant for that kind of cash, man. I say you do it.”

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