Page 121 of Bad Seed

But looking at the quiet devotion between her daughter and her man gave Judith hope for a deeper, lasting love between them, and as a mother, there was nothing more she could ask.

As soon as they reached the dining room and she saw how warmly Brendan and Harley were greeted, she was beginning to be impressed.

“Chef Pope! Welcome back, Chef! Great to see you, Chef!” and “Miss Harley, we were praying for you. Miss Harley, so good to see you back on your feet!”

The comments followed them all the way to their table and as they were being seated. As soon as they were alone again, Judith commented. “It’s wonderful to see how revered you two are.”

“No, ma’am. ‘Revered’ is the wrong word. We don’t elevate people by rank. It comes from respect. And that’s earned. Harley gained their respect with her diligence in uncovering ongoing theft and fraud. And I didn’t earn it from being good at my job, which I am. I earned it by being good to my team. And mentoring them as I was mentored—to become skilled at their chosen professions.”

“All of the great chefs I have encountered have a reputation for being vocal,” Jason said.

Brendan’s gaze shifted. “I don’t have to raise my voice to be understood.” Then he slid his arm around Harley’s shoulder. “Sunshine, do you see anything on the menu that sounds good to you?”

“What are you having?” Harley asked.

“I’m thinking about chicken pot pie with the puff-pastry crust, and whatever you don’t eat.”

Harley laughed at the startled expression on her father’s face. “He’s not joking. There are no such things as leftovers at our house. Brendan’s mother, Shirley, swears he’s never been full.”

Brendan shrugged. “It’s a long way from my mouth to my belly. Even farther to my toes. And being the youngest of four brothers made it worse. I learned at an early age not to be late to the table and not to waste food.”

Judith giggled. “Your mother must be a saint.”

“Yes, ma’am, and a phenomenal cook and baker. She inspired my love of baking,” he said.

“It runs in the family,” Harley said. “There’s a little bakery down in the tourist area of Jubilee called Granny Annie’s Bakery. She’s Brendan’s great-aunt and her cinnamon rolls are to die for.”

“I like cinnamon rolls,” Jason said.

“Then we’ll take you there tomorrow,” Brendan said. “And weather permitting, if you want to sightsee, we’ll be happy to show you the sights. The atmosphere in Jubilee is like stepping back a couple of hundred years into the way life used to be here.”

Their waiter appeared and took their orders. Then as they were waiting, they heard a flurry of excitement at the door.

Wolfgang Outen had just entered the dining room and was scanning the area when he stopped and then headed straight for their table.

“Oh my God. That’s Wolfgang Outen,” Jason mumbled, but Brendan was already on his feet, and Wolf was hugging him.

“Brendan! They told me you and Harley were here. Harley, so good to see you up and about. I’m having offices revamped especially for you, with quiet and privacy at a premium. Later, you must go over it with me, and anything else you need will be provided.” He paused, and only then did he shift his gaze to acknowledge the other two people at the table.

Harley quickly introduced them. “Mr. Outen, these are my parents, Jason and Judith Banks. Mom and Dad, this is Wolfgang Outen, the new owner of the Serenity Inn and the man who’s going to be my new boss.”

Wolfgang smiled. “I am honored to have snared the shark she is. Her reputation in the corporate world is renowned.”

Jason stared at Harley in disbelief, then stood to shake his hand. “It’s a pleasure, sir.”

Wolf kissed the back of Judith’s hand instead of shaking it, and forever sealed her opinion of him as not only handsome and debonair, but also the perfect gentleman.

Then Wolf clapped Brendan on the shoulder again. “My best to Shirley, as always. Tell her I’m open for another invitation to her table any time she feels called.”

Brendan laughed. “I’ll tell her. You know she loves your company. Your daughter. Her son. Living under her roof. Her world is just about perfect.”

“And with the twins on the way, I might be just the tiniest bit envious that she’ll be with them daily.”

“You might want to rethink the every-day aspect,” Brendan said. “According to Ava, babies are noisy.”

Wolf threw back his head and laughed. “I look forward to being interrupted. Now, pardon me for the interruption to your meal. Jason and Judith, it was a pleasure to meet you. Enjoy your stay.”

He left as abruptly as he’d appeared, but Jason was seeing Brendan in a whole new light.

---