Page 34 of Worth the Chase

I opened my mouth to answer and say… what? I honestly had no idea, but he spoke instead, saving me from coming up with a response.

“You’ll let me know when I can get the keys to the house?” He flipped the subject back to business, and I tried my best to keep up without getting whiplash.

“Of course. I can’t imagine anything being wrong with it since it’s such a new build. Everything should be up to code, but I’ll let you know either way.”

“Can’t wait to move in. How many rooms do you want? Do you think you’ll need an office, or should I just build you a bar for research and mixology?” He started firing off questions, and the only thing I could do was laugh.

Inside, I was loving everything he was saying though… a little too much for my own good. A bar for research and mixology sounded extremely inviting, but I needed to keep my feet on solid ground when it came to this man.

“Probably a whiteboard, too, so you can take notes, huh? I can’t wait to be your taste tester.”

He continued to talk, and I stayed silent, hoping he’d stop. When he finally did, he kept that grin on his face before telling me that he’d pay the bill.

“We can split it,” I offered, but he scoffed at me.

“No,” was all he said before scooting out of the booth and walking toward the cash register, where Mrs. Baker stood, all starry-eyed as she watched him approach.

I finished as much of my potpie that I could before feeling like I might burst. Matthew returned, carrying a small to-go box, which he handed to me.

“Figured you’d want to bring the rest home.”

“I do. Thank you. And thanks for paying.”

“I am a gentleman, Bells,” he said, and for once, I didn’t argue because maybe he was. “Just ask your parents.” He grinned before he started walking away.

Ask my parents?

What the hell did that mean?

A LIFE WITHOUT CHAOS

BELLA

Everything in my life seemed to be moving along seamlessly. It was a weird feeling to have things fall into place so effortlessly. Matthew’s house was set to close in twelve days. The inspections had come back with zero issues, which I was grateful for. And the grand opening of Addi’s restaurant was in a few hours.

I called my mom a few times, but we kept missing each other, so I still had no idea what Matthew had meant about asking my parents. Hopefully, she’d stop by the restaurant at some point today so I could ask her in person.

Speaking of, there was already a line of people waiting outside the door as we all finished prepping our respective stations. Addi was running around like a madwoman between Butch—the smoker in the back—and the cutting tables indoors. She had staff observing her every move, taking mental notes as she spoke and mimicking the way she did things with her food. Even I had to stop what I was doing to stare sometimes. Watching her was like watching an artist of sorts. Or a magician. She was magic with meat.

I started laughing.

“What’s so funny, Bella?” she shouted from behind the main counter.

I started shaking my head. “I was just thinking that you’re a meat magician,” I admitted, and she stopped whatever she had been doing to stare at me.

“I like it.” She reached inside one of the metal containers and plopped a piece of something into her mouth. “Can’t disagree. Might get a sign made and hang it above the register.”

I kept laughing before I cocked my head to the side. “You see that line outside?”

“I see it.” She nodded while she moved around the kitchen. “When does Anna get in?”

I glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Half an hour.”

“Will you be okay without her if we open early?” Addi asked with a little bit of concern written all over her face.

“Definitely.”

“All right. I’m thinking we shouldn’t keep the people waiting outside like that if we don’t have to,” she said, and I agreed, figuring that most of them would be coming for the food anyway.

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