Page 134 of There's No Us Without You
“Name your terms.”
“I want to be in the kitchen full time until I take over. It’s where I belong.”
Silence fills the small office space, the only sound in the room the ticking of Tony’s battery-operated clock on the desk.
Finally, he blows out a breath and extends a hand to me. “Deal.”
I swallow hard as I stare at Tony’s hand. Over the last few weeks, shaking someone’s hand has often gotten me into some sort of trouble. First, I shook Will’s hand and ended up moving in with two complete strangers. Then I shook Cooper’s hand and ended up pimping myself out for money.
So is shaking Tony’s hand going to land me in hot water as well?
My heart is beating so hard, but my intuition is telling me to go for it. Honestly, I can’t believe I’m putting my trust in Tony. But I can hear my dad speaking to me from the grave.
Life always offers us second chances; it’s called “tomorrow.” Forgiveness doesn’t equate to weakness, my girl, it equates to happiness.
With my mind made up, I lean forward in my chair and place my hand in his. “Deal.”
After going through the fine print with Tony and signing the contract, I decide to hang around and help Smith in the kitchen. I can’t drop the smile from my face. Everything is falling into place—Emerson and I finally got together, and he doesn’t hate me.
And I’m going to get my dad’s restaurant backwithoutthe help of my mother.
There’s just one more thing I need to sort, though, and it just so happens to be the scariest one of all—getting Will’s forgiveness for betraying his best friend.
With my hands full,I push open the doors to The Beer Bunker with my hip, sending my sunglasses falling down my nose.
“Shit.” One of the bags slips from my fingers as I try to pull the glasses from my face, but I manage to snatch it by the corner just before all the contents escape onto the floor.
That’s the last thing I need—to make more mess for myself to clean.
I catch the attention of two older gentlemen, both now grinning at me like it’s been a while since they’ve seen a member of the opposite sex.
Will, please come save me.
And just like magic—or sheer coincidence—Will appears. Although, he doesn’t acknowledge me.
“Don’t either of you two get up to help,” he says to the two men. Shaking his head, he lifts the bar flap and comes towards me to take the bags from my hands, but says nothing.
I get he’s angry at me, but I need him to look at me just once. I’ll know how much trouble I’m in. He’s great at putting a wall up, but I’ve seen the vulnerability swimming inside those deep-blue orbs when he’s looking at Emerson.
And I want him to look at me the same way again.
“Thank you,” I say, stretching out my fingers. They’ve cramped up and gone numb from carrying the heavy bags all the way from the restaurant.
With a tight smile, Will nods.
“Ease up, Will,” the man with the balding head says. “We were just enjoying the view. It’s not every day a beautiful young lady walks into this shit hole.” He winks at me and nudges his friend with his elbow.
Grunting, Will drops the bags on the bar, then points to the man who spoke. “Watch yourself or I’ll cut you off if you insult my bar one more time.”
Eyes wide, the man scoffs. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.” A slight smirk lifts one side of Will’s mouth before it disappears and he’s pinning me with those eyes of his—the first look he’s given me in two days.
After his reaction to finding out what I did, I haven’t seen him at the house. My guess is he’s been avoiding me, so the fact he hasn’t kicked me out is progress. If he just listens to what I have to say, maybe he can forgive me the way Emerson has.
I nod to the bags. “Thought you might be hungry? I just finished work, so I thought I’d stop in and?—”
“Bribe me with food?” Will folds his arms over his chest, jaw tense.
