Page 241 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
It’s also possible I’m happy to buy myself a little time. I could use a minute to breathe, to think, to figure out what kind of headspace I’m in. I just upended my entire life and moved across the country in an effort to find myself and figure out what I want. Will those efforts get cloudy if what I decide I want is a man? What if that man is Lennox Hawthorne?
I need to get my head on straight before I expose myself to a private meal prepared by the hands of America’s sexiest chef.
Once we have a plan in place, Lennox leaves me with the last of his coffeeandhis scarf, insisting I can return them both the next time I see him.
Note: having Lennox’s scarf in my possession is absolutelynotgoing to help with my getting-my-head-on-straight efforts.
Also note: I’m going to wear it for the rest of the day anyway.
Chapter Ten
Tatum
I step outside andwave as Olivia pulls up in a Stonebrook Farm Gator.
The restaurant is closed on Mondays, and I don’t have any events until the evening, so the place is pretty much abandoned, but I notice Lennox’s sedan parked in the corner. I didn’t see him when I passed through his kitchen to get outside, and I tell myself not to even wonder where he is. His office, maybe? Or maybe he was in the deep freeze when I walked past?
Or—no. Not thinking about it. Don’t care. Don’t care. Don’t care.
I mean, of course I care. But I’m trying not to obsess. So we’re having dinner next week. It’sjustdinner. There is no reason to act differently.
“Hey! You look adorable,” Olivia says.
I look down at the cashmere cardigan I splurged on just before leaving L.A. I mostly put it on because it’s the warmest thing I brought with me, and I’m pretty sure spring is on permanent vacation in North Carolina. But as a bonus, when paired with my favorite jeans and a fitted tank, it’s an outfit that makes me feelcute in an easy, casual way. Which somehow felt important for lunch with Lennox’s mom.
Yes—yes, I am having lunch with Lennox’s mom. But as far as I know, this lunch has everything to do with me being the new catering chef and nothing to do with me being the woman whom Lennox just invited to dinner. (A work dinner? A strictly platonic friend dinner? I WISH I KNEW.) Regardless, whether justified or not, I’m feeling extra anxious about making a good impression. I want Lennox’s mom tolike me, so it eases a bit of my nerves to hear Olivia’s compliment.
If nothing else, at least I’ve managed to get my outfit right.
“Are we not leaving the farm?” I ask as I climb into the Gator, tugging my sweater close against the chill in the air.
Olivia shakes her head, making no move to start the engine. Instead, she pulls out her phone. “Mom doesn’t like to leave Dad for too long, and her studio is right by their house, so we’re meeting there. You already know Brody’s wife, right? Kate? She’ll be there. And Lila, too. She’s Perry’s wife. I hope that’s okay.”
Oof.So I’m having lunch withallthe women in Lennox’s family? That . . . doesn’t feel like pressure at all.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Sure, of course,” I say. “I do know Kate, and she’s great. But I’ve never met Lila.”
“Lila is the sweetest. You’ll love her, too. Oh, hey,” Olivia says, “before I forget, that box back there is yours. I guess the UPS guy couldn’t find your place, so he just left it at the farmhouse.”
I turn back to see the box, recognizing my sister’s name and address on the return label. “Oh, awesome. Thanks for bringing it down.” It must be the box of my mom’s things Bree said she’d be mailing over.
A beat of uncertainty pushes through me. Maybe going through Mom’s things will be good for me. It’s been so long since she was a regular part of my life, sometimes I go days, evenweeks, without thinking about her. But since she passed away, she’s been on my mind more frequently, and I think it might do me some good to have a reason to spend some time processing what I’m feeling.
I lift a hand to my sternum and rub the spot just over my heart, as if I can rub away the ache, then file my thoughts away for later when I can sort through the boxandmy feelings in private. Definitely nottoday,when I’m already feeling the pressure of meeting Lennox’s mom and spending time with his sisters.
“Seriously, where is Lennox?” Olivia asks, her gaze trained on her phone.
“Is he coming too?” I glance at Olivia, sounding way more chill than I feel.
“Definitely not.” Olivia types something on her screen while I breathe out a relieved sigh. “I just need him to bring out the food.”
“Wait. Lennox is feeding us? Isn’t today his day off?”
Olivia meets my gaze, clearly sensing my incredulity.
“I know it sounds like a big ask, but if there’s one thing that willalwayshold true for Lennox, it’s his desire to take care of his mom. All she has to do is ask, and he’ll make her whatever she wants.”
Oh my word.Lennox loves tofeed his mom?
