Page 52 of The Reaper
“You ever think about reopening it?”
I didn’t have to ask what he meant.
Meggie’s.
The name alone sent a pulse of heat through my chest.
“I think about it every day,” I said quietly.
He let that settle between us. “You could. You’ve got the talent. The following. Hell, the press would eat it up.”
I didn’t respond right away. The idea had teeth. Maybe even wings. Something more upscale than what my parents built—less beach shack, more coastal fine dining. A tribute, but elevated. A place that honored what they started while carving out something entirely my own.
“I’m not ready.”
He studied me. “You waiting for the star first?”
“I’m waiting for the ghosts to shut up.”
Dean nodded like he understood. Maybe he did.
Finn finally spoke. “The dishes she’s plated recently? Pure madness. Like the kind of thing you eat and then can’t stop thinking about for a week.”
Dean turned. “You tasted them?”
“She made me,” Finn said with a shrug. “You know how she gets when she’s on a tear.”
“You should taste the ones from last night,” I added with a chuckle.
Dean laughed, too. “God, help the man you’re dating.”
I gave him a look. “You’re the worst.”
“Probably. But I’m still the one who taught you how to butterfly a trout.”
I smirked but shook my head. “And for the record, I’m not dating anyone.”
Dean raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
“One night with a man doesn’t make him my boyfriend,” I added.
Finn coughed into his mug, clearly enjoying himself far too much.
Dean stood, stretching his arms overhead. “All right, I’m off. Gotta meet a guy about a lease. You cooking tonight?”
“Always.”
“I’ll swing by. Bring Trish if she gets here in time. We’re making a mini-vaca out of it. We’ll be here for a few days.”
“You’re not staying with me?” I asked.
“Hotel down the street. She hates the bed in your guestroom. Claims it’s ‘over-designed torture.’”
“That’s because it’s French.”
“That’s because it’s made of stone.”
We walked him to the door. He pulled me into a one-armed hug that smelled like cedar and old cologne. For a moment, I let myself lean into it.
