Page 46 of Falling for You
Max waved and looked down, finally realizing he was a mess. He muttered to himself as he rebuttoned his shirted.
CeCe winked and turned her attention back to the stove, where her last batch of bread was ready to go into the oven.
“Morning, boss.” Evan waved back and went to work cracking eggs.
Helen came back into the kitchen in time to see Max buttoning his shirt. She held her hands up in defeat. “So help me, if you all are going to start having orgies back here, I’m calling the health inspector.”
Max’s eyes bugged out of his head, and Evan barked with laughter. Just as CeCe was about to say something, Natalie materialized in the doorway, clad head to toe in one of her power suits and sky-high heels. “Something tells me I came in at the wrong moment, or maybe the right one. I guess it depends on your point of view.” She smirked at Evan, who flushed and turned his back. Helen merely sighed and went back out to the dining room.
“Shouldn’t you be at work? And how did you get in here?” Max asked, although there was no venom in his voice. “Gin left fifteen minutes ago.”
Natalie shrugged and looped her oversized handbag through her arm. “Back door was open and I needed some caffeine.” She turned and stared Max down for a second before continuing. “My officemate was late coming in and forgot the coffee. I have a feeling that’s your fault.” She gestured toward Max’s hair, and he hurriedly ran a hand through it.
Knowing this wasn’t going anywhere good, CeCe walked over to the coffee maker and poured her friend a cup. “Here. Your caffeine fix, milady.”
Natalie beamed and took the proffered cup. “Thank you. This is why you’re such a good friend.”
“Because I feed you for free?” CeCe asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She felt Evan’s eyes on her, and she tried to keep the blush from creeping up her neck. Standing there now, surrounded by her nosey BFF and her boss, CeCe couldn’t believe mere moments ago she had been kissing Evan. He was under her skin, and not in a bad way. Their relationship still felt dreamlike to her. Fragile like a butterfly, but just as beautiful to her.
“No. I mean, yes. Obviously, I want you to feed me, but that’s not why I’m here.”
“Then what is it?”
“I’m here to feed you. Well, at least later today.”
Not that she always knew what Natalie was saying, but CeCe felt especially lost now. “Nat, I don’t follow.”
Natalie said, “Anthony and I had dinner plans with the Hendersons. You know them, right? They own those three houses by the lake?” She didn’t wait for CeCe to reply, just kept plowing forward. “Well, we’d made reservations at the hottest restaurant in Columbus—took us months to get on the list. Now they’re out for a sick kiddo, and we’re stuck without our dates.”
“Couldn’t you bring the kids?”
Natalie’s head fell back as she laughed. “Goodness, no! This is the hottest steakhouse in the state. As in, no booster seats and coloring books.”
“Then can’t you make it a date night?” CeCe asked, clearly not seeing the problem.
Natalie pursed her lips. “What? No. I thought it’d be a great opportunity to do that double date we talked about.” She spun past CeCe and made eye contact with Evan. “Are you free tonight?” she asked, a glint in her eye.
CeCe stifled a groan. The last thing she needed right now was an hour in the car with Anthony and Evan. While she adored Natalie, sometimes Anthony’s people skills left a lot to be desired. The thought of sharing a triple-digit dinner with her own guilt was too much to handle. She opened her mouth to decline, when Evan cut in. “We’re free tonight. Is that the new steak house in the Short North?”
Natalie clapped and nearly squealed her response. “It is! It’s called Denim. You know, like jeans. Isn’t that absurd?” Despite her words, CeCe could see her friend was more delighted at the name than perplexed by it. She could also tell that there was no getting out of this. Evan’s grin was so contagious that Max hurried over to join them.
“No way. You have to tell me how it is.” Max’s expression was dreamy. “I got a reservation for me and Gin after the wedding, but it’s supposed to be next level. Are they still doing that cocktail with the dry ice and flames?”
The trio, all aware of Denim’s appeal, gossiped like church ladies for nearly five minutes before CeCe finally chimed in.
“Maybe Max could go in my place?” As soon as the suggestion was out of her mouth, the kitchen fell silent. She could even hear the muffled ticking of the oven timer, keeping pace with her own racing heart.
“You don’t want to come?” Natalie looked crestfallen. “I thought we were trying to get a date on the calendar?” She looked back and forth between CeCe and Evan.
“I did. I do,” CeCe hurried to correct herself, but that seemed like a pretty big night with no notice. In all their years working together, she’d always felt like she and Max could read each other’s minds if she flashed him the right look. Turning to her boss now, she could only pray that her face told the full story her lips couldn’t.
Unfortunately, Max wasn’t doing too hot with mind reading that day. “If you’re worried about coverage, it’s fine. That new waitress is starting today. She can stay on with me. Go have fun.” Max nodded, as if the matter was settled.
Natalie gave a thumbs-up to Max. “Perfect! How about we pick you guys up? About five o’clock? We’ll need the time to get to the city in all that traffic.”
Evan nodded. “Sounds great. Can you pick us up at CeCe’s?”
Natalie agreed and breezed out of the back door, her coffee forgotten and CeCe’s brain in ribbons.
