Page 34 of Fall for Me

Seamus

Iopened the fridge to take stock. Eli always rolled his eyes when I wanted to go someplace good to eat, instead of grabbing pub food at O’Malleys or the Blue Line, and gave me shit for watching just as much of the food channel as ESPN.

But good food made me happy. It was quiet comfort. Something my Dad—another secret foodie—and I had in common, besides the business. But unless Dad was over, I rarely had the opportunity to make food for guests. I was looking forward to cooking for Chelsea. Even if having her in my house had me warring an internal battle of feelings.

As it turned out, I had some ground beef, a ton of herbs, and blue cheese. Ironically, it looked like I’d be making burgers.

When I kicked the fridge closed, I saw Chelsea was inspecting my cookbook shelf, running her finger along Ottolenghi Cooks.

“I never knew you were such a food person,” she said. A lock of her newly shorn hair had fallen against her cheek, and I had the idiot urge to go over and brush it aside. Short hair was sexy on her—with her hair gone, the long slope of her neck and delicate curve of her collarbone was unobstructed.

“Everything I know I learned from Chef’s Apprentice,” I said.

Chelsea laughed, and heat shot down low in my abdomen.

I grinned. “You think I’m kidding—cooking shows are the only reason I have cable.”

Chelsea held up her hands. “Got it. So, Chef’s Apprentice… is that the one where they have contestants shadow chefs at a different restaurant every episode?”

“That’s it. Then they have to try to replicate that chef’s specialty.”

“And whoever can’t do it is axed!” she exclaimed. Chelsea’s delight made something go light inside of me. Then, bizarrely, I pictured cooking with her. Her sneaking a finger into the bowl of something and licking it…

Her lips were parted now, and I had to look away fast. I remembered my promise to Eli, and myself. I was supposed to be looking out for her, not looking at her. And absolutely not fantasizing about her. I’d felt relieved after speaking to Eli, because any fuzzy lines around what Chelsea and I could be were erased when I’d heard the worry in his voice.

I think he’d been close to tears.

“We’re all so fuckin’ worried about her, Seamus.”

I could see exactly why they’d been so concerned. Not only had Chelsea only just gotten the okay to leave the hospital, but Eli said one of the only reasons they’d allowed her to be discharged early was because they knew she had a strong network of people around her.

“She’s supposed to be recovering, spending as much time resting as possible while going for walks to keep active and eating whole meals, whatever that means,” Eli had said out on the ridge. “But she took off with that friend she only partied with. And Cass said she’s barely eaten anything.”

I’d looked over at Chelsea, and only because she was out of earshot I’d said, “I don’t think she wants to party now.”

Finally, he’d let out a long breath. “You know what? I’m glad she’s with you. You’re the only person I really trust around her now.”

I wanted to remind him the reason he’d met my face with his fist yesterday was because he suggested I’d put her in danger, which of course I had, just by my pure bad luck. Bad stuff happened to people around me. But I couldn’t say any of that. Instead, I told him what she’d told me—that she just needed to get away. “Your family is a whole… thing,” I said.

Eli had laughed at that. He knew how quiet I got when I was around all of them—how loud they were, how easy with each other. He thought I didn’t like all the cacophony. That I got overwhelmed. And maybe I did. But I liked being around them, too. Except, when you wanted peace and quiet, it wasn’t to a Kelly family gathering that you went.

“I think she just needs some space to think.”

“Yeah. Well, please, Seamus, just look out for her. I just can’t have anything else happen to her, not now.”

The situation had been made crystal clear. My best friend was trusting me, in lieu of his whole family, to watch out for his little sister. Any other thoughts—the ones I’d been feeling since I saw her looking like a resting angel in my hammock—those had to be gone now. They had to be completely out of the equation.

So now, even though her presence in my house sent something warm tingling across my skin, I cleared my throat as I plucked an onion from the cupboard.

“You can just kick back,” I said, pointing my chin at the overstuffed couches in the living room as I peeled the skin off the onion.

“No way! Put me to work.” She smiled. Up close like this, under the glow of the lights, I could see a smattering of freckles peeking out from under her bandage. One of her teeth, in the front, was the tiniest bit crooked. Her lips—

Looking out for her, Reilly, remember?

I tried to picture Eli, and it helped, a little. So did not looking at her. Maybe it would be better if she were out of sight for a bit, so I could clear my head.

It was then I heard the faint cluck of chickens.

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