Page 58 of All Yours

“You’re more like a teddy bear, though,” I said.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Eden chimed in.

Adrian ran a hand down his face and through his beard. “A teddy bear? Damn it, I’m gonna throw someone out of here,” Adrian called as the door opened. The guy stood there wide-eyed, then turned and bolted out the door.

“You chased off a customer. Shouldn’t you go after him?” I asked.

“Nah, that’s Joe Mullins. He’s a trouble making asshole, anyway. And that’s how you’re supposed to react to me.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Eden said, sliding from the booth. “Always trying to act like such a meanie.”

Adrian growled again.

“That growl does nothing to deter from the bear-like qualities,” she said, tightening her apron. “Oh, by the way, don’t you think Sloane and Jonah make the perfect couple?”

“What about me makes you think I’d touch that question with a ten-foot pole?”

“I gotta pole for the red-head,” Billy slurred, stumbling toward Eden.

Adrian stepped into his path and Billy stopped, held up his hands in surrender, and hobbled out the door.

“See,” Adrian said, pointing in the direction Billy went. “That’s the response to me. I’m a big, mean asshole.”

Eden blew a raspberry with her mouth and sashayed away, meeting another group walking through the door. I laughed at her response to Adrian.

“Welcome to Lou’s,” she said. “How many are in your party?”

“So, what are you doing here this afternoon? Besides distracting my employees,” Adrian said.

“I’m supposed to meet Lauren here, but she’s late,” I said, taking in the time on my phone. “I hope everything’s okay. I’ll try to get ahold of her and see what’s going on.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” he said.

“I could use a refill,” I said, shaking the ice left in my glass.

He sighed and glanced over at Eden talking to the party of eight that had walked in. “Finn,” he called and walked away.

I giggled and called Lauren’s number, and it went straight to voicemail. Then, I tapped out a quick text. Maybe she’d gotten held up at the doctor? How long should I wait? Jonah was still busy working across the street, and Eden had several more hours of her shift left. I stared at the phone screen.

“Hey, long time no see,” a voice said. A man slid into the booth seat across from me. The chestnut hair, brown eyes, and five o’clock shadow. It was exactly like the photo on the book cover.

I couldn’t breathe, filled with the worst sense of DeJa’Vu.

He grinned, and it transported me back in time a decade ago to the cafeteria at IMG. Sebastian Sinclair, dropping his tray down across from me filled with grilled chicken breasts and heaps of vegetables. And the smile on his face as he’d talk about how the trainer kicked his butt, and he loved it. And I’d hung on every word. But only this wasn’t a decade ago. His hair was now shaggier and brushed against his collar. A whisper of fine lines flashed around his eyes when he smiled. The world had come crashing down, and he’d left. Now he’d sold that story for a boatload of cash.

“You’re a hard woman to track down,” he said, lifting his hand to flag down a server.

Eden stopped in her tracks. Her mouth dropped for a second before she slammed it shut and headed toward us.

“A water and menu,” he said.

“Is everything alright?” she asked me.

No, not by a long shot. But I nodded. Everything was fine. All words escaped me for the moment.

Eden turned on her heels and took off toward the kitchen.

Inhale, I reminded myself.

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