Page 54 of Sinfully Shameless Chef

Changes are in order.

“I’m still fiddling with a few things. But I don’t have much time left. I need to nail everything down soon for the opening.”

Flynn slaps him on the shoulder. “I hope we’re invited and will get the VIP treatment.”

I snort a laugh and shake my head. “Of course, you’re all invited. But you have to sit at the shittiest table in the place. I need to save the great tables for the critics and celebrities.”

Bash jerks upright in his chair. “Hey! I’m a celebrity. So is Greer.”

Laughing, I point to Isabella, who has remained quiet and subdued since I reentered the room. “I think she just proved your celebrity is in your head…or, at the very least, only exists in very small circles of people who enjoy hockey.”

Greer cringes. “Ouch, Jameson. Way to destroy your brother’s fragile ego.”

Bash’s mouth drops open again. “Fragile ego? Me?”

Rachel’s tinkle of laughter overpowers Bash’s objections. “God, I’ve really missed this.” Her eyes sweep over everyone at the table. “I’ve missed you guys. It’s been way too long since we all got together.”

A heavy silence settles over the table, all of us remembering the last time we were all in the same place—Mom’s funeral. Bash and Rachel saw each other when Dad died last year, but I wasn’t about to insert myself back into that shit situation when I spent my entire life trying to get away from it.

Isabella stands abruptly, rattling the glassware on the table and bringing everyone’s attention to her. Her normally pale skin carries a slight tinge of pink. “I need to get going. Thank you so much for inviting me to dinner.”

Rachel stands next to her and places a hand on her arm. “You don’t need to rush off. We’re just going to sit around talking for a while. And I think Jameson has dessert.”

She glances at me, though whether it’s for confirmation about dessert or to get my assistance in trying to make Isabella stay, I can’t exactly tell.

“I do have dessert. Three options, actually.”

That doesn’t seem to be enough to sway Isabella, though I hadn’t anticipated it would be. She looks uncomfortable, like she’s finally realizing she doesn’t belong here in the middle of the Fury family table. After what she said, it seems she made that choice, so she shouldn’t look so upset.

Isabella steps back from the table and offers a small wave to everyone. “It was nice meeting all of you.” Her gaze connects with mine for a moment longer than is warranted for two people who are just business acquaintances and neighbors. “Thanks again, Jameson. For everything. I’ll see you around.”

I’ll see you around.

That’s a brush-off if I’ve ever heard one. I guess we’ll go back to being rivals and rushing to get our places opened first and pretend what happened was all some strange dream and the attraction that still exists between us is just some hallucination brought on by the long work hours and little sleep we’ve both been experiencing lately.

I swallow through the lump in my throat and watch her make her way toward the door. “Yeah, see you around.”

Each step she takes feels so finite. Like she’s going to disappear out that door and I’ll never see her again even though she’s right next door.

Fuck, am I fucked up.

I take a long drink of wine and watch her finally leave. Almost immediately, everyone at the table turns their focus on me expectantly.

“What? What are those looks for?”

Someone’s phone rings, and Greer scrambles in her purse and pulls it to her ear, buying me at least a momentary reprieve. “Hello? What? When? Well, shit.” She glances at Bash and uses her hand to cover the phone. “Mac just called Doc and said he’s been puking all night. He’s likely out for the game unless he feels better tomorrow.”

Bash rubs a hand across his jaw. “Shit.”

Greer nods at something the person on the phone is saying. “Uh, huh. Sure. We’ll be there shortly.”

One of Bash’s eyebrows rises. “We’re leaving?”

She offers him an apologetic look as she slips the phone back into her purse. “Doc said he’s concerned it may be a stomach virus that could spread to the whole team. We need to get back and make sure everyone’s okay and maybe move rooms around if people are feeling sick.”

Bash pushes to his feet with a heaved sigh. “Shit.” He glances at me. “And this was just getting fun.” A grin pulls at his lips, and he reaches out to bump fists with me. “Excellent meal, bro. Truly. We’ll see you at the game?”

I rise from my chair and nod. “Yep, absolutely. I have plans tomorrow, so I can’t hang out, but I’ll be at the game Thursday. Wouldn’t miss it.”

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