Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 45251 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45251 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
“We ran out of bread upstairs, so clearly the world is coming to an end,” Adam said. “What the fuck happened to your face? Please tell me you got a cat.”
I laughed and made a funny face at Nicky. “We can pretend I got a cat.”
Daddy returned from the changing room at the same time as Alessia joined us.
“Oh! I didn’t know you were coming in today, Griffin.” She was happy to see him, albeit confused.
“Is Nicky running back of house with me today?” I asked.
I was completely ignored, because Adam spun around to face Daddy, and Alessia rushed forward and asked me what’d happened.
“Stop looking at me like that, man,” Daddy bitched. “I gave him ice cream after I beat him.”
I cracked up, hard, and Alessia was quicker to get it than her hubby.
“Dio—you two don’t mess around,” she laughed softly. “This was the party Jameson and Justin were at too? I talked to Lola this morning.”
“Yeah, it was fun.” I smiled.
Adam shook his head and turned his ball cap around backward. “At least Tracy got some punches in too. Jesus Christ.” He gave us both pointed looks. “If anyone asks, y’all had a fight with the pig that’s currently in the smoker outside.”
Daddy and I exchanged a smirk.
Flawless cover story!
That evening, I got another glimpse into my future with Daddy, and it kept a smile on my face until my jaw was aching. It was ridiculous, wasn’t it? But it couldn’t be helped. We assisted each other in the kitchen while Adam manned the grill out front, and our shared workload gave us some moments to be cheesy together. Like when Daddy came over to me, hugged me from behind, and said he couldn’t wait to wake up with me in his bed.
Or when we took our meal break and talked about maybe looking at boats next spring. Daddy missed having a boat, and it was my dream to have one.
All the while…we loved work too, so we didn’t have to explain ourselves when we got too distracted by our tasks. We cooked because it was our passion, and we tended to live in our heads when we were busy. To me, it was just a relief to know he was the exact same.
“And the salad?” Lee asked.
“The sherry vinaigrette,” I said, grabbing two plates. Then I pushed open the door with my butt and backed out of the kitchen. “The six-ounce sampler for the mac and cheese and crispy brussels sprouts, and brisket for the fried pickles and mash.” I left the plates next to Adam’s station, and he acknowledged me with a nod, busy flipping steaks.
Griffin had come out to help him, ’cause Adam’s usual weekend helper, a chef I wasn’t particularly fond of, hadn’t felt well. I mean, he was a decent chef, but he didn’t love his job. You could always tell if a chef worked to pay the bills or because he lived to cook—and obviously pay the bills too.
“You know you gotta set up interviews, right?” I pressed.
“I put Alessia on it,” he replied.
“You know who you should call?” Daddy said. “Duane. He just moved to the West Coast after his divorce.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Adam asked incredulously. “Man, he’d be great. And he’d fit in with us.”
I didn’t know who Duane was, but I was all for us finding a more permanent solution. We needed a lunch chef who could think for himself and someone who could help Adam on the weekends. Although…I had a feeling Griffin would pick up extra shifts now.
Adam and Alessia loved working weekends and preferred taking their breaks in the middle of the week. Obviously, they were off some weekends too, and that was kind of how I’d first started working with Griffin back in the day, when he’d covered for Adam.
Aurora stepped behind the bar and swiftly grabbed the plates Adam was finished with.
“Table four?” she double-checked.
“Yes—and there’s no salt in the mash,” I added.
“Thanks!” She left again, and I went back to the kitchen.
Table six, time for the vegans!
I went on the computer to load their ticket for Adam to see it on his screen, and I told Lee to get cracking on two orders of roasted asparagus while I went to prepare the fried green tomatoes.
When Jon came in from grabbing dishes, the kitchen door open, I heard Adam mutter, “Damn vegans.”
I chuckled under my breath.
EPILOGUE
TWO YEARS LATER
Tracy Judd
“This is fucking incredible, Tracy. I’m so proud of you.”
I beamed under his praise, and he returned my phone.
I couldn’t deny it. I was proud too! One hundred thousand followers on Insta! I mean, obviously, Adam was much more popular—hell, Daddy’s food trucks had amassed an insane following too—but I hadn’t really made a name for myself, which seemed to be changing now.
Daddy and I had big, big plans. He’d inspired me with his fancy food trucks that served excellent seafood all over the West Coast, and he’d offered to help me if I wanted to go that route too. Because to this day, I couldn’t see myself running my own brick-and-mortar. It would mess with the harmony Daddy and I had created. We loved coming into work at the steakhouse, and we loved the time we could take off for travel and to just be on our own.