Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
She felt suddenly very far away.
Too far away.
Panic threatened to overwhelm me, but I took a deep breath, feeling Kelly’s solid weight against me, a reminder to stay grounded and in the moment.
I’d give London the weekend and then as soon as she returned, we would talk this thing out. I just had to hope that she wanted me enough to forgive my mistake.
38. London
Taran and I walked into the hotel’s stylish breakfast room the next morning and spotted Cammie and Nee already at a table. Despite the sensory overload of the huge crystal chandelier in the center of the room, the autumnal mulberry wallpaper, crystal wall sconces, and floral arrangements on every table, I zoned in on Nee. Trepidation followed me as we walked toward the table where she sat with Cammie. Last night I’d tossed and turned for a while until physical exhaustion finally dragged me into sleep. Taran and I had taken turns getting ready in the bathroom this morning and I felt guilty for how quiet and tense I was.
I was absolutely ruining this weekend for her.
Cammie saw us before we reached the table. She stood abruptly. “You’re going to sit here with Tierney and I’m going to sit on the other side of the room with Taran.”
I gaped at her, somewhat stunned. Though, to be fair, it was more surprising it had taken this long for Cammie to say something about the situation. She wasn’t exactly known for reserving her opinions.
“I love you both.” Cammie glanced between me and Nee. “But Taran deserves the best engagement and wedding journey any bride has ever had. Ever. As her soon-to-be sister-in-law, I intend to protect her experience, even if it means pissing you two off. You are going to have breakfast together and hash out whatever this disagreement is between you before it turns into a proper rammy and ruins everything.”
I had no idea what a proper rammy was, but I could guess. My gaze moved to Nee who glowered at me. She gestured impatiently for me to take a seat.
“Good.” Cammie nodded and joined a somewhat amused Taran. I watched them cross the breakfast room, indeed finding a table as far away from us as possible.
Stomach fluttering with nerves, I sat opposite Nee and forced myself to meet her gaze. “I’m so mad at Murray for telling you something that I would have told you, eventually.”
My best friend huffed. “Would you have, though? I think that’s why he told me because he knew you have this fucked-up notion of owing me.”
I scowled. “It wasn’t up to him to make that decision for me. And it’s about loyalty, Nee. You deserve my loyalty.”
“I deserve your goddamn honesty.”
“What did he say to you?”
Nee sat back in her chair, arms crossed defensively over her chest. Before she could respond, a server appeared to take our order. I just picked the first thing I saw on the menu.
Once the young woman had left, Nee continued, “I bumped into Murray at the harbor and asked him what he thought of me proposing a fine dining experience to you for the B and B. He told me to ask you. He was weird about it, which got my Spidey senses tingling. I pushed. He clearly didn’t want to lie, and that’s when I read between the lines that you weren’t happy working at my guest house. He didn’t deny it.”
This new information was confusing. “So … Murray didn’t, like, make a point of telling you?”
“No. Not at all. He suggested I talk to you. Because you should have been the one to tell me you’re not happy working for me.”
At her hurt tone, I winced. “Nee … it’s not that I’m not content. I’m just … truthfully, it’s not what I want long term, but I also don’t know what I want. I thought I wanted to be a chef, but now I think it just made me feel closer to the one relative who gave a shit about me.”
Understanding dawned. “Your nana.”
I nodded. “I liked working in a kitchen with a team. It was busy and social, and we felt like a family.”
Nee’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh.”
Shrugging sheepishly, I admitted, “It’s not the same at the B and B. I love being near you, but we’re not in the kitchen together. I’m in there alone most of the time. And to be honest, the hours are kind of a pain in the ass.”
My best friend snorted. “Oh, I know.”
I leaned forward. “But Nee, I am so grateful for everything you and this job have given me. Working at the B and B literally saved my life.”
She reached out to take my hand, squeezing it tight between her cool fingers. “That doesn’t mean it now gets to become an anchor holding you down. Spoon, I just want the best for you. I can find seasonal chefs to take over at the B and B.”