Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
When the whole family has their food, and they’re all seated at tables they slid together in the middle of the room, Christy pushes a plate of lasagna in my own hands and smiles.
“Go join your family. You haven’t sat down once all day.”
“Neither have you,” I remind her.
“You paid me for weeks so I wouldn’t have to panic or find another job. We’re happy to do this for you. Go celebrate with your family, Jules.”
Well, shit. I have the best team ever.
Brooks is already sliding the chair out next to him, gesturing for me to sit, and I do. Birdie’s across from me, devouring her cheesy pasta with chicken on the side, and she grins at me.
“This is the best ever, Auntie Jules.”
Auntie Jules.
Christ, my heart.
“Good. I’ll always keep it on the menu for you, sweetheart.”
I’m happy to silently eat, soaking up the conversation around me. Skyla, Billie, and Harper are talking about pregnancy, while Beckett bounces little Bryce on his knee, giving Dani and Bridger a break to eat without entertaining an infant.
Brooks finishes his salmon with potatoes and salad, then rests his arm over the back of my chair, gently rubbing my shoulder.
“It seemed like it was a good day in here,” Billie says with a knowing smile. “Every time I looked out the shop windows, people were coming and going.”
“We were swamped.” I sigh and push my half-eaten lasagna away, but Brooks starts working on the leftovers, making me smile. “I’m going to be here late tonight making pastries for tomorrow, but that’s not a bad problem to have.”
“You need to hire more bakers,” Connor says with a frown. “And other staff, too.”
“I know. I didn’t need more help before. I’d just hired Laurie and James not long before the flood happened, and I felt we were fully staffed. I know that things will calm down a bit after a week or so, once the dust settles, but I definitely need more help with the baking and food prep. I can’t do it all by myself anymore.”
I grin up at Brooks.
“Besides, we have a house to renovate, and I don’t want to miss any of it.”
“What’s wrong with your house?” Dani asks, and then her mouth forms an O. “Right, that house.”
“I want to help with demolition,” Beckett says. “It’s a good way to get out some aggression.”
“What are you feeling aggressive about?” Skyla asks him, lifting an eyebrow.
“Never about you, Irish.” He kisses her forehead, making us grin.
With less than an hour until closing, the restaurant is finally starting to slow down, and my crew has begun cleaning up.
No matter what my people say, I can’t sit out here while they work. I’m just not built that way.
“Thank you all, so much, for coming in. Not just now, but all day today. You made me feel like, well—”
“Part of the family?” Becca asks with a smile. “Good. You are part of our family.”
I lick my lips, and Brooks kisses my temple.
“Thank you. I see that my people are cleaning up, and I can’t let them do that without me, so I’m going to excuse myself and get back to work, but the break was nice. Thanks, you guys.”
I stand and grin when Birdie blows me a kiss. Brooks is already standing next to me, and he pulls me in for a big hug.
“So fucking proud of you, Wildfire. I’ll be back later.”
“You don’t have—”
“I’ll be back later.” He winks, and I go back to work. It’s going to be a late night for me, but I won’t complain.
This is what I’ve always wanted.
The business.
The family.
The marriage.
I won’t ever complain, not for a minute.
Chapter Twenty-Four
BROOKS
My girl is dead on her feet.
She didn’t even hear me come through the front door, which I don’t like because she should always be aware of who comes and goes from this restaurant. However, given it was an eighteen-hour day for her, I’ll give her a pass.
She’s covering a tray of something with plastic and carries it to the big fridge in the back. When I walk around the corner to watch her, she’s leaning on the closed fridge, her eyes shut.
Christ, she’d fall asleep right there if I let her.
Actually, she might already be asleep.
“Let’s go home, baby.”
My voice is soft, so I don’t scare the shit out of her, and she opens her eyes and smiles over at me.
It looks like even that much movement is strenuous for her.
“Home sounds great.” She sighs and walks right into my arms, buries her face in my chest and leans into me. “It was such a good day.”
“I know I said it about a dozen times today, but I’m so proud of you, Wildfire. You were the talk of the town today.”
She doesn’t fight me when I lift her into my arms.
“It’s past midnight.” I kiss her forehead once, and it feels so good that I do it again. “Tell me that you got everything prepped so you don’t have to come in here in four hours.”