She Loves Him...Not

by Elana Johnson

  “Yes, you do,” Gordon said. “It’s kind of creepy, and kind of cool.” They laughed together, and then Margo came through the swinging plastic door.

  “There’s a line down the hall already,” she said, wearing her stern front-of-the-house manager face. Teagan liked Margo just fine, but her dark-haired ponytail sometimes got a little too tight, and she got a little too wound up—especially on Tuesdays.

  “So let’s have our A-game on today,” she said, sweeping her gaze across the chefs standing there. Besides Teagan and Gordon, there were four women who worked the breakfast shift, and two cooks doing prep work for lunch and dinner that Teagan could pull onto the line if necessary.

  In addition to that, Gwen oversaw a team of six people who put together the room service orders for the inn, and those would continue to go out for three more hours.

  And Gwen.

  Oh, Gwen.

  Teagan’s mouth turned dry at the very thought of Gwen working in the kitchen, and he glanced toward her office door. She leaned against the doorjamb like her weight was needed to keep it upright. She had her arms folded over her T-shirt, which had a sparkly pineapple on it. She wore black slacks this morning, but Teagan didn’t know why. Her roles at the inn were many and varied, and he wasn’t even sure how she kept them all straight.

  “Teagan?” Margo prompted, and he sure hoped it was the first time.

  He stepped beside her and faced the group too. “It’s Tuesday, guys, so nothing crazy. Specials are ham and cheese omelets, which Vivi will do, and a peach Belgian waffle that I’ll man. And Gordon and I will take care of regular orders.” He clapped his hands together. “All right?”

  “Yes, chef,” they chorused back to him, and a smidge of foolishness ran through him. But he sure did like being called chef and having all of his orders obeyed.

  All right, chef. Let’s cook. Gwen’s words to him on Sunday just before they got cooking in his kitchen ran through his mind.

  He said, “All right. Then let’s cook,” with a quick glance in her direction.

  Her eyes met his and held, and Teagan swore everything else in the huge, busy, industrial kitchen fell into silence. Into nothing. As fast as it had done that, everything came rushing back, and he stepped over to the Belgian waffle makers to double-check and make sure they were all on.

  He had peaches coming out of his ears, as well as raspberries and strawberries prepped, as they often got requests for other fruits when the waffle was on special.

  Margo stepped over to him, bringing the scent of something antiseptic with her. “All ready?” she asked, pressing far too close into him. She was more his age than Gwen’s, but Teagan wasn’t interested in Margo. And he’d told her that.

  Maybe he needed to tell her he was back together with her boss. He said nothing and edged away from her. Of course he was ready. Hadn’t she just heard him say let’s cook?

  Teagan probably could’ve dated more than he had over the years. Margo wasn’t the first woman to let him know she’d like to go out with him. The fact that Gwen never had only added to the woman’s allure, at least in Teagan’s eyes. He liked being the one to ask a woman out. He liked picking her up at her place, and he liked making the first move.

  With Gwen, she did all of those things too, and he didn’t mind. She’d kissed him in the kitchen last Friday night. He hadn’t wanted to make any assumptions, though he had assigned her the dessert station, so they’d be the last two in the kitchen. He’d been surprised when she’d brushed her lips against his. But not upset.

  She’d come to his house on Sunday for their cooking adventures. He didn’t mind. And she’d asked him to go to the VIP Pool grand opening that morning with her.

  Ah, the slacks. No wonder she was wearing them, and Teagan panicked over his choice of jeans and his regular black kitchen shoes. And he couldn’t even remember what he’d put on underneath his chef’s jacket.

  The grand opening was at noon, and he told himself he’d have time to change as he heard a rush of noise fill the restaurant just beyond the kitchen. He drew in a deep breath and focused, which meant he had to push Gwen and her sexy slacks out of his mind so he could make fried potatoes and peach waffles.

  You’re late. Gwen’s text didn’t make traffic move any faster, and Teagan realized he shouldn’t have left the inn to go home and change. He simply hadn’t anticipated so many people piling into The Heartwood Inn for a pool grand opening.

  It was a swimming pool, for crying out loud. The inn boasted seven of them on its sprawling grounds, but apparently, this new indoor one was a Big Deal.

  I’m five minutes out, he typed back to her. The app on his phone said that, at least, and then he’d park and sprint up to the second floor.

  It starts in five minutes, she said.

  Can’t you get them to hold it? he asked. Surely all these people are coming to it.

  Is there a lot of traffic?

  Where else did she think he was? Chilling on the beach? He suppressed a sigh and told himself not to get annoyed. I’m pretty sure I see the mayor’s car a few in front of me, he rapidly typed. Surely he’s coming to this grand opening.

  Teagan knew he was, because Gwen’s sister, Celeste, had decided to name the pool after the mayor’s wife. Apparently, she was a Carter’s Cove native, and she’d once been a swimming champion.

  Whatever. Teagan didn’t care. What he cared about was being at Gwen’s side when she needed him there.

  Let me check with Celeste.

  The two sisters lived together, and Teagan knew Gwen was very close to her sister. He wondered what Gwen had said about him. What it would say when he showed up at her side, his hand linked with hers.

  The cars inched forward, and if he could just get another hundred feet, he could turn left into the employee parking lot while everyone else had to stay to the right. He edged that way, moving feet at a time until he could almost make the turn.

  Frustration built with impatience, and he really wanted to lay on the horn and get the car in front of him to just pull up a little bit more. He had to have a couple more feet.

  He gripped the wheel as his phone bleeped out the notification that he had a new message. You have until the mayor gets here.

  And his car wasn’t up to the hotel yet.

  Teagan finally got to make his turn, and he parked as close to the kitchen entrance as he could. Inside, he dashed past Gwen’s office and toward the front lobby. A group of people waited at the elevator, so Teagan opened the door for the stairs and kept on moving. It was only one flight, and he arrived on the second floor to the scent of flowers and chlorine, the two smells at odds with one another.

  A decent crowd had gathered here too, and the elevator chimed and opened to let off even more.

  He spied the Heartwoods standing at the head of the pool, where a podium and microphone had been set up. Teagan froze, watching Gwen as she scanned the crowd for him. She looked nervous, and he felt all of those electric zips and swoops in his stomach as he realized he was going to be meeting all of the Heartwoods.

  Right now.

  All five sisters stood there, all of them with men beside them—except Gwen. Her parents stood the closest to the podium, and Gwen’s elderly grandmother had her arm linked through Gwen’s.

  In that moment, Teagan could see himself in the hole in that family. He blinked, his eyes closing so slowly and then opening again. In that single space of time, he saw himself on Gwen’s other side, smiling out at everyone who’d come to see this new indoor pool.

  And he couldn’t move.

  Was this what he wanted?

  You want Gwen, he told himself. His eyes moved down the line, and he caught sight of Chet, Olympia’s boyfriend. The man had worked beachside service for the surfing championship several weeks ago, and Teagan liked him.

  Celeste often texted him her food orders, and he’d shake his head and make sure she got what she wanted in record time. Gage, Sheryl’s boyfriend, was their new head baker, and he’d bee
n doing a bang-up job with the bakery portion of the dining services at the inn. He knew Alissa from her years as the head baker in the kitchens. In fact, it had been Alissa who’d hired him.

  Teagan had friends over there, and he managed to take the first step toward going to Gwen’s side. She seemed to catch sight of him in the very next moment, and Teagan lifted his hand to acknowledge that he was finally there.

  He pressed through the crowd and stepped into that hole in her family, and it…fit.

  “Hey,” she said, reaching over to take his hand in hers. “It must be nuts out there.”

  “Completely,” he said, glancing at Gage, who had his eyebrows raised. He nodded at the man and leaned down so he could whisper in Gwen’s ear without being overheard. “Am I meeting the whole family today?”

  “Um, probably,” she whispered back.

  “And I’m….” He wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence. In fact, he wanted Gwen to finish it.

  “You’re with me,” she said as her father finally stepped over to the microphone and adjusted it.

  Teagan squeezed her hand, unsure of what you’re with me meant. Boyfriend? Kitchen support? What was he to her?

  She kisses you, he told himself. You’re her boyfriend.

  And he couldn’t help the smile that slid onto his face with that label. Better to get the goofy grinning done now, so he didn’t do it when she introduced him that way to her father.

  Chapter Nine

  Gwen’s muscles clenched, and she couldn’t seem to get them to relax. Her father spoke into the microphone, but she barely heard a word he said. She laughed when everyone else did, and she kept her Heartwood smile on her face.

  After the morning meeting in the kitchen, she’d hurried home so Celeste could curl her hair. The wave would be gone in a couple of hours, but it would serve its purpose for the pictures that would be taken once the mayor’s wife said a few words.

  She wore too much makeup, and she wondered what Teagan thought of it. His presence behind her felt solid, strong, and warm, and she kept glancing at Celeste. But her sister and best friend kept her eyes glued to the podium as if the Queen of England herself was thanking the family for the honor of having a swimming pool named after them.

  And it wasn’t even a swimming pool anyone could use. Only platinum and diamond-level guests who got the right keycard upon check-in.

  After Amanda George finished, and after the applause died down, Olympia stepped up to the microphone. She looked poised and relaxed, and Gwen marveled at her oldest sister. She was professional and polished and personable all at the same time, and Gwen couldn’t even imagine the load Olympia carried.

  She was taking some time off in October to go meet Chet’s family, as his sister had a party planned, and Gwen’s father’s words about taking time off when she needed it echoed through her mind.

  Take the time you need.

  The kitchen will be fine without you.

  “We now dedicate this pool to the life and love of swimming exhibited by Amanda George, and to all The Heartwood Inn guests who will enjoy it.” Olympia started clapping, and Gwen joined in. That was also her cue to get up to the podium with everyone else, and she linked her hand with Teagan’s to bring him along.

  This photo would be printed in the local newspapers. Online. And as a photograph that would hang in the inn for a long time. Her heart pinched at the very idea of having to walk by it to get to Celeste’s office and seeing Teagan beside her. What if they broke up?

  Regret lanced through her. Perhaps she shouldn’t have invited him. But none of her sisters had said a word about it, and they didn’t usually hold back.

  Cameras clicked and chatter broke out. Celeste stepped to the mic and said, “Refreshments are right around the corner in our Dolphin Room. Please, let’s move in that direction.” She too was made to be in front of people, and Gwen’s emotions spiraled all over the place.

  She moved, keeping Teagan’s hand securely in hers. “Is this your new boyfriend, Gwen?” Shawn asked, and Gwen nearly fell down.

  “Yes,” she said, glad he’d said the B-word. “Teagan Hatch. This is Alissa’s boyfriend, Shawn Newman.” The two men shook hands, and Alissa smiled at Teagan and started telling Shawn how she’d worked with him in the kitchen there at the inn.

  “Ah, got it,” Shawn said, nodding. “I know who you are now. How long have you and Gwen been dating?”

  “Shawn,” Alissa said. “Come check on the smoked salmon with me.” She linked her arm through his and drew him away from Gwen and Teagan.

  “What?” Gwen heard him ask. “It’s a normal question.” Her sister leaned her head closer to Shawn and spoke, and Gwen sent a mental note of gratitude toward Alissa.

  “Sorry,” she said.

  “It’s fine,” Teagan said. “I could’ve answered the question.”

  “Yeah? What would you have said?”

  “Not long,” he said with a smile. “It’s true, right?” He squeezed her hand, and Gwen supposed it was true. They’d only gone out for a few weeks before he’d broken up with her last time, so “not long” fit for how long they’d been dating.

  Now, seeing each other…that was a different story. She’d been “seeing” Teagan at work for years. Crushing on him for much of that. Finally getting up her courage to let him know she was interested had been very difficult, but she thought the result could be fantastic.

  Then he’d broken her heart.

  And he was slowly repairing it too.

  “Hey,” Gage said. “Good to see you two here together.” He smiled at them and picked up a glass of punch. Celeste had gone all out for the dedication, and Gwen looked at the trays of finger foods she and her catering team had made the day before. She usually didn’t mind eating the food she’d made, but today, the sight of the canapes and tiny sandwiches turned her stomach sour.

  “Is this the new boyfriend?” her father asked, and Gwen turned toward him. She really hadn’t thought through her invitation for Teagan to accompany her to this dedication.

  “Yes, Dad,” she said. “This is Teagan Hatch. He’s the head chef here at the inn. Teagan, my father, Henry.”

  “So nice to meet you, sir,” he said. “I mean, officially. I’ve met you before, of course.”

  Her dad smiled at Teagan. “Right. Bea probably hired you, right?”

  “Actually, Alissa hired me,” he said, glancing at Gwen. She’d been working in the kitchen as a chef when Teagan had been hired at the inn five years ago. She’d been a year out of culinary school, thinking she was the most amazing person to ever pick up a knife, when he walked in and changed how she viewed food. And cooking. And how a kitchen should run.

  He was almost a decade older than her, with much more experience under his belt, and she’d soaked in everything she could. Her crush had probably started then, though it was definitely on a professional level for a while.

  She realized her father and Teagan were talking and laughing, and Gwen brought herself back to the conversation. “I never say no to a homecooked meal,” her father said.

  “Mom cooks,” Gwen said just as her mother arrived.

  “Oh, only a couple nights a week,” she said. “What are we talking about?”

  “Teagan’s going to come cook for us,” her dad said, beaming at Teagan.

  Gwen and her mother said, “He is?” at the same time.

  “Sure,” he said easily.

  “How are you going to do that when you work every night at Redfin?” Gwen asked. She searched his face, so she saw the flash of anger as it blinked through his eyes. It was like a bolt of lightning. There one second and gone the next.

  “Teagan,” Olympia said, joining the crowd. She looked at Gwen and back to Teagan. “You two are back together?”

  “Yes,” Teagan said at the same time Gwen said, “Kind of.”

  “Kind of?” Olympia and Teagan said together, and everything spiraled out of control. Gwen’s thoughts spun, and she had no idea what to say. Or why
she’d said that.

  Her dad put his hand on Olympia’s shoulder and said, “Maybe we should let them figure it out,” and he started to move away.

  Olympia stayed, looking from Gwen to Teagan and back. She leaned in and hugged Gwen, saying, “You never really got along all that well, did you?” She pulled away and walked away, her fingers tapping on her phone. O was exceptionally skilled at getting the word out to people, and Celeste and Sheryl kept their distance.

  “Can we talk?” Teagan asked while Olympia’s words reverberated in Gwen’s brain.

  Fear struck Gwen right behind her pulse. “I don’t know why I said that,” she said. “Of course we’re together again.”

  “Are we?” His eyebrows went up as if he was challenging her. “What did your sister say?” She’d seen this hard look on his face in the kitchen too, and it annoyed her as much then as it did now.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, because she had been the one to say something she shouldn’t. “Yes, we’re together. I introduced you as my boyfriend.”

  “Actually,” Teagan said slowly. “I don’t think you ever said it.”

  “I said yes when my dad said it,” Gwen said, desperate to make this right.

  Teagan leaned closer, examining her. “What’s going on in there, Gwenny?”

  Tears gathered in her eyes, and she had no idea why. “I don’t know. Maybe this…maybe I shouldn’t have invited you to this when the whole family was here. Maybe we’re still a little new at this, and maybe….” She shrugged, glad her tears hadn’t leaked out. “I don’t know.”

  “New at this,” he repeated, not unkindly. Teagan could be blunt and brusque, especially in the kitchen. But he was never unkind. Even when there was a conflict with another chef, he got through the meal service, and then talked it out with the person.

  She didn’t know what to say, and she just wanted to leave this reception. She glanced around, wondering if there were enough Heartwoods here that she could. Deciding there were, she turned and headed for the exit, glad when Teagan came with her.