Meagan appears behind me, dropping off a box of cocktail straws that we don’t need. She whispers, “One of your brothers looks so much like you.”
“That’s Jake.”
“Jake.” She repeats like she’s storing it in her memory to remember who’s who amongst the five of them.
“Yep. He’s the next one up.”
“You’re the youngest?”
“Yep!”
“Like Devin.”
We lock eyes and I touch her fingertips before she slips out from behind the bar and heads for the host stand. My family is settling in at their joined tables, laughing and caught in separate conversations.
I look over and catch Jake watching Meagan’s journey through the restaurant. His eyes shoot over to meet mine and his eyebrows cock up. Not too obvious, just a little. We’ve been grabbing beers every week for over a month now, and I’ve told him a little about her and our walks. He tried to dig for why I wasn’t making a move and I asked him to drop it. When he pressed, I told him she used to date the owner. He didn’t ask again.
I tip my head to tell him she’s the one. An approving smile lights his dark eyes and he turns to his wife and whispers in her ear. Motherfucker is telling her right now, isn’t he? I’m gonna kill him.
Mom seated herself so she’s facing me, and her eyes keep traveling my way as I make drinks and talk to the guests. Even with the dining room count dwindling, the bar is full. There are a lot of people in this world without a mom to celebrate anymore, and this holiday hurts them. The media doesn’t realize that, when they’re shoving gift ideas down your throat. It just makes you want to chase it with booze.
The guy serving my family is new, came from an upscale restaurant near Lenox Mall, and he recognizes Mom and Dad from when they’ve dined there, and they remember him, too. He grins and shakes hands with them, compliments Mom’s beautiful new necklace Dad gave her, and everyone loosens up even more, checking out the menus and discussing what the children can eat. God it feels good to see them all here.
I want them to see me in action back here.
I want them to stop worrying.
I want them to know…I’m back.
I’m alive. I need them to believe it. And I need to feel it, myself, and start my new life as a part of them again. I miss my family. I’m done keeping them at a distance. Even with their quirks, like being terrible at keeping secrets, I love every single one of them. They’re my blood.
After the new guy gathers everyone’s food order into his iPhone App, he vanishes into the kitchen. I lock eyes with Meagan across the room while pouring a Chopin vodka and soda for Viola, one of our steady regulars who always sits in front of me. Meagan catches onto what I’m about to do, and she touches Mira, turning her attention, too.
My family is engaged in conversations. I call out in my deepest register, really bringing the military aspect home, “What. Time. Is. It.”
Everyone looks over.
Lana and Cathy shout, with severe faces, “SHOW. TIME. SIR!”
The dining room stills and everyone present turns in their chairs to watch. I wink at my Mom and BOOM.
It’s on.
The girls and I go through the drill. Our faces show no emotion as we toss glinting liquor bottles high in the air one after the other. The performance seamlessly executes. Not a drop spilled. And when we pour the martinis with their impressively long streams into the chilled glasses, my family goes nuts with applause and cheering, especially Hannah who’s tiny voice is screaming, “Woohoo!!! Uncle Jeremy!!!”
Lana surprises me with, “Congressman, this is for you,” setting her martini on the bar with a smile. Guess she recognized him. Or she’s the one who’s been whispering in Meagan’s ear about my family. I bet that’s why she was staring at them.
Cathy follows the cue. “Mrs. Cocker, I made this for you. Your son here is pretty great. You did well.”
A grin breaks out on my face and I flush beet red, setting the martini I made down and telling our black sheep, “Jett, this is all yours. Thanks for making the trip from Louisiana.”
“Awwww!” The entire restaurant starts clapping, many whispering amongst themselves.
“Happy Mother’s Day, Mom,” I call out.
She’s got tears in her eyes. She jumps up and runs over to me. I walk out from behind the bar, lift her up in a big hug and kiss her hair. “Oh, Jeremy, I love you so much.”
“I’m back, Ma,” I whisper to her.
She grabs my face with both hands and shakes my head like she can’t squeeze it hard enough. Too choked up to speak she just smacks my cheeks a couple times, grabs one of my arms and heads back to the table, shaking her pretty head along the way and covering her mouth with her hand.
Meagan has walked closer, and is now standing in the middle of the dining room. I glance over to her. She’s smiling with incredible warmth at me. I cock my head to call her over and she hesitates, but hurries her footsteps, glancing to the kitchen. I do a quick look around to see if Bryan’s watching. He ain’t, so fuck him.
“Guys!” I call out to my family who is talking amongst themselves again. The adults turn around, and Hannah looks over, too. The younger kids are busy being children. I hold my index finger over Meagan, pointing downward at the top of her head. “Memorize this face.”
It dawns on them what I’m saying.
I’m claiming her.
Meagan looks up, sees my finger and grabs it, looking happy more than embarrassed as she shakes her head for me to stop it. I wrestle it back, hold it in front of my lips to let them know it’s a secret, but Jett sticks two in his lips and wolf whistles.
The new guy runs out like a dog called to heel. “Yes?”
My whole family cracks up, including me.
Meagan
As I float into the kitchen Bryan charges out from behind the burners and grabs my arm. “Did you know Jeremy was related to them?”
“To who? You’re squeezing my arm too hard!” I try to yank it back but he’s stronger than I am.
“The politicians, Meagan! The politicians!”
“I knew he was the Senator’s brother. Justin was here at the pre-opening party. You met him! Let go of my arm!”
He grunts and releases me. Pacing, with the other chefs eyeing him without his knowledge, Bryan runs his hand through his famous hair, eyes locked on the kitchen floor. “All this time I’ve been treating him like a nothing and…” He lunges at me and grabs both my arms this time, though not as painfully because now he wants something. “We’re going to go out there and you’re going to introduce me!”
“Okay!”
I’ve done this a million times since we opened, brought him to tables who didn’t know him and introduced the man who made their delicacies…but this one I’m not looking forward to.
Lewis starts to run the first of their appetizers out but I stop him and take the two best dishes. “Grab the others.” To Bryan I say, “Take these and I’ll announce that you’re the chef.”
“I’m the owner, not just the chef.”
“And I’m the manager, not just the…oh, wait. I’m not a chef at all.” I cock my head with heavy sarcasm and hand him the dishes. He takes them, his patience with me, gone.
I lift two more dishes, glance to the seating chart and memorize who they go to. Shit, this lobster bisque is for Jeremy’s mother. Holding my head high I tell Bryan, “The crab cakes are for the Congressman.”
“Perfect,” he mutters.
As I pass the bar on the left and see Jeremy chatting the bar regulars, my neck straightens and a real smile spreads from within.
He just pointed me out to his family and said, Memorize her.
When Bryan and I dated he never told anyone. And he certainly never made me this happy.
I set the bisque down and say, “Mrs. Cocker. This bowl is hot.” She looks up, her brown eyes so like her son’s. “What’s your name?”
“Meagan Forrester.”
She’s about to say something but I can feel
Bryan waiting for me to introduce him, and this is the meal he cooked with care.
One thing I will never fault him is his skill, and I don’t want those crab cakes cold.
So I smile quickly to her and straighten up to announce to the table, “Everyone, I want to introduce the chef and owner of Le Marchand, Bryan Marchand.”
They nod and murmur hellos and also their appreciation for the atmosphere and decor. Senator Cocker stands and shakes his hand. “I met you at the grand opening.”
Bryan beams at him, blue eyes shimmering like a star. He shakes the extended hand and smiles, “Of course! You were sitting with the Governor. How is he?”
“Great. He and I are having dinner here next Thursday.”
“I’ll make sure I come out and say hello. And this is your father?”
“Dad?” Justin smiles, sliding his hands in his pocket with class. As Bryan shakes Mr. Cocker’s hand and chats about whatever, Justin meets my eyes with a smirk. I blink and he glances to his raven-haired wife and she nods to me with the same look. It dawns on me that Bryan didn’t ask to be introduced to her. Only to the men in power. What a fatal error. And they are letting me in on the secret that they know he’s an asshole.
I hear Bryan saying, while people being eating, “Your son has been an excellent addition to my team, Congressman.”
Michael Cocker sits as he says, “I’m not surprised.”
Bryan’s smiles and nods, motioning to Jeremy. This gives me an excuse to look over at him. He’s behind the bar, watching and listening. “His work ethic is outstanding. Always on time and doing more than is asked of him.”
I almost snort as Jeremy cocks an eyebrow at me, clearly thinking of having sex with me last night. That was more than Bryan asked of him, for sure.
“Please let me know if I can be of assistance in any way. Meagan, let’s let them enjoy their meals.”
“Great meeting you,” Jeremy’s mother says to Bryan, holding out her hand like, Did you forget it’s not my husband’s day, dumbass? But her face is very elegant even as she cuts his lack of manners to shreds with a smile.
Bryan falters and takes her hand.
“Are you one of his daughters?”
I almost vomit.
She chuckles and then eyes me with a knowing smile. “Meagan, I can’t wait to learn all about you.”
A flush stains my cheeks as I hastily ask the table, “Does everyone have everything they need?”
The beautiful blonde child Jeremy was carrying meets my eyes and asks, “Are you and Uncle Jeremy in love?”
My jaw drops and a lot of them start laughing. I cut a look to Bryan’s face as his eyes sharpen. Jeremy is acting like he didn’t hear that, his head down as he turns to run a guest’s credit card.
“I’m his boss, so yes, I do care about him. Your uncle is a very good man. Excuse me.”
Bryan and I go to leave, and I think I covered that up well. Nobody can fault a child for saying something crazy. They do it all the time.
But then one of his brothers, I don’t know his name but he’s beefy and blond, and not one of the twins. He calls after me, “Oh, you’re his boss alright!”
Oh.
My.
God.
Meagan
My face goes tight as I see Bryan realizing what’s really going on, his face the color of lava. He’s on my tail as I rush into the kitchen before he blows up in front of everyone.
The second we’re inside he grabs my arm much harder than he did before. “Ow!” I cry out.
In a voice filled with venom and low so that it doesn’t leave this room he snarls, “You and Jeremy?!! For how long!”
I beg him, “Bryan, let go of me!” His fingers are digging into my veins. “It just started! You’re hurting me! Let go!”
Alberto hisses from behind the line, “Bryan, man, let go of her arm!”
That just angers him more. He tightens his grip and gives it a hard yank, pulling me so that I’m bending to the side with him looming over me like a monster. “Have you been fucking that guy right under my nose?!”
Jeremy walks into the kitchen and when he sees what’s happening he lunges for Bryan and shouts, “GET OFF HER!”
My arm is released and I careen backwards to get away from them. Bryan spins around and Jeremy punches him in the face so hard blood splatters, wavy hair floating in the air before Bryan lands on the ground. Jeremy steps over him to get to me, furious as he cups my face. “You okay, baby?”
“Yes!” I gasp.
Lana rushes in, screams, “Bryan!” and falls to her knees by him.
“He knows.”
“I figured,” Jeremy mutters, looking at my arm. “Jesus, I’m gonna kill him.”
Having heard their brother shouting, his five brothers crash through the kitchen door. Bryan doesn’t see them because he’s livid and bleeding and his eyes are locked on Jeremy’s back.
Before I can warn Jeremy he’s coming, Jake grabs Bryan’s chef coat by the shoulder blades, spins him around and punches him so hard he hits the floor cold. The brothers surround his limp body like the handsomest human cage that ever existed, legs spread.
Jeremy’s nostrils are flaring and he nods to them.
His father strolls into the kitchen, the picture of elegant sophistication. He takes a look around and eyeballs Bryan, then says to his son the senator, “Justin, you can’t keep doing things like this. You’re a public servant now.”
“He was attacking Jeremy from behind, Dad!”
The congressman frowns, grey eyes dropping once more to Bryan who’s groaning on the floor. “A coward’s move,” he mutters with disdain. Walking to the line, he introduces himself to the chefs. “Gentlemen, my apologies.”
“You don’t have to worry, Congressman,” Alberto informs him with a tone that says he’s had enough. “It won’t leave this kitchen.”
“Thank you.” He turns around and nods to me. “I’m sorry we jeopardized your job. We didn’t know you and my son were a secret.”
Jeremy’s back straightens. “It’s not like that, Dad.”
I slip my hand into Jeremy’s. His fingers tighten around mine.
The congressman points at Bryan and asks me, “Were you dating Marchand?”
The brothers are all watching me.
“Not really, but in a way, yes, sir.”
How do you explain booty call without sounding like a slut?
“Was it still going on when you and my son…?” He trails off.
“No.”
Jeremy’s chest puffs up. “No, Dad! But since you’re asking, I did try to steal her from him and I don’t regret it.”
My eyes cut to his profile and I gaze at him, surprised. He squeezes my fingers but keeps his eyes locked on his father. With how he’s standing so straight and proud, he looks so much like the Marine that he is.
Congressman Cocker says, “Jeremy. I’m talking to Meagan.” His sharp eyes lock back onto me. “Did my son try to steal you?”
“Maybe? Honestly, until just now, I didn’t know that he was purposefully doing that.”
“And you care about him.”
I smile. “Very much.”
Pointing at Bryan again, Mr. Cocker asks, “This guy is an asshole, isn’t he?”
I blink and nod, “Yes, sir.”
The brothers all laugh under their breaths, shifting their weight and relaxing now that they know their dad has been messing with us all, just to have a little fun.
The beefy blonde says, “Careful Dad. Thought you hated cuss words!”
“There is a time and a place, Jerald,” he replies with an amused gleam in his eyes before he disappears into the dining room.
Jeremy turns to me with a growing grin. “Did you see that? He was playing us.”
“He reminds me of you. Unfortunately.”
Jeremy’s eyes glitter and he shrugs, “You love it,” turning to his brothers.
The beefy brother mutters to himself, “I fuckin’ hate that he still
calls me that.”
“Jett, when are you going to let it go and just accept it?” Jake asks.
Justin’s twin says, “It’s never going to stop.”
Justin agrees, “He’s always going to call you by Grandpa’s name.”
The sandy-brown haired brother who must be Jaxson, the one Lana told me about—his voice is deep and calm as he tells Jett, “Maybe it’s about time you took it as a compliment.”
Bryan groans and everyone looks down at him. Lana strokes his hair and asks, “You okay, baby?”
I gasp and Jeremy makes a face, muttering to me, “Yeah, so they’re doin’ it.”
I stare at him and whisper, “What the fuck?”
“I’m not a snitch.”
“Jeremy!”
Bryan rises on his elbows and peers at his human cage. “Great,” he mutters, admitting defeat.
Jeremy kneels and locks eyes with Bryan. “You ever lay a hand on Meagan again and you’ll pick up your teeth with broken fingers.”
Bryan snarls, “You’re fired.”
“I quit, you fuckin’ piece of shit.”
“You’re going to jail!”
I hold up the darkening mark and announce, “Call the cops and I’ll show them my arm, and then I’ll be more than happy to inform them you tried to attack him when Jeremy came to my defense.”
Bryan’s eyes narrow in fury. He’s still on the ground and doesn’t see how he’s going to be allowed up with this wall of muscle around him.
Lana rises and backs away, realizing she’s been betting on a losing horse.
The brothers move to let me into their circle. Jeremy stands at my side as I tell my tormentor, “And I quit, too, you sonofabitch.”
Lewis’s voice interrupts, “So, what about your entrees?”
“Oh shit. I’m Jason, by the way,” Justin’s twin says to me. “So, we’re starving. And our mom’s out there probably cursing the day she didn’t have daughters, again. Should we just take off and find some fast food place that’s open or can we stay and enjoy our meal?”
Jett chuckles deep and low. “Yeah, what now?”
I lock eyes with Bryan. He snarls, “No way.”
Lana walks over to my side. Now I’m flanked by her and Jeremy. She throws her hands on her hips and says, “You’re seriously going to throw away your reputation by making that family eat somewhere else? Do you know how many wealthy Buckhead residents are out there with cell phones?”
Cocky Soldier: A Military Romance (Cocker Brothers of Atlanta Book 6) Page 16
