Fault Lines

by Rebecca Shea

  "It smells amazing in here!" I remark, trying to peek outside of the employee room and into the attached kitchen .

  "Mario?" Cole calls out as he pulls me through the gorgeous kitchen. Everything is shiny and new and so clean, and I can't believe that Cole built this place .

  "Ciao!" I hear a deep male voice call out from somewhere behind the stoves .

  Suddenly, an older gentleman steps out from behind a wall and rushes over to greet us. "Sir, Ma'am." He wipes his hands on his apron before reaching out to shake Cole's hand and mine .

  "Mario, this is Frances." I notice how he uses my formal name to introduce me and not Frankie .

  "Pleasure to meet you, Bella." Mario's Italian accent is thick and he pulls my hand to his mouth and kisses the top of it. He is a short, portly man with rosy red cheeks and a tuft of gray hair .

  "Lovely to meet you." I smile at him and glance at Cole, who's grinning from ear to ear .

  "Mario is going to be cooking a special dinner for us tonight,” he says to me, then glancing back to Mario, he says, “We're going to go to the private dining room, take your time ."

  Mario nods at Cole and kisses the top of my hand once again before scurrying back into the kitchen. Pots and pans clank together and I follow Cole out of the kitchen and into an area in the back of the restaurant that I couldn't see the other night .

  "Back here are a few private dining areas." Cole gestures with his hand as we walk by two rooms, one larger with a table that probably seats twenty, and another smaller room with a large round table that seats ten .

  "We're using this room tonight." He pauses at the entrance before stepping aside. The room is dim, lit only by the candles in the center of the table. Small, low standing vases full of white roses encircle the candle centerpiece .

  "Cole, this is stunning." I step into the room and he follows closely behind me .

  "Sit down," he encourages me, helping me out of my jacket. There is a large standing wine bucket next to the table with a bottle of wine that's already been corked. Cole sits next to me and pours us each a glass of white wine .

  I lean in, pressing a kiss to Cole's cheek. "I didn't think this place was open for business yet ."

  He smirks at me. "I happen to know the owner. He's a pretty cool dude and decided to let me wine and dine my woman here tonight." His blue eyes dance in the soft light of the candles .

  I'll never get enough of him. He is everything I ever wanted and my heart soars with happiness that we're getting our second chance .

  Cole wraps his hand around mine and presses his lips to mine, causing a warmth to spread throughout my body. My heart pounds wildly as I look at all he’s done to redeem himself .

  I stifle a laugh. "Sounds like you have pretty amazing friends ."

  "Only the best," he jokes. "In all honesty, I wanted an amazing night with you alone, Frankie. Tomorrow is the soft opening for friends and family, and Sunday is the grand opening. It's going to be a busy week and I wanted to do something special for just you and me ."

  "I love it," I whisper and take a sip of my Pinot Grigio .

  "I love you." His words are barely above a whisper, but I hear them loud and clear. His hand sits comfortably over mine and his eyes hold an intensity I've never seen before .

  Without a thought, I unbury my broken heart again. "I love you too." The words fall from my lips naturally. I don't have to think about whether I mean them or if I'm saying them just to appease him. I'm not. I buried those feelings and words for Cole so many years ago. Stuffed them down where I never thought I'd use them again. I somehow feel lighter now that I’m speaking the truth .

  He raises his glass in a toast. "To us ."

  I raise my glass as well. "To us ."

  * * *

  C ole left early this morning to get everything ready for tonight's soft opening of The Fault Line, but not before waking me up for an early morning love session. He left me with a kiss and orders to go back to sleep. Now I lay wrapped in his sheets, his masculine smell surrounding me. My body is tender in the most satisfying ways, and for the first time in a long time, I wake feeling content .

  Throwing on Cole's button down shirt from last night, I roll the sleeves and head to the kitchen to make coffee. I send a reminder text to Faith about tonight's opening of the bar and grill and remind her to book a babysitter for the kids. As I'm pouring a cup of coffee, I hear the front door open and a huge smile spreads across my face .

  "Hey, babe! I'm in here!" I yell from the kitchen .

  "Hey, honey, I'm home." I hear in response. Only it's not Cole's voice I hear behind me. I whip around to see Carter stroll into the kitchen, stopping dead in his tracks. "Jesus Christ, woman! Put some damn clothes on.” He turns around quickly and covers his eyes. Cole's white dress shirt is fortunately long enough to cover all the important parts, but leaves little to the imagination when only two buttons are buttoned and it hangs off my shoulder .

  "What’re you doing here, Carter?" I yell .

  "Don't yell at me. I'm looking for your damn boyfriend. Got shit blowing up at the shop ."

  "Don't you know how to knock?" I bark at him, shifting nervously and tugging at the hem of the shirt .

  "Never needed to knock before," he mutters under his breath .

  "What in the hell is going on?" I hear Cole's voice boom as the front door slams closed .

  Both Carter and I are trying to talk over each other and Cole's eyes grow wide when he walks into the kitchen and looks between the two of us. He looks at Carter first, whose back is turned to me with his hands pressed over his face and then Cole looks to me, standing in the middle of his kitchen, wearing nothing but his button down shirt from last night .

  "Your friend needs to learn how to knock," I snap at Cole, narrowing my eyes at Carter. Not that he can see me glaring at him, but it makes me feel better .

  Cole snorts, looking back to Carter who grumbles, "And your girlfriend needs to keep some damn clothes on. Doesn't she know people stop by here unexpectedly ?"

  Cole props his hands on his hips, shaking his head as Carter and I bicker .

  "He just walked in here like he owns the place," I continue, pointing at Carter .

  "Stop!" Cole barks and I take a step back. "Carter. Learn to fucking knock. There is no way I'm telling my woman to put on more clothes." He looks at me, licking his bottom lip. "This is exactly how I want to come home to her." His eyes grow darker and his lips twist into an evil grin .

  Carter grumbles, knowing he's lost this argument and his hands drop from his face to his hips .

  I yell at him, "Carter, don't you dare turn around!" And like that I take off from the kitchen, round the corner, and run down the hall to Cole's bedroom .

  Cole hollers from behind me, "Don't change, Frankie. I'll be back there in a minute." I can hear Carter and Cole's muted voices for a moment before the front door opens and closes. The sound of Cole's heavy footsteps draw closer just as the bedroom door opens and Cole appears .

  The darkness in his eyes has turned rabid, and the smile on his face is now gone. He breathes heavily and without hesitation, he lunges at me, scooping me up into his arms. "You have no idea how fucking sexy you are wearing nothing but my shirt." He buries his face in my chest, nudging his shirt down further and giving him access to my breasts .

  I wiggle out of his grasp, wrapping my legs around his waist, my wet center pressed against him .

  "Fuck, Frankie," he growls as he pulls one of my nipples into his mouth. "I have a million things to do, but the only thing I want to do is you ."

  I reach down between us and unfasten the button of his jeans
just as he plunges a finger inside me. I gasp loudly and he chuckles knowing I'm a goner. "Just feel it, baby," he whispers in my ear .

  He inserts another finger, curling it to hit that spot that sends me over the edge. My head falls back as I ride his hand and my entire body shudders around him .

  "Good girl." He sets me down on the bed and pulls his t-shirt off. He makes quick work of removing his jeans and kneeling down between my legs. "I'm not done with you yet, though." He smirks and positions himself directly at my center .

  In one swift movement, he's inside me and my entire body begins to shudder again. Everything about this man is paralyzing. His hands control me, and his heart owns me. My heart stammers and my skin prickles with goose bumps as he thrusts in and out .

  Our bodies are a tangled web of limbs and the room is filled with the sounds of our moans as he brings me to the brink of another orgasm .

  "Cole," I gasp in between breaths as he kisses me .

  "I love you, Frankie," he mumbles against my lips as I feel him harden and spill his release into me. "God, I fucking love you." He presses his forehead to mine while I try to catch my breath. "I'll never get enough of you ."

  "I love you, too," I admit my feelings for him. It's real and raw and tears prick at my eyes as I let him all the way in .

  He stays inside me, his hands laced through mine on either side of my head. "Marry me, Frankie. You're it for me. Always have been." His blue eyes search mine .

  I feel a lump in my throat beginning to grow. "Cole," I barely manage .

  "Don't answer now. I know you've been back for, what, two days? But I don't want to lose another day without you. Marry me. Be mine ."

  I close my eyes and let his words sink in. Marry me . Those are the words I've always dreamt of hearing him say .

  "Think about it." He kisses the tip of my nose and carefully pulls himself out of me. "As much as I'd like round three for the day, I have to get back to work. We'll resume this tonight." He stands up and slides back into his jeans. A huge grin spreads across his face as he stands over me .

  "What?" I ask, suddenly feeling self-conscious .

  "You have no idea how fucking sexy you look lying on my bed looking thoroughly fucked. Round three. Tonight. Go get ready. I'll be back to get you in a couple of hours ."

  Twenty-One

  "Y ou ready for this, boss?" Justin, our lead bartender, slaps me on the shoulder .

  I take one last look around the transformed space. Everything looks like it's in place, but my nerves are still on edge. I want perfection. Tonight is a big deal for me .

  I nod and roll my bottom lip between my fingers, hoping to calm myself. "Yeah, I think so. Ready as I'll ever be. Did the liquor arrive?" I mentally run through the checklist of things that we were still waiting on and liquor was number one on the list .

  He wipes the counter, pausing to take a look around the bar area. "Everything is here, exactly as it should be. Go home and get ready. Relax for a bit. We've got everything under control here ."

  He's right. I need to relinquish control to the people I hired. They are fully capable of doing what they were hired to do .

  "You got it." I run my fingers through my hair and check the time. "See you in a couple of hours ."

  When I get home, Frankie is standing in my bathroom, applying makeup. Not that she needs any, she's fucking perfection just the way she is .

  "You're finally here." She spins around and kisses me as I wrap my arms around her waist, holding her tightly .

  "Yep. Gonna shower quick before we go ."

  "Everything all set over there? Do you need help with anything ?"

  "Everything is under control. Your job tonight is to enjoy yourself." I press a kiss to her forehead before letting her go .

  I step into the hot shower, allowing the water to ease some of the stress in my neck and shoulders. I have a lot riding on tonight between the restaurant and Frankie .

  * * *

  "I can't even begin to tell you how proud of you I am." Frankie beams as we pull up outside The Fault Line Bar and Grill, parking along the curb .

  "This would mean nothing if you weren't here with me," I tell her, squeezing her hand in mine .

  She shakes her head. "Stop," she says quietly .

  "I'm serious. You always made me want to be a better man. It took letting you go for me to realize that—and now we've come full circle." I lean in and press a kiss to her lips. "I love you, Frankie. Thank you for being here with me." She smiles against my lips and rubs her hand over my cheek. "Now let's get inside before I change my mind and take you home and straight to bed ."

  She laughs and my heart instantly warms. I hold her hand tightly as we walk through the front door to see the place fully packed. Everything is exactly as I imagined it would be. The low lights accent the brick walls and complement the iron and wood touches throughout the restaurant. The staff's friends and family are spread out throughout the place, sitting at tables and bellied up to the bar. The space is full of conversation and laughter, and seeing it all finally begins to calm my nerves .

  Faith and Carter are already sitting at the table I reserved for us tonight, and both stand up and greet us .

  "Congratulations!" Faith squeals, surprising the shit out of me when she pulls me in for a quick hug. "This place is stunning ."

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Carter give Frankie a one-armed hug and they both break out into laughter, presumably making up for this afternoon. As kids, they were always at each other's throats and then making up again. It seems nothing has changed with those two .

  I feel my heart squeeze in my chest. Everything in my life feels like it's falling into place. The people who are the most important to me are here and that's what matters more than anything. One of the servers, Mireya, delivers a tray of drinks to the table and Carter reaches in, picking up the first glass .

  "A toast." He lifts his glass, and Faith, Frankie, and I each grab a glass off the tray. "To new beginnings." He looks around the restaurant and then at me and Frankie. "And to second chances ."

  At ‘second chances’, my heart skips a beat when I see Frankie grin, her blue eyes beaming. "To second chances," she responds to him, but she's looking at me .

  "Cheers!" Faith shouts over the noise and Carter wraps his arm around her shoulder as they both sip their drink .

  "Cheers," Frankie and I respond and we take a sip of our drink in celebration .

  * * *

  H ours pass by and I've talked to just about everybody who’s come in tonight. The feedback thus far, on everything from the atmosphere to the food and staff, have all by far exceeded my expectations. Everyone has loved everything. This is exactly what Crescent Ridge needed I heard time and again. A place that’ll bring everyone together with food and drinks in a modern atmosphere without losing the history that is Crescent Ridge .

  Frankie encouraged me to spend as much time talking to everyone this evening, building relationships and making sure everyone was comfortable while she sat with Carter and Faith .

  I wanted nothing more than to never leave her side, but she knew what I needed to do and promised me we’d have our time together later this evening. Looking at her across the restaurant, her eyes beaming and her head tipped back in laughter, makes my entire night. Seeing her happy is all I want in life .

  As the crowd begins to thin, I make my way back to Frankie's side and sidle up on the stool next to her. She wraps her arm around my waist, pulling me to her just as I lean down and kiss her soft lips .

  "So what'd you guys think ?"

  Carter shakes his head and chuckles. "I never thought you'd
follow through on this, but look at this place." He gestures with his hand. "You're gonna fucking kill it !"

  "It's everything this town needed, Cole," Faith jumps in. "It's perfect ."

  "It's not too much?" I ask, worried that maybe it's a little over the top for Crescent Ridge, regardless of the feedback I got tonight. If anyone would be honest with me, it's these people right here .

  Frankie shakes her head. "No. It's rustic and homey and not overstated. The pictures of old Crescent Ridge really drive home the history of this town. You're bringing the old and new together." She grabs the collar of my shirt and pulls me down for another kiss. "I'm so goddamn proud of you," she mumbles against my lips .

  "Well, isn't this fucking cute." A male voice cuts off our moment .

  Frankie's head snaps away from me and Faith’s eyes widen as a tall man with salt and pepper hair sets a drink on the table .

  "Ted," Frankie says with a shaky voice. "What the hell are you doing here ?"

  "I should be asking you that." He smirks and takes a long pull of his drink before slamming it down on the table. "What the fuck are you doing here? All you ever talked about was what a little piece of shit town this was, and yet here you are." He looks around the table with disdain .

  I step around Frankie in a protective nature, ready to let this fucker have it if I have to .

  "Leave," Frankie snaps at him from behind me .

  "Ted," I say his name as calmly as I can, meeting him eye to eye. He's the same height at me, but I easily have forty pounds of muscle on this guy. He's lean and, while he may have me beat in the brains and career department, I will kick his ass into next week if he moves one fucking inch closer to Frankie .

  "Who the fuck are you?" he barks, talking down to me. His angry eyes look me up and down .

  "Cole Ryan, owner of this establishment and you heard the lady—leave ."

  He snorts. "I don't take orders from you…or Frances." He steps closer, pressing his chest to mine. "I'm here for Frances—" I press a hand to his chest, backing him up as he continues. "And as soon as she gets her fucking head back on straight, we'll be out of your hair and this dumpster fire of a town." He rolls his fingers on the table as if he's genuinely going to wait for Frankie .