by Lila Younger
“The meeting,” I prompt.
“It didn’t go well,” he says with a shake of his head. “It turns out that the one responsible for it all is Kevin, my father’s oldest friend. He’s been at the company since the start, and I’m worried about what it’ll do to morale when people find out. It came as a shock to me even.”
“Why would he have done such a thing?” I ask, shocked. Even in such a short time I’ve been at the company I know all about Kevin. In fact, many people credit him for keeping the company going for as long as it did.
“Kevin was angry that my father picked me to succeed. In fact, that’s why father was working even though he could have technically retired. He just didn’t want to hand over the reins to anyone else. Kevin thought that after all his work, it deserved to go to him, and when my father refused, he decided he’d take the company for himself anyways. He was systematically bleeding the company dry.”
I gasp.
“That’s, that’s terrible,” I say softly. “At least your father never found out that his best friend was doing such a thing to him.”
I know betrayal and just how much it can do to a person. But Logan snorts.
“Somehow I doubt that he didn’t know. I think it was more like he chose not to know. The company was having problems. Even if Kevin did his best to hide them at first, there’s only so long before the cracks start to show. And instead of trying to do something about it, he hid it too, because he couldn’t stand to face that it was falling apart,” he says flatly. “My father was an idiot for letting his pride get in the way.”
“He trusted his friend,” I protest. “You can’t blame him for that.”
“I can. What he did was foolish and almost destroyed things for everyone. Instead of seeking help from someone, he chose to pretend it was all okay, and it put him six feet under.”
His words stab into my gut. My hands clench at the cloth napkin on my lap. I feel ashamed and I don’t know why.
“Hey, let’s forget about all that,” he says, sensing my tension and reaching a hand out to mine. “I took you out to lunch because it’s all done with finally. We can relax. As long as the relaunch goes well, I think Red Canyon Steakhouse is in the clear, and I think that deserves a celebration, don’t you?”
But the last thing I feel like doing is celebrating.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“It’s happened to me too you know,” I say, the words slipping out before I could stop them. I hadn’t intended on telling Logan. “In my first relationship. We had been friends for a while before we got together, and I never had a reason to suspect him of cheating. But he had, right from the start. He was always so attentive, so, well, perfect. And he had never done anything like it before when we were just friends either. In fact, I didn’t even know until Violet told me. I didn’t believe her because there just weren’t any signs. It never even occurred to me. I laughed at her when she mentioned it. I thought she was jealous.”
I feel completely raw and open, a feeling I haven’t felt with anyone in a very long time. I glance up to Logan’s face, trying to decipher his expression.
“Do you think I should have known too?”
“No,” he says automatically. Pauses. “I just wouldn’t have imagined that it would have happened to you.”
“What do you mean? You think that I would have realized that something like that had happened and done something about it?”
“I don’t think that. It was your first relationship after all. All the clues pointing toward his behavior-”
“Clues? You think that I buried my head in the sand like your father did? That maybe it was my fault it had happened and he cheated?” I could feel my voice rising, and I couldn’t stop it. I pull my hand back to myself, closing myself off. Protecting myself. “This was a mistake. I think I should go.”
I stand up as fast as I can, almost knocking into the waitress bringing over our hot food. Logan asks me to wait, but I can’t. My throat feels like it’s closing up, and all I want is air at this moment. Jake and Logan were so similar- they were smart, powerful, used to getting things their way. It was all black and white to them.
I have no idea where I am really once I get outside, but I don’t care. I turn right and walk along the busy road. It’s a beautiful, sunny day, but I notice none of it.
**********
“Where are you right now?” Violet asks, her voice crackling with concern on the phone. I try not to call her during work hours because her boss is a nightmare, but I don’t know who else to talk to right now.
“A Starbucks. I needed a white chocolate mocha stat after that lunch,” I say.
Part of me knows that I should be back at work right now, but I have zero desire to figure out how to get back on my own. I spotted the coffee shop and ran in. I needed something to soothe my raw nerves, and this was as close to chocolate as I was going to get. Plus it’d let me lick my wounds in peace for a few minutes at least. The place is crowded and noisy, so my conversation won’t be overheard at least.
“So how bad is it?”
I tell Violet what had happened, trying to go through it all myself. I know I shouldn’t have gotten mad at Logan, but the anger just came so fast.
“I just felt so... stupid you know? The things he was saying weren’t really about me, but I couldn’t help but take it that way. I just reacted by blaming him. He probably thinks I’m crazy now.”
The barista calls my name and I pick up my cup and bring it carefully to an empty table.
“Well, you are,” Violet says.
“Hey! What happened to being on my side?” I take a sip of coffee, feeling the warmth spread though my body. Nice, but not as nice as what Logan could do. I feel a pang of remorse.
“I am on your side. That’s why I call you out on things when you need it. Did you try to explain all this to Logan? About what happened and how you feel and everything?”
“...No,” I say at last.
“Maybe you should. Listen, I know how you feel. You hate that you didn’t see how big an asshole Jake was. You hate that you didn’t believe me. And I know you hate that you still haven’t gotten over it. But you shouldn’t be talking to me about all this. I already know and understand.”
“I should be talking to Logan,” I say at last.
“Bingo. Now finish your coffee and get back to work. Not every man is going to be like Jake. You should give Logan a chance. He seems like a great guy. Don’t let that pass you by because you’re still thinking about your past.”
I sigh and push my coffee away.
“Isn’t there an easier way?” I ask.
“There never is,” Violet says wisely. “But I promise you’ll feel better once you do.”
Logan
I still have no idea what happened at lunch time. The conversation had somehow gotten turned around so fast that I barely had any time to react before Mikayla rushed out. By the time I settle things with the waitress and head outside, she’s long gone. Not that I would know what to say to her if I had caught up with her. I review every minute, and I’m still baffled as to how I could have done things different. All I can think of is the look of hurt that flitted across Mikayla’s face before she got up and left.
Sean says something and I nod distractedly.
“You have no idea what I just said there, do you?” he says.
“No,” I say. “Can you tell me again?”
He sighs and starts from the beginning, but his voice immediately gets pushed to the back of my mind. How the hell do I fix things? I wonder for the millionth time. There was always the option to move on, to forget about Mikayla and chalk it up to an early end, but for once I’m not ready to do that. I want this relationship to work between us. I want what we have. I want to figure out how to tell Mikayla that I never intended to hurt her and to make it right again.
“Screw it,” I say, tossing my pen on the desk.
Sean looks up, eyebrows raised.
“You’re goin
g to go after her then?” he inquires.
“How did you-?”
“It’s pretty damn obvious that something’s really bothering you. And now that Kevin’s been taken care of, I figure it had to be Mikayla.”
I look at him with shock.
“Does everyone know?”
“You’ve made it pretty obvious with all those lunches,” Sean says with a grin. “But hey, she was making you happy. With all the crap going on in your life, I figure you deserve a little happiness. That, and I bumped into her on her way back. She looked devastated. I put two and two together.”
I heave a sigh.
“I think I put my foot in my mouth,” I start to say.
“As usual,” Sean says. “You going to go and beg for forgiveness then? Cause this can wait until tomorrow.”
I stand up, grab my jacket and shrug it on.
“Thanks man,” I say. “I owe you one.”
I’m at Mikayla’s kitchen in no time. Pushing open the door, I’m relieved to see that there’s nobody else around. She looks up and tries to smile, but it falters. She’s pulled her hair out of her usual ponytail, and it cascades around her shoulders. She looks so feminine and sexy that I want to just kiss her and take off her clothes and skip the talking altogether. But I had a feeling that sex was not on the forefront of Mikayla’s mind right now.
“I came to apologize,” I start off. “The things that I said to you- it was uncalled for. Looking back on the conversation, I can see how you would think I was blaming you-”
“Wait,” she says, holding up a slim hand. “About that. The things you said were true. All of it. I should be the one apologizing. I took it all out on you because I couldn’t stand to think that you thought worse of me. I couldn’t stand to think that because I was stupid. I did miss the clues that led me to that situation. And I still beat myself up for it. I’m sorry too.”
I look into those ever changing colored eyes and close the gap between us. I want us to feel connected together, physically as much as we are emotionally at this moment. My arms circle her waist, pulling her against me. I kiss her, deep and long and rough. I’m hungry for the taste of her. Mikayla responds so sweetly, her mouth opening, her tongue ready to receive mine. I am not going to let her go, not anymore. My cock surges with blood, hardening and pushing against her taut stomach. I can hear her mews and gasps as I push apart her legs, driving myself against her. I want to fuck her brains out. I want to feel her pussy enveloping my shaft as I take her fast and hard.
“Logan,” she breathes, her voice filled with longing. It’s enough to send another wave of lust straight to my cock.
My hands run along her body, unbuttoning her chef’s coat and pushing it off of her. She’s wearing only a thin cotton tank top underneath, and I can feel every inch of her body as it swells beneath my touch. My thumbs rub against her pert nipples, drawing them to hard nubs. Her breasts fit perfectly into my cupped hands, and I tease the sensitive flesh for a moment before taking it into my mouth. I suck hard, eliciting a long moan of pleasure. Knowing I can turn her on so easily, so quickly makes my cock throb. I want to unzip my pants, but right now it’s all about Mikayla and making her feel good. I push her breasts up over the tank top, drawing one, then the other nipple into my mouth, alternating between licks and nibbles that sends her arching her back towards me.
I can feel her fingers dance across my skin, driving me crazy with their feather light touch as she removes me of my clothes too. My cock nestles right up against her leggings, and wet heat radiates from her pussy. Even though I could play with her breasts forever, Mikayla reminds me there’s more to do with a gentle grinding of her hips and I am happy to oblige. I pull her leggings down, my fingers running up her slick folds. Achingly wet and ready- exactly how I want her to be. The fabric of her panties is soaked, and I push it aside and plunge two fingers into her tight depths. I can feel her fingernails dig into my back in surprise, and then a gasp as I drag the pads of my fingers against her g-spot.
“You look absolutely beautiful Mikayla,” I murmur. “I could watch you like this forever.”
“Please,” she begs.
I know exactly what she’s asking for, but I won’t give it, not yet. I’m going to make this last, draw it out so that the only thing she can say is my name as she peaks to pleasure. I lift her up, depositing her onto the counter, exposed and beautiful. Parting her mouth, I drop down, and put my mouth right up against her pussy. It smells earthy and sexy and distinctively Mikayla, and I delve deep into her folds, exploring every last inch of her. I use my fingers to part her lips, drawing out the sweet liquid between her legs before circling and licking her clit. I can feel her legs quivering with pleasure, her fingers raking my hair as she sighs and moans with delight. I work faster, my fingers sliding in and out of her pussy, trying to keep up as her body strains and tenses and coils, until finally she comes, her pussy muscles contracting against me, her breath coming in quick short gasps as her orgasm explodes from deep inside of her.
It pours out of her, and I lap it all up, but I can’t hold out any longer. I stand, and with one swift thrust, I sink myself into her depths. Her body contracts against my cock and I groan with pleasure. Everything I feel is concentrated into my cock as I thrust into her, her body stiffening and contracting as my cock detonates another orgasm inside of her. I move in and out of her rough and fast, gripping tightly onto her hips as she loses herself in the onslaught of bliss. Every cell in my body screams for release, but I keep going, grunting as I bottom out inside Mikayla’s tight pussy over and over.
My face is buried against her neck, and I feel completely surrounded by Mikayla. Her legs wrap around me, pulling me into her one last time, and I come, lost inside of her. Our eyes lock together as I spray jets of hot seed into her, but I don’t even care. Finally we stop moving, and I rest inside of her warmth. This is what I’ve been missing my whole life.
“I love you,” I whisper hoarsely.
The words surprise her as much as they surprise me, but it’s true. Once it’s out there, there’s no denying it any further, and I’m not sure why I have this whole time.
“I love you too Logan,” she whispers back.
Epilogue
Mikayla
One month later...
“So this is it,” I say to Logan. “You ready?”
“I am,” he says. “Let’s do this.”
“You think this is going to work?” I ask, taking a hold of his hand.
He squeezes it and looks at me with a smile.
“Of course. There’s no way it won’t succeed. You are amazing Mikayla, and soon everyone is going to realize that.”
I can’t believe that I’m this lucky, to have someone believe in me so wholeheartedly. I know that it’s what I deserve, but until now I’ve never truly believed it. Having someone who cares and protects like this is amazing. It makes me feel like I can do anything. In fact, there’ve been so many ideas buzzing around in my head that Logan and I are discussing potentially opening a new restaurant, one where I’d be the executive chef of a local tasting menu that changes with what’s brought in to me locally.
We get out of the car together and head into the main restaurant, the original Red Canyon Steakhouse. It’s an old brick building that’s stood the test of time. Hopefully the company itself will too. Tonight is the first night of my new menu, and there is a lot of press. Logan’s come to give the staff a talk and socialize at the front of the house, and I’m here to help out in the kitchen. One of the sous chef is sick, which worked out perfectly. This has been such an all consuming project that it’s sort of become my baby, and I can’t just sit back and let it kick off without me!
Logan opens the door for me and I step through. Even though there wasn’t room for an overhaul, the dark stuffy drapes from my memories is gone, and there’s a new coat of paint too. The waiters and waitresses waiting for us aren’t dressed in penguin suits, and overall the atmosphere feels lighter, fresher. I love it. This
has always been one of my very favorite restaurants, and seeing it revitalized like this is wonderful. Logan must feel the same way too, because the speech he gave to everyone was filled with excitement and hope. All eyes are on Logan, including mine. He looks so confident and handsome and sexy, and he’s mine. I have to work hard to hide my ear-to-ear grin.
“I don’t want to take up too much of your time, because I know that we’ll be opening our doors in just half an hour, but tonight is a very important night. It’s the first night of departure from what my father envisioned Red Canyon Steakhouse to be. I know that many of us are nervous about the unknown. There have no doubt been rumors and speculation about the state of the company and where we are headed. I grew up in the company myself. I spent many afternoons in that very booth doing my homework while my parents got ready for dinner service. I worked in the kitchen washing dishes to afford my first car. I helped manage one of the restaurants all through college. There is nothing I love more than this company, and each and every one of you here to help make it a success.
But I am not my father. I don’t believe in the adage ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’, especially when it comes to food. People want comfort, and they want familiarity, yes, but they also want something new. They want fresh and innovative offerings, with the same deliciousness that they’ve come to expect at our restaurant. And I really truly believe that this is something we can offer to our customers. Tonight, I hope, will be one of the first of many successful nights once again at Red Canyon Steakhouse. I want to say thank you to everyone, whether you’ve been here for six months or six years or six decades. And I hope we have a good night!”
