by Judi Lynn
“But what if you get sick? Or need some time off?” Joel asked.
“You can worry about that when it happens. You and Miles both cook with me sometimes. You can manage.”
Joel could cook everything on the menu if he had to. So could Miles, so they left it at that. Casey, Collin, Gia, and Kelly—Audrie’s middle sister—made their own schedules for the bar and liked it that way, so he left them alone, too.
The Tuesday before the Fourth, business was slower than usual. It would be even slower on Wednesday; Chase’s once-a-week barbecue was that popular. So when Joel, Miriam, and Miles milled around the counter for a short break, Dave came out to yak with them.
The Fourth was on a Thursday this year, and Joel was closing the brewery. Everyone would be at the cook-off at the lake. Last year Chase had sponsored it for suppliers and friends in the parking lot of his bar. The town council had liked the idea so much, they’d decided to make it an annual event, with everyone invited. It was a big deal. Chase and Paula—Chase’s wife and Ian’s chef at the resort—and Tyne—her fellow chef, along with Tyne’s hot-shot chef brother from California, would all man a grill at two in the afternoon to see who could make the best burger. Grams’s church offered sides for three bucks—potato salad, baked beans, three-bean salad, and coleslaw, along with the cakes and pies the women carried in. All the money went for missions. Art donated tons of chips and people carted in melons and coolers filled with drinks.
Dave told Joel and Miles, “Last year Paula won. This year the rumor is that Tyne’s gunning for her.”
Joel smirked. “I think he has a chance, but lots of people say the hot-shot brother will have an advantage.”
Dave studied him a minute. “You hardly ever smirk. You know something.”
Dave was too damned astute. “Tyne helped me, so I owed him a favor.”
“You’re not going to tell.”
“Not on purpose.”
Dave grinned. “I like that. I respect it.” He went on, “The brother’s not being judged by fellow professionals. The people who line up for food vote. I gotta give it to them; they’re fair. They vote for the burger they like best, not their friends, but fancy stuff doesn’t go over that well. Last year Holden made lamb burgers. They might be popular in California, but most people here would rather have bacon and beef.”
Miriam licked her lips. “That’s my favorite.” She batted her eyes at Joel. “How did you help Tyne?”
“Can’t tell, not even you.”
Dave tried to change the subject. “Bet they hit you up for hot dogs and sausages this year.”
“I only supplied the dogs. Harley’s in charge of that grill.” He exchanged a knowing glance with Miriam. “I couldn’t offer the sausages.”
Her eyes went wide. “Oh, I get it.”
“Too expensive?” Dave asked.
“Something like that.”
Dave’s grin looked like the Cheshire cat’s. He turned his attention to Miles. “Are you going for the food?”
“What does a meal cost there?”
“Three bucks for sides and two for a plate of each slider, so you can sample them all. The town covers the rest of the expenses. The hot dogs are free. No Coneys; just ketchup, mustard, and onions or relish.”
“Then count me in. I haven’t had a hamburger for a while now.”
“Do you go to Ralph’s on your days off?” Joel had thought about having Miles over for a meal at Miriam’s cabin, but whenever he had a day off, Miles worked.
Miles shrugged. “I usually just stay home and make something easy.”
“Like frozen dinners?” Joel was hoping he’d say no.
“Maybe.”
Joel shook his head. “Miriam and I need to get you to her place so I can grill for you.”
“Yeah?” Dave raised his eyebrows. “What would you make?”
Joel heard the challenge and was ready for it. “Grilled pork chops with a Carolina honey glaze, topped with pineapple with a sweet rum sauce.”
Dave laughed. “You must have a few special meals up your sleeve.”
“Hey, I do better than that. I have at least five or six.”
“If you invite me some time, we can trade off. I’ll cook for you at my place.”
Dave? Being social? “Why not? Maybe we can invite Tyne, too, and you two can talk chef talk.”
Dave hesitated, then nodded. “Tyne’s cool. I’d like that.”
Customers started walking in then and they had to take their stations, but Joel had enjoyed their short time together. It made him look forward to the Fourth even more.
Chapter 37
Joel suspected Mill Pond turned out en masse for every holiday of the year. When he looked up and down the lake’s shoreline, people were milling everywhere. Ten grills were spaced along the public beach, two each per cook, and Miriam tugged on his arm to lead him to Tyne and Daphne. Miles was already helping Tyne slather buns with garlic-flavored butter and Dave was heating up a huge skillet of sliced onions and fennel, but they all smiled when they saw Joel. He was rolling a big cooler of his beers behind him.
“We’re sitting with them tonight,” Miriam told him. “They’ve already saved us spots.”
“Have you claimed a spot?” Joel asked Dave and Miles.
“I’ll probably mill around,” Dave said. “I get antsy if I stay in one place too long.”
Miles shrugged. “Not sure yet.”
Joel paused to study him. His brother’s voice had an edge to it. “Are you okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Miles finished all the top buns and started on the bottoms. “It’s a perfect day for this, right?”
Something was off, but Joel couldn’t pinpoint it. If he made a big deal out of it, though, his brother wouldn’t appreciate it, so he let it go. Adele stayed close behind Joel, slightly overwhelmed, but when people started waving to her, she relaxed, ready to have fun.
“Hey, come sit with us for a while,” Hazel called to her. “You can catch me up on what you’ve been up to.”
Adele glanced at Joel and he nodded for her to go. With a grin, she started off to see her friends.
Tyne was finishing setting up his work station, a long, lightweight portable table, when they reached him. He grinned, pointing to two big coolers. “Thanks for sharing your secret weapon with me, Joel. It’s going to up my game.”
Adele turned back to them and blinked. “Dad has a secret weapon?”
Miriam and Daphne exchanged conspiratorial glances. Daphne said, “David Danza makes a special sausage mix for your dad that customers love. Joel let Tyne add it to ground sirloin from Carl Gruber to come up with a perfect balance of lean and fat with a punch of flavor.”
Joel laughed when Tyne lifted a cooler’s lid to show him mountains of patties. “I knew this was a foodie town, but I’d never have guessed how seriously you guys take it.”
Unimpressed, Adele left them, and Miles started putting patties on the first hot grill. Tyne started to fill the second. Joel looked down the beach and saw the other chefs were starting their burgers, too. The head of the city council picked up a microphone and announced, “The grills are going. The contest will start in fifteen minutes, when I blow my whistle. Eat and enjoy, and remember to vote for your favorite burger.”
Dave and Tyne were flipping burgers and sipping beers. Tyne nodded down toward Harley at the opposite end of the shore, grilling dogs. “I promised him you’d bring him a beer. Chase and Paula, too. And my brother Holden.”
It was a good thing Tyne had told him to bring extra. With a nod, Joel went to get the second, smaller cooler he’d brought and Miriam went with him to deliver them. Harley waved them to him. “I’m working up a thirst. Kathy here”—he motioned to his wife, a pretty woman with flowing blond hair and a heart-shaped face, who was grilling next to him—“brought her wine, but there’s nothing like beer on the beach.”
They stayed to talk with Harley and his family for a while. His dad and his new wife, Vicki, had br
ought two big picnic baskets filled with red and white wines and antipasti. They sat on a blanket, noshing, while Harley and Kathy grilled. Then they dragged the cooler down to Chase and Ian. They handed them each a cold bottle of brew and put four more on their worktable.
Miriam shook her head at Ian. “Why are you helping Chase when both your chefs are working their asses off?”
Ian grinned. “You answered your own question. Which of my chefs would I choose? That’s a no-win proposition, so I decided to avoid it.” His two-year-old, Drew, ran to him while he talked, and Tessa had to run to scoop the boy up. She motioned toward their blanket, sprawled next to Chase and Paula’s.
“If you get a chance, come to say hi to us when the feeding frenzy’s over.”
“Will do.” Miriam nodded to Paula a few feet away. “We owe her a beer, too.”
Joel glanced down the shoreline at Miles to check on him. His brother was smiling, but his expression was too bright, too fake. It was the smile Miles had used when he was younger, before he’d had to take a test he hadn’t studied for. A worry wormed in Joel’s gut. What was bothering Miles? Too many people? No, he was around them all the time at the brewery. Not enough structure? He was surrounded by partying and booze. Maybe too much temptation? He hadn’t shown any interest in the beer at the microbrewery.
Steph caught his attention and waved at them. She was helping Paula. No more time to brood. Paula had trained Steph in the resort’s kitchen before she went into bread making and catering with Hank.
Paula gave them a thumbs-up. “We’re parched. Thanks.”
Joel handed out beers and Paula arched an eyebrow at him. “You’re at least going to try my burger before you vote for Tyne’s, aren’t you?”
“I’ve pledged to vote for my favorite.”
“A man of scruples. Then I’m okay, because mine’s the best.”
Miriam laughed at her. “Have you played with your winning recipe?”
“Not much, but I had to tinker with it a little. The guys all know what I did last time and they’ll try to top it.”
Holden called down to them, “Talking about the guys, I’m parched down here, too, and my brother wouldn’t share one of your brews with me.”
Paula motioned for Joel and Miriam to give him the last of the beers. “Men from California whine a lot. You’d better pamper him.”
Ralph was helping Holden, and he looked worried. “I’ve never cooked with a chef before,” he said when Joel handed him a beer. “I feel like I need a meat thermometer so I don’t screw it up.”
Holden tipped back his beer and took a long swallow. “Good stuff, but I’ve watched Ralph in his diner. I’ve got a good partner.”
Miriam glanced at a beautiful woman with sleek black hair and long, lean legs sitting on a blanket behind him. She looked as if she could be a model.
Holden nodded. “I brought JoJo with me this year. I’ll introduce you at my victory celebration.”
Miriam snorted. “I love your confidence.”
The councilman stood and raised his whistle. Holden said, “Got to start plating these. See you later.”
They pulled the empty cooler back to Tyne’s grill. Miles put his head down and got busy, avoiding Joel. Tyne grinned at them. He looked scruffier than usual today, but that look worked for him. Hell, any look worked for him. “What’s my competition like? What kinds of meat are they using?”
Miriam shook her head. “Calm down, Pretty Boy. We’re not spies. You have to win fair and square.”
He looked at Joel, and Joel would have told him, but the whistle sounded and people swarmed toward them. Joel had to admit Tyne’s burger was delicious. He served it on a pretzel bun with a spinach/ artichoke sauce, a thin slice of tomato, and fried onion crisps on top. Everyone asked him about the blend of meat, but he told them it was a chef’s secret.
Chase made his usual bacon cheeseburgers but added a ranch-style dressing topping, and Paula made a meat loaf mix burger with a ketchup glaze and mozzarella cheese. Holden went a tiny bit too fancy again with a ground half duck/half brisket burger with pickled red onions and brie. Joel loved it, but Tyne won, though it was really close.
When the contest was over and Tyne had received his small statue, people grouped together with friends to visit and relax. Miles trailed off with Dave. Joel and Miriam sat with Tyne and Daphne but went for frequent visits to see Harley and Chase and Paula. Holden and JoJo came to sit with Tyne.
At five, Grams’s church hauled out homemade ice cream and sundae toppings for a donation. Miles wandered back to their blanket to eat with them. It was the perfect end for the day, and then, the minute the sun set, the fireworks started.
One minute Miles was sitting next to Joel and the next, when Joel turned to him, he was gone. Joel assumed he’d seen someone he knew and had gone to chat with them, or maybe Dave had called him over to introduce him to someone, but twenty minutes later he started to worry. By the end of the night, when the last fireworks drifted away as smoke, he started asking around for him. Dave came wandering back to them and said, “I watched him go to his truck and drive away right after the program started. Figured he didn’t like fireworks.”
He’d liked them as a kid. Joel tried to call Miles, but he didn’t pick up. Something didn’t feel right. Joel drove Miriam and Adele home and dropped them off, then went to check on his brother.
He pounded on the door of the trailer and Miles called, “It’s open.”
His voice was slurred. Joel braced himself before walking in. Miles was slumped on the couch with empty beer bottles scattered around him. He was holding a half-empty bottle of whiskey. Joel glanced at the beer—taken from the brewery. “Hey, Bro, you’ve had enough. Time to call it quits.”
Miles shook his head. “Not drunk enough yet.”
“You’re plenty trashed. Sleep it off. You don’t work tomorrow. You can sleep in.” But once Miles started drinking, he usually didn’t quit. At least, not for a while.
Miles stood and pointed to the door. “Just go. Leave me alone.” He wobbled on his feet and then slumped back onto the sofa.
“Give me your key to the brewery.” Joel held out his hand. “I don’t want you to take any more beer.” Miles could get more tomorrow, but they were closed tonight.
Miles pointed to his keys on the sink counter. “Go ahead. Take it.”
Joel didn’t want to, but he didn’t not want to either. He didn’t want Miles to spend all Friday drinking. One of his benders could last a few days. Then he glanced at the counter and his stomach sank. Two bottles of whiskey and a bottle of tequila waited there.
Miles grinned. “I stopped on my way home before the liquor store closed.” He tipped the whiskey bottle to his lips.
Joel grabbed one of the bottles and tossed it in the trash.
“Don’t!” Miles lurched to his feet and almost fell, trying to rescue his liquor. He pushed Joel away and stood between him and the counter. His face scrunched in anger. He’d throw a punch if Joel reached for the tequila.
Joel shouted, “Why now?” Confusion and frustration churned inside him. “You’ve been sober since you got here. Why ruin it now?”
Miles blinked, then shrugged. “Seemed like a good time.”
Glib answers. Joel deserved more than that. His fingers itched to throw every bottle against the wall and smash it to bits. And then what? Would he and Miles wrestle each other and duke it out? Miles could go buy more of everything on Friday morning. Probably would. Well, to hell with him! Joel turned and stalked out the door. He stopped on the bottom step and yelled, “Will you be at work on Sunday?” That was the day Miles covered for him.
“Not sure,” Miles said. “Hope so.”
“I need to be able to count on you.”
“Well, you can’t, can you?”
“Forget it!” Joel snapped. “You’re fired.”
“Fine with me. Want your trailer key, too?”
“No. Someone has to take care of you.” It was too much. Joel sl
ammed the door and drove home, fuming the entire the way.
Chapter 38
Miriam dropped Adele at the brewery early Friday morning. “Don’t bother your dad. He’s in a bad mood. Just go to the office and stay out of his way until he calms down.”
Adele nodded, looking upset. “The last time Dad was mad was when Mom came and took me to visit a friend for three days without telling him.”
“That would make anyone mad.” Poor Joel; he must have been sick, worrying about her.
“He yelled at Mom. He never yells.”
“We all get angry when someone scares us. Your dad didn’t know if you were safe or not.”
She frowned. “Is he scared now?”
How much to tell her? “He’s worried about Miles.”
Adele got a knowing look. “Miles drinks too much. Grandma said so.”
“That can make you sick, and Miles might be sick now. Your dad loves his brother.”
Adele smiled. “Dad loves lots of people. He loves you.”
“I know, and I love him right back. And you, too.”
Satisfied, Adele limped into the building and disappeared. Miriam drove to Miles’s trailer. Joel didn’t expect her to show up for work until eleven, so she had plenty of time to check on his brother. Joel had come home last night and told her everything. She couldn’t believe he’d fired Miles, but he was too upset to discuss it. He hadn’t come to bed with her but stalked outside and sat in the chair, overlooking the lake. She’d left him alone, giving him space to sort things out. She’d hoped they could discuss it more in the morning, but when she woke, he was already gone.
She gave a quick knock on the trailer’s door, then turned the knob. It was open. She stuck her head inside. “Miles?”
