by Jean Oram
“Sign here,” he insisted, pushing an electronic gadget toward her, sending a waft of body odor in her direction.
She placed her hands on her hips and studied him as though staring at him would help make sense of things. Because this made absolutely no sense. Why was everything she needed to open her own Wrap it Up here now? She hadn’t paid for these things. She was officially independent. Wrap it Up owed her nothing.
She read through the itemized delivery list once again. Menu boards to tables to kitchen equipment. It was everything she’d ordered through Seth months ago and had been consistently delayed.
“No charge for delivery,” he said, thrusting the gadget at her again.
“But who sent it?” She looked at the labels on the boxes he’d lined up outside her restaurant. Her name. Her address. Nothing else. It was like a restaurant fairy had made a drop-off. But this big, burly man with a serious B.O. problem was definitely not a fairy.
The man sighed and punched buttons on his tablet. “As I said…” He turned the tablet to face her. “Wrap it Up. Did you need to inspect before you sign? I have other deliveries to make.” His impatience only exasperated her more.
Shaking her head she signed for the delivery because at the end of the day, she needed these things to open a Wrap it Up. She’d take it and deal with paying for it later.
Stepping back she allowed the man to wheel the boxes into her building while she pulled her ringing cell phone from her pocket. If these new items didn’t get seized by Seth’s liquidators she’d be up and running by Blueberry Cruise’s show and shine which would result in tremendous foot traffic right outside her door--an awesome time to have a grand opening and only a few weeks past her original opening date.
She gave thanks to the heavens and grinned at her phone as she said, “Hello?”
“Did you get my gift?” asked a voice.
“Sorry? I think you have the wrong number.”
“The equipment?”
“Seth?”
“It should all be there. Everything you need to open.”
“But I didn’t pay--”
“It’s covered.”
“But it was taken off the new contract. If I have it now…” She gripped her temples with a thumb and index finger.
“It’s all taken care of,” Seth said firmly as she ripped open the closest box. “A little grand opening gift from me. Good luck.”
“Wait!” She gawked at the branded materials. “I thought everything was seized?”
“I’ve always liked you, Mandy. And you’ll soon learn there are a million ways to do business and sometimes things aren’t as they appear. Be good to yourself. Stay the way you are and you’ll do fine. Trust that gut of yours.”
Mandy slowly ended the call. Things were not as they appeared all right. Seth, the so-called bad guy, had just come through for her. Big time.
Maybe he was really the good guy she’d thought he was. Either way, she owed him for the last minute bailout. She tapped her chin with her phone. Strangely enough, the idea of having no way of paying him back didn’t bother her as much as she’d thought it would. Maybe it was all the anguish he’d wrung out of her over the past few months.
Shrugging, she hummed to herself as she opened more boxes. She had a whole lot of exciting work to do.
And hour later she looked at the dent she’d made in the stacks of boxes. She was going to need bodies. Lots of them. Lots and lots of them. Which meant she was going to have to ask for help. Again.
Smiling, she locked up and walked the few blocks to her parents’ house, hoping to find Ethan bored and unemployed. Instead, she found her oldest brother, Devon, hanging on the front step, sweaty and looking pissed off as he retied his laces.
“What are you up to?” she asked.
“Running.”
“Is Ethan here?”
“Why do you want to talk to that moody so-and-so?” He pulled his laces so tight Mandy winced. “In case you didn’t notice, he’s in a wheelchair and doesn’t want to buy your truck. Nobody does.” He stood and narrowed his eyes. “And do you have any idea how bad that truck is on the environment? You burn at least twice the fossil fuels as I do--”
“And your tiny little Honda--which, I might add, can’t get through the mountain passes in the winter unless you follow me--is so much better?”
“Shut up. Last winter was really bad.”
Mandy grinned. She was never going to let him live that one down. Ever.
“So?” she asked. “Is he here? I want to give him my catering stuff so I can get my restaurant in order. I have everything I need to open by cruise night.”
Her brother looked up. “You’re going to do it? I thought the idea was a goner.” He gave a little shrug. “And my money.”
“Your money?”
“That loan thing.”
“Oh.” Wow. Okay. This was awkward. “Uh, thanks, but I am opening and I will pay you back. With interest.”
“Yeah, well, whatever. Moody pants is out back.” He jabbed a thumb toward the backyard and took off at a slow jog. “Let me know if you need any help.”
“Thanks. I will. Need help, that is. Soon.”
She unlatched the gate and entered the backyard. Ethan was lounging on the back patio, sipping a Coke as though he had the world in the palm of his hand. However, a closer look told her to tread lightly.
“Hey,” she said, taking the chair beside his wheelchair.
“Hey,” he grudgingly replied.
“Still mad at me?” she asked in surprise. It had been ages since they’d had their tiff.
“You freaking fired me. And Devon’s been riding me about being moody ever since. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be stuck in this thing.” He gave the wheels of his chair a shake. “He’s out training for a marathon when I’d give anything just to be able to walk.”
Mandy sat silently, letting his temper wane.
“It’s not fair, is it?”
“No, it isn’t!” her brother exploded.
“And if I recall correctly, just…you know…talking about fairness and all…you were the one who quit.” She raised an eyebrow, knowing she was playing pretty close to the line.
Ethan watched her for a second before giving her a grumpy, “Whatever.”
“I need your help.”
“I said, whatever.” He rolled his chair away from her, trying to end the conversation.
She hated herself for doing it, but she pivoted the chair back to face her. “I came by to see if you wanted a job. If you wanted to explore your culinary prowess on your own terms this time. I’m looking for someone to take over catering Jen’s excursions.”
Her brother watched her, wary.
“Your terms. Your menu.” She swallowed hard and released his chair.
He eased his chair back. “We didn’t exactly work well together last time we tried this, you know. And Jen might not need meals now that fall is coming.”
“She will. She does snowshoeing trips and stuff like that in the winter. But the point I’m making is that there would be more freedom for you to put our own Blueberry Springs twist on it this time. Be your own boss. If you want, you can use my kitchen and my bulk buying power.” She waited a few seconds to let him consider the offer. “We both had a lot going on last time and I hope we can try working together again.” Swallowing her pride, she added, “I can’t do it all on my own.”
“Is that an apology?”
“Yes.”
“That was a horrible apology.”
“I’m new to it. Do you accept it?”
“I’m not a charity case, you know.” He set his jaw, his head held high.
Mandy couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I am!”
“Technically, you have to pay everyone back, space cadet.”
Mandy laughed until tears sprang to her eyes. “You know how long I’m going to be in debt?” She groaned and wiped her eyes. “This really had better work out.”
“I can start tomorrow.” He point
ed at her with a finger. “But my terms. And I know exactly how much you need me in there.”
She pointed back. “If you don’t wash your hands and wear a hairnet, you are so out of there. And you can’t leave me hanging. I need two weeks notice if you bail or I’ll never buy you a birthday gift ever again.”
“Come on that’s unreasonable.”
“I’m serious. No leaving me hanging.”
Ethan slowly reached out to shake her hand. “Well, little sis. It looks like we have ourselves a deal. Just don’t ever treat me like an invalid and I won’t have to release cockroaches in your dining area.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
For the first time in years, she saw that playful glimmer return to his eyes.
“Okay, just over a bit. No! Just a bit! There. Perfect. Now stop touching it!” Mandy tried to hold her patience. Her brothers were messing with her and she knew it. But it had been a very long and very, very early morning of getting everything in place for the grand opening and she’d about had it with their shenanigans. It so wasn’t funny anymore.
Just thinking about her grand opening had her bending over and breathing deeply so the room would stop spinning. An hour. In an hour, her place would be filled--she hoped.
“You know what?” Ethan said from his wheelchair, leaning forward, hand propped in his chin. He angled his head slightly to the right. “I think it’s still crooked.” Devon shot him a wicked grin.
“Shut up. It’s fine.” Nudging Devon out of the way, Mandy climbed the ladder and smacked a level down on top of the specials chalkboard Liz had slipped her from the hardware shop’s old storeroom.
“No, really,” Ethan insisted. “I think it’s a bit off.”
“You’re a bit off,” she said, pointing the level at him. Its little bubble was right in the middle where it was supposed to be. Level! “I’m about to go snap show on you if you don’t stop it.”
She climbed down the ladder and stood beside her brother studying the board nailed to the wall above the coffee counter. “See? It’s…nooooo!” She threw the level on the ground and gripped her hair in frustration.
“Look,” pointed out Devon, finally taking pity on her, “the ceiling is sloped. It only makes it look off level.”
“I have bigger things to worry about than whether my specials board looks crooked,” she grumbled, heading for the kitchen.
She checked her list and breathed through the edge of her mood. How was she going to enjoy her grand opening when she felt nothing but panic? And where was Frankie? If they were back to being friends, shouldn’t he be here cracking jokes and putting her at ease? Sure, Blueberry Cruise was a good excuse for him not to be here, but still. He’d promised.
Forget it. If she couldn’t have a dose of Frankie to calm her, she’d go for the next best thing. She grabbed the bottle of whiskey she used for her whiskey brownies and sloshed a bit into a paper cup. If there was one thing that would take the Ginsu edge off her mood, it was a shot of spiced whiskey.
Ethan rolled in and, pointedly donning gloves, began arranging sample trays. Mandy entered the front room and knocked a couple of ice cubes into her cup from the drink dispenser along with a splash or two of Coke. Looking through to the front windows, she saw a stylish restored Bentley parked out front, right beside a 1970s Camaro. And lots of people milling outside on the sidewalk as the show and shine got into full swing. Lots of people who would get hungry and thirsty over the course of the warm fall day. Oh man, there was that spinning sensation again. Clutching the counter for support, she knocked back her drink.
She blinked a few times, gasping at the whiskey’s sting. What was she thinking? Drinking before her opening? She ducked into the tiny office off the kitchen and dug through her purse for mints. She shoved a handful of Tic Tacs in her mouth and chewed hard. The small room’s purple color suddenly felt much too optimistic.
When she was sure her breath was okay, she barreled out of the office in seek of her to do list. Sensing something had changed, she spun on her heel and halted, almost losing her balance.
Frankie stood tall in a button-down shirt and faded jeans. Her knees went all Jell-Oey and the amount of oxygen in the room seemed to suddenly diminish significantly.
The hungry look in his eyes--the one he used to mask as soon as she noticed it--was there. Unmasked. No hiding. No protection.
She took a step toward him and he shot her a soft grin, exposing all those wonderful white chompers.
He took a step forward, his hands running up her arms and making her body tremble. She forced herself to remain rigid so she wouldn’t tumble into his arms and make a fool of herself. Despite that fiery look in his eyes, they were still only friends. He knew where she wanted things to go. It was his move. “I can think of much better ways to take the edge off that won’t leave a telltale scent on your breath.”
If he was insinuating what she thought he was, she was going to pass out and miss it all.
“Then how should I chill out?” she teased, her voice breathless. She sure hoped he was going to suggest something involving his body. Shirtless.
He tugged her into her office, shutting the door behind her. She tilted her head back to look at him, her mind failing to succeed in reminding her body to cool it. The longer she got lost in Frankie’s heated gaze, the more items that fell off her mental to do list. That was, everything but Frankie. He seemed to be right at the top of that list.
He reached out to give her chin a gentle nudge. “You did it, huh?” But instead of his knuckle gliding off her chin with his mock hit, his fingers gently ran the length of her jaw until they became tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck.
Inadvertently, she sighed and sagged toward him as tingles took over. Catching herself, she pulled back.
Frankie eased closer, trapping her in the tight space between the filing cabinet and doorframe. He rested a hand on top of the helium canister for the balloons she’s be putting up when she had a moment. Frankie’s dark eyes sent her soul calming messages and left her feeling relaxed and safe. Loved. Forgiven.
And maybe they were asking questions, too.
She gently placed a finger over the soul patch below his lip, testing its softness. He was well worth the risk. Always had been. She would take whatever he was willing to give and she wouldn’t know what that was unless she stepped in and accepted. Showed him she was serious, not playing games.
She still wanted him every bit as much as she had a month ago. Years ago. Only now she wasn’t hiding.
Wrapping her arms around his waist she leaned her head against his chest. His heart throbbed against her.
“I love you, Frankie,” she whispered. She froze, her eyes flying open.
Uh, oh. That was out loud.
She’d told herself she wasn’t going to push it. She was going to…
Oh, what did it matter, anyway? She’d painted her feelings on the town’s tower and she’d told him straight out how she felt on national television and then also announced her intentions on the local news for good measure.
He may have pretended he hadn’t heard the news, but the fact that he was here right now meant he knew she loved him and hadn’t been looking for a life raft. She’d been finally looking for love.
She tipped her head back to see his reaction and suddenly his lips were upon hers, pressing close as he kissed her long and hard. His hand slipped up the back of her shirt and every touch against her skin sent lightning through her veins. They butted up against the filing cabinet and he suddenly upped the intensity, as though his revving engine had finally been released at the starting line after so many years.
Every emotion they’d experienced over the past few months crashed into their kisses as they hit the floor, Frankie on top of her, pinning her while cranking up the heat. She moaned and pushed her hands under his shirt, her fingers roaming every back muscle as though she was deciphering an urgent braille message. Every muscle she’d pretended not to admire over the years was inventori
ed as they moved, their lips tightly sealed together.
This was what she had been missing.
Right there on the cold tile floor, she promised herself she would never miss an instant of this between now and the end of her life. No matter what. Returning the love of her best friend was the only reward she’d ever truly been seeking. He was the man who could help her through anything. He was the one.
The one.
Mandy handed out another balloon and grinned. She couldn’t help it. Her lips felt as though they’d swelled to twice their normal size, prompting Mary Alice to frown and squint before asking if she’d undergone lip enhancement surgery. She’d kept it up until she’d caught a glimpse of Frankie grinning from his spot by the sample table. Mandy had simply beamed like the fool she was.
A lovesick fool.
She shot Frankie a wink, which he returned with a smile. Trying not to be such a sap, she handed out another balloon and invited a family to try some samples. Less than two hours in and they were already running low. But people were actually purchasing items off the menu, too, and Benny, bless his heart, had sent Gloria over to help run food out to tables.
She could already see what Wrap it Up would become here in Blueberry Springs and how she would convince the other franchisees that this was the way to go--a blend between what Wrap it Up had been and a regular restaurant with wait staff and coffee bars with treats. A hybrid.
Frankie sidled over and, grabbing her around the waist, pulled her in for a long kiss. The restaurant cheered and a few customers clinked plastic forks against their cups as if they were at a wedding reception. Mandy blushed and smiled at her boyfriend. They hadn’t discussed it, but she knew they were already far more than exclusive and that things would continue to heat up between them. It had only been a few hours that they’d officially been an item, but it was already different than it had been with anyone else she’d ever been with.
She couldn’t wait to close up for the night and see where the future took them.
Her brother wheeled up and whispered, “We’re out of brownies.”
“Good. People will have something to come back for.”
