Air whooshed out of his lungs. That might explain how fearful Zoe looked when she heard Rachel and her mother arguing. “Does she ever see her biological parents?”
“She’s never said much about them. I don’t even know if they’re still living. Those two were never meant to be parents; they were as selfish as they come.” She pushed up and rushed toward her family. “I see you brought the pizza.”
Nick whipped his head toward the women and Richard.
Zoe held a pizza in each hand. “Yes. Good thing I was passing through and smelled them. I think I caught them in time.”
He stood and relieved her of one pizza, placing it in the center of the table. “Thanks for saving them from burning.”
“Not a problem.”
Richard sat on the opposite side and flicked a napkin onto his lap.
He must be in a hurry to get on the road. Nick quickly joined him and motioned for the ladies to sit. After offering a blessing, he passed the salad. “I hope everything tastes okay. I’m not a gourmet chef like Zoe, so I bought these.”
Zoe took a bite of the veggie pizza. “Not bad. If you like pizza, I could whip up one sometime.”
“What’s the fun in making it yourself, if you can buy one?”
“Don’t even go there,” she said, and took another bite.
“I, for one, like both.” The twinkle in Richard’s eyes lit his face—clearly the peacemaker of the family. “You’ve done well for yourself buying the B&B. Are you enjoying it?”
“Running this place has its challenges, but it’s a nice life.” He hadn’t really given a lot of thought to how much he enjoyed his new career. It was his way out—an escape from the memories. Yet the memories followed him, even in his dreams. He thought by leaving his practice things would improve, and they had, but…
“It must be a nice life, as you put it, for our Zoe to stick around. For as long as I can remember, all she talked about was being a chef in a top restaurant.” Richard reached for his goblet and downed half the glass of water.
“Dad.” Zoe shot him a warning look.
Nick ducked his head to hide his smile. When had he learned to decipher her expressions?
Richard chuckled. “I’m just saying.”
Michelle patted his hand.
The meal continued, and Nick filled them in on Zoe’s first morning on the job, not leaving out any details and maybe exaggerating a tad the condition of the kitchen when he’d walked in.
Michelle covered her mouth, and her shoulders shook. “That is too funny.” She reached over and squeezed Zoe’s hand. “I’m sorry you got hurt, but clearly you’re fine.” She turned to Nick. “Thank you for the comedic moment and this delicious meal. It was very thoughtful of you, but we should be heading out, if we’re going to make the next ferry.”
Zoe hopped up. “Good thinking.” She glanced at Nick with an I-can’t-believe-you-told-them-that look. “I’ll be back to help clean up in a few minutes.”
“Take your time.”
Michelle and Richard thanked him again then followed the meandering stone path to the front.
Nick stood with a chuckle. Zoe may be slightly miffed, but it was fun seeing her foster parents interact with her over the mishap. He gathered the dirty dishes and stacked the plates on the pizza tray. All in all, the day and meal had been nice. Zoe’s family obviously thought the world of her. Although based on Richard’s comment about Zoe being a chef in a top restaurant, he wondered if Richard didn’t approve of her working here. He placed the goblets on the other tray.
A couple of minutes later, Zoe strolled over to the table and tossed napkins onto the plates. “You had to share that story.” She playfully punched his shoulder, grinning. “What’d you think of them?”
“Your foster parents are great.” He leaned over and grasped a tray.
“Yeah,” she said softly. “Dad wants me to return to Portland.”
His stomach lurched. So that’s what the father-daughter talk was about. But Zoe was a grown woman, more than capable of making her own choices.
“He feels like I quit my job without considering the consequences.” She hoisted the other tray and strolled beside him.
“It’s a little late now.”
“Not really. I could have my old position back if I asked.”
Nick’s hand froze on the doorknob. “I didn’t realize that was an option. I hope you won’t leave, but I’d understand.” However being here without her no longer made sense. Her ready smile and easygoing approach to everything was pleasant to be around. He enjoyed her company. When had that happened? Not that it mattered. Somehow he had to convince her to stay—but how?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SATURDAY MORNING ZOE chopped pineapple, honeydew and cantaloupe, then carefully placed it all on a white platter beside the strawberries. They had a full house again this weekend, which was nice. She liked having the house filled with guests. Sure it was more work, but what else was she going to do? It wasn’t like she had a busy social life.
She’d all but given up trying to find the ring for Rachel, and she’d avoided Autumn since that day she’d stopped in to pressure her to take the job at the restaurant. Until she could decide what to do, she’d continue to evade her new friend. Now Dad had thrown a wrinkle into the mix. She respected his opinion, but at the same time, it was her life, and she was happy here.
Nick’s apartment door opened. “Morning.” He sniffed the air. “What’s for breakfast?”
“Fruit, waffles, and scrambled eggs.”
He pulled open the oven door. “Mmm. I never used to like scrambled eggs, but now they’re my favorite. What do you do to them to make them so delicious?”
“It’s a secret, but maybe someday I’ll share it with you.”
He leaned a hip against the counter. “Does that mean you’ve decided to stay?”
The hopeful look in his eyes made her want to tell him yes, but instead she shook her head slowly. “I haven’t made any decisions. Will you serve the fruit? I’ll be right in with the rest.”
“Sure.”
She watched him until the swinging door closed. Lord, anytime You want to clue me in to what I should do, I’d appreciate it. After slipping her hands into oven mitts, she pulled the food from the warm oven, then moved everything onto serving platters and headed for the dining room.
The door swung toward her, and she jumped back nearly toppling the food.
Nick reached out to steady the waffle platter only to cause it to tip slightly sending several waffles to the floor.
Zoe groaned. “Nick.” His name came out in a slow whine. “What am I going to do now?”
“Serve what we have. You always make more than enough. It’ll be okay.”
“I don’t know. I’ve been trying to calculate better.”
“Just serve the guests, Zoe. We won’t eat.”
“Good idea.” She pushed through the doorway and plastered on a smile. “I hope everyone is hungry.”
A dozen sets of eyes looked at her eagerly. She almost laughed, but maintained control. “Bon appétit.” She left the eggs at one end of the table and the waffles at the other. At least there were enough for two waffles per person. She checked the coffee carafe. Empty. “I’ll be back with fresh coffee soon.” Bringing the carafe with her, she returned to the kitchen where Nick had already started the brew. “You’re on top of things.”
“Yeah, it was the reason I rushed in here. Sorry about earlier.”
She waved a hand. “I’ll whip up some batter and have more waffles in no time.” She got to work, tuning out the guests’ laughter filtering in from the dining room. She sensed Nick watching her and glanced his way. “What?”
He jerked his head. “Nothing.”
“I don’t think so. What’s up?” Periodically eyeing Nick, she added oil to the batter and folded everything together. The man sure knew how to be quiet.
He shrugged. “Thinking about what your dad said.”
“Uh-oh.” A
knot settled in the pit of her stomach.
He quirked a grin. “It’s not bad—at least not for you. It’s potentially very bad for me, though.”
She put the spatula down and crossed her arms. “Now you have me very curious. Out with it.”
“I don’t want you to move back to Portland. We make a good team.” He shrugged. “At least most of the time, when I’m not knocking food out of your hands.”
She lowered her head and poured batter into the waffle iron and gently closed the top. “I don’t want to go either. Too much history there.” Her heartbeat quickened—Nick wanted her to stay. He’d said it before, but his words rang true. It seemed she’d overreacted in regard to Olivia, but what was done was done.
“What kind of history?”
“Like a cheating fiancé and a backstabbing best friend.”
“Ouch.”
“Exactly.” Steam rose up the sides of the waffle iron. She opened the top, plucked off the Belgian waffle, put it on a plate, and slid it to Nick. “Eat up.” Then she started the process all over again. “My life here is so far removed from my past that this place feels like a do-over.” She was surprised at how little it hurt to talk about Kyle and Tara’s betrayal now. She’d expected grievous pain, but instead only embarrassment made her gut tighten and her face warm.
His eyes lit as he talked with a full mouth. “That’s what I was looking for when I came here too—a do-over. Well put. So have you found what you’re looking for?”
Zoe’s breath caught. She glanced his way and saw he’d noticed her reaction by his raised brows. If he only knew. She was beginning to realize that what she’d found at the Wildflower Bed-and-Breakfast was the last thing in the world she’d expected. Dare she even think it?
****
NICK STUDIED ZOE a moment longer than he should have. Her cheeks glowed cotton candy pink and her hands shook slightly. He’d definitely made her uncomfortable. Every fiber in his being wanted to push her for an answer, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to hear it. He stood. “I forgot about the coffee.” He poured the brew into the carafe and darted from the kitchen.
In the dining room, one waffle remained on the platter and everyone appeared to be about finished. “Sorry about the delay. How is everyone doing?”
Rachel caught his eye. “Please tell Zoe the meal was perfect.” She pushed back from the table, and stood.
“Thanks, I will.”
A few other guests confirmed Rachel’s comment before departing the dining area. He cleared the dishes no longer in use onto a tray and returned to the kitchen.
Zoe looked up from where she stood at the counter. “I have a few more waffles ready, if you want to take them out.”
“Not necessary. Everyone is about finished. Eat up while I clear.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can do my job.”
Why did she always remind him that she could do her job? “I’m well aware of your abilities, but the guests were in a hurry today and didn’t linger and visit. Besides, I thought you’d enjoy a meal hot.”
The woman had gotten to him. He enjoyed her company way more than he ought to. He gathered the rest of the dishes from the dining table and carried them to the kitchen, placing the tray beside the sink. “I have some paperwork to tend to this morning. I’ll be in the reception area if you need me.” He headed there, but before he could sit, his cell rang. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the caller ID. “What’s up, Mitch?”
“I have the day off and am heading your direction. Aiden and I should be there in about an hour.”
Nick frowned. “Not that I wouldn’t like to see you, but this is sudden.”
“Yeah. Aiden misses his Uncle Nick. He won’t stop bugging me to bring him. Do you mind?”
“No, but I’m surprised.”
Mitch chuckled. “That makes two of us. Aiden was scheduled to be with his mom this week, but she had to go out of town.”
“Ah. Well, I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay.”
Nick set his cell on the desk and rested his chin on his hand. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time Aiden had been shuffled from one parent to the other out of turn. At least Aiden didn’t appear to mind. He had a healthy relationship with both his parents, so this kind of thing didn’t upset him.
Zoe approached and stopped beside him. “Something wrong? You look unsettled.”
“No, not really—just thinking. My brother and nephew will be here in an hour. Any chance you could prepare one of your famous kid friendly dinners tonight?”
A shadow crossed her face. “I’d be happy to.”
“But…?”
“It’s nothing.”
He stood and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Out with it.” He was a relatively easygoing person, except where family was concerned.
Zoe pressed her lips together and shook her head.
He slipped around the desk, gently took her arm and guided her outside, away from any possible prying ears. He pulled her down beside him on the swing. “I need for you to talk to me. What’s the problem?”
“The last time your brother was here, he got me in trouble with you.”
“You mean the Rachel thing?”
She nodded. “I wasn’t rude to her. I wanted to protect your nephew. At the time she wasn’t being upfront with us about what she was up to. She was behaving suspiciously, and I was afraid for him.”
“I understand and will make sure Mitch does also. Please don’t give that incident another thought.” He reached for her hand and ran his thumb back and forth across the top. “My brother and nephew are all I have, and I don’t want there to be any tension between them and you.” He glanced at her and saw her staring at their hands. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…” He let go. Reaching for her hand had felt as natural as walking, and he hadn’t given it a moment’s thought—clearly a mistake, if the look of anxiety on her face was any indication. Then again…
“It’s fine. I was surprised, that’s all. I really didn’t mind.” She stood. A look he didn’t recognize sparkled in her eyes. “I’m sure once you explain things to your brother, things between us will be fine. I should get busy. The rooms need to be cleaned.”
“Right.” He watched as she dashed inside, and allowed a grin to escape. She didn’t mind him holding her hand. Hmm. Then guilt hit him. He had no business thinking about Zoe that way. She was his employee, and it felt disloyal to Jenna.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
NICK HANDED AIDEN A BOX OF plastic interlocking blocks he’d found while cleaning out the shed. The set was in perfect condition. “I thought you might enjoy playing with these when you visit.”
“Cool. Thanks.” Aiden took the box to an open space in front of the TV and dumped hundreds of plastic pieces of varying sizes onto the carpet.
Mitch slid Nick a glass of ice water. “You really need to go grocery shopping. There’s nothing in your fridge.”
“Zoe always cooks for me, so I haven’t needed to shop.”
“Lunch and dinner too?”
“Dinner. I usually scrounge up lunch from upstairs.”
“Man, you’re spoiled.”
Nick knew his brother’s words rang true, which reminded him, if he wanted Zoe to be happy when his family visited, he needed to clear up the Rachel situation. He quickly explained about how she had been snooping in Zoe’s room.
Mitch shook his head. “Guess I kind of put my foot in it, didn’t I? Is Zoe still miffed with me?”
“No, but she’s concerned that you may cause problems for her.”
“Thanks for letting me know. I really feel bad, especially since she was only protecting my son.”
“Yeah. She seems to have a special place in her heart for children—anyone who messes with one better watch out.”
“Sounds like the two of you have grown close since my last visit.” Mitch raised a brow over his raised glass.
“Maybe. We’ve had some fun times for sure.” His mind skimmed over the past couple of
weeks—pillow fight, s’mores by the fire, talking on the swing… Yes their relationship had morphed and he hadn’t even noticed until his brother pointed it out.
“What’s that smile about?” Mitch shook his head. “Never mind. I know.”
“You don’t know anything.”
“Ha. I can read you like a book. She’s gotten to you, hasn’t she? It’s understandable. With her long golden hair and otherworldly green eyes and her laugh that sounds like sunshine, what’s not to like?”
“You make her sound like a mermaid.” Nick set his glass on the counter. “Sounds like you have a crush.”
“Nope. As I recall, she’s off limits. Now I know why.” Mitch smirked and playfully punched him in the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell your secret.”
“You’re full of baloney.” Nick strode to his bedroom and changed into swim trunks. Mitch’s words rang in his mind. He sat heavily on the edge of his bed. He couldn’t deny that he’d grown fond of Zoe, even to the point of finding ways to spend time with her. Mitch clearly didn’t see anything wrong with it, but he couldn’t stop the guilt that settled in the pit of his stomach every time he thought of Zoe like that. But enough thinking. He stood and grabbed a few beach towels off the shelf by the door then went back into the main living area. “Let’s go swimming.”
Aiden jumped up. “Yes!” He pulled on Mitch’s arm. “Come on, Dad. Let’s change. Aren’t you glad we packed our swim trunks?” Aiden ran into the guestroom.
“You have a life vest his size?”
“As it happens, yes.” Nothing like a little diversion to put things back on safe ground.
“Okay then.” Mitch sauntered toward the guest room then turned. “You know Jenna would want you to be happy, right? She’d never expect you to remain single for the rest of your life.” He turned and closed the door.
Leave it to his little brother to send him reeling—again. Mitch was right about Jenna. Not only would she not expect him to remain single, she would want him to be happy. Since he’d come to the island he was happier than he’d been in a very long time. He rocked back on his heels—Zoe was a big part of that new happiness.
Island Refuge (Wildflower B&B Romance Book 1) Page 12
