The Texan Quartet (Books 1-4) Omnibus

by Claire Boston

  After she left he added a couple more notes to his cookbook document and closed it. He had no idea what the going rate was for ghost writing, so he did a quick search and made note of the huge range. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Piper to tell him the truth; rather he wanted to make sure she charged enough.

  Then, reading a little bit more into it, he wrote up an outline of what he wanted to achieve.

  ***

  “Chef, are you ready?” Kath’s voice interrupted his typing.

  Tai checked the time and swore. He had a whole lot to do before their first customers arrived. “Of course.” He saved his work and followed her into the kitchen, where Kath had already started preparations.

  “I really appreciate your help last week,” he said. He’d thanked her before but he needed to say it again.

  “Don’t sweat it. The Spoon is my baby too.”

  Tai hadn’t thought of it that way. Before leaving to open his own restaurant, he’d spoken to Kath and Jared about coming to work with him and they’d both agreed. As soon as he’d set up, they’d given their notice and moved to the Spoon, helping him with the menu and with sourcing the right suppliers. Perhaps she would take over as head chef, or if he branched out to another restaurant, she could be head chef there. There wasn’t anyone else he’d trust more. She knew his recipes, knew his style and knew how to treat the staff. He’d have to chat to her about it when they got a minute.

  But now, he needed to cook.

  ***

  Piper headed to Eat, Drink, Read. Elle had a stock of cookbooks and Piper wanted to check what was being published.

  It had taken her by surprise when Tai asked her to write it for him. Ghost writing wasn’t something she’d had any interest in, but if it helped Tai she was happy to. Plus it was income when she desperately needed it.

  The cookbook would be a chance for her to learn more about Tai and about his tribe. It was such a great idea to really highlight where the tribe had come from and explain its history. She didn’t think Tai realized how much work he put into the reservation and helping his people: it was just something he did – it was part of who he was. She hoped they recognized and appreciated it.

  Elle wasn’t at the café, so Piper waved to Nora and grabbed a couple of the cookbooks from the shelves. She took them over to her table and flicked through them, taking notes of what each chef had done, how the pictures were laid out and how much extra information was in them aside from the recipes.

  It varied from chef to chef. There were a couple of ideas Piper liked so she wrote them down and recorded where she’d seen the idea. They could twist it somewhat and make it fresh and new.

  When she was finished with her notes, she returned the books to the shelves and outlined how she envisioned the book. Tai might have a completely different vision but at least she would have something to present to him.

  Then she researched the tricky topic of payment. Tai would insist on paying her and while she appreciated it, she wasn’t sure if she was comfortable with it. It felt a little bit like charity. He had only briefly mentioned a recipe book and now that she needed work he was suddenly all enthusiastic about going ahead. But she was unemployed and couldn’t afford to let pride get in her way.

  Piper checked the hourly rates, read a recommendation that ghost writers should treat each project separately and make sure they had a good understanding of what was involved before quoting, and then the advantages and disadvantages of a per hour or per word rate. When she was finished she had a ballpark figure in her mind that should suit both of them.

  Then Piper called Libby. She had only a vague idea of how the publishing industry worked, but Libby would know a lot more.

  “I was just going to call. Adrian told me you were laid off. Why didn’t you call me?” were Libby’s first words when she heard who it was.

  Piper winced. “I didn’t want to disturb you during your writing day,” she said. She realized that was exactly what she was doing now – but it was for Tai, not for herself.

  “You know I would stop everything to help you,” Libby said.

  “Sorry.” She did know that. She’d been feeling sorry for herself.

  “What are you going to do now? Are there many jobs available?”

  “Not a lot. I’m trying to figure it out, but in the meantime, Tai wants me to help him with a cookbook. It’s why I called. Do you know how to get them published?”

  “It depends on the publisher. Some require you to submit via an agent, which means you need to find an agent first. Though if George spoke up for Tai it might count. I’m sure if he mentioned he was Kent Downer’s manager he’d get an audience at least.

  “For non-fiction they usually want an outline and maybe a couple of chapters, though for a recipe book it might be a little different. The publisher’s website usually tells you what they want. I can ask my editor if you like.”

  “That would be great.”

  “So what are you going to do when you’ve finished the book?” Libby asked.

  It was something Piper wasn’t ready to think about. “I don’t know.” Tai’s question that morning about whether she really wanted to be a journalist had stumped her. For so many years she’d associated journalism with being able to tell the world about injustice so it could be addressed, but now she stepped back and thought about it, she wasn’t so sure.

  She’d done nothing of importance at the Age and before that hadn’t been able to change the world working on a local level. The only thing she was proud of was her blog.

  It had been her dream to win an award like the Pulitzer, to be recognized not only as a good journalist but also as a good citizen of the world. Which was incredibly self-absorbed and ridiculous – it didn’t matter whether she got recognition, what mattered was she was doing something worthy, and she hadn’t done anything worthwhile yet.

  “I need to think about it.”

  “Well, I’m here if you need a sounding board.”

  Piper smiled. “Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.” She hung up.

  Perhaps the fundraiser would be her start. She would raise so much money Tai would be able to build his youth center. If she became a freelance journalist, she might even be able to help out there regularly. As long as the tribe were happy with a white woman on the reservation. She’d love to be there as someone to talk to. She would have to chat to Tai about it.

  ***

  By the end of the week, Tai and Piper had put together a comprehensive outline for the cookbook. They’d agreed on a price for Piper’s work and she had written a proposal to the non-fiction editor at Libby’s publisher, who had been excited about the idea.

  Piper sat in Tai’s office, watching the Friday-night hustle and bustle of the kitchen. It had become a habit over the past few days for her to bring her laptop or a book and spend the evenings with Tai, even if he was mostly working. It was nice to be among the action, something she’d never expected to miss from the paper.

  She’d picked up a couple of freelance jobs through contacts and was also working on monetizing her blog. Neither would be an immediate solution to her lack of income, but it was a start, and Tai’s project would keep her going for a few more weeks.

  Rayen stuck her head into the office. “Hey, Piper, I’ve got the night off tomorrow. Do you want to come to Adahy’s concert with me?”

  Despite Tai’s cousin being six years younger than Piper, they’d struck up an easy friendship. Rayen often took Piper’s car when Tai went to her apartment.

  “Sure.” She needed to make an effort to get out. She was in danger of becoming a complete hermit. She’d only been at the restaurant or her apartment all week.

  “Great. Why don’t we meet here at six? Tai can make us dinner before we go.” She grinned.

  “Sounds good.” Tai wouldn’t mind. He and Rayen were as close as siblings and he had a thing about making sure they both got fed.

  Rayen left and Tai ducked his head in. “What are you two planning?”
r />   “We’re going to Adahy’s concert tomorrow night.”

  “Oh good. I was worried she’d want to go alone.”

  “Doesn’t she have any friends?”

  “She’s got a few but none of them were free.” He checked over his shoulder and then came closer. “After the concert, why don’t you stay at my place? That way we can head to the rez early.”

  A little thrill went through Piper. It was the first time he’d invited her to his house. “Sure.”

  He bent his head and kissed her. Piper closed her eyes and savored it. He tasted like the barbeque sauce that went on their special ribs, one of her favorite meals. “Yum.”

  He grinned. “I’d better get back to work.”

  Piper watched him go, her heart beating faster than it should. There was something about the man that made her jittery, that made her want, that made her love.

  She frowned.

  Why the hell had love entered her thoughts?

  She’d only known Tai a few weeks. That wasn’t enough time to fall in love. She had to be mistaken. Just caught up in the idea of being in a relationship like the rest of her friends.

  She shook her head.

  The idea would disappear soon enough.

  ***

  On Saturday night Piper took her time getting ready. The club Adahy was playing at was dressier than normal so she wore a black skirt that ended mid-thigh and a red shimmery top. To finish the outfit she wore a pair of earrings that dangled to her jawline and a black pair of stilettos she only wore on special occasions.

  She arrived at the restaurant a little earlier, hoping to catch Tai before he got too busy. She’d become a regular face in the kitchen and so no one minded when she used the back door. Once inside, she greeted Jared as she searched for Tai.

  Jared whistled. “Well, don’t you clean up real nice?” he said, giving her the once over.

  Piper laughed. “Thanks.”

  Tai was on the other side of the kitchen, showing one of his apprentices how to flip food in a fry pan. Piper stayed where she was, out of the way. The kitchen had its delicate dance and she wasn’t going to mess it up.

  Tai instructed the boy, demonstrated what he meant and then handed the fry pan to the apprentice. The apprentice tried and failed, slopping food all over the stove. He turned to Tai apologetically. Tai smiled, handed him another fry pan and told him to try again.

  The third time it happened it was obvious the apprentice was getting more nervous. Tai put his hand over the kid’s and showed him what he meant. The food flipped properly and the apprentice beamed. Then Tai let go of the pan and the boy did it by himself, whooping when he succeeded.

  It was one of Tai’s gifts. He was so incredibly patient with his staff. He didn’t get angry: he just demonstrated what he meant again.

  Tai clapped the boy on the back and turned. His eyes met Piper’s and even across the room she saw them darken. The way he walked toward her, slow and stalking, his eyes never leaving hers, made her body heat.

  He stopped only inches away from her. “I’ve never seen you in high heels before,” he said, his voice smoky.

  She glanced up at him through her eyelashes, pretending to be coy. “Do you like it?”

  “I do.” He ran a hand down her arm before grabbing her hand, and pulling her into a storage room.

  Heart beating wildly, Piper found herself pushed up against some boxes.

  Then his mouth was on hers.

  Fierce, hot longing swept through her as his mouth plundered hers and his hands slid up her shirt, caressing her breasts. Her body was going to erupt, so intense was the heat.

  “Chef! Chef!” a voice called – the sound vaguely entered the periphery of Piper’s consciousness.

  “I think you’re wanted,” she managed to say.

  “I know you’re wanted,” Tai answered and kissed her again.

  The temptation to ignore the call was strong but Piper placed a hand on his chest and forced herself to push him away rather than pull him closer like she wanted to.

  He stopped kissing her and frowned.

  “Someone’s calling you,” she said. Though her heart was still beating rapidly, she looked around and found some paper towels. She wiped his lips, which were now covered in the lipstick she wore.

  “Chef!”

  Tai swore. “Don’t move.” He strode out of the store room.

  Piper’s heart rate slowed and she used the opportunity to straighten her top and pat down her hair. If Tai had been wearing half her lipstick, she must look a mess. She dug into her clutch bag for the little compact mirror and pulled out her lipstick. She fixed her lips and checked the rest of her appearance. It was good enough for her to leave the room and find a mirror in the ladies’ bathroom to check the rest of the damage.

  As she walked out, Tai was deep in conversation with two of the line chefs. The conversation was very heated on one side. He saw her leave the room and scowled at the men who were talking. They shut up.

  Piper smiled. She’d forgotten what pissed-off Tai looked like. She ducked into the bathroom. The damage wasn’t so bad – once she’d brushed her hair back into place and adjusted her skirt a little more, she was entirely presentable.

  She walked out into the kitchen as Rayen arrived. Her friend waved and walked over to her.

  “You look gorgeous,” Piper said. She’d not seen the younger woman out of her waitress uniform before. Rayen wore a gold strappy top and a deep blue handkerchief skirt that ended at her knees. The heels she wore didn’t quite rival Piper’s in height but gave her another inch and a half. Her long brown hair was in a messy pile on top of her head. It must have taken her hours to style it like that.

  “Thanks. I don’t get a chance to go out much, so when I do, I make the effort. I love your earrings.”

  Tai finished talking with his line chefs and walked over. He greeted his cousin and murmured in Piper’s ear, “You were meant to wait.”

  His breath made her shivery.

  “You stop that,” Rayen said. “Piper’s mine tonight. You can have her back when we get home.”

  He glanced at her and then back to Piper. “I’ll look forward to it.” It was a promise of so much more to come.

  Piper wished the night was already at an end.

  “I’ve reserved a table in the restaurant for you,” Tai said as he took a step back.

  “You didn’t have to,” Rayen said. “We can eat in the kitchen.”

  “You’re having a night out. You deserve to be spoilt. Order whatever you want on the menu.”

  Rayen beamed at him and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Tai.” She moved toward the restaurant.

  “Take care of her tonight,” Tai said to Piper. “And take care of yourself.”

  “We’ll both be fine, don’t worry.” Piper kissed him. “Thank you for dinner.” She walked out into the dining area.

  “This is great,” Rayen said as she sat at the table Tai had reserved for them. “I’ve never eaten out here before.” She ran her hands over the tablecloth.

  “Haven’t you asked Tai if you could?”

  Rayen shrugged. “No. I’m usually working and I need the money more than I need a night out. Besides, in the kitchen I can wear what I want. It takes hours to look this good.” She grinned.

  Piper looked around the restaurant. It was still relatively early so they had their waiter’s undivided attention. He was a young guy called Lance and he seemed sweet. After he took their drinks order, she turned to Rayen.

  “He’s cute,” she said.

  Rayen blushed. “He’s so nice as well.”

  “Why don’t you ask him out?”

  Rayen gaped at her. “If he said no it would be awful. I’d still have to work with him every day.”

  “But if he said yes, you’d get to see him all the time.”

  Rayen shook her head. “It’s too much of a risk, plus we never have the same day off.”

  “I’m sure if you had a word with Kath she could arra
nge it,” Piper said.

  Lance came back with their drink order. “Cocktails for the beautiful women.” He winked at Rayen as he placed her glass in front of her.

  She blushed. “Thank you.”

  “You’re more than welcome.” He left.

  “He was totally flirting with you,” Piper said, and grinned as Rayen’s eyes widened and she glanced at Lance who was taking a new table’s order. “No, he wasn’t. He’s like that with all the women he serves.”

  Piper was pretty sure it was more than that, but it wasn’t her place to say any more. It would be awkward if they broke up later and had to work together.

  She changed the subject. “Has college started yet?”

  “I’ve got a couple of workshops to attend next week and then it will start full-time.”

  “You’re doing elementary school teaching, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. I’m hoping if I can interest children in learning early, they’ll continue as they get older. We get so many drop-outs on the rez.”

  “So you plan to teach on the reservation?”

  “Of course.” She said it as if it were a given.

  Lance came over to take their food order then while they were waiting for dinner Rayen and Piper chatted about all sorts of things. Piper enjoyed getting to know Tai’s cousin. She was as proud of her heritage as Tai was and as determined to help her people.

  “You and Tai have the same morals. Eyota must have taught her children well,” Piper said.

  Rayen narrowed her eyes. “Ka’ sa’ taught us well,” she said. “She didn’t have so much success with our fathers.”

  Piper hadn’t spoken to Tai about his parents and was a little hesitant to ask Rayen. It was Tai who should be telling her.

  “I’m told my father was a great member of the community until Uncle Derek died. Then he took comfort in the bottle. That was the only side I saw of him growing up. He’s getting better now.”

  Piper stopped with the fork halfway to her mouth. “How many children does Eyota have?”

  “Two.”

  Piper put her fork back onto the plate. “Tai’s father is dead?”

  Rayen’s eyes widened. “I thought you knew.”