Oh, my God, this is not happening. They’re not discussing my cuteness in front of me, right in the middle of the store. Shit.
“Where do you work?” Karlee inquired.
“Actually, I started a catering company about ten months ago. Blue Berger Catering. I used to work up the road at Bellflower Bistro for about a year.”
“Are you self-taught? Or did you attend culinary school?” Karlee asked, cocking her head to the side.
Chris smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. “A little of both, to be honest. I taught myself as a teenager and found my passion in creating new recipes, or adapting old ones. I attended culinary school, but didn’t graduate. I dropped out when my grandfather became ill.”
“I’m sorry about that,” Karlee told him, her voice sympathetic.
Seth wanted to say something, but from his peripheral vision, he noticed a woman standing impatiently at the counter, ready to check out. “Excuse me. I need to help a customer.”
Karlee nodded and Seth turned to Chris, who was staring directly into his eyes. He spun around and felt heat zing through his body. He tried to brush off the feeling that Chris was watching him walk away. Surely he didn’t really find Seth attractive…did he?
Seth spent the rest of his shift helping one customer after another and grew disappointed when Chris and Karlee disappeared into the back room to keep talking about her plans. He wanted to be part of the discussion, but the store was packed. Until Cody showed up to work his shift, Seth was stuck on the floor.
By the time he was able to rejoin them, Chris exited the back room.
“Hey, Eggplant,” he teased.
Seth glanced at Chris’s jeans. “No mustard yellow today, huh?”
Chris laughed. “No, today it’s olive green.”
Seth laughed, too. It was fascinating the way this guy looked at things. “You leaving?”
Chris nodded, but grabbed Seth’s arm, circling his wrist with his large hand. He brushed his thumb back and forth on the sensitive skin and smiled.
Seth wanted to close his eyes and revel in the shivers Chris’s touch sent coursing through his body.
“I’ll be back on Saturday. Karlee and I are going to talk some more. Will you be here?”
Seth could only nod, still reeling from the sensation of having Chris’s hand on him. He swallowed hard and tried not to frown when the man let go.
“See you Saturday, Seth,” he whispered as he walked by and gently grasped his shoulder.
“Saturday,” Seth croaked.
3
Seth was not as sure about this expansion as Karlee was. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, but she was taking a big risk with her business at a time when she should probably be playing it safer. A baby brought a lot of unknowns and he was worried she was getting in over her head.
Once she’d divulged what she and Chris had discussed, Seth had worried even more. It didn’t matter how hot Chris was, they didn’t really know him. And yet, here they were, discussing Chris paying half the rent on the new space and moving his catering company from his home to the store, plus having him teach.
“But you haven’t even tasted his food,” Seth persisted. “You can’t partner with someone you just met.”
“Jesus Christ, what have you got against this guy? You were drooling over him for months. Now all of a sudden you’re against him?” She threw up her arms and fled to the storeroom.
He followed, not ready to let the matter drop. “You’re having a baby, Karlee. What if this doesn’t work out?” he asked as he pushed through the door.
Karlee whirled on him, her eyes flashing. “Why the hell do you think I’m doing this? Seriously! In three months I’m going to be a single mother. The father wants nothing to do with this baby and I’m going to be all it has. I have to make sure I can provide well for my baby,” she cried, her voice rising in volume with each word.
Seth was shocked; he hadn’t had any idea she was so stressed out. He pulled her into his arms as she wept, her head pressing against his chest. Seth stroked her hair and whispered, “You’ll never be alone, Karlee. You’ll always have me.”
When she’d confided in him a few months ago, he hadn’t been surprised to hear that the father didn’t want to be involved. The guy was an ass that Seth had met only once and had instantly disliked. She hadn’t mentioned him again until now, but Seth understood her well enough to know she kept things hidden when she was hurting. It was just her way.