here.”
“Never.”
Cal felt like punching something, but he’d put his fist through a wall once and it hadn’t been a smart idea. “I should tell her myself,” he said, more to himself than Gloria.
“But you won’t.” His grandmother resumed her seat. “You would never hurt your sister like that.”
She was right. He wouldn’t knowingly hurt Dani. Although he was starting to wonder if not telling her was causing a different kind of pain.
“On a different subject, did you know your executive chef is pregnant?”
He swore. How had she found that out? Less surprising was her need to make trouble.
“Of course,” he said, not mentioning he’d only been told that day.
“Oh.” Gloria sounded disappointed. “Do you know who the father is?”
“Why does that matter?”
“She’s not right for you, Callister. I always thought so. I thought you’d seen it, as well.”
“My personal life isn’t your business.”
Her small eyes zeroed in on his. He knew she was wondering if he was telling her to back off because there was something between him and Penny or just on general principle.
“You never liked her,” he said. “Was it something specific about Penny or the fact that you didn’t get to handpick my wife?”
“I’m sure I would have done a better job than you did.”
That was it. Old lady or not, he’d had enough of her. He stood.
“It’s time for you to go.”
She collected her coat and rose. “Think about the president’s job,” she said. “It’s an excellent opportunity.”
“Not going to happen.”
“But, Callister…”
He walked her to the hallway, then firmly closed the door in her face.
CHAPTER SEVEN
P ENNY SET OUT HER MEAL in a corner table of the dining room. The kitchen cleanup was nearly finished and while she was tired and ready to head home to bed, she was starving.
At first she’d been so angry at Cal for walking out at the start of dinner, she hadn’t been able to think about eating. Then she’d gotten busy and then the evening had been over. So she planned to make up for lost time.
She had a large plate of the batter-fried fish from her infamous fish and chips, a second plate with garlic smashed potatoes and a huge bowl of salad made with every vegetable she’d been able to dig up. There was enough to serve six or eight people, but sometimes she forgot how to cook for one.
She’d kind of thought Naomi would join her, but her friend had rushed off to warm Reid’s bed. Penny had always known they would eventually hook up and when they did, she would feel the temporary loss as her two closest friends entered a world of their own. She just hadn’t been expecting it now.
Cal walked into the dining room. She ignored him and began to fill her plate. He walked toward her.
“We had a good night,” he said.
She nodded.
“Numbers are still above projections.”
“You sound surprised,” she said.
“I am. I hope we can sustain the momentum.”
“No reason we can’t. The location is good, the food better. What’s not to like?”
He grinned. “You always did look on the bright side.”
“Beats the alternative.”
“Want company?”
She looked at him then, at the handsome lines of his face and faint curve of his mouth. He wasn’t mad anymore and neither was she. Oh, she could pretend. Given a few minutes, she could work herself into a temper, but to what end?
“Only if you’re hungry,” she said. “I made a little extra.”
“So I see.”
He sat next to her and took one of the empty plates. After filling it, he picked up a fork and took a bite of potatoes.
“Still the best,” he said.
She shrugged. “Potatoes, garlic, butter, a few spices. You’re too easy, Cal.”
“I know what I like.”
That statement had danger written all over it, so she decided to change the subject. “I saw Gloria was here earlier. Mercifully, she stayed out of my kitchen. What did she want with you?”
“She’s trying to badger me into accepting
“Never.”
Cal felt like punching something, but he’d put his fist through a wall once and it hadn’t been a smart idea. “I should tell her myself,” he said, more to himself than Gloria.
“But you won’t.” His grandmother resumed her seat. “You would never hurt your sister like that.”
She was right. He wouldn’t knowingly hurt Dani. Although he was starting to wonder if not telling her was causing a different kind of pain.
“On a different subject, did you know your executive chef is pregnant?”
He swore. How had she found that out? Less surprising was her need to make trouble.
“Of course,” he said, not mentioning he’d only been told that day.
“Oh.” Gloria sounded disappointed. “Do you know who the father is?”
“Why does that matter?”
“She’s not right for you, Callister. I always thought so. I thought you’d seen it, as well.”
“My personal life isn’t your business.”
Her small eyes zeroed in on his. He knew she was wondering if he was telling her to back off because there was something between him and Penny or just on general principle.
“You never liked her,” he said. “Was it something specific about Penny or the fact that you didn’t get to handpick my wife?”
“I’m sure I would have done a better job than you did.”
That was it. Old lady or not, he’d had enough of her. He stood.
“It’s time for you to go.”
She collected her coat and rose. “Think about the president’s job,” she said. “It’s an excellent opportunity.”
“Not going to happen.”
“But, Callister…”
He walked her to the hallway, then firmly closed the door in her face.
CHAPTER SEVEN
P ENNY SET OUT HER MEAL in a corner table of the dining room. The kitchen cleanup was nearly finished and while she was tired and ready to head home to bed, she was starving.
At first she’d been so angry at Cal for walking out at the start of dinner, she hadn’t been able to think about eating. Then she’d gotten busy and then the evening had been over. So she planned to make up for lost time.
She had a large plate of the batter-fried fish from her infamous fish and chips, a second plate with garlic smashed potatoes and a huge bowl of salad made with every vegetable she’d been able to dig up. There was enough to serve six or eight people, but sometimes she forgot how to cook for one.
She’d kind of thought Naomi would join her, but her friend had rushed off to warm Reid’s bed. Penny had always known they would eventually hook up and when they did, she would feel the temporary loss as her two closest friends entered a world of their own. She just hadn’t been expecting it now.
Cal walked into the dining room. She ignored him and began to fill her plate. He walked toward her.
“We had a good night,” he said.
She nodded.
“Numbers are still above projections.”
“You sound surprised,” she said.
“I am. I hope we can sustain the momentum.”
“No reason we can’t. The location is good, the food better. What’s not to like?”
He grinned. “You always did look on the bright side.”
“Beats the alternative.”
“Want company?”
She looked at him then, at the handsome lines of his face and faint curve of his mouth. He wasn’t mad anymore and neither was she. Oh, she could pretend. Given a few minutes, she could work herself into a temper, but to what end?
“Only if you’re hungry,” she said. “I made a little extra.”
“So I see.”
He sat next to her and took one of the empty plates. After filling it, he picked up a fork and took a bite of potatoes.
“Still the best,” he said.
She shrugged. “Potatoes, garlic, butter, a few spices. You’re too easy, Cal.”
“I know what I like.”
That statement had danger written all over it, so she decided to change the subject. “I saw Gloria was here earlier. Mercifully, she stayed out of my kitchen. What did she want with you?”
“She’s trying to badger me into accepting
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