“Are you going to tell him I told you?”
“No. I’m not sure he still wants to tell me anyway after last night and I don’t blame him.” She picked up her coffee, anything to keep her hands busy. “He got a taste of my crazy life and I’m not sure he liked what he saw.”
“Seriously? How bad could it be?”
She let her head fall back and laughed. “Oh, you have no idea, Cory. It wasn’t until I had time off here that I realized how insane it all is. The rush, the constant having to be the best and brightest star. How much everyone wants a piece of me. It gets sour after a while and I didn’t even notice I was caught up in it.”
“So why do it then?” He stared at her with a frown on his face.
“I don’t know. I mean, I used to but now I’m not sure it was for the right reasons. You probably wouldn’t understand being an only child. I’m the middle of three not counting Mari, all overachievers. It makes you strive to be better or drown under your siblings’ glory.”
Cory laughed. “Sounds painful to me.”
“Yeah, that’s how it feels about now.” She finished the coffee and put the mug down. “Do me a favor? Don’t say anything to your dad. Let me sort things out on this end, okay?”
“Sure.” He jumped to his feet, relief clear in his expressive eyes. “I’d better go or I’ll be late for school and get into trouble.” He scooted out of the yard. “See ya later.”
Bella waved as he pedaled away down the lane. She sat and pondered the possibilities. Cory was prepared to give up everything and move to Seattle so Jake could be with her. But was that what she wanted? In the meantime, she still had a book project to finish and a restaurant to cook for and, after last night, she wouldn’t blame him if he’d changed his mind about being with her.
Chapter Eighteen
Bella went inside and got out her cookbook file, notepaper, and cell phone. She had work to do and, with luck, she’d be able to tie it all up. Pausing in the kitchen to take a vitamin and grab an apple for breakfast, she looked at the stove. It’d worked for her before the hotel kitchen stove was replaced, it would work again.
Bella told herself to make the right decision for the right reasons. She spread her notes on the living room floor and began to plan.
By midafternoon, she’d made major headway and set up dates with Jason for later in the week. All she had to do now was tweak a few recipes and she could start collating them for the editor.
She knew Jake was on duty today at the fire station and what time he’d be home. That left her an hour and a half to get herself sorted out and ready for the plan she wanted to put into action.
She picked up her cell and called Woodsie, ran her idea past him first.
“Sure, Bella. You know you’re welcome here anytime. And just in case you were thinking any different, Jake has steak in the refrigerator for dinner tonight. You might want to try and find something a bit different that wouldn’t make us all think it’s more of the same, you know?”
“Of course I will. Leave it with me and thanks. I appreciate you letting me take over, again.”
“Anytime.”
Bella hung up, grabbed her purse, and headed for town. She needed supplies and a large dose of ‘please forgive me’ ingredients. Wine, chocolate, she was willing to try them all.
She brought her supplies and arrived back at the house loaded down ready to create.
By the time Jake pulled into the driveway, her nerves were taut and ready to snap. Would he be angry with her for the way their evening had ended? Or would she be able to convince him it would all work out if he gave her a second chance?
*
Jake climbed out of his truck, weary after a big day at work. A small scrub fire followed by a bad car accident had kept them on their toes. Now all he wanted to do was grab a beer, eat dinner, and crawl into bed. Not necessarily in that order.
He walked up the path and sniffed. Someone was busy in the kitchen and it wasn’t his father because he never touched the steak, always charred it beyond saving. There was no way that smell came out of a frozen meal which meant that Bella must be here. Besides, Jake remembered Woodsie and Cory were at soccer training. His heart swelled at the thought of holding her in his arms but just as quickly the thought dashed away.
He’d all but talked himself into telling her it was over. Last night was her night to shine, he got that. And it was a special dinner for The Lake Hotel. He didn’t mind, he knew going in he was only there so they could spend a little time together after she finished cooking. Sadly he’d been left hanging.
The first Valentine’s Day he’d had a date in years and he’d ended up going home alone. Not how he’d envisaged the evening. And now she was in his kitchen doing what she did best by the smell of things. Cooking.
Jake stepped up onto the porch and before he could reach for the door it opened. Bella stood there, the light from the living room shining behind her. She had her hair up in the trademark messy knot, no sign of the diamond clip from last night. Her skintight jeans hugged her curves and the white T-shirt left little to his imagination. He’d done his best not to look at her breasts last night when he put her to bed but it was a tough call, he was a red-blooded male after all. It wasn’t something he could control
