AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The corner of Jax’s lips twitched. “Not tonight?”
“No, that was what I was going to say earlier in the nook before Hawes interrupted. We both need sleep tonight.” She set her glass down, then, forearms on the bar, levered herself up and brushed her lips over Jax’s. “So we can not tomorrow night.”
Jax’s lips curved against hers. “I like the way you think, Chef Winters.”
Feb stepped outside her home, phone in hand to monitor the car on its way to pick her up, when Helena’s sleek, roaring black SUV pulled to the curb. Boss lady was behind the wheel, her wife leaning out the passenger window with a kind, warm smile. “Hop in, Feb,” Celia said. “We’ll give you a lift.”
“I don’t think this is how it’s supposed to work,” Feb said, even as she climbed into the back seat. “I asked Jax out. I’m supposed to pick them up.”
Helena cackled. “I can’t believe you just said supposed to anything after the week you had.” She gunned it, slinging Feb back into the seat and earning a playful backhand and “Behave” from Celia.
“She’s not wrong,” Feb admitted as she cancelled her car request. “Expect the unexpected, right?”
Helena snickered. “Remember you said that.”
“Spoilers!” Celia hissed.
“Spoilers for what?” Feb said, leaning forward. She was well and truly intrigued, and after the last week, after the somber visit earlier today she and Jax had made to Fletcher and a still unconscious Ariel at the hospital, things could only improve.
Unfortunately, Celia wasn’t playing along, changing the subject to first baked goods, then Lily, the conversation carrying the rest of the way to... Under the Table.
They pulled in front of Feb’s restaurant, with both its windows fixed, and a sidewalk full of people—Jax’s family she’d met the past week, plus chefs from her old restaurant in the city, from UTT, from Diamond, including Justin and Amanda, and others from the community. And in front of the gathering stood Jax, dressed in a sharp three-piece suit, the tie between their jacket’s lapels plastered with... stars. “What’s going on?” Feb said as Jax stepped toward the door.
Helena’s smile when she looked back over her shoulder was as warm and genuine as her wife’s always was. It melted the ice completely. “The celebration you deserve.”
Jax opened the back door and offered her a hand. “Chef.”
“What happened to date night?” she whispered low.
Jax grinned. “We’ll get there, promise. But there’s something everyone wanted you to see first.” They lifted their chin and the crowd parted.
Beside the door, inset in stone between the doorframe and window, was a new plaque etched with three stars and the Render logo. Tears filled Feb’s eyes, the stars seeming to swim, same as her insides. She knew what Ariel had said, but... “Is this for real?”
Jax wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her steady. “You earned it, babe.”
“How?” she squeaked out. “Does it count? And so fast?”
“It counts, and don’t ask those questions.”
She chuckled, the sound watery from the tears clogging her throat too. “I don’t wanna know.”
“Now she’s learning,” Helena said as she and Celia joined them on the sidewalk, then led the crowd in a rousing “Happy Birthday” to Feb before leading everyone inside to party.
And a good party it was—music turned up, trays of North Carolina barbecue and sides courtesy of a still too-hot-for-this-world Jamie, and an entire mistletoe cannoli birthday cake from Angelica’s Bakery. Feb made the rounds among her chefs, making sure they all knew those stars were as much theirs as hers, thanking all the other chefs there who had guided and supported her, and reintroducing everyone to Jax and to their family, who she suspected they’d be seeing a lot of at UTT in the future. But her favorite sight of the party was Jax behind the bar, at home there, filling champagne glasses for toasts and slinging drinks with Mo and guest bartender Avery.
Though after two hours, Feb’s favorite sight was fast becoming the most frustrating one, a bar and way too many people between her and Jax. The bar she could work with; the people less so.
Same as she’d magically appeared with her car at the curb earlier, Helena appeared at her side now, throwing an arm over her shoulders. “You ready for your date now?”
“Fuck yeah.”
“Fantastic.” Then she stuck two fingers between her lips and let out a piercing whistle that had everyone’s head turning their direction. “All righty, folks,” she said, voice raised. “Party’s not over, but Feb and Jax have a private party to get to.”
More whistles and catcalls filled the air, and Feb’s cheeks burned. Even Jax’s were a little pink as they ducked out from behind the bar and crossed to where she stood with Helena. “I thought you were gonna make me wait all night.”
“Was just waiting for the all clear,” Helena said.
“What all clear?” Jax replied at the same time as Feb’s, “That sounds ominous.”
