“Speaking of sweet revenge,” Mani says, “have you told your mom about Rhett yet?”
“Some things should be announced face to face. I was thinking of an impromptu dinner. In my family, it’s much easier to tackle certain subjects when a lot of good food and wine is involved. If I don’t give them too much of a warning, chances are, not all my brothers will show up.”
“Smart. Fewer Callahans. Less drama.”
I knew she’d see it my way. “I’m certain my eldest brothers would show up with their wives and their kids. Let’s be real here. That’s enough to scare anyone off.”
“I agree.”
Rhett is excited at the idea of meeting my family. I, on the other hand, am a little apprehensive. A mother, father, and seven brothers are a lot to take in. Add to that the gossip mill trickling down to the extended family. Stefano was hand-chosen, so there was no pressure. Now I regret never bringing a guy home. I don’t have any practice.
“We’re still on for drinks and dinner?” Mani says.
“We are.”
“I can’t wait to see you again and meet Rhett.”
“I’m looking forward to it. So is Rhett.”
Mani just about died when I sent her the first photo of Rhett and me. Since then, she’s seen plenty more. As much as I’d love to pepper my social media accounts with photos of my sexy guy, I know better. The last thing I need is for my family to show up in town demanding explanations.
“Since you’ll have dinner with your parents—and a few brothers––the night before, there will be a lot to talk about. I can’t wait to hear how it all goes down.”
“You and me both.”
“It’ll be fine.”
Fingers crossed.
“You won’t believe the amazing work Allison has done on my social media presence,” I say, changing the subject. “I have my own website and it looksah-mazing.”
“What’s the website?”
“Are you in front of your laptop?”
“Yes, I’m still at the office.”
“www.ChefCarinaCallahan.com.”
“Typing!” She’s so giddy. “So, on top of having a New York City stylist, you have your own web designer? Look at you stepping up in the world.”
“When Allison heard of the big news, she went into professional mode. Since she takes care of Riley’s image online, she said it was unthinkable for Rhett and me to step onto the photo shoot without a strong brand in place.”
“That’s awesome. You get a website design by a pro.”
“I’m sure there will be a little buzz, but I don’t expect a tidal wave. This is about Rhett. Not me. I don’t expect to elicit that much interest. On the other hand, my red-hot boyfriend will get the ladies all worked up. Still, I went with Allison’s advice. I even started my recipe channel on YouTube. I only have a few videos up right now, but I plan to go all Riley-style in no time.”
“Oh, Carina. My God. This looks amazing. So professional. I can’t believe this is my best friend.” Mani says in one breath. “You look like a top chef— What am I talking about? Youarea top chef. Allison did a phenomenal job.”
“Didn’t she?”
“Who knows? You might get some interesting offers from restaurants in Fort Worth or Dallas, even. The drive isn’t that long.”
“I beg to differ,” I say. “It’s a forty-five-minute drivewithouttraffic. There is no such thing as no traffic to and from those mega cities, so double the commute time. Triple it, if God forbid, there was an accident. Driving back to Summerville after a long day in a hot and frantic kitchen would be brutal. If my shifts were late, no way would I contemplate getting on the road. I’d have to move, and that would wreak havoc on my relationship. I like it in Summerville and I prefer spending the extra commute time I’d be stuck behind the wheel of a car with my guy.”
“Makes sense.”
“You should see what Allison did for Rhett.”
