Page 55 of Sundown Somewhere

“You deserve it.”

I don’t know how to reply to that. So I don’t. I let it linger in the air, dissipating into the business of the kitchen. What I really want to ask him is where we go from here. What’s next. If last night was a one-time thing. It’s one thing for all this to happen in a bubble while we’re on the island. It’s another for it to continue when we get back to Hickory Hills.

But I’m also not ready to bring it up. Because if he’s changed his mind, I don’t want to know. Not just yet. I want to sit in the ignorance until this meal is over.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything. Always,” he answers. Two lines appear between his brows, his normally serious look taking hold.

“Promise to be honest with me? Like, brutally honest?”

“Dolly,” Hux huffs.

Right. He always is. That’s who we are.

“Do you think if I cut Dolly’s menu people would get upset? And I don’t mean one or two things. I mean, like in half.”

“I think you’d get comments about it, but I bet you can also back up the decision with actual data as to what you take off.”

“Oh, absolutely. There are things on there that I have never seen anyone order. I don’t know that anyone, in our entire lifetime, has ever ordered a Monte Cristo. Hell, I don’t know why I really offer most of the sandwiches I do, other than Grandma Dolly put them on the menu when she opened up and they’ve been there ever since. Same with salads.”

“Then do it. You’ve been saying that you wanted to revamp the menu for forever. Now’s the time.”

I shrug, taking a sip of my mimosa. He’s right. I know he is. Grabbing a muffin, I pick at it, more because I need a distraction than anything, afraid to admit this next part.

“I’m afraid that if I do, I’m going to let Grandma Dolly down.”

Hux reels backward. He starts to speak, but stops as a server arrives, placing small plates with the smoked lox crostini on the table.

“You’re going to have to explain that one.”

“Because if I change things too much and people stop coming, then I’ve ruined her legacy.”

“Psssh.” He shoves a whole crostini in his mouth, chomping down on it like a caveman, not bothering to even attempt to hide how ridiculous he thinks what I said was. “The only thing your grandmother wanted was for you to take that place and make it your own.”

“You think?”

Hux nods. “Know what else I think?”

I shake my head. He reaches across the table, slipping his hand under mine and interlacing our fingers together. His palm is warm, sending butterflies dancing across my skin.

“I think that you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever known and that you can do anything you put your mind to. So, if that’s revamping Dolly’s, then it’s revamping Dolly’s. If it’s something completely different, then…we’re going on some other foodie adventure. But whatever it is, I have zero doubts that my girl’s got this.”

Well, shit. Now I’m going to cry.

My heart squeezes, all the happiness inside of it threatening to ooze out and spill all over the place like a hazmat incident. I can’t help it though. Having Hux by my side, him having this kind of faith in me, makes me feel like I could take over the world.

“As long as you’re there with me. The man in my life.”

He nods. “Someone’s got to do the heavy lifting.”

I laugh, playfully kicking him under the table. That was not what I meant.

“Enough about me. I really feel like we’ve spent all weekend talking about me, and I’m done. No more. So, Hux…start talking about yourself.”

Hux grunts. Himself is his least favorite subject, avoiding it whenever possible. I should have known better than to approach it that way. Okay, time for a new tactic.

“Tell me about Project: Second Star,” I prompt. That should get him going.