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“Eight.”
Sage smiled. “Can I walk you to your car?”
“I’d like that.” Her eyes sparkled as she moved away from him.
“Smooth,” Kaden snorted. “Real smooth.”
Luckily, Carolina didn’t hear his rude friend.
Sage toasted Kaden and their mugs clinked. “Thanks for insisting we have dinner.”
Carolina hadn’t blown him off. He might even score a good-night kiss. Things were looking up.
* * *
SAGE WATCHED HER from his barstool. Carolina almost dropped the dirty mug she was carrying. He’d been staring since he’d finished his dinner. Not in a creepy way, just in a hot I want to kiss you again way.
She wanted to kiss him, too.
At least she’d been too focused on Sage and learning the new job to worry about Mamá.
She glanced over and he smiled. Her chest grew tight and her breath caught. It had been so long since she’d been attracted to someone. With her mother in the hospital and her career in limbo, his attention was a respite from reality.
Setting the last mug into the rack, she checked the patrons on her side of the bar. After pulling one more refill, she said to Naomi, “Thanks for your help tonight. I’m done.”
“Thank you.” Naomi rang up an order. “It would have been hard handling the crowd earlier without you. We had a good rhythm.”
“We did. But that was because you’re easy to work with.”
Naomi nodded at Sage. “Is Hot Stuff waiting for you?”
Carolina face warmed. “Yes.”
“Can’t blame you.” Naomi winked. “I wouldn’t mind a taste of him.”
Carolina grinned. “I met him first.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow. Be ready for a crazy Friday night.”
She moved back to Sage. “I have to grab my stuff.” She untied and folded her apron. “Why don’t I met you by the parking lot?”
“Great.” He pushed away his ginger ale.
She went through the kitchen door and clocked out. To the kitchen staff, she called, “’Night.”
Abby waved as she cleaned the edges of a plate. “Did you want a dessert?”
“Oh, um. Yes.” She was a terrible daughter. With her mind on Sage, she’d forgotten about her mother.
Abby set the plate on the warming shelf. “Give me a minute.”
Carolina backed out of the path of the chefs and servers. The kitchen had a happy hum. Was that normal? Was Abby always here? A few of the places she’d tended bar, the cooks would snarl at the servers and each other. Here, everyone seemed—cheerful. Busy.
At the dessert station, Abby filled a take-out container with cake, adding whipped cream and streaks of chocolate and caramel. “I hope your mother enjoys it.”
Carolina took the container. “Thank you.”
“Tomorrow we can talk about what else she might like to eat.” Abby rubbed Carolina’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come in before your shift and you can get settled in the apartment?”
“I can’t thank you enough.” Tears threatened to fall and Carolina sniffed them back.
“You have a need and I have an open apartment. It’s simple.” Abby gave her a quick one-armed hug. “See you tomorrow.”
Carolina rushed out the kitchen door and sank against the outside wall. The exhaustion of learning new things and of worrying about her mother settled in her body like lead weights.
Mamá wouldn’t believe a Fitzgerald could be—nice. She bit her lip. And she’d stolen from them. Kept her true identity a secret. Her hand trembled and she tightened her grip so the cake didn’t end up on the ground.
Forcing her feet to move, she rounded the building, surprised to find a small playground behind a wall. Did they get that many kids at the B and B? Wait—there was a day-care sign. The Fitzgeralds owned an empire.
In the dimly lit courtyard, Sage propped a hip against a table, his profile a dark shadow. His body was lean and delicious.
She really didn’t have time to date. She sighed. Loud enough that he glanced over.
“How was your first night?” He met her halfway. His hands cupped her elbows and his chocolaty-citrus scent blended with the fragrance of beer from the bar and the dessert in her hand.
“That bad?” he asked when she didn’t answer right away.
Shoot, he’d asked her a question. “It was…” She laced her free hand with his. “The easiest first day I’ve ever had.”
She frowned. How could that be? Abby, the woman she’d thought had been eating bonbons and letting other people make money for her, had been kind and thoughtful. And since Carolina had had clear sight-lines into the kitchen, her half sister had worked her tail off.
