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He hadn’t found her after doing a lap around the boat, the peppermint tea in his hand cooling with every minute wasted, and sidled up to the bar to get a better look at the area. Instead of Sterling, he found Penn, deep in conversation with Finn and an older couple.
If Sterling wasn’t below and she wasn’t on the main deck, there was only one other place she could be. He snuck behind the curtain that sectioned off the top deck and climbed the stairs, surprised at the strong wind that greeted him when he emerged.
Sterling sat at the front of the boat, with her arms wrapped around her torso, her hands rubbing up and down her arms. Her dark hair whipped in the wind as she stared at the Toronto skyline reflecting off the water.
“Looks like you could use some warming up.”
Her body tightened before she turned. “Jack.” She relaxed, her eyes softening when they settled on him. A good sign. “You scared me.”
“I’m sorry.” He stepped closer. “How are you feeling?”
Her eyes shone in the moonlight. She gave him a weak smile and lowered her gaze. “The fresh air up here seems to help a bit.” She smoothed her hands over her hair to secure the flyaway strands. As if expecting that he had come up with someone else, her eyes darted behind him. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been looking for you.” He held out the cup. “I brought you some tea.”
“You did?”
He slid onto the bench beside her and offered the cup. “Peppermint. It’ll relax your stomach.”
Her eyes lifted, settling on his. Her look of admiration tightened his chest. She took a sip of the tea and moaned. The sound vibrated through his body, igniting a fire inside him that had been buried for too many months.
She settled the cup on her lap. “Thank you.”
“It’s the least I could do for the emergency medical services you provided earlier this evening.”
“That’s not the first time my bag of tricks has saved a life.” She chuckled and took another sip of the tea.
“I take it you don’t come to these sort of functions often?”
“Definitely not my scene.” She sipped again. “What about you? What are your plans for the Madewood legacy?” she asked, curiosity dancing in her eyes.
Funny she should ask. Just before his mother got sick, Jack had dreamed up a plan for the program, a way to extend their reach to more than just foster kids. But he hadn’t thought about it in over a year.
He sighed. “For now, I’m just helping out at Cole’s restaurant. I know he’s short-staffed.”
“You don’t seem too excited about that.” She angled her head to the side, her face glowing under the moonlight.
“I love being a chef, don’t get me wrong.” He was here to help for as long as they needed him, but he didn’t want to work for his brothers. “It’s just…I have a commitment I need to take care of soon.” He’d neglected all five restaurants while he’d been hiding out here the last two months and he couldn’t put off his involvement any longer. His general manager—the only one who was capable of running all five restaurants without Jack micromanaging—needed a break. Jack had hired J.R. White to work at his first restaurant as a bouncer and ended up taking him to every new location he opened. J.R. was loyal and smart, and Jack trusted him with his life. More than his life, with his livelihood. And Jack had promised to show up in Chicago in four we
eks so J.R. could have a much-deserved vacation.
Sterling sat silently, her legs crossed toward him, her eyes soft and inviting. Everything about her screamed that she was interested in anything and everything he had to say. She could also be tired and woozy from being sick and too weak to make a break for it. But something about this woman made him want to tell her everything about himself. “Finn and Cole are happy to follow the grain. They have their own restaurants and they are content. Neil has always been the leader. For as much as he complains, he loves being in charge of the entire family business. He thinks big, outside the box, and I…I just don’t connect with anything we do here and if I stayed, I…”
“Would just be going through the motions?”
She took the words right out of his mouth. He nodded. But that wasn’t completely true, not really. He connected with the program. He’d miss those damn kids. And there were so many more of them that needed his help. But with his mother gone, his idea to expand the program would mean he’d have to stick around. And that so wasn’t happening.
“It’s normal, you know. To feel guilty about wanting to do things for yourself.” She waved her hand in the air. “I know all about that.”
What did this wonderful woman know about guilt? And who was the asshole making her feel this way?
His mother had always been supportive, but he knew she would have been happier if he had followed in his brothers’ footsteps. Jack was the black sheep of an adopted family, and recently, the difference between him and his brothers became even more apparent. All four of them had the same work ethic, the same motivation and know-how, but Jack lacked the one trait Neil, Finn, and Cole cherished most—they preferred to stay in one place.
“Maybe it’s a good thing…” She rested her hand on his forearm. His arm twitched, and she took back her hand quickly, as if suddenly realizing she had touched him. “That you don’t fit.”
He stiffened.
“I had heard about you. The bad-boy Madewood brother. The playboy. The rebel.”
