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“My mother contacted me,” he blurts. Clearly the pressure just burst because I’ve never heard him speak so quickly before. It’s followed by a hefty exhale.
Luckily, my back is to him as I’m filling the kettle so I gather what little I have left of my composure and turn to the kettle base. “Oh.”
“After my dad was released of charges.”
“Okay… and?” I place the kettle on the base and flip the switch. The side glows blue and I focus on that so I don’t explode along with Nathan’s pressure switch.
“And… umm…” He scratches his growing beard. He’s hiding something. “Nothing really. I just wanted to know how you felt about that I guess.”
“You know I hate your family… all of them.” And I don’t have a single apology for it. “What did she say?”
“Just that she wanted to be in the kids’ lives and that she’s left my dad.”
Is that why she’s been coming to my restaurant? To make contact?
“What did you say?” His silence panics me. “Nathan… what did you say?”
“We spoke a little, but nothing.” Stepping into me he cups my cheek with his hand. “I can see you’re upset.”
“I can’t stand her.”
He nods, not quite agreeing but understanding. “I made the right choice then?”
“No, you should have cursed her arse back to hell.” I smile softly and melt into him. He wraps his arms around me. “Is this truly what you were worried about?”
“Yes,” he answers quickly, too quickly, so I lean back and narrow my eyes to push him for more. “Promise. I just didn’t want to worry you after all of that talk of them gaining custody.”
My hand flies to my mouth. “Oh my goodness! We really need to sort that.”
“I agree.” He pulls me back to him and kisses the tip of my nose. “This week. If it’ll make you feel better.”
“It would.” Then I slap his arm. “Don’t frighten me like that. Don’t you ever think that you can’t come to me. I won’t judge you. I understand; she’s your mum at the end of the day. It was probably a really tough situation.”
His sigh is heavy and long. I tuck my head under his chin and kiss his throat. “I love you, Gwen. More than anyone and anything.”
“Not including the babies.”
“Well that goes without saying.”
I love to hear him say that. “I wish I grew up with a dad like you.”
“Me too. Our kids won’t know an ounce of what we knew growing up.”
“Exactly.” I clear my throat and hand him his coffee. He’s going to need all the energy he can get for what I have planned. “Are you sure that’s it? That’s truly what’s been eating at you?”
“It was just confusing. My mother was abused for so long, as you know. Part of me can’t help but feel some small amount of sympathy for her.”
“I get it; just don’t get suckered in.” I press my lips to his. “She’s poison; both of them are.” His eyes soften but still seem troubled. Perhaps it’s just time he needs now, to accept all of this. Having his mum return a seemingly different person has to be a bit disorienting. “I actually have my own news.”
“Oh?” He grins and lifts me onto the breakfast bar so easily I feel as though I don’t weigh an ounce. “Do tell.”
I part my thighs so he can stand between them and hook my arms around his neck. “Kerim…” The second I say that name, Nathan’s mask of happiness twists into a look of hatred. I don’t stop though, I need to get this out. “Has offered me a partnership, kind of.”
“What?” His deep voice doesn’t mirror my own voice of joy. Strong hands that were stroking my thighs now squeeze as though afraid to let me go.
“He said that I’m really good and he doesn’t want me as his competition, he wants me as his partner one day so he’s giving me a permanent place in his kitchen.”
“I bet he does,” he mumbles while rolling his eyes.
Slapping his arm, I cut him with a look that tells him to behave. “Nathan, this is brilliant. He’s the chef. He’s my idol. You know I look up to him! The fact he’s told me this…”
“Has absolutely nothing with him wanting in here?” He bucks his hips against my groin, startling the absolute hell out of me.
Shoving him away I snap, “Yes because it’s all about my pussy and has absolutely nothing to do with how hard I work or how good I am?” I drop to the floor and try to shoulder past him but his firm hand on my bicep stops me.
“I know you work hard and maybe his intentions aren’t completely impure. He’d be a fool not to want that; I just don’t…” He releases me and runs both of his hands through his hair. “I just don’t trust him.”
