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He always knew what he wanted to do in life and was thrilled there was money there for him to buy this restaurant over three years ago and get it started.
His sister had stepped right into their mother’s business and did everything for him and for a lot of their cousins on the island too. On the outside, not many knew there was more than his restaurant and his mother’s CPA firm that would go to him and Kelsey. But his father who was from the Bond side had multiple business ventures and investments on and off the island too.
“Which is why I’m here so we can meet,” Kelsey said. “Do you have some time to talk?”
“I do,” he said. “Do you want something to eat? I’m sure you haven’t had breakfast yet.”
“No,” Kelsey said. “Why would I eat when I knew you’d offer to make me something?”
He laughed and walked to the kitchen, knowing his sister would follow him. She had a key to his restaurant and had let herself in, then all but scared the shit out of him when she called his name before entering his office. At least she gave him a heads up, not something she did when they were kids and she wanted to sneak up on him.
When they were in the kitchen, he asked, “What do you want?”
“An omelet sounds good,” she said.
He pulled out the eggs and veggies that he knew she liked, found some bacon and ham to go with it. He’d load her up to the point she wouldn’t be able to eat the rest of the day. And she’d eat the full plate even though she was a tiny thing.
It was a game they played. She’d clean her plate because she’d always say it was the best thing she ever ate and it couldn’t go to waste.
He pulled the rubber band out of his pocket and tied back his long dirty blonde hair. Tonight when he was working he’d have a bandana on his head to keep the sweat from his face too, but for now, it wasn’t needed.
“What’s on your mind that you are here this early?”
“I’ll get to that soon,” Kelsey said. “You ready for the wedding on Saturday?”
Their cousin Penelope Rauch was marrying Griffin Zale at Penelope’s hotel, Atlantic Rise. He’d lost track of the family tree at this point. His grandmother and Penelope’s grandmother were twin sisters. His father, Kyle Raymond, and Sophia Rauch were first cousins. What he was to Penelope at this point didn’t make a difference to him. They were blood like he’d always felt of everyone.
It seemed like his family were shacking up like bunnies in heat around him lately, finding significant others, getting hitched and having kids.
Or in Penelope’s case, having the child first.
“Yep,” he said. He was cracking eggs into a bowl and set them aside while he speed cut through peppers and mushrooms. The bacon was in the oven already. He’d rather put it in there and have less of a mess to clean up. “Just need to make sure there are no stains on my suit.”
Kelsey laughed at him. “You need to buy another one. If I have to keep buying a new dress for these things you need more than two suits and shirts.”
“No one pays attention to me,” he said. He was glad of that fact because he lived in his chef's clothing most of the time. Or jeans and a T-shirt like now. In the summer, it’d be shorts. His wardrobe didn’t change much.
“That’s right,” Kelsey said. “The men have it easy.”
“Unless you are trying to impress someone there, why do you care? Looking for some single man to land?”
“Please,” Kelsey said, waving her hand. “Like I’m going to pick up some man at a family wedding. I’m fine the way I am. Just like you.”
“Seems to be the story of our lives. We are young yet,” he said. “At least I am.”
“We’re the same age,” she argued. “Thirty-two isn’t old. But I guess you’re right. It is when you’re a woman.”
“Talk to me about business while I work,” he said.
“Sure,” Kelsey said. “I emailed you your monthly reports. You know things are going well. They always are. Even during the winter when it’s the slowest.”
“It’s good to have the best food on the island,” he said, smirking. He was cocky enough to say it and stand behind it, but he also knew it was a higher end restaurant in terms of cost. Most people came to him for a special night out and not a fast meal.
Well, not true. They’d come at lunchtime more often, but dinner was a completely different menu. He’d planned it that way on purpose so that people felt they could come and not be handcuffed by their wallets to sample his food.
“I tell everyone that,” Kelsey said. “You know I spread the word for you. That’s the bulk of your marketing. Maybe at some point you could splurge for some more than you do.”
He sighed. He’d heard this before. “I’ll look into it. I don’t have time. I talk with the hotels and we exchange things that way.”
