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“We do,” her father said. “You never want to accept help.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to,” she said. “I just don’t want to be seen as weak and I know everyone sees that.”
Her mother looked at her father. “We aren’t sure we see you that way,” her mother said.
“You kind of do,” she said.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” her father said.
She let out a sigh. There was no use arguing with them about this. She wanted the subject changed anyway.
One of these days she’d figure out how to get what she wanted and voice her thoughts to more than just a few people.
26
Finding Love
Duke was behind the bar at Southside having come out from the kitchen.
He’d scheduled himself to work tonight because Zeke had a family emergency and it was easier to shift the schedule at Duke’s than here. He didn’t have as many on staff here trained and with it being a few days after July Fourth Duke’s was much busier, but his staff had it.
He turned his head and saw his cousin Hudson come in with Delaney. “Hey, didn’t know you guys were coming in. Take a seat anywhere. The hostess is running late.”
It was not what he wanted to deal with either, but the new hostess he’d hired had been reliable and she said her car wouldn’t start. Her friend was coming to get her.
It’d been about three months now that he’d been running Southside. Most thought he owned it now, but he wasn’t one for talking about business with anyone other than those that needed to know.
“Tell us where you want us to go,” Hudson said. “We aren’t fussy.”
“Come back with me,” Duke said. They followed him back toward the bar and off to the side. “I’ll send Heather over in a second. I know she’s covering this side of the room and she’s good.”
“Thanks,” Hudson said and they took a seat.
Duke went back to the bar and grabbed the bourbon he wanted for one of the specials he was going to have tonight.
He wished that Hadley was working, but she got off shift an hour ago. He didn’t need her to stay late and there was no reason to ask just so he could see her.
It’d been almost two weeks since her accident. She’d gotten her rental and life seemed to be on track. Or at least stable.
They were back to the way they were. If he was hoping to have a bit more progress he kept that to himself.
They’d known each other two months or so, been dating a little over a month.
She was someone who took her time getting places and he was trying to give it to her.
Forty minutes later, he’d seen there were two orders of his triple chocolate cake. Since he knew he’d be here tonight, he’d told Hadley he’d bring it from Duke’s. He’d made a few this morning and figured why not have it here for the night?
He checked the ticket and realized it was for Hudson’s table. Hudson had snuck back and told him he’d be ordering it and that he’d be asking Delaney to marry him tonight.
Lucky bastard. Just another one of his cousins finding love in their life.
And though he was sure he was finding it himself, he knew there were things that just couldn’t be rushed.
He grabbed the two slices and decided to bring them to his cousin. Delaney had all but licked the plate clean when she had this at Duke’s months ago. He supposed that was just one more of those fate things of this island that he’d be here and have the cake on the same night that his cousin was going to propose.
“How was dinner?” Duke asked.
“Wonderful,” Delaney said. “Oh God. Is that your triple chocolate cake from your other restaurant?”
