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Which wasnothappening.
She’d been my lead hostess since The Mason Jar opened its doors and knew my restaurant inside and out. Unfortunately, it was for more nefarious reasons than simply being good at her job. No matter how many times I put her in her place, she still thought I’d was going to cave in.
The fact that she was unnaturally gorgeous meant she usually got away with whatever she wanted.
Except with me.
I was pretty sure she thought of me as a challenge. Which was horrifying and I really wished she’d pick someone else to pursue.
“I’m running late.”
“Let me help.” She set her iPad down and shot her shoulders back to push out her breasts.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes—barely. “Please just make sure the front end is ready for the dinner rush.” I took out the cold cut tray I’d put together and set it on the table.
“But I need to go over the party details with you.”
I went around her, narrowly missing her as she turned to try and brush her chest against me. God, I was going to have to sit her down for a conversation again. I was not looking forward to it.
But that was not happening today.
“I gave you a budget and I trust your judgment.”About party planning,I finished in my head.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t care.”
I fisted my hands at my sides. I didn’t have time for a Gillian meltdown right now. “Of course I care. But I care about enjoying the party, not planning it. That’s why you’re doing it. And I know you’re going to do an amazing job.”
Mollified, she gave me a sharp smile. I was pretty sure there were razor edges to a few of her teeth. Especially the canines. The kind that indicatedyou’re my prey.
And man, I really did not want to be.
“Fine.” She looked at the deli tray and the box of rolls I’d pulled out. “Where are you going?”
“My brother’s. He’s having a little get together so a few of his friends can meet Caden.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Oh. The baby, right?”
“Yes, my nephew.”
“Right.” I saw the disinterest before she masked it under a smile. “I’m sure he’s beautiful. Or handsome, rather.”
“That he is.” And so freaking small. Terrifyingly tiny.
And I knew my soon to be sister-in-law was going to try to get me to hold him again.
My heart pounded so hard, I rushed back into the freezer for the ice cream cake I’d asked my pastry chef to make. I took a deep breath of the cold air until my face stopped flaming. It was fine. The baby was growing every day. Soon he wouldn’t be so…breakable.
I was fairly certain.
I came back out with the cake and hoped I didn’t look like I was sweating and ready for the defibrillator paddles.
Gillian played with her necklace, trying to drag my attention down to the vee of her shirt. “Speaking of the budget, could you give me a teensy bit more?”
“Nope. I already gave you extra for the Santa suit you want to rent. Now I really gotta go.”
“But—”
“Nope. Handle it or cut something else. Gotta go.” I grabbed a temperature control bag from our delivery shelf.
