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“Ah, but it’s only after ten where I am.” I switch lanes. “I’m not in Toronto.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in LA.”
“What? You just got back and you take off again. Why LA?” Claire’s indignation pinches at my chest.
For the past year, I’ve been volunteering in Africa with Project Miranda, a not-for-profit venture to turn salt water into freshwater. Since coming home, only weeks ago, I’ve spent a lot of time with my family. They threw not one, but two welcome home parties, and then we all spent a week at the cottage.
I loved it, but when all was said and done, everyone went back to their lives, their jobs. And me… I didn’t have anything to go back to. That’s why I took this job.
“I’m helping out Gus by driving a client from Los Angeles to Toronto.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going out of town?”
“Last I checked, you aren’t my mom.”
She huffs and I can almost see her eyes rolling. “Fine, but you didn’t tell her either. Mom thinks you’re at home.”
I grimace. “I’ll call her in the morning.”
“You should or I will, and you know how that’ll go.”
I can’t help but smile. In a weird kind of way, I’ve missed this. My sister busting my balls. Claire’s only a year older—I’m the youngest of four—and while we give each other a hard time, we’re also tight.
“Claire-Bear, was there a reason you called?”
“Nice change of topic. Matt and I wanted to invite you for dinner tomorrow. I’m off for a couple of days, and he’s fine-tuning the menu for the opening, but now I see you can’t if you’re in LA.”
“Nope. Raincheck?”
Her fiancé is a retired professional quarterback turned occasional sports commentator and aspiring chef/restaurateur. Under the tutelage of Samson Beaulieu, a celebrity chef and close family friend, he’s opening his own restaurant in Toronto a little over a week from now. When I told Gus I’d help him out with this drive, I made it clear that I needed to be back in time for Matt’s opening.
“Maybe. I’m not so sure you deserve his culinary delights.” She laughs at her poor joke. “I don’t know; we’ll see if we can figure out another time before things get crazy…”
While she trails off, most probably thinking about all that’s to come, I figure I’ve lost my chance at a phenomenal meal. My mouth waters and stomach growls at the thought of Matt’s cooking. It has been a few hours since I had my In-N-Out burger.
“Now I want to jump on a plane and be there for tomorrow’s meal.” I pause to stave off my pangs of hunger. “How’s it going with the wedding? Is there a lot to do?”
As soon as the question is out of my mouth, I cringe.Stupid.Of course there is. The salty sea air drifts in through the open windows.
“I’m feeling great about the wedding.” She releases a long, wistful sigh, and I detect the upward curl to her lips. “It’s everything else that’s insane, but the planner and Mom are taking care of most of it. I don’t care about any of that, only Matt. We could get married in a pigsty and I’d be over the moon.”
Barking out a laugh, I slide the car into park and stare at the beachfront hotel. “I get it. He’s the one for you. But you’ve got a lot going on all at once. I mean, the restaurant opening and then your wedding only a couple of weeks later.”
“Stop. I know we’re insane, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I was tired of waiting. Residency is never-ending, and with the official restaurant opening two months away, Matt will be even busier than he is now. There’s never gonna be a quiet time to get married, so we figured, why not.”
She laughs, though it isn’t all lighthearted, and I sense a touch of nerves. I can’t blame her. Matt and Claire are different in many ways, but both are overachievers. In addition to the soft opening, the official grand opening is a couple of months out from their wedding. Not to mention Matt’s catering their wedding, and together, with Claire, they’re making the cake and desserts.
“Everything will be perfect, and I’m just glad I’ll be there for both restaurant openings and the wedding.”
“There was no way I was getting married without you there. You’re my best person or did you forget?”
“Never.”
“Good. How long will you be gone, and why does Gus need your help?”
“There was a mix-up with a booking and no driver was assigned. If it wasn’t for the client making a change to the reservation, Gus wouldn’t have found out until it was too late.”
