Seducing the Playboy (A Hot Nights Series Book) (Entangled Brazen) (16 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Christmas Day

“Jesus, sis, what’s your problem?”

Jenna scowled, blinking back tears as she sliced an eggnog cheesecake. “Nothing. We ran out of cheesecake. I need to cut these or the servers will butcher them. Mind your own business.” She glared at Cole until he left the kitchen.

The new Cooper’s had reopened last month on Thanksgiving, and it was everything she’d envisioned and more, packed to the exposed wood beams every night with happy customers. She’d covered the tables with patterned tablecloths that didn’t show stains and the napkins were plentiful and absorbent. There was a selection of arts and crafts materials at every table and a fully staffed recreation room for parents who were comfortable sending their restless children off to play before dinner. Side stations were stocked with a wide range of condiments and extra silverware so no one ever had to wait for ketchup or get stressed out over a dropped fork.

She’d trained her staff to smile while they cleaned up spills and paid them above minimum serving wage, so they wouldn’t rush lingering customers out the door in order to turn tables. The
Lambertville Beacon
had done a human interest story on the “family to table” movement that had been picked up by several national magazines. Apparently a lot of people with busy lives were looking to strengthen family ties over restaurant dinner tables. Her parents were jubilant. Even Cole was impressed, but Jenna felt nothing but misery.

Cooper’s was amazing, but every time she looked out into the dining room and saw happy families relaxing, celebrating, and enjoying each other’s company, her stomach hollowed out and she ended up just like this—mourning a future that wasn’t going to happen. The Cooper legacy was secure, thanks to her, but she didn’t want it without the man who had inspired her vision.

Roman hadn’t called. What did she expect? So what if he’d proposed? He’d been carried away by their bizarre situation and some really good sex. The minute she’d said no, he’d come to his senses and all but booted her out the door. He’d even given her a how-to manual and a ring she discovered, after an appraisal, would cover the cost of steep renovations.

Slipping her hand into her pocket, she touched the stone. She hadn’t been able to sell it. Nope, instead she carried it around in her pocket, feeling like Gollum with her
Precious
, but unable to stop herself.

She followed news of him as closely as ever. From his infrequent appearances in gossip columns, she gathered he was continuing to keep a low profile for his mother, who still hadn’t retired. There was no news of Oasis. No pictures of Roman with big-boobed celebrities or at outlandish beach parties, but somehow that made it worse because he hadn’t leaked the news of their broken engagement, either. She gleaned from Google that Roman was making the desserts at the Beach House, a fact too strange to be fiction.

Her phone vibrated as if to chastise her, and she pulled it out of her pocket. “Merry Christmas!” Lila and Betsy said in stereo.

“Right back at you, ladies. I’m stuffed to the gills and about to eat a big piece of very festive eggnog cheesecake with a cinnamon-oat crust,” Jenna said, forcing cheer into her voice. “What’s going on in your worlds?”

“Oyster stuffing coming out my ears, and I’m having dessert, too,” Betsy offered.

“The second seating at Inferno is about to start any minute, but I wanted to check in. Any word from the West Coast?” Lila’s voice was hopeful.

Jenna had come clean to her friends about what had happened in California—or rather, they had dragged it out of her word by word. “Not a peep. Just my usual Internet stalking.”

“I’m sorry, sweetie.”

“I’ll live. Give Jack my love.” She was happy everything was working out for her friend in spite of her own broken heart.

“I will. Bye, girls.” The background noise of Inferno disappeared, leaving Betsy on the line. The sound of a trolley bell broke the silence.

“Where are you?” Jenna asked.

“Drowning my sorrows in caffeine and powdered sugar at Café Du Monde. I had no idea opening a café would be this challenging.”

“Stick to the plan. I know you can do it.”

Betsy sighed. “Honestly, I’m not sure if sticking to the plan is possible anymore.”

“Now you tell me.” Jenna’s laugh was humorless.
Too late for her.
“You gonna be all right?”

“Always…one way or another. And so will you. Keep the faith, and I’ll talk to you this weekend.”

“Bye.” She ended the call and tucked the phone in her pocket.

Faith, huh? How appropriate on Christmas.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she ignored them. Tears didn’t help anything. On normal days she handled it better, but it was Christmas, it was snowing, and all she could think of was kissing the snowflakes off his goddamn eyelashes.

She picked up the knife and continued to cut the cheesecake. The scent of bourbon rose from the spiked whipped cream on top, and the knife slipped, breaking the piece in half. “Damn it.”

Cole had returned to the kitchen for the pot of coffee and took the knife out of her hand. “That’s it. I’ve had it. What’s wrong?”

She gritted her teeth. “Nothing. Everything is fine. Sunbeams and rosebuds.” She moved to reclaim the knife, but he slid it out of reach.

“Bullshit. You’re crying over cheesecake.”

“I am not,” she said as another tear slipped down her cheek.

“No shit. So tell me why you’re such a mess.”

When Cole got that obstinate look on his face, she usually gave in because she knew he wasn’t going to give up. Today she didn’t care. “You don’t want to know.”

“Don’t be so sure about that.” He advanced. “I’m bigger than you are. I could always hold you down and tickle you until you crack.”

She scowled. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.” He took a step toward her, and she shuddered, helplessly flashing back to childhood when he had tormented her in any way he could think of that didn’t leave a mark.

“Last chance to start talking.” He stepped closer.

She rolled her eyes, knowing he wouldn’t really do it but also sensing he wasn’t going to let it go this time. Fine—he’d be sorry. By unspoken agreement, neither one of them had mentioned Roman since she got home, and she had a feeling Cole hadn’t heard from him, either. Knowing she’d damaged their friendship made her feel even worse. “I fell in love with Roman, damn it. Happy now?”

“Only if you can give me a good reason why you left him in Los Angeles.”

“C’mon, Cole, seriously.” She crossed her arms. “He’s taking over Gallagher Holdings. I want to work at Cooper’s. It was just a friendly hookup. End of story.”

“Cole?” His wife poked her head into the kitchen. Angela’s brow furrowed when she saw them. “What’s taking so long? It’s time for dessert. I’m eating for two here, you know.” She patted her burgeoning belly then disappeared back into the dining room.

“I need to finish cutting the cheesecake before Angela starves to death.” She turned her back and picked up the knife, figuring she might as well give a full confession now. Otherwise, Cole was going to end up hating Roman forever, and she didn’t want that. Plus, she wanted credit for pulling out of her nosedive and coming back to Lambertville without needing a lawyer to help her file for divorce.

She told him everything. Then she put her tools in the sink, slid the last cheesecake into the reach-in, and turned to face him.

Scorn was etched on his face. “Typical Jenna move.”

Fury overtook her so completely angry tears filled her eyes and her throat closed. She fought to master her emotions. “No, not typical, for once I didn’t make things worse. Mom and Dad were going to sell Cooper’s, and I wanted to prove I could make it a success, which I did, thank you very much, and I expect some goddamn appreciation. Marrying Roman would have been a huge mistake.” She spoke through gritted teeth. “Love isn’t everything.”

“Wrong,” her father spoke from the wait station. She hadn’t noticed the door to the dining room open. How long had her parents and Angela been listening? “Love
is
everything.”

Her parents walked to join her, and Cole went to put his arm around his wife. “Without love, life is nothing but work and sleep.” Her father reached forward to tug an escaped curl, then tucked it behind Jenna’s ear. “That was some story,” he said, confirming her suspicions about how much they had overheard.

“You sure do have a gift for creating disasters, sis.” Cole chuckled, and if she’d still had the knife in her hand, she might have launched it at him.

“What is wrong with you people? Why am I the only one who can’t see I did something good here?” She gestured around the kitchen, then toward the dining room, finally using both hands to encompass the restaurant. “I did not get hitched in Vegas and desert my family!”

Her mother took her hand. “No, but you came home a sad shadow of yourself and have been haunting us ever since.”

She felt herself shrinking. “So I can’t do anything right, is that what you are saying? My impulsive decision to not ruin my life was wrong? I thought you
wanted
me to grow up. I thought you might appreciate me stepping up to the plate and helping you keep Cooper’s from folding. I guess I’m still too young, too impulsive, and too
me
to be of use around here.”

Her mother clasped her in a tight hug. “Oh honey, is that what you thought? Not even close. We’ve always known you were capable of achieving anything you set your mind to. We’re so proud of you, but when you own a restaurant, you’re married to the job. We wanted more for you, just as we wanted more for your brother.”

“No nights, no weekends, and no holidays when you go corporate, sis,” Cole broke in.

“Chicken fingers and number ten cans of chili,” she retorted.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” her mother said mildly. “Your father wanted to own a restaurant, and I wanted a family. We made it work because we love each other, but you can’t blame us for wanting you to choose an easier path.”

“I want Cooper’s.” Jenna lifted her chin. “I always have.”

“It’s all yours, baby. You earned it.” Her dad wrapped his arms around both of them. “As for all that too young, too impulsive stuff, you got that from me. Your mother has been keeping me in line for thirty-three years,” he said proudly. “Maybe you can find a guy like her.”

“That’s the plan.”

With Angela in the lead, they all headed into the dining room, and Jenna only felt a twinge of sadness as she took her place at the table, forking up a big bite of the cheesecake the server set in front of her. The scent of bourbon smacked her again. Would she always think of Roman on Christmas?
Probably.

A commotion at the hostess desk drew her gaze and she gasped.

…

“Gallagher, party of three,” Roman called over his shoulder as he strode across the dining room. He left his mother and Jeff in the foyer and took off across the dining room toward Jenna. Every part of him cried out for her. It had been murder to stay away, but he’d kept tabs on her progress through Jeff’s media contacts in New Jersey. Now that Cooper’s was every bit the success he’d known it would be, he was starving for her.

Cole stepped in front of him before he reached the table. “Not so fast,
buddy
. What are your intentions? You better talk fast and give me an airtight reason why I shouldn’t clean your clock for messing with my little sister. I haven’t heard from you in months, and she’s been moping around like crazy.”

Roman could barely shift gears. It wasn’t possible that he could have come so far and changed so much and Cole would still think he wasn’t good enough for Jenna. “Strictly honorable. I love her, man. I want to marry her. I know I’m not exactly a poster boy for long-term relationships, and you have every reason to want somebody better for her—”

Cole cut him off with an impatient gesture. “Are you kidding me? We’ve been friends for almost a decade. Why would I think you’re not good enough for her? Is that why you haven’t been calling me back? Now I
am
going to hit you.” Roman kept his hands at his sides, so glad to have Cole’s approval he’d let him have a free shot. He’d been afraid once he got Cole on the phone, he wouldn’t be able to control himself, offering money for renovations, advice for the grand opening, hell, maybe even his right kidney. He had hated letting his friend believe the worst, but he hadn’t wanted to interfere with Jenna’s plans.

“Cole,
sit down
.” His friend flinched but didn’t take his seat. Roman was impressed. Nobody disobeyed Mrs. Cooper when she used that tone.

Roman ducked his head to the side and grimaced. “Hi, Mrs. Cooper. Hi, Mr. Cooper. Sorry for barging in.”

“Hello, Roman. You know you’re always welcome,” Mrs. Cooper smiled, and they sat back in their chairs as if they were at a Broadway show.

Roman glanced around the full dining room. The place looked incredible. A fire blazed in the hearth on the far wall. There were candles in the windows, and the biggest Christmas tree he’d ever seen right next to the door. His stomach churned, and his heart ached with the desire to be a part of this. It felt like home…if home were filled with a hundred strangers waiting to hear what you planned to say next.

Jenna stood and shouldered her brother out of the way. “Neanderthal.”

Roman had a feeling he and Cole would be revisiting this later, but at least the guy got out of his way. He took Jenna’s hands, pulling her into close contact with his body. Every part of him rejoiced. She smiled up at him, and hope beat inside him in a quickening rhythm that echoed his pounding heart. “I quit my job. Gallagher Holdings has a new chief operating officer and my mother isn’t going to retire until…well, probably ever. I’ve been baking cookies at the Beach House, driving Max crazy, and waiting for you to get Cooper’s up and running so I could come home…if you’ll have me.”

“And you waited so long—why? Just to torture me?”

“Because you wanted to make Cooper’s a success by yourself. I knew you could do it, and I wanted you to know it, too.”

Her smile widened, and her eyes shined. “I did do it, didn’t I?” She squeezed his hands tightly. “But my heart wasn’t in it. It’s been on ice ever since I left you in Las Vegas.”