Tease: A Stepbrother Romance (12 page)

“How’s she doing?”

“I spoke to her last night and I told her I’d call her when I landed in Illinois. She’s good, sad, like everyone else. But it sounds like she’s getting out more and doing things for herself. She sounded happy.”

“That’s good. What about Sierra?”

“I don’t know, Dad. I really care about her, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and flipped through a bunch of photos of her. I looked at her last texts to me and realized I had one last thing to say to her.

Jagger:
I can’t make any promises about the future, but I know one day we’ll be together again.

~ Twelve ~

Sierra

Jagger’s leaving destroyed me. I tried as best as I could to not cry before he left, but I failed miserably. But no matter how many tears I shed in front of him, they were no match for the tears that came once he was gone.

I spent the months after Jagger left throwing myself into schoolwork at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. While I didn’t realize it before I left, being in the Napa Valley was great because I didn’t have any places or things around to remind me of him.

First semester finals were over and I was confident I had aced each class, but Chef Brayden Bleacher had requested I meet with him before leaving for Christmas break. Chef Bleacher was in his thirties and was one of the more popular chefs in school. He was very respected in the culinary world, and he was very easy on the eyes with his slicked back dark hair and warm brown eyes.

The dull thud of my Dansko clogs echoed through the stone hall. Even though I had been at Greystone for several months, I was still in awe of the tall ceilings and wall sconces that were left behind from when the building was a winery.

With a few minutes before my appointment with Chef Bleacher, I slipped into the locker room to make sure everything was perfect with my uniform. Hair pulled back tightly? Check. Toque, jacket, and pants pressed and clean? Check. I was ready to find out what Chef wanted and even though I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong, I couldn’t help but feel a little worried.

As I approached Chef Bleacher’s teaching kitchen, I spotted him through the window, seated at his desk at the front of the room. The teaching kitchen was long, with alternating rows of prep areas and cooking stations. Chef’s head was down as I entered the kitchen.

“Hi, Chef,” I said. “You wanted to meet with me?”

“Yes, Sierra,” he said, opening his briefcase. “Please close the door and sit down.”

I closed the door and joined him at his desk, where he pulled a large white folder from his bag.

“Do you know why you’re here?” he asked, tilting his head towards me.

“No, is everything okay?” I looked around the kitchen and did a mental check of everything I cleaned after the last class. As far as I knew I didn’t forget anything, but maybe I was wrong. “Did I do something?”

“You look like you’ve been called into the principal’s office.” His eyes wrinkled as he laughed. “If you did something, I would have told you on the spot. We’re all adults here.” He smiled and patted my hand before sliding the folder in front of me. “Other than my work here, do you know much about me?”

Chefs were well known for their egos and even though I did not know exactly what Chef Bleacher had done in the industry, I needed an answer that wouldn’t wound his ego. I bit my lip as I scanned everything on his desk for a clue but came up empty.

“I’m sorry, Chef, but I don’t.”

“That’s even better,” he said. “Bleacher Enterprises is known in the culinary world for establishing several high-end, well-known restaurants throughout the world. I teach here at the CIA when I get tired of that and need a break from the grueling pace of the restaurant world.”

He turned the folder towards me and I mentally groaned when I saw Bleacher Enterprises in the center with the logos of famous restaurants surrounding it.

How on earth did I not notice that?

“I recently developed a catering business that will handle high profile, not-for-profit events. This will give me a chance to get back into the kitchen on a limited basis while helping some very important causes. I need a hardworking, trustworthy assistant in the kitchen with me. I’d like that to be you.”

“Me? You’ve got to be kidding.”

“I’ve been watching you closely this semester. And while I realize this is your first, I am also good friends with Chef Lowe from The River House. He has spoken very highly of your work there. I have a lot of respect for him, so for him to say the things he did about you also means a lot.”

“But what about school?”

“All events will be scheduled during breaks or on weekends if they’re local. It’s important that you get your education here, but we will be working close together and what you’ll learn directly from me will be priceless in your career. Take your time to think things over, but I think you’ll agree that this is an incredible opportunity for you.”

Ahh, there’s the ego I’ve always heard about!

“Thank you, Chef.”

“There’s some more information in here,” he said as he slid the folder closer to me. “Take it home with you on break and read it. Do whatever research you think you need to and when you’re ready, my business card is attached.”

“Yes, Chef. Thanks again, Chef.”

He laughed. “Please, call me Brayden. When we’re in the kitchen, I’m Chef. But right now I’m Brayden. I really hope you’ll say yes, Sierra.”

“I’ll think about it, Chef. I mean Brayden.”

As I left the room, I breathed a sigh of relief. His offer was amazing and I was ready to accept it on the spot, but I knew I should take time to really think it over.

Stepping outside, the cool crisp air excited me even more. I couldn’t wait to tell Issy and my mom about the job, but more importantly, I couldn’t wait to write to Jagger about it. As I planned my letter in my head, one of my classmates, Ethan Haggar, matched his step to mine.

“Hey Sierra, where you going in your whites?”

Ethan was a good-looking guy with tousled blond hair and green eyes that twinkled devilishly. We had been teamed up for several assignments this semester, and I was impressed with his culinary skills.

“Not going, coming from. I had a meeting with Chef Bleacher this morning.”

“Oh? What about?”

“Nothing much. What are your plans for break? Are you going home for Christmas?” I asked, hoping to change the subject.

“Yeah, I’m leaving later today. I ever tell you we’re neighbors?”

“Neighbors?”

“Yeah, I’m in Encinitas. I interviewed at The River House the same day you did.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember you there.”

“I was waiting at the bar for my interview when you left. I could never forget your hair.”

I self-consciously reached up to push my hair back over my shoulder, but it was still in a knot at the back of my neck.

“How come you never mentioned that before?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I guess I thought you’d think I was some weirdo or something. Anyway, the reason I brought it up is because I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime during break.”

“Go out? Like a date?”

“Yes, exactly like a date. What do you think?”

“I’m sorry, Ethan, but I already have a boyfriend.”

“You do? I never heard you mention anyone before.”

“And you never mentioned you saw me at The River House before.”

“Touché,” he said. “Well, it’s just my dumb luck anyway. I’ve been waiting the entire semester to ask you out. I should’ve known someone as pretty as you would have a boyfriend.”

As I shook my head in disbelief, I heard Issy’s voice from behind us.

“Sierra! Hey, wait up!”

“I need to finish packing,” Ethan said. “You’ve got my number from class, text me if you change your mind.”

I won’t.

It was nothing against Ethan, but I knew by now that no one could compare to Jagger. While we didn’t make any promises to each other, I didn’t want to date or be with anyone else. I wanted to wait for Jagger.

“Hey, who was that hottie?” Issy asked.

“That was Ethan. He’s in my class.”

“He’s hot. Is he single? Maybe I should have gotten here earlier. The traffic from Berkeley was a bitch.”

I laughed “Well, we live in the same building if you want to hunt him down while I grab my stuff. He just asked me out. Ends up he lives near us.”

“Hmm…I wonder if he needs a ride home,” she said, grinning.

“What about Simon? I thought you two were a couple now.”

“We are, and I can’t wait to see him. He’s coming home for break, too. But being in a relationship doesn’t mean I’m blind.” She smirked. “I’m only joking anyway. But he is cute. Are you going to go out with him?”

“No, why would I? I have a boyfriend.”

Issy rolled her eyes. “Who? Jagger? I spent all that time trying to convince you he was a good guy, and now that he’s gone, you’re calling him your boyfriend?”

“I really don’t want to hear it. We’ve got an eight-hour drive home, please don’t make it all about that.”

“Have you heard from him?”

“No,” I said quietly. “But he’s been in boot camp.”

“He’s got to be out of boot camp by now. Sierra, it’s me you’re talking to. You told me you both agreed on no strings, no attachments. He knows how you feel about the whole military thing.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying you’re not going to hear from him.”

I stared at Issy and clenched my hands into fists. How could she say that? How could she say the one thing I was most afraid of?

“I don’t want to hear that. I can’t hear it. I’ve been writing to him every week since he left. I know deep down inside we had something special. And I know he feels the same way. I just know it.”

I looked away from her. I had never admitted how I felt about Jagger before, not my real feelings at least. Saying them out loud made not hearing from him feel that much worse.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” she said. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Issy hugged me tight before we went to my dorm room to grab my things. I had two weeks at home before I had to come back to school. I couldn’t wait to see my mom and Phil. He had to know something about Jagger. As long as he was okay, that was all that mattered.

***

The eight-hour drive flew by. Issy dropped me off at home, and I found my mom and Phil snuggling together on the couch watching a movie.

“Did you eat?” Mom asked. “I can heat up dinner for you.”

“Thanks, but we stopped on the way when the traffic started to get bad,” I said. “How’s everything been around here?”

I hoped they would bring up Jagger on their own, but I was prepared to ask about him if I needed to.

“It’s been quiet here,” Phil said. “Miss having you around. And this summer was especially great.”

“Have you heard from Jagger?”

Phil’s expression went blank and he cleared his throat. “Not really. We went to his Recruit Training Graduation but haven’t really heard from him since then.”

Haven’t really heard?

“What’s that mean?” I asked.

“Let’s talk in my office.”

I followed Phil to his office and he closed the door behind me. Dread filled me and I wanted to run away, but whatever it was Phil needed to tell me, I was ready to hear it.

“I got a letter from Jag a couple of weeks ago,” he said as he pulled out a box that was addressed to him.

“So he’s all right? What did he say?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know if he’s all right. I don’t know anything.”

Phil’s face looked worn and aged suddenly. Lines appeared on his face that I hadn’t noticed before. His eyes looked red as he handed the letter to me.