Page 101 of The Cupid Chronicles

Because it wasn’t. Danny is one of our vendors who’s been coming to the restaurant every week since we opened. I’d known him for years, and when I hired Nicola, I just had a feeling they’d hit it off.

“He tried to pretend it wasn’t his idea,” Nic jokes. “But he’s not that smooth.”

They all laugh, and I pretend to be annoyed, even though I’m not. The truth is, sometimes, during meals like this, with these people—it’s the only time I feel truly alive.

Until I remember.

“What Chef will never tell you, Iris, is that deep down, he’s a hopeless romantic.” Val waggles her eyebrows, and everyone around the table nods.

“Not true,” I say, shaking my head.

“Whenever he finds out someone is celebrating an anniversary, he comps dessert,” Nicola says.

“And it’s the only time he goes out to talk with the customers personally,” Dante adds.

“Remember that sweet old couple last week? The ones who were on their first date?” Val makes aweren’t they so cuteface, and I roll my eyes.

Bear points at me. “Yes! You talked to them forever, Chef!”

“She lives in my building.” I turn to Iris. “It was Winnie. She and Jerry came in after they went square dancing.”

Iris beams. “What?! You didn’t tell me that.”

“I didn’t? I thought I did,” I say. “Yeah, they definitely hit it off.”

Her smile holds. “That is amazing. I’m so happy they found each other.”

Something passes between us—maybe the quiet knowing that we have a secret. Or maybe something else? I force myself to look away, and when I do, I find several pairs of curious eyes trained on me. Watching.

I clear my throat and go back to eating. “This is good, Val,” I say curtly.

The spell breaks, and there’s a lull until Nicola speaks up—thankfully.

“He’s always been that way,” she says, wistfully. “Rough around the edges with the biggest heart. Especially when it comes to true love.”

“Blame that on his grandparents,” Val says. “Those two were inseparable. Best friends until the day she died.”

Everyone raises a glass in honor of Grandma Vivi, even though only a few people around this table knew her. There’s a framed photo of her and my grandpa by the front door, so in some ways, her legacy lives on.

Iris clinks her glass against mine, and we both take a drink. Then, I set my glass down and push my chair away from the table. “You guys are way off. I stopped believing in true love a long time ago.”

“See, that’s what I thought, but the evidence suggests otherwise,” Iris says, a tease in her tone. “Maybe you just haven’t met the right girl.”

The room goes quiet, and everyone looks away.

Iris frowns, looking around, confused. Then, she immediately realizes. “Oh, no. What did I say? I take it back, whatever it was.” She sets her fork down, and quietly adds, “I forgot this was a sore spot for you?—”

A thread tugs at my heart. She has no idea. It’s like she’s being punished for something that’s just not her fault.

I can’t explain it. I sometimes can’t even think about it. Instead of doing what Ishoulddo and talk to her, I stand.

“I’ve got to get ready for service.”

I can practically hear the questions that must be rolling around in her head, but it doesn’t matter. I need some space.

Val follows me into the kitchen and stands behind me as I grab my apron and tie it on. Finally, I look at her and shake my head. “Don’t.”

She presses her lips together, then takes a step toward me. “She’s really great, Tay.”

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