Page 7 of Fake It Till We Fall
I left Erin out front and headed into the kitchen. The moment I stepped through the swinging door and inhaled the pot of sauce I’d set to simmer earlier, the tension in my neck loosened.
This was where I felt most at home.
Slicing, stirring, measuring, mixing, and creating—the kitchen was my safe place, where I could forget about everything else.
I grabbed the old recipe box Grandma kept on the counter. I took a moment to run my hand over the smooth wood. The box held all her special recipes that had been handed down from her mother and grandmother over the years.
She knew all these recipes by heart, and I knew most of them, too. But whatever chef I hired was going to need to be brought up to speed.
I flipped through the cards to the lasagna she was famous for. Erin was right; the locals all had their favorites. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t tweak things a little bit.
I got to work, adding my own touches to Grandma’s classic recipe, and soon I was lost in the flow of cooking: extra garlic, a pinch of fresh basil instead of dried, and a layer of roasted vegetables between the meat and cheese.
One thing at a time.
Tomorrow I’d get to the decorations, and…everything else.
For the moment, I just needed to cook.
Grayson
“You’re working too hard, brother.”Ethan slid a beer across the bar top toward me. “Do you ever take a day off?”
“You know I don’t.” I lifted the pint glass to my lips and took a sip. I’d reluctantly agreed to one beer before heading back outinto the cold. Mostly because my brothers weren’t about to take no for an answer. “Not in this town.”
“I don’t know what happened.” Reid took the seat next to me. “Somewhere along the way, you got labeled the nice, helpful twin while I slipped under the radar.”
I almost choked on my drink. “That’s because up until that sweet wife of yours came along, youwerethe grumpy twin. And not exactly open to helping out with town activities.” I raised an eyebrow, but Reid only laughed. “It’s not too late to change that, you know?”
“Forget it.” He laughed harder. “I like things the way they are.”
I grumbled under my breath and shook my head. It was true, I’d become the town’s go-to guy, but I didn’t mind. Not usually. I liked to help out where I could. Besides, it wasn’t as if I was filling my days with much else.
“You’ve got to be almost done.” Ethan leaned up against the bar with a beer of his own. “You’ve been out there all day.”
“I only have a few more poles,” I told them. “It won’t take too long to finish them up. That is, unless Tilley unearths some more decorations she forgot about. It’s incredible that there’s even space out there for the things she had in storage.”
I shook my head and relaxed into the warmth of the brewery, my body slowly thawing. The air was thick with the smell of hops and the low hum of conversation. Ethan hadn’t been open very long, but already Peaks & Brews had become a local favorite.
“So,” Ethan said, breaking my moment of quiet. “Have you seen her yet?”
I didn’t need to ask who he meant.
“Nope.” I took a slow sip.
“Not even a glimpse?” Reid pressed, his tone a mix of curiosity and something heavier. “Because I remember the lasttime you two were in the same room together. Pretty sure you didn’t sleep for a month after she left.”
I shot him a look. “Thanks for the reminder.”
He shrugged. “I’m just saying. It might be easier to get it over with.”
“You’ve got to eat,” Ethan added. “Maybe go grab some dinner before you?—”
“Or not.”
“Come on, Gray,” Ethan pushed. “It’s not like you’re going to be able to avoid her forever.”
“Is she here forever?” I challenged each of them in turn. “Do you know something I don’t?” When neither of them spoke up, I set my glass down with more force than necessary. “Exactly,” I said. “Unless she’s here permanently, I don’thaveto do anything.”
