Page 84 of Those Summer Nights (Sweet Cravings 2)

“Cook. I don’t know. What else do you know how to make?”

I shrugged. “I love cooking all sorts of cuisine. American of course. Classic burger and fries. There’s nothing better than homemade fries. And I think the ones I make are a little healthier because I bake them instead of frying them. Also I love Greek food. Japanese. Italian. French. Korean…”

“I’ve never even had Korean food before.”

“It’s good. I’ll make you something with gochujang sometime. It’s the perfect level of heat.”

“I don’t even know what you just said…but…if everything you make is this good, then I’m serious. You should start a restaurant.”

I shook my head. “I can’t start a restaurant.”

“Why not?”

Why not? “I haven’t taken any classes.”

“Who cares if you’re self-taught as long as it tastes good?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know…probably the bank. There’s no way they’d give me a loan to start a restaurant without the proper degree. Or money for that matter. Besides, you just heard how unfocused the cuisines I like are. I wouldn’t be able to choose. And also…I just…restaurants are risky.”

He smiled. “Do you love cooking?”

“Yeah, but…”

“No buts. I went over a lot of different majors with you and you said no to all of them. What about culin

ary arts?”

“I don’t think they offer that at the University of New Castle.”

“So finish a business degree to make sure you can handle that side of it.”

“I hate all the business classes I’ve taken.”

He shook his head. “Then go to a culinary arts school if you want a fancy degree.”

“I can’t start over. My dad is only paying for one more year and I’m so broke it’s not even funny.” I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I need to choose something more practical.”

He suddenly looked sad. “Practical isn’t always the best option, trust me. I think the answer is right in front of you. You just have to choose how you want to get there.” He took another bite of the lasagna and groaned. “So freaking good.”

I pressed my lips together. He loved my food. So did Kristen. And cooking really did make me happy. I watched the sadness melt from J.J.’s eyes as he took another bite. He chose the practical path and he wished he could go in a different direction. But how could he ask me to take such a huge risk when he hadn’t? I didn’t want to roll the dice on my life. Or flip a coin. But the pieces of my life weren’t going to just magically fall into place. I had to make a choice.

And there was something so satisfying about a man who meant so much to me loving my food. It warmed something inside of me. Or maybe it was the fact that he believed in me when I’d found it so hard to believe in myself.

Chapter 25

Monday

When J.J. and I weren’t soaking up the sun together and dancing the nights away, I’d been spending most of my free time thinking about what he had said three weeks ago. And cooking. So much cooking. J.J. could put away a ridiculous amount of food. His compliments made me truly believe I could do something with the one hobby I loved. The answer had been right in front of me. I’d just been too blind to see it.

I loved cooking more than any college course I had taken. I really did. A culinary arts degree was out of the question at this point. But I could suck it up and finish a business degree like he said. Then I’d have the skills to handle everything behind the scenes, from the menus to the books. Behind the scenes at a restaurant was probably where I belonged anyway. I was great at working the slow shifts at Sweet Cravings, but I avoided the busy hours like the plague. I liked things calm and peaceful. Hopefully my restaurant would have that vibe all day long. Every time I thought about it I got more and more excited, which made J.J.’s smile even brighter too.

The fact that J.J. wanted me to follow my dreams was sweet. I just wished he’d follow his own. If I could start a restaurant, then he could certainly figure out a way to live life in this town. He could find something to do during the offseason. We could make it work. We. I smiled to myself. Neither of us had used the love word yet, but I felt it in his gaze. In his touch. And I definitely saw it in his smile.

I wasn’t falling anymore. I had already fallen. But I was still scared to say it. I was scared saying it out loud would somehow jinx it.

Especially because whenever I talked about the future, J.J. always seemed to change the subject. I knew it was hard for him to think about moving to the city at the end of summer. But I just didn’t understand why he wouldn’t even entertain the idea of doing something else. Like his bleak future was set in stone. Maybe I’d try to bring it up again tonight. He’d helped me figure out what I might want to do in the future. I owed him the same. And a suit and tie would never make him happy. We both knew that. I just needed to open his eyes to all the possibilities out there. Besides, it was a sin to hide his perfect body under so many clothes. Swim trunks suited him best.

My phone beeped. I lifted it up, expecting a text from J.J., but it was an email notification. I clicked on it and I was pretty sure my heart stopped beating. I read it twice because I didn’t even believe it. I got in. I felt tears welling in my eyes. I got accepted to the University of New Castle’s business college!

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