Page 97 of Make Me Swoon

“Not every relationship ends in disaster, Coraline. You’re not your mom and I highly doubt that Harvey is like your dad.”

Her words hit home and I know that I shouldn’t be surprised. Sayler knows me better than anyone and she’s well versed in all of my hang-ups and issues.

“I know. In my head, I know that, but I still just can’t seem to find it in me to pull the trigger and take that leap.”

“That’s what you have me for! You just have to say yes and then we double date. I’ll be there to help you in case he turns out to be a jerk and vice versa. It’s the Meyers and Jones girls against the world!” she says excitedly, holding her closed fist out to me.

I laugh, fist bumping her and then go back to cleaning the counters as I mull over her words.

Maybe it’s time that I started dating. I never had much interest in dating or men before, but there’s something about Harvey that draws me in. It feels like he’s already under my skin and I’m not sure that I want to get him out.

By ten p.m., the truck is spotless and it’s starting to rain so we close up the truck and get ready to head home. Sayler has work to do still, so I offer to make us something to eat and stay up with her.

She loves my truffle macaroni and cheese and I’m planning on making it for the truck sometime this week so I figure that I’ll practice now.

I start the water to boil and then move over to my own laptop. I need to update my expenses and check my email. I’ve been applying to a few chef positions over the last few weeks. Owning a food truck was never really my plan. I liked the freedom of it originally but it’s a lot of work. Besides, I want the notoriety of running my own brick-and-mortar place. I want people to line up for a chance to dine at one of my tables. Not to stand in line at my tiny truck window.

I open my email first and my heart drops when I see the name on the first message.

Maxwell Schultz.

Maxwell is a huge name in the restaurateur business. He’s even bigger here in Pittsburgh. Working for him would be a dream come true and while I had applied, I never thought that I would get even an interview.

I hurry to open the email and my breath stalls in my lungs.

“Oh my god,” I whisper and Sayler looks up at me.

“You alright?” she calls from the couch and I turn wide-eyed to stare at her.

“I got an interview for the new restaurant that Maxwell Schultz is opening.”

“Woohoo!” Sayler screams, vaulting over the back of the couch to almost tackle me in a hug. “That’s my best friend! Kicking ass!”

I laugh with her, jumping up and down in the center of our tiny kitchen. I only stop when the water for the macaroni and cheese starts to boil over.

“That’s awesome, Coraline! Maxwell is going to hire you as soon as he takes a bite of your food. You’re going to kill it and be rich and famous and everyone will be dying to eat your food.”

Sayler has always been my biggest supporter and I grin at her now, adding the macaroni to the pot and stirring it.

We stay up for hours talking about the interview and what I’ll be making. Sayler is already making plans for how to sell the food truck and how she’s going to have to insist that she has a standing reservation every day.

It’s after three in the morning when I head to bed with a smile on my face but the last thought that I have before I fall asleep is that I wonder if Harvey would come and see me at the restaurant.

SEVEN

Harvey

“Hey,”Ames says as he drops down onto the spare chair in my tattoo room.

“Hey, what’s up?” I ask him as I go back to finishing up the sketch that I’m working on.

“I have a question for you,” he says with a grin and I groan, already knowing what’s coming.

The whole shop has been asking me if I’m a fan of shotgun weddings ever since Rooney spilled the beans about my first conversation with Coraline. They also keep trying to give me pick-up lines to use on her.

News also spread to my entire extended family and my uncle Mischa keeps trying to send me dating articles. My mom and dad keep asking when they can meet her.

Meanwhile, I can’t even get my girl to let me take her out to dinner.

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