In Over Her Head: An Anchor Island Novel by Terri Osburn (reading eggs books .TXT) 📗

Gut churning, she swept through the kitchen door, stopping on the other side to catch her breath. Her heart had attempted to beat out of her chest the moment he’d looked at her, and she’d nearly embarrassed herself by running into his arms.

He couldn’t possibly mean so much to her considering how little they knew each other. She’d been on the island for less than six weeks. No one fell in love that fast. This was nothing more than her being dropped into a new place with no connections and Nick being the one person with whom she shared something in common.

He was a chef. He understood what she was going through opening her first restaurant. So they’d slept together. So what. Lauren had done the no-strings sex plenty of times in the past and never crossed the line. She never let her heart get involved, and she would not be stupid enough to make that mistake now.

“Chef?” She looked up to find Jackson watching her with concern in his big brown eyes. “You okay?”

Lauren stepped away from the door and rolled up her sleeves. “I’m fine. Are we ready?”

“The oysters are plated and the glazed scallops will be up in four minutes.”

Putting Nick out of her mind, she took her position at the pass. “All right, guys. Let’s do this.”

Nick didn’t need a sign to tell him that he’d screwed up. They’d had an arrangement with established boundaries that he’d stomped right over.

Lauren clearly hadn’t known that he’d be there. He hadn’t even known himself until two hours ago. Nota had apparently run into Will at the coffee shop and landed an invitation. Why she and Mia needed him to tag along he didn’t know, but they’d insisted and here he was.

Lauren had every right to put the brakes on, and he didn’t blame her for backing off. But he also didn’t appreciate her giving him the silent treatment. If she wanted to end things entirely, the least she could do was have the guts to tell him so.

When he and Nota reached the table, Mia nearly jerked his arm out of the socket as she maneuvered him out of the way to avoid having to sit next to Henri. He’d been half tempted to yank her back and leave her no option, but one woman pissed at him was enough for now. Henri had given him a knowing look with a mixture of humor and disappointment in her eyes. Nick had no idea what, if anything, was going on between her and his sister, but he hoped Mia wasn’t stringing the poor woman along.

Then the truth dawned. Mia dragged him here to run interference. Whether to keep Henri at a distance or to keep Nota in the dark was the question, but whatever the purpose, he didn’t appreciate being used.

The appetizers arrived on large platters, one for each end of the table, and were served with about five minutes in between. He did his best to catch reactions from around the table and as far as Nick could tell, the food was a hit from the start. Personally, he’d have added more orange maple sauce to the wings and left the apple cider gastrique off the glazed scallops, but those were personal taste issues and not substantial criticisms.

The meal progressed with a collection of noodle dishes. Pilar’s offered an interesting twist on shrimp and grits—unusual coming from a New England chef—and the crab mac & cheese was a favorite around the table. A clam dish plus two vegetarian options followed, and Nick noticed the servings getting smaller. Smart, considering they had yet to reach the entree round.

Empty plates were constantly being cleared as new dishes arrived. Once they’d reached the end of the appetizers, Lauren returned from the kitchen. She looked professional, capable, and determined not to look his way.

“I hope you’re enjoying the meal so far,” she said, and received murmured affirmations from around the table. “I wanted to tell you a little about our entrees, which are coming up next. We have Pilar’s special catch of the day, which tonight is mahi tuna caught just this morning. We also have non-seafood items including grilled rosemary chicken, a pistachio crusted pork loin, and a New York strip steak. The steak will be served medium so a bit pink inside, but if you’d like it cooked a little more, let a server know and we can do that for you. There’s no hurry so take your time finishing up what’s already on the table and the entrees will be on their way soon.”

Conversations resumed as Lauren went back to the kitchen. Nick lifted the napkin off his lap and left it on his chair as he slid away to catch her.

“Hey,” he said seconds before she could disappear into the kitchen. “Talk to me for a second.”

Lauren stopped, but she didn’t look happy. “I’ve got a lot going on right now.”

“I know you’re busy. I just wanted to say…” What the hell did he want to say? He was sorry? He didn’t mean what he’d said the other night? That was bullshit. He’d meant every word. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m a big girl, Nick. I’m fine.”

He stepped back with his hands up. “You’re right. You’ve got this.” Unable to resist, he added, “Everyone at the table says the food is great.”

She shook her head, her jaw tight. “You can stop playing the mentor role now. I don’t need the pep talks anymore. Or anything else.”

With that parting shot, she returned to the kitchen, leaving Nick standing in the empty corner feeling like a fool. This was his own fault. He’d known the rules, and he’d broken them. Lauren had every right to call him on it.

Returning to his seat, he kept his head down and pretended he hadn’t just had his ass handed to him.

“What was that?” Mia whispered.

“Leave it alone,” he snapped.

“What are you two whispering about?” Nota said