Take Out Chef

Chapter Nine

"Wow." I mumbled as I leaned back on the chair. "That's...wow..."

He chuckled. "I'm not a celebrity chef like Tom but I people do know me. Or my restaurants." He shrugged.

"That's amazing!" Juno chirped in. "And you're such a young man! Congratulations! Your parents must be really proud of you!"

Bryan's smile faded as he looked down at his plate. "Yes, they would be."

I stayed quiet. The weird part was that I felt the urge to comfort him. I knew about dark pasts. I knew how hard it could be. However, I wasn't going to reach out for him in any way. Bryan was my boss and he clearly didn't want to talk about it.

"What kind of restaurants do you own?" I changed the subject before Juno asked him something else about it.

His gaze was thankful as his lips quirked up. "I guess you'll have to see for yourself sometime."

Yes, like that's ever going to happen. I figured they were those fancy restaurants that serve gourmet dishes and are expensive as hell.

We finished eating the roast. Juno got up and started to clean the table but I stood up, "I got it." I smiled at her.

"Can you bring some brownies for dessert, please?"

"Sure."

Bryan grinned at my grandmother. "Jessica baked us brownies the other day. They were great. Chef Olander was quite pleased. I was sure he was going to ask her for the recipe."

If Juno was fangirling before, she was a lost cause now. I could see little hearts floating around her as she thanked him giggling like a teen.

Seth stood up as well, grabbed the rest of the plates and followed me inside the kitchen. I left the dishes and slapped him on the arm. "What the hell is your problem, Seth!" I hissed angrily at him.

Rubbing his arm, he glared at me. "I haven't done anything!"

"You're being an asshole!" I lowered my tone at the same time we heard Juno's laugh.

Seth rolled his eyes. "Don't you think it's a bit suspicious that he's bringing you home? And you know, staying for dinner? He's like, old!"

My heart warmed for him. He was jealous. And playing the male-alpha brother part for me. "He's my boss. He just offered to help me. Plus, he's not old." Seth crossed his arms. I sighed. "Seriously, do you think a guy like him?" I pointed at the door, "who can have any kind of girl, would lay his eyes on me?" I patted him on the chest, "thank you for playing the protecting brother role but it's uncalled for."

"Is it?" his tone was unconvinced.

"Totally," I assured him.

He stared at me for a moment. Still not quite convinced, he uncrossed his arms. "Okay, okay. I'll behave from now on," he rolled his eyes at the end.

Chuckling, I shook my head. "Take this," I passed him the brownie platter while I poured water into the coffee machine, "Before Juno forgets about Mr. Gomez and throws herself at my boss."

Seth snorted at that. "Wouldn't that be fun to watch?"

Bryan praised Juno's brownies and she was just smiles for him. It was sort of cute and weird. But mostly cute. Seth kept his word and behaved much better for the last hour and a half.

After coffee, he thanked my grandmother again for dinner. He stood up and said his goodbyes and Juno urged me to walk Bryan out before kissing him on both cheeks.

I didn't really have a choice in the matter, so I walked with him to his car. The night's cool breeze gave me chills as I stepped outside my house, so I hugged myself as we climbed down the steps to the street.

"You have an interesting family," Bryan broke the silence as we reached his car.

I smiled. "I do."

Bryan's turquoise eyes looked at me intensely for a moment making my heart flutter. "Thank you for having me," he shook his head with a smile, "Even if you didn't want me to stay."

I bit my lip as my cheeks flushed. "Thank you for the books." I glanced down at my shoes before looking up again, "And for saving me in the morning."

He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't save you. Assisting me it's apart of your job." He turned away and walked around his car to get in. "By the way, you can tell your new admirer that you won't need a partner. You're stuck with me." A smile flashed through his face as smile as he climbed inside the car.

"He's not─" I didn't finish my sentence. It was pointless. He'd started the engine and wasn't going to hear me out.

He gestured me to go home. I rolled my eyes when I turned away. When I reached the door, I turned around and waved at him before his car sped down the street.

Bryan intrigued me. A lot. There was something about him that made me feel on edge. He seemed cold and bossy, but it felt like a mask. I sighed. There was more to him, and even though he didn't want to show it, he was kind, and funny sometimes.

I shook my head as I closed the door. Juno sat on the bottom of the stairs reading one of the cookbooks we'd brought home. She looked up and smiled at me. "He's really nice, and quite handsome."

I shrugged "I guess. If you're into that sort of guys."

Juno's grin widened. "You mean the charming and successful ones?"

Playfully, I rolled my eyes as I made my way to sit next to her. "Who wants a guy like that?"

She chuckled before shaking her head. "Well, I like him."

"I noticed. Like, the whole neighborhood noticed it."

Juno ignored me as she passed the page. "You like him too."

My stomach clenched. "I do not!"

"And I think he likes you too," she added nonchalantly but I knew better than that.

In silence, I grabbed one of the cookbooks, it was Tom's. I stared at him for a moment. He didn't look so handsome anymore. He was too skinny and his smile seemed fake. Bryan's lopsided smile played in my mind and I held my breath for a second before I opened the book and tried to focus on the recipes and not in in the guy who brought me home.