Page 62 of 3 Daddies to Go

“Nah, but he got a stern talking to. He’ll never live this down, either. The other interns and employees will be teasing him about it forever. But I’m not going to fire someone over it.”

Kendall lets out a relieved sigh. I probably wouldn’t have fired the intern, either, but most guys would have. I’ve seen interns fired for bringing the wrong coffee to their bosses.

Our food arrives quicker than I expected.

“Now for the moment of truth,” I say.

Kendall nervously watches us each take a bite. The burger is so juicy and delicious that I groan as I chew. The tanginess of the beer pairs beautifully with the flavor of the beef.

She was right. I’m never going to want another burger now that I’ve tasted this one. Who would’ve thought that marinating a burger in beer would completely change the flavor?

We’re silent as we eat, all of us relishing in the deliciousness of the burger. The juices drip down my chin, but I’m too busy eating to wipe it away. Across from me, Kendall has the same problem.

Each bite is tastier than the one before. The burgers are served on hardy rolls, so even though the beer is soaking into the bread, it’s still not soggy. I wash down each bite with a swig of beer. Together, the flavor is unbelievable. I might have to talk to the owner about franchising. I need a Beermeisters in New York.

Tag, Trace, and I savor our burgers, but Kendall scarfs hers down. She’s used to the rainbow of flavors swirling around in her mouth. She doesn’t have to experience it slowly like the rest of us.

Less than five minutes after we were served, Kendall is finished with her burger. She moves on to the fries on her plate, shoveling them into her mouth two at a time.

I watch her as I eat my meal. She doesn’t look embarrassed at all to be enjoying her food. I love that about her.

She’s almost done with her fries and beer when Tag, Trace, and I take the last bites of our burgers.

“So good,” I say. “You were right. That was the best burger I’ve ever eaten.”

“Agreed,” Trace says. “I was skeptical but I’m a changed man. The flavor combination shouldn’t work, but it totally does.”

“I’m glad the burgers were more of a success than the museum!”

I laugh.

“You liked yours, too.”

She looks down at her nearly empty plate.

“I love this place. I come here at least once a week, sometimes more. And I clear my plate every time.”

“We love a girl with an appetite,” I say. “You’ve hardly touched your beer, though. Is it okay?”

Kendall nods, looking a little sad.

“I drink, but I try to limit how much. Alcoholism runs in my family. My grandfather was a complicated man. He tried to get sober but could never last. And when he drank, he could get mean. Never to me, but to my father. It was really rough on my dad. My grandfather died of liver failure when I was eighteen, and as terrible as it sounds, it was almost a relief to my dad. They both found peace, then.”

I cover her hand with mine.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Kendall.”

“Thanks. There have been other family members who struggled with addiction. My dad and me, we don’t drink much. We learned our limits early. Neither of us want to end up like my grandfather.” She smiles sadly. “I don’t tell a lot of people that.”

“We’re honored that you shared it with us,” I say, and it’s the truth.

“This goes both ways,” she says. “Now you guys have to tell me about yourselves. How did you get into your respective businesses?”

Tag starts.

“My parents used to flip houses, and I learned about real estate through them. When I was in college, I got an internship at a corporate real estate firm and went to work for them after graduation. I worked my ass off to get to where I am.”

“And now you’re the CEO?”