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“Hey, little sis,” he teases.
“Are you forgetting we’re the same age?”
“I’m two minutes older,” he retorts smugly, a detail he never fails to remind me of.
I hear someone shout “Order up,” in the background, followed by another voice yelling “Cut.” A chorus of arguing voices follows.
“Where are you?”
“At the studio in LA. Hold on just a second.” The voices fade and a door slams shut. “Are you still there, sis?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” I wedge my phone between my shoulder and ear as I finish typing an email.
“Sorry about the noise. We’re filming a pilot forThe Great Cook-Off Challenge, and not all the cast members are on the same page with the show’s direction.”
“It’s no problem,” I assure him. “I miss you. When are you coming back to London?”
“Within a few weeks,” he answers. “After we’re done filming here, I’m flying to Paris to visit La Maison de la Lune before its grand opening. I’m collaborating with another chef in Barcelona after that.”
Theo has been a culinary genius since he was a kid. He had a gift for turning a simple box of macaroni and cheese into a decadent dish with household staples like bacon, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs.
He was always bound for greatness. After he graduated culinary school, a celebrity chef dropped by the restaurant he worked at and was so impressed she requested to meet the chef. They had a long conversation, and she gave Theo her card before she left. Within two years, he’d opened his first restaurant.
“Okay, hotshot,” I say. “Well, I miss you.” The main reason I asked my dad to work in the London office was to be close to Theo, but lately, he’s been traveling more than he’s home.
“I miss you too,” he says with a hint of sadness. “We have a lot to talk about when I get back to London, don’t we?”
I sigh. “Yeah, we do.” I send off the email I was working on, and lean back in my office chair.
“Like the fact that you married my best friend because of a silly high school marriage pact,” Theo mutters, his dissatisfaction evident.
Since his confrontation with Cash, we’ve had several brief phone calls and text each other daily, but we haven’t had a chance to properly discuss things because he flew to the Statesthat night. Honestly, it might be for the best because I’m not sure how long I could withhold the truth about the acquisition if he were here in person.
“Is this a conversation you really want to have over the phone?” I ask him.
Theo falls silent for a minute. “No, but I don’t like that you two are playing house when I still don’t have all the details.” I hear someone calling Theo’s name in the background, followed by him cursing under his breath.
“Listen, I know you have to go, but I don’t want you to worry about me.”
He scoffs. “You’re my sister—I’ll always worry about you.”
His simple declaration is like a warm blanket of assurance that, no matter what, I will always have his unwavering love and protection. It’s difficult being so far away from him. We were inseparable as kids, and the distance between us never gets easier.
“Theo, I appreciate it, but I promise I’m okay… more than okay.”
“Is Cash treating you well?” he asks, the discomfort in his voice obvious.
“Yes, I couldn’t have asked for anyone better,” I state with conviction.
“I guess I’ll have to live with that answer for the time being.” There’s more commotion in the background. “I wish we could talk longer, but I have to get back to filming. I love you, sis. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Love you too, Theo.”
As I glance around my office, I realize how absurd it is that I’m hiding out. I’m lucky enough to have someone waiting at home for me, and I shouldn’t take that for granted. I pack up my bag, curious how things will play out when I get back to theapartment. A part of me is hoping that Cash meant it when he said what happened between us was just the beginning.
The apartment is quiet when I step inside. When I texted Cash to tell him I was on my way home, he said he was working out in the gym on the floor below and would be back in a couple of hours. Which surprised me, considering he’s always here when I get home from work.
What if my cutting things short this morning pushed him over the edge. He could have decided I’m more trouble than I’m worth.