Page 96 of Cooking Up My Comeback

“Who said anything about romance?”

“Brett. We kissed. Multiple times. In front of my children.”

“So?”

“So we’re either having a workplace romance or you’re really committed to confusing my kids.”

His mouth twitches—almost a smile. “When you put it that way...”

“Look,” I say, leaning against the rail. “I like you. Obviously. But I need to know you respect me as abusiness partner, not just tolerate me because you want to date me.”

“Is that what you think I’m doing?”

“I think you’ve spent three weeks questioning every decision I make.”

“Because I care about making this work.”

“For the business or for us?”

“Both.”

The honesty in his voice catches me off guard. “Brett...”

“I don’t know how to do this,” he says quietly. “Mix business with personal feelings. I’m probably handling it badly.”

“You are handling it badly.”

“Thanks for the confirmation.”

“But so am I,” I admit. “I keep expecting you to either dismiss my ideas or disappoint me. It’s not fair.”

“Why?”

“Because Chad used to do this thing where he’d agree with me to my face, then undermine my decisions behind my back. So when you question me directly... it makes me defensive.”

Brett processes this. “I’d rather argue with you than lie to you.”

“I know. It’s actually one of your better qualities, even when it drives me crazy.”

“Good to know I have better qualities.”

“A few.”

We fall into comfortable silence, watching the harbor approach. The morning’s tension hasn’t disappeared entirely, but it’s shifted into something more honest.

“Can I ask you something?” Brett says eventually.

“Sure.”

“Are you really ready for this? Opening a restaurant, dealing with suppliers and staff and health inspectors and all the chaos that comes with it?”

I consider the question seriously instead of getting defensive. “No. I’m terrified. But I’m ready to try.”

“That’s all anyone can do.”

“Even a person as impractical as me?”

“Especially a person with your heart for it.”