Page 15 of Suddenly Beck
‘The dog, you idiot,’ Jesse snorts and I can feel him relaxing.
‘Just checking.’ I smile. ‘Knowing Mrs Anderson, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d needed sedating while Precious was going through surgery.’
‘It was a close call,’ Jesses chuckles. ‘Look, I have to go. Call me later, okay?’
‘I will,’ I promise as I hang up.
I shower and dress quickly before spending the next few hours running around after my mum. She’s either too busy to pick up her phone or she’s using her Spidey sense to avoid me. She’s proving harder to pin down than a tent flap in a strong breeze. In the end, I give up and head down to the restaurant hoping she’ll be there. I’d wanted to speak with her in private first, but I suppose at least this way I can see what’s going on down at Sully’s with my own eyes. I can also take the opportunity to check out the person she hired to replace that tosspot, Scott.
As I head up the beach, evening is falling, the light is dim, but it’s not quite sundown. I can see the lights of the restaurant twinkling in the distance, and I feel the familiar heaviness in my chest. If things really are as bad as Jesse seems to think, we’re all to blame. We’ve all avoided Sully’s since Dad passed away. I swallow tightly, my stomach clenching as it always does when I think of him, the pain still too fresh in my mind.
The restaurant, Sully’s, which he named after himself, was his pride and joy. It was so much a part of him, of who he was, that to stand there during his wake and him not be there had wrecked me. It wasn’t Sully’s to me anymore. I know my mum and my siblings felt the same, but the truth was, as much as none of us wanted to face it, we weren’t ready to sell it either, and right there, in between that rock and hard place, Scott the snake had slithered in, fed off our grief and then apparently bled us dry.
He’d better run, I think angrily. He’d better run as far and as fast as he can because if I catch up with him, I’m going to make him wish he’d never been born. I reach the edge of the restaurant and draw in a deep breath, reaching shakily for the railing as I climb the wooden steps to the deck, my feet feeling like lead. I open the door and stepping inside, I freeze for a moment as the memories wash over me. I practically grew up in this place, and for a second, I imagine I can hear Dad’s booming voice and larger than life personality.
Pushing back the pain, I focus on the room and frown as I glance around. It’s Friday night, it should be packed in here, but there’s barely six tables filled. Instead of the raucous crowd it used to attract, the atmosphere is quiet and subdued, and it just feels wrong, as if all the atmosphere died with my dad.
I spy my mum across the room and weave between the empty tables toward her.
‘Beck.’ She notices me heading toward her. ‘What a nice surprise.’
‘Really?’ I say dryly as I glance around. ‘That’s all you have to say to me?’
‘We’ve made a few changes around here,’ she replies reluctantly.
‘So I understand.’ I fold my arms across my chest. ‘What I don’t understand is why I had to hear it from Jesse, who heard it from Laurel, his Veterinary nurse, who heard it from one of the waitresses.’
‘Umm.’
‘Mum,’ I say softly, letting my arms drop. ‘Scott left nearly four days ago, why didn’t you say something to us? You must know we would have been here to support you. I know we haven’t shown it lately, but Dad’s legacy is important to us too.’
‘I know, sweetheart.’ She reaches out and squeezes my hand. ‘I wasn’t trying to keep it from you, I promise. I was going to tell you all when you come over for dinner on Sunday. I have it all under control. A solution presented itself, and so I didn’t want to bother anyone.’
‘Ah, yes… the solution.’ I frown as I turn to stare toward the open plan kitchen at the back. ‘Where is he then? This complete stranger that you didn’t so much as see a CV or a single reference for?’
‘Don’t take that tone with me, Beck.’ She smiles at me affectionately. ‘I know what I’m doing.’
‘I’m sure you do, Mum.’ I shake my head. ‘You know I don’t like to interfere when it comes to the restaurant because it was always yours and Dad’s, but it’s only been a year, and whether you like to admit it or not, you’re still vulnerable. I just want to make sure this guy doesn’t take advantage of you like Scott the wanker did. I mean, who the hell is this guy? What do you even know about him? Did you even ask to see his qualifications and how much did you agree to pay him?
‘It’s none of your business,’ she informs me tartly. ‘And I won’t have you picking holes in him. Nat is a sweet…’
‘Nat?’ I say sharply cutting her off as I turn back toward the kitchen in time to see the door to the back open and the dark-haired object of my obsession walking through holding a tray of fresh scallops. He’s wearing Chef’s whites, and all of his glorious tumbling dark curls are hidden beneath a blue paisley bandana. I see Rachel shoot him a look, which he’s completely oblivious to, and I’m pretty certain, given the way his hot gaze had seared down my body on the beach that day, that she’s barking up the wrong tree. ‘Nat…’ I murmur softly, a small smile playing on my lips.
‘Oh, no, don’t you dare,’ my mother warns firmly, staring at me with a determined expression.
‘Don’t what?’ I blink innocently.
‘I know that look.’ Her eyes narrow. ‘I love you, Beck, but you really are a bit of a tart.’
‘A tart?’ I reply indignantly.
‘Darling, if you so much as approach the vague vicinity of commitment you’d break out in hives. You’re the original, good time, love ’em and leave ’em type.’
I’m reluctant to admit she may have a bit of a point.
‘And that boy,’ she continues. ‘Does not have one night stand written all over him. He is absolutely, one hundred and fifty percent off limits to you. He’s a total sweetheart, and frankly, I couldn’t care less about his damn CV because the truth is, he cooks like a dream. Which is exactly what we need if we’re going to stand a chance in hell of rebuilding Sully’s reputation. Scott had fish fingers in the freezer, Beck,’ she hisses. ‘Fish fingers! God only knows what on earth he’s been serving to the customers this past year.’
‘I heard about that,’ I murmur as I stare at her.