Page 10 of Allegiance
Lena
“I’m telling you,Fe, it was unlike any other kiss I’ve ever had in my life.” Lena rested her chin on her upturned palm, leaning against a shelf in the back of the supply closet in her bistro. Her best friend sat rapt over the video call, hanging on Lena’s every word.
“He was so passionate. It felt like we’d known each other for much longer than a few hours. And the way he crushed me to him and held me tight, made me feel cherished and protected. Ugh, I know that sounds crazy.”
Felicia chuckled. “I’m guessing he’s gorgeous as well?”
“Yeah. He’s all muscle, but not in a body-builder way. The guy definitely works out at the gym. He’s like an Instagram model, or someone offThe Bachelor, but in a more rugged, tough guy way. The way he kissed me was something I’d never experienced before with any guy. He was fierce, possessive, gentle, protective, and sexy as hell. I loved it.”
“Maybe he goes byTankbecause he brings women to their knees with one kiss, tanking any possibility of them not coming back for more.” Fe brushed back her soft pink hair and snapped her gum. “So why in the hell did you turn him down? It’s not like you meet someone who wows you every day. Brad was the last guy you were sort of interested in, and that was over a year ago.”
Lena sighed and swept a hand over her face. It’d been over a week since she and Tank had kissed, and she was still replaying it in her mind. A part of her regretted that she hadn’t spent the night with him, but a larger part knew she’d done the right thing.
“You’re quiet. Are you having any regrets?”
“Maybe just a tiny bit. But between the catering business and the restaurant, all I can think about is getting enough sleep.”
Lena met her best friend’s soft brown eyes over their video call. Her know-it-all expression was pretty damning, making it absolutely clear what Felicia’s opinion was on the matter, and that was the reason it’d taken her a week to tell Fe aboutthe kiss.
Chewing on the cuticle of her index finger, she leaned back in her chair. “Let me have it. I know you’re brewing on something, so let it out.” She glanced at the clock. “But I can only give you ten minutes. I have a meeting with a potential customer soon.”
Felicia grinned. “I’m glad you’re open to my opinion, seeing as I have your best interests at heart. First of all, I’m not going to chastise you for not telling me about Tank right away. Second, I’ve never seen you so excited and glowing overanyman, and that includes Curtis—your first crush when we were in junior high. So why the fuck are you sabotaging your chance of having a relationship with him?”
“I’m not doing that,” Lena huffed.
“Yes, you are. You didn’t give him your phone number. You shut him down when he mentioned going out for dinner, and you shot him down after one of the hottest kisses of your life. Work is a poor substitute for a lover.”
“Fe, I don’t have time right now. You know that.”
Her best friend scoffed and gave her a no-nonsense stare. Lena crossed her arms, preparing for battle. There was nothing wrong with temporarily sacrificing her own happiness, especially when it was directly tied to her livelihood of a thriving restaurant business in a competitive market. Most businesses died out in the first five years, and she had no intention of becoming a statistic.
Fe gave her a pointed look. “Don’t look at me like that. I’ve heard it all before—you’re building a business, it takes time, resources, energy, yadda, yadda, yadda. I get it, I do, but I’m not saying you should marry the guy. I’m just talking one good night of pleasure, that’s all. It could really turn your month around, and it’s been a long time since you’ve even come close to being intimate with anyone. It’s psychologically healthy for you to put yourself out there every once in a while instead of focusing on nothing but work. If you don’t start getting out there, you’re going to become some kind of hermit who forgets how to interact with people.”
“I’m in the food industry. I’m with people all the time, so the chances of me becoming a hermit are slim. I have employees, clients, customers in the bistro, vendors, and so many other people I interact with daily.
“You know that’s not what I mean! We need to get you a life. Or soon the only intimacy you’ll be getting in your bed is with a microwaved brownie, bingingGame of Thronesunder your favorite blanket.”
Lena leaned forward, her chin in her hands. “That doesn’t sound too bad to me.” She smiled inwardly at the exasperation spreading across Fe’s face. “Okay, I’m listening. I get it, but there’s no point in worrying about it now. The moment’s gone, and I don’t have a time machine. I probably won’t see him again. But, I swear, the next time a delicious, gorgeous guy at an event wants to take me to bed, I’ll jump in on the action without question, and give you a full recap while he’s in the shower.”
Felicia pursed her lips and cocked her head, clearly thinking about her offer. “Add in some nudes of the guy in question and you have a deal.”
Lena burst out laughing, and Felicia joined in. After catching her breath, Lena said, “It’s a deal.” She checked the clock. “I gotta run. We’ll talk soon.”
“Wait! Can a visit from me fit into your busy schedule? I have some paid vacation time saved up.”
“I’d love for you to come visit. It seems like it’s been forever since we saw each other face-to-face. That would be amazing, Fe.”
“So youcanspare the time, Ms. Business Woman Extraordinaire? I don’t want to rip you away from your spreadsheets and recipe developments.”
“I would love for you to come here. I’ll drop everything if I have to—you know I miss you like crazy. Just let me know as soon as you firm up the dates.”
“I was planning on booking the trip in the next month or two. It’s really not the same here without you, you know that. It’s been rough.”
Lena thought back over everything she had left behind in San Francisco to start her business in Santa Teresita. It had been a hard decision to leave her city, but looking back, she didn’t have many regrets. Moving to Santa Teresita was the fresh start she needed after what had happened—
A fresh stab of pain pierced her heart. She shook her head, not ready to dive into the past. She had a meeting with Mrs. Wright in less than five minutes, and she had to be on her A-game to secure the contract.
Felicia put her arms out, as if she were hugging Lena over the connection. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring everything up and make you sad. You’ve come a long way since your parents’ death, and I know it was hard. You needed this reset. It’s just that I miss you—we used to do everything together. And the rest of the group misses you too. We should all come and visit you one weekend. It’d be great to sleep in late, hang on the beach, and go dancing.”
