Page 75 of The Last Goodbye

“How did you end up living on a houseboat?” she asked as she looked up at the layers of pink and yellow in the sky. She then met my gaze, a hint of lavender and vanilla wafting in the air around us.

“I bought a small starter home when Jovi and I moved back here after I finished cooking school out in New York. I’d had a job as an assistant chef at a pretty swanky restaurant there, and it paid well. So I’d been tucking money away the whole time, knowing that the cost of living was much cheaper here. But then a few years later, the market boomed, and Blue Sky Bay was becoming a more popular tourist town—so I sold that house and bought this place.” I shrugged as my knee brushed against hers, and I fought the urge to move even closer. “It was much less expensive, and I invested all that money from the other house, which is how I was able to pay Jovi’s tuition and pay off the loan I’d taken to renovate the restaurant over the last few years. And I love living on a boat.”

Her gaze softened as she brought her glass to her lips and took a sip, as if she needed a moment to process my words.

“I mean, what’s not to love.” She grinned. “It’s pretty magical.”

“I’ve got everything I need right here.”

It was the truth. My life was fairly simple. I loved my job, I had amazing friends, my sister was thriving—I couldn’t ask for more.

“I don’t think many people can say that, so it’s impressive.”

“How about you? Do you have everything you want? I mean, I picked that tile quickly, didn’t I? What more could you ask for.”

She shook her head as a smile spread across her pretty face. “And you went with my suggestion.”

“Hey, black-and-white checkerboard flooring is not common here in Blue Sky Bay. It’ll either be all everyone is talking about, or you’ll completely tank my business.”

Her mouth fell open, eyes wide. “Don’t even say that.”

“I’m kidding.” I stood. “Let me just grab the food so I can throw it on the grill for us. Meanwhile, eat some cheese and crackers.”

“Are you always this bossy when you have a female friend on your boat?”

“I don’t typically have people on my boat. I own a restaurant, remember?”

I disappeared down the few steps into the galley kitchen and grabbed the platter with steaks and lobster tails, along with the basket of fresh veggies.

Back at the grill, I opened the lid and started cooking as she reached for a few crackers. “I thought you liked to cook for people?”

“I cook for people every day. It’s my job.”

“I’m aware. But you had me over for breakfast that day, because cooking is the way you…” She paused to think it over. “Express yourself, right?”

I moved back to the couch and sat beside her. “Apologizing is not my strength, so it was the least I could do.”

“And this is a thank-you dinner?” she pressed as she popped a grape in her mouth.

“Correct.”

“But this isn’t how you normally apologize or thank people?” she asked, using her hand to cover her mouth as she laughed.

“I mean, no. I typically thank someone by comping dinner at the restaurant. And as far as apologizing, I’m rarely wrong about people, and I was wrong about you. So there you go.”

She grinned. “I was wrong about you, too.”

“How so?” I spread some Brie on a cracker and loaded some chopped pistachios on top, then drizzled honey over it and handed it to her. “Eat this one. You’re not getting enough cheese on there.”

She rolled her eyes, though her smile told me she was enjoying herself, and she took the cracker. “Well, I thought you were rude and pompous and small-minded.”

“And?” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“You aren’t small-minded. You have a very open mind.” She fell back on the couch as a fit of giggles escaped her, which was cute as hell.

“So, I’m pompous and rude?”

“Occasionally.” She shrugged as she sat forward and reached for her glass of wine. “But it works for you. You know, you’ve got the broody-chef thing going, and you’re passionate, so it makes sense.”