“You proposed a sample menu.” Adam flipped to the catering section of the binder and found the order from last year’s event and a preliminary menu for this year. He held it up to the welcome window. “See?”
“See?” Dax repeated, sounding disappointed. “Come on, man, that’s your big strategy? To tell a woman she’s wrong in her own kitchen?” Dax shook his head. “And to think I used to believe you were really the lady-whisperer.”
“Don’t get upset, Dax,” Adam said, looking at his brother’s latest flowered napkin ring. “You might bruise the daisies.”
Emerson ignored the sparring and glanced over the counter at the menu, then looked Adam dead in the eyes. “That’s a great menu.”
Adam felt his chest relax a little. He had a meeting Friday to update Cap and Chief Lowen on his progress. Having a caterer and event planner locked down would give him a gold star. If he played his charm cards right, between Emerson and Megan at Parties to Go-Go, he might just wind up throwing the best Beat the Heat Festival in the history of the event—and not even break a sweat.
Wouldn’t that be nice.
“All I need is a great chef.” Adam slid one of the two to-go cups he’d set on the stainless steel serving counter toward Emerson. “How about we finalize the menu over breakfast burritos and morning beverages?” When she didn’t move to take hers, he added, “Fifty Shades of Chocolate latte. Your favorite.”
Lucky for him, nearly every woman in town now had the same favorite when it came to hot beverages. The Fifty Shades of Chocolate latte from the Sweet and Savory bistro was bold, heady, and perfectly whipped for St. Helena’s female sector.
“You didn’t bring me one?” Dax asked, eyeballing the cups.
And apparently his former Special Forces brother.
“You already traded in your gun and holster for an apron. There would be no coming back from this for you.”
“Says the man who carries his deflated hose around town,” Emerson said, and Dax smiled—as if Emerson giving him shit took away from Dax wearing an apron. “And you know what I get behind?”
“Driving customers away?” Adam said.
“Supporting my friends.” She rested her elbows on the counter and leaned in—so close Adam could see just how narrow her eyes were. “Not delivering them a shit sandwich on a lingerie-covered platter.”
“Ah man,” Adam said, closing his eyes so he didn’t have to watch his brilliant plan explode in front of his face. “It was just a kiss.”
“Yeah, well your kiss totally screwed with Harper’s week, which screwed with mine.”
“Really?” Adam asked, because Harper would have had to feel something a hell of a lot more than Not interested if the kiss screwed with her entire week. “Define screwed?”
“Easy. Pissing off the only caterer in town who would cater your party for pennies.” Emerson gripped the plastic partition above the window and jerked it down. “Enjoy the latte.”
“Mine is straight drip.”
Adam grabbed both cups seconds before they would have gone flying and crashing to the ground—like his career if he couldn’t get her to open the partition. “Come on, Em.” He tapped on the plastic. “I need you.”
The partition was flung back up and Emerson’s eyes glared out. “Yeah, and I needed Harper to help me prep for the big wine convention last weekend, but she couldn’t because she was too busy dealing with your mess.”
“I wouldn’t call it a mess.” He’d call it more of a one-taste-wasn’t-enough kind of situation, but certainly not a mess. They were both adults, both enjoyed the moment, both, apparently, were still thinking about it. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I rocked her world.”
Emerson furrowed her brow in confusion, then rolled her eyes and reached for the partition again.
“Wait.” Adam blocked her from slamming it. “Here’s the deal—I have to meet with Chief Lowen Friday, and if I don’t have you on board then I’m more than screwed.” He might find the occupational ceiling lowered permanently.
“Not my problem,” she said, but he could tell he was getting to her. Beneath that ballbuster exterior, his soon-to-be sister-in-law was a softie who couldn’t turn her back on someone in need.
And he needed her bad.
“What can I do to change your mind? You name it, I’ll do it.”
Emerson studied Adam for a long moment, and he smiled his most trustworthy smile, then popped that dimple just in case.
Unimpressed, she looked at Dax, who needed to hand over his man card immediately because he shrugged and cocked his head adoringly. That I’m behind you one hundred percent, baby shrug/head cock combo that suckers gave their women after they’d handed over their balls for eternity.