Cole was settled in the corner of one of the restaurant booths, his arms crossed over his chest covering the embroidery of his name on his white chef’s coat. His stoic expression was a little intimidating. Finn sat beside him, wearing his typical T-shirt with the image of a skull, fiddling with a cloth napkin. They were just waiting for—
“Carson Kelly is a woman.” Neil’s angry voice rang out behind Jack. All three of them turned in his direction.
“I take it your meeting with her didn’t go very well,” Cole said.
“Her? You knew?” Shock and horror registered on Neil’s face.
Cole repositioned himself on the bench. “Penn told me.”
Carson Kelly was the architect Neil wanted to hire to design and build the new restaurant on the farmland they had purchased. But it seemed old Carson Kelly wasn’t at all what Neil expected.
Neil growled. “It seems the real Carson Kelly has retired and left his daughter—Carson Kelly the second—his daughter—to take over.” Neil threw his files on the table. “Did I mention she’s his daughter?”
Neil’s tie was missing and the first two buttons of his dress shirt were undone. Even his hair stood at attention as if he’d grabbed it and pulled.
“So…?” Jack said. He’d never seen Neil so rattled.
“So?” Neil shouted.
Finn threw down the napkin. “Is she hot?”
“She’s perfectly fine,” Neil answered.
“Perfectly fine?” Jack said. “She must be smokin’.”
Both Cole and Finn gave answering “ahs.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked, an indignant look on his face. He wrestled a chair out from under the table and sat his big body down.
Finn answered. “It means, Neil, that whenever you really like a woman you refuse to discuss her.”
“That’s bullshit,” he countered. He looked from brother to brother, then finally settled on Jack. “You’re wearing a suit. This is going to be interesting.”
“This isn’t about me. Don’t deflect.” Jack had dressed the part hoping that his well-tailored suit would distract from the fact that he was nervous as hell.
“Fine,” Neil spat. “She’s a ten. Is that what you wanted to hear? Actually she’s a fifteen because she rode up to our meeting on a Ducati.”
“A Ducati?” Cole asked.
“Sweet,” Finn said.
“Good morning, boys. Can someone please explain why I’m here at this hour?” Gloria York sauntered into the kitchen wearing her black power suit. Gloria was Vivian’s best friend and a big investor in the Cooking for the Future program.
Jack ushered her into the booth. “I won’t take up too much of your time, Gloria. I promise.”
When Gloria had settled into the booth, he took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “Are any of you attached to Mom’s wardrobe?”
“Attached how?” Cole asked. “Please don’t tell me you put on Mom’s clothes.”
Finn slapped his hand on the table. Cole and Gloria laughed out loud. Even Neil couldn’t keep his angry face intact.
“I’m being serious.” Jack settled his nerves. “I mean, if the clothes weren’t in our possession anymore, if they were sold, how would you feel?”
Looking from one face to the next, tension built in his chest. Why weren’t they responding? He’d have to try a new angle. “What is Mom’s favorite thing?”
This time, he got a reaction from Finn, who smiled wide. But none of them broke the silence.
“Jack, dear.” Gloria leaned across the table. “What exactly are you trying to say?” Her tone was like being scolded by a schoolteacher.
He took a deep breath and continued. “Her three favorite things in the world: the Cooking for the Future program, along with food and fashion. I think we should create a foundation to raise funds for the program. Since I’m stationed out of Chicago, Gloria, I’d love for you to be the chair.”
Jack handed out the file folders he had prepared with Sterling. “Our first big event would be an auction of Mom’s clothes.”
Gloria and Finn finally engaged and glanced down to flip through the folder. At least two of them were paying attention. Which meant they were listening, so he powered through.
“I also think we should expand by setting up a referral program from the local high schools.”
Crickets. The silence mocked him. Maybe he was way in over his head. Maybe the idea sucked. But he’d come this far.
“If you’ll all look at the folders, page three outlines the projected timeline for getting the foundation set up as well as for the event. Our lawyer is putting together the paperwork.”