Recipe for Satisfacton(7)

Finn clapped Jack’s shoulder. “Did you get her number?”

Jack shrugged, still scanning the crowd milling about on the deck.

“I guess her number would be easy enough to get since she’s Penn’s friend,” Finn said.

Jack grinned at his brother. “You always have the best solutions.” If all else failed, he’d get her digits from Penn and call her in the morning. Maybe ask her out to breakfast. After tonight’s belly catastrophe, she’d probably be starving come morning.

“Have fun, bro.” With a wink, Finn walked away and into the crowd.

But before he tracked down Penn, what could the harm be in trying to find her one more time tonight? After all, she was sick. What kind of gentleman would he be if he didn’t make sure his guests were comfortable at his party?

He hadn’t found her after doing a lap around the boat, the peppermint tea in his hand cooling with every minute wasted, and sidled up to the bar to get a better look at the area. Instead of Sterling, he found Penn, deep in conversation with Finn and an older couple.

If Sterling wasn’t below and she wasn’t on the main deck, there was only one other place she could be. He snuck behind the curtain that sectioned off the top deck and climbed the stairs, surprised at the strong wind that greeted him when he emerged.

Sterling sat at the front of the boat, with her arms wrapped around her torso, her hands rubbing up and down her arms. Her dark hair whipped in the wind as she stared at the Toronto skyline reflecting off the water.

“Looks like you could use some warming up.”

Her body tightened before she turned. “Jack.” She relaxed, her eyes softening when they settled on him. A good sign. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry.” He stepped closer. “How are you feeling?”

Her eyes shone in the moonlight. She gave him a weak smile and lowered her gaze. “The fresh air up here seems to help a bit.” She smoothed her hands over her hair to secure the flyaway strands. As if expecting that he had come up with someone else, her eyes darted behind him. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been looking for you.” He held out the cup. “I brought you some tea.”

“You did?”

He slid onto the bench beside her and offered the cup. “Peppermint. It’ll relax your stomach.”

Her eyes lifted, settling on his. Her look of admiration tightened his chest. She took a sip of the tea and moaned. The sound vibrated through his body, igniting a fire inside him that had been buried for too many months.

She settled the cup on her lap. “Thank you.”

“It’s the least I could do for the emergency medical services you provided earlier this evening.”

“That’s not the first time my bag of tricks has saved a life.” She chuckled and took another sip of the tea.

“I take it you don’t come to these sort of functions often?”

“Definitely not my scene.” She sipped again. “What about you? What are your plans for the Madewood legacy?” she asked, curiosity dancing in her eyes.

Funny she should ask. Just before his mother got sick, Jack had dreamed up a plan for the program, a way to extend their reach to more than just foster kids. But he hadn’t thought about it in over a year.

He sighed. “For now, I’m just helping out at Cole’s restaurant. I know he’s short-staffed.”

“You don’t seem too excited about that.” She angled her head to the side, her face glowing under the moonlight.

“I love being a chef, don’t get me wrong.” He was here to help for as long as they needed him, but he didn’t want to work for his brothers. “It’s just…I have a commitment I need to take care of soon.” He’d neglected all five restaurants while he’d been hiding out here the last two months and he couldn’t put off his involvement any longer. His general manager—the only one who was capable of running all five restaurants without Jack micromanaging—needed a break. Jack had hired J.R. White to work at his first restaurant as a bouncer and ended up taking him to every new location he opened. J.R. was loyal and smart, and Jack trusted him with his life. More than his life, with his livelihood. And Jack had promised to show up in Chicago in four weeks so J.R. could have a much-deserved vacation.

Sterling sat silently, her legs crossed toward him, her eyes soft and inviting. Everything about her screamed that she was interested in anything and everything he had to say. She could also be tired and woozy from being sick and too weak to make a break for it. But something about this woman made him want to tell her everything about himself. “Finn and Cole are happy to follow the grain. They have their own restaurants and they are content. Neil has always been the leader. For as much as he complains, he loves being in charge of the entire family business. He thinks big, outside the box, and I…I just don’t connect with anything we do here and if I stayed, I…”