Brady is still in his bedroom. River is in his, which gives us a few seconds alone. I feel like I need some air after seeing River naked, like I could use a cold shower.
There’s no escaping him now.
He’s not only my roommate, but my boss. And my brother’s best friend. Hooking up with Ollie’s teammate would not go over well. It would end even worse.
So no, I can’t let River touch me again. I can’t allow him to get in my head.
“Morning, brother.” I tap Ollie on the shoulder. “You want the usual?”
He drops his phone on the counter and gives me his undivided attention. “Yeah, scrambled eggs.”
I smile. “You never change.”
“Nope. I’m a creature of habit.”
“River gave me the low-down on what he and Brady eat for breakfast.” I nodded at the fridge. “I better get to it.”
He reaches out to grab my arm. “Em, thanks for doing this. I know this isn’t what you wanted, but we really appreciate you helping us out.”
I nodded. “This is temporary.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “You’ll find another chef gig. It’s only a matter of time before people forget about the restaurant fiasco.”
“Giovanni’s Trattoria was my dream,” I say, fighting back the tears. It doesn’t matter how many months pass, I’m still not over it. I still have so many regrets. “I feel like I failed Dad.”
I named the restaurant after our father, who was an amazing cook. Before I trained under a top chef, my dad taught me everything he knew about cooking. So when I got the opportunity to work as a chef, it seemed like the right path. Like I was doing something that would have made my dad happy.
Ollie gets up from the stool and pulls me into his arms, patting the top of my head. “Dad would have been proud of you, Ems. You tried. It didn’t work out. Most people abandon their dreams because they’re afraid of failure. But not you. You dived headfirst into the restaurant and gave it everything you had.”
I glance up at my brother and smile. “Thanks, Ol. You always know the right things to say.”
He kissed my forehead. “It will all work out. Just give it some time.”
“I should start on breakfast.” I slip out of his grasp and open the cabinet closest to me. “Brady’s oats will take a while to cook.”
Ollie goes back to playing on his phone while I dump oats into a boiling pot and remove the eggs from the fridge. A few minutes later, River walks into the kitchen and clears his throat. I know it’s him before I glance over my shoulder, catching one of his arrogant smirks tipping up the right corner of his mouth.
“Morning,” he says with a wink.
“Good morning.” I turn my back to him and pretend like I didn’t see him almost naked this morning.
What a way to wake up, though.
River pulls out a stool from the counter and sits beside my brother. He folds his hands in front of him, watching me like a hunter sizing up his prey. Why does he have to stare at me? Like he wants to claw my clothes off with his teeth.
My twin loves River like a brother. He probably wouldn’t care if I dated his teammate, as long as River didn’t treat me like a puck bunny. But he has a reputation with women. He’s known for random flings with models. For years, he’s pursued me, tried to wear me down. Every time I was in a relationship with the asshole who fucked me over and destroyed my dream.
So maybe I should accidentally stumble into River’s bedroom. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I acted out my fantasies with one of the hottest players in the NHL.
Women love him.
He’s one of the most talked about players in the league because of his good looks and killer skills. Some people call him a pretty boy. But I think he’s more ruggedly handsome, with his dark features and lazy grins.
“We should talk about meals,” I say to no one in particular. “I don’t know what all of you like to eat and need to plan.”
This job isn’t ideal, definitely not my first choice. But at least it allows me to cook again. And the guys said last night that they are okay with me continuing my side pasty business. With how much they are paying me, I might just pull myself out of the pile of debt.
Ollie drops his phone onto the island and looks up at me. “Go with the KISS method. Keep it simple, sister.” He laughs. “Steamed veggies and chicken for dinner. Nothing fancy.”
“Speak for yourself,” Brady says as he enters the kitchen, shoving a hand through his messy hair. “I want a five course gourmet meal.”
“No, he doesn’t,” River interjects. “But you should know I’m allergic to shellfish and can’t stand the smell.”