“Because you have great instincts. I like Pippa.”
Clara becoming friends with the Bennett clan is an excellent thing. She doesn’t have any family, and I like knowing she’ll have someone to rely on after I move to London.
“Me too. But I’m also afraid of her.”
Clara elbows me, chuckling. “You’re a smart man. I haven’t met all of them, but I think all the Bennett girls should be feared. Even those who married into the family.”
I nod thoughtfully, imagining the women Sebastian and Logan married are fierce and determined too. It still boggles my mind that both are married, and the older set of twins, Christopher and Max, are engaged.
The image of Alice slightly off balance after one too many drinks pops in my mind. She turned into a lovely goof, but she also lowered her guard, leaned in too close, felt me up with no regrets. I knew it was time to stop dancing when I started imagining the front buttons of her dress popping open all on their own. I only have so much self-control, and Alice was testing it with dedication.
She was sober by the time I drove her home, and we agreed to meet again before I leave, even though I have a hunch things will escalate next time I see her.
Chapter Six
Alice
Go, Alice. You can do it. I repeat this over and over as I push myself to the limit, hoping to reach the six-mile mark today. I try to increase the limit each Monday. Training for a marathon requires as much mental discipline as it does physical strength.
Once I cross the mark, I slow to a walking pace, breathing in deeply. The afternoon air is cool and humid, and judging by the dark gray clouds hanging low in the sky, we’re in for rain later on. I hate rainy evenings—people prefer to remain indoors and order in, which is bad for business.
I head into the restaurant through the back door. I keep training equipment at both my restaurants and often go for a run during downtime, which is usually between three and five. When Blue Moon opens, I’ll keep equipment there too.
My office is equipped with a shower and I hop right in, mentally going through my to-do list, which is growing to epic proportions what with the opening of the third location—even though Blake is doing most of the work, bless him. I shudder thinking what my workload will look like once the location is open, but I’ll have to learn to delegate better. Right now I suck at it. I have managers in each of the locations, but I double-check everything they do so thoroughly that I might as well do the job myself. I have no idea how Logan and Sebastian built Bennett Enterprises, or how they run that mammoth. Pippa, Christopher, and Max all work there too. They make quite the unstoppable team.
Once I’m dressed again and ready for work, I check my phone, which I didn’t have with me while running. I have ten missed calls from various business partners, as well as messages from Nate. We haven’t seen each other since Thursday.
Nate: I have some great news.
I check the time he sent me the message, ignoring my quickening pulse. Five minutes ago.
Alice: Do tell.
Nate: Nah, it has to be delivered in person. Can I come by for a quick snack? I’m in the neighborhood.
Alice: Sure. I can have lunch ready for you when you drop by if you tell me what you want.
Nate: Already had lunch, but I won’t say no to a snack.
Alice: Done.
I try not to get ahead of myself imagining what the good news might be, so instead I focus on my to-do list. Thank God for downtime. Usually that means having about five to eight guests, but today there is just one, Colin. He works nearby and often has a late lunch here. Unfortunately, he’s also asked me out, and I’ve turned him down often enough that it’s almost embarrassing to meet his eye. We’ve chatted often enough for me to realize we have nothing in common. I’m not looking to date for the sake of dating or to have some action under the sheets. I simply don’t have any more energy to pursue things I know will go nowhere. I greet him politely but then avoid further interaction while arranging the centerpieces on the rest of the tables. At the end, I bring him the bill, since all my servers are on break. And then he makes his move.
; “Alice, do you have time to grab a drink tonight?” His voice is low, clearly intending to come off as seductive. Despite his best efforts and his English accent, he fails to incite an appropriate reaction in me. My pulse isn’t quickening. There are no butterflies in my stomach. Still, I don’t find it in myself to wipe the hopeful smile off his face. I might be known for my take-no-prisoners attitude, but I’m not heartless. On the other hand, how often am I supposed to tell him no before he stops insisting? I decide to go with an ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ explanation. Truthfully, it is me.
“Colin, I’m not looking to date right now. I can offer you friendship but nothing more.”
His smile doesn’t fade. “I’ll wear you down. Have a nice day.”
Great. Not what I was hoping for, but before I can come back with a firmer statement, he winks and takes off. It’s only as I watch him walk out through the front door that I see Nate was inside already, sitting at a table. Damn, did he listen to our conversation?
“I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Saw you were busy, so I kept quiet. So, this Colin guy—”
“None of your business.”