Summer Love in the City (Summer Instalove)

need. You will be welcome back to my restaurant any time you like, gorgeous.” He shot me

a sideways glance. “You, on the other hand, didn’t make it to Adam’s birthday last night.”

“I was told about it last minute,” I shrugged, “and I had other plans. Don’t worry, I’ll take him out for a drink sometime and he’ll forgive me.”

Clayton turned to Kim with a wide grin. “Did he blow off his friends to take you out?” he

winked. Kim’s soft blush and saucy smile answered for her.

“Well then, he’s forgiven,” Clayton said. “A nice girl like you should come before a bunch of

cooks and bar folks.”

“Congratulations on the new restaurant, it’s absolutely lovely,” Kim said.

“Thank you. I hope that you’ll tell your friends to come by when we open next week.”

Kim looked around the room. “It’s not really open yet?”

“No, this is our test run. Just friends and family.” Clayton’s head cocked up as if he had

heard something. “I have to get back to the kitchen. Lovely to meet you, Kim.”

Clayton stood up to shake my hand. “Thanks for coming, Devin. It means a lot to me. And

thank you for your help with the other thing last week.”

“Anytime,” I smiled. “That’s what old friends do.”

He took off to the kitchen, leaving Kim to stare at me strangely. “Do you just know

everybody in the city?” she asked.

“When you know a bunch of restaurant people, you end up hearing quite a bit of the inner

gossip,” I explained. “You find out who spends time in what neighborhood, what sorts of

people frequent which restaurants and bars, that sort of thing.”

“Why do you need to know any of that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t. But my brother Damon is a chef, so I’ve always sort of listened in.”

Kim’s delicate dark-tipped fingernails skimmed her hair back behind her ears thoughtfully as

she glanced around the room. The server came to take away our plates.

“Are you hungry for anything else?” I asked her.

“I couldn’t possibly eat another bite,” she laughed. “I’m going to have to find the time to join a gym if I keep eating out with you.”

Reaching for a hand across the table, I entwined our fingers. “If you join a gym, you’ll have

less time for me. Let’s just work it off together, okay?”

Her hand tightened on mine as she looked at me very carefully. “So, you don’t see this as a

vacation fling? You really want this to last?” As soon as she spoke, she bit her lip shyly as if she regretted it already.