Spark (Heat #2)(3)

The corners of her mouth dart up into a smile. "Don't you dare tell me that you haven't considered the idea, Den. You're the one who told me that Brendon was capable of just about anything."

I did say that. I can't remember exactly when since Brendon annoyed the hell out of me so often when we were together. Sophia had been my sounding board whenever I was pissed off at my then boyfriend. I knew it would come back to bite me in the ass at some point in a subtle, or not so subtle, 'I told you so' moment.

"He's not capable of setting a fire, Soph."

"I think he is." She nods toward my closet. "It's not a coincidence that he said he was going to Nova that morning and then it was on fire. He hated that you worked for Tyler. He wants you back at Axel and since Nova is no more, he thinks you'll run back to him."

"That's quite the conspiracy theory." I close my eyes briefly wishing that I'd gone to bed when I had the chance. Sophia worked late today. I used the extra time to finish the last of the phone calls to my co-workers. I thought about sending out a group text to tell them about the meeting at Tyler's apartment tomorrow afternoon but I wanted to hear their voices to assure them that Tyler was fine and to encourage them to come to the meeting. Some agreed to show up, others told me they'd try and make it and a few were too distraught to say much at all. I ended up leaving voicemails for six people, including Darrell and Maribel.

"Love can make people do crazy things." Her gaze narrows. "Have you talked to Brendon since the fire? He's asked you to work with him again, hasn't he? He wants you back at Axel."

I avoid answering directly. "He wanted me back before the fire. I told you that. He came into Nova for lunch and offered me a job."

"He's going to ask again." She sighs as she walks toward the doorway. "He'll push for you to go back now that Nova is done. I'm surprised he hasn't already told you that he has a job waiting for you."

I'm surprised that she has so much insight into a man she can't stand. Brendon has called. He's called at least six times since the morning of the fire. I haven't answered. Each and every message he's left has been a repeat of the one before.

He wants me back at Axel working alongside him and as soon as I give him the word, the job of senior chef is mine.

"I'll never work with him again." I fiddle with the hem of the tank top I'm wearing, tugging on a loose thread. "I don't need to go work at Axel. I can wait until Nova is rebuilt."

"Tyler is rebuilding the restaurant? I didn't realize he was planning on doing that."

He's not. Technically, I don't know if he is or not. I'm assuming he is based on my own desire to keep working with him. I haven't told Sophia that I'm tied up in knots inside. I'm worried that if I go work at another restaurant that my relationship with Tyler will fade into nothingness.

It's not a stretch to think that things will change, especially since we haven't spent any time alone together the past three days other than the few minutes on the sidewalk this morning.

I know that I was the one who fell asleep and missed going to his place last night but he didn't track me down. He wasn't looking for me when I didn't show up.

His attention is focused on picking up the pieces of his life, not on what's going to happen between the two of us. It's so seriously f*cked up that I'm worrying about whether he'll still be interested in me when he's trying to deal with losing his entire business.

I need to haul my ass out of the pool of pity I'm wading in and help him in any way I can.

"He's having a staff meeting tomorrow afternoon. He wants to talk to everyone who works at the restaurant." My eyes linger on my freshly laundered chef jackets. "He asked me to arrange it for him."

"Why?" She leans her hip against the wooden doorframe. "So he can tell everyone that Nova will rise from the ashes? I wonder how long it will take for that to happen."

I don't say anything. I only shrug before she turns and walks down the hallway toward her own room. I'm silently grateful that she didn't wait for me to reply. I couldn't tell my best friend that I have no idea what my lover is going to say in that meeting. I'll hear his plans for the future at the very same time everyone else who works for him does.





CHAPTER 3


I approach Tyler's apartment building with just a few minutes to spare. I thought about arriving to this meeting early, but I honestly didn't see the point. If he wanted me here before the masses showed up, he would have told me.

Utter silence was the response after I sent him a text message this morning asking how he was. I sent another, almost an hour later, to see if he needed me to help with anything else. He didn't text me back so I focused on my day, using the time to organize my closet and start a mystery novel my mom bought me months ago for my birthday.

I reach for the curved metal handle of the glass door but the doorman is quicker. He pulls it open from the inside, waving his hand in a wide arc inviting me into the lobby.

"I'm here to see…"

"Mr. Monroe," he interrupts with a dip of his chin. "I never forget a pretty face. I've got a standing order to send everyone straight up as they arrive."

I toss him a smile as I make my way across the lobby and step into the waiting elevator. As the lift rises, I run my tongue over my lips. They're dry. I'm anxious. I've felt unease tugging at me since the fire.