Free The Trouble with Christmas by Kaira Rouda Page B

coming up behind her. “I suppose he’s a good boy, just has no feel for this business. I’m gonna go on and start taking orders. Want to stick around and help back here today?”
    “I’d love it,” Lily said as Sally Ann pushed out the door, humming a tune Lily didn’t recognize. She looked around the simple kitchen and took stock of everything in front of her. She knew she could make her menu ideas work. In the corner, she spotted two large freezers and opened one to see how full it was. Both of them were about half full. Yes, it would all work just fine.
    “Hey,” Cole said appearing behind her. Just his voice rushed heat to her core. “So what do you think?”
    “It’s going to work out great,” Lily said, and she heard the happiness in her voice. She was in a kitchen, she was needed, and she was standing close to the most handsome man she’d ever met. For the first time, Lily realized she would be able to move beyond the pain caused by Bob someday, and Cole just might be the man to help her on the path to healing.
    But I need to take charge of my own life . Not just rely on Avery or others. She thought helping Cole and Sally Ann would be a great start towards self-healing.
    “Sally Ann asked me to stay and help with lunch, get a feel for the kitchen. Is that okay? I thought you could start making those phone calls?”
    “Yes, great idea,” he said. “I’ll make the calls out from the front once I get the lunch crowd seated. And, tell me what you charge an hour, I’m paying you for this.”
    “I might blow your budget,” Lily teased. Cole tensed. “Seriously, consider this a donation to the cause. I want you to open that Boys and Girls Club. The island needs a food bank, and a program of picking up prepared, but unserved, restaurant meals from the inn and all the restaurants on the island each night and serving the food to those in need. I want to be a part of it.”
    “Thank you. That’s amazing,” Cole said, resting his hand on her shoulder, their eyes locked. She could stare into them for days.
    “Hello? A little help out here?” Sally Ann said, shooting eye daggers at Cole, who rushed out to seat customers and help take their orders. Lily laughed and tied on an apron.
    The next two hours passed in a haze of frying fish, boiling shrimp, tearing lettuce, and basically, doing whatever Sally Ann instructed. At the end of the lunch rush, once all the pots and pans and dishes are washed and put away, Sally Ann walked up to Lily and wrapped her arm around her waist.
    “You know how to cook,” Sally Ann said. “You could be a beenyah, you could.”
    “Thank you, this was wonderful,” Lily said, wiping her hands on her borrowed apron. “What’s a beenyah?”
    “Ah, dat’s Gullah for folks born here on the island. We’s a dying breed,” she said, releasing her hold on Lily and stripping off her bright yellow apron. “Best get on home, before the dinner service. You come back whenever you want. With or without that one.”
    Sally Ann smiled and left. Lily stripped off her apron. She looked a wreck. Her face had been steamed in boiling water, her tank top, which she fortunately had worn under her turtleneck, was splattered in frying oil, her Converse tennis shoes sported a new cocktail sauce stain at the toe. But she was happy.
    Cole stood at the front of the restaurant, the phone pressed to his ear. He didn’t see Lily but she could hear his frustration on his side of the conversation.
    “Yes, we promise on-time delivery, ma’am, but if you have concerns, then of course you can cancel. Fine, I know you didn’t bring your chef, that’s why we’re here. Yes, I understand this is my last chance, thank you,” Cole hung up, “Ahhhh. I hate this groveling shit.”
    “Welcome to the restaurant business,” Lily said and caught him by surprise.
    “Whatever. People could be polite at least,” he grumbled, his eyes dark and angry.
    “I can’t imagine people were polite in the investment