The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4)

“He’s right,” Kat says with a shrug. “And this is all fascinating.”

“Not all men expect to have sex on a first date,” he continues. “In fact, I would have to say that most men don’t, unless they picked you up at a bar, and you were grinding on them on the dance floor all night, and you’re twenty-two.”

“None of those things happened,” I reply.

“Well, then, I’d say he’s just a jackass.”

“There seems to be an explosion in the jackass population,” I reply, and sigh, passing my glass to Kat for a refill.

“Where are you meeting them?” he asks, and I bite my lip.

“I don’t want to tell you.”

“Online,” he says with a nod.

“I didn’t say that!”

“Didn’t have to. If you met him at the gym or the grocery store, or somewhere else in person, you wouldn’t be embarrassed.”

“I’m not embarrassed.”

“Yes, you are. Otherwise, you wouldn’t mind telling me.”

“Fine.” I sigh and rub my forehead with my fingertips. “I met them online.”

“Stop that,” he says.

“I don’t know where else I’d meet people,” I reply. “I’m at work at least fifty hours a week. I don’t do school or clubs or church, and I rarely go to the grocery store because I always eat here.”

“I could stop feeding you,” Mia interjects and I toss her a glare.

“I’m just saying, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”

“I don’t understand any of the words you just said.” I squint at him, trying to process.

“Switch it up,” he says with a grin. “Try to meet people somewhere else. I mean, you didn’t meet me online, and I’m not an asshole.”

“Sure, you’re cute, and you look like you have your shit together, but I suspect that once I got to know you I’d learn that you have mommy issues and fourteen dogs.”

“You might,” he says with a thoughtful nod. “I do hide those things well. All I’m saying is, stop using the dating sites and try meeting people in real life.”

“Yeah. Easy for you to say.” I pout into my wineglass. “Do I need to send you some money for this counseling session?”

“Nah, the first one’s on me,” he says, tossing that crazy-hot smile at me again. “Just don’t combine Star Wars and Star Trek anymore and that’s payment enough for me.”

He pulls a few bills out of his wallet and tosses them on the bar, then stands to leave.

“Have a good night, and good luck,” he says.

“Thanks.” Just as he’s almost out of view, I call out, “Wait! I didn’t ask your name.”

“Trevor,” he says, and my stomach immediately does at least four cartwheels. “Trevor Cooper.”

“You’re early,” is all I can think to say. My cheeks are burning, my fingers immediately tremble. “You’re not supposed to be here for two more days.”

“I like to come early. Get the lay of the land, that sort of thing.” He smiles and waves. “See you in a couple of days.”

He walks away, and as soon as I hear the front door close, I turn to my friends and just stare at them in utter horror.

“Tell me that didn’t just happen.”

Kat snickers and Mia just flat-out laughs, slapping the bar.

“This is hilarious,” Mia says with glee.

“No, it’s not,” I reply. “I look horrible, I sound like a fucking teenager who can’t get a boyfriend. He’s here on business.”

I drag my fingers through my hair, then lean on the bar in despair.

“He wasn’t here on business tonight,” Mia says, and pats my back. “Besides, it’s okay with me if he doesn’t stay. I didn’t want him here in the first place.”

“No, it’s not okay if he doesn’t stay,” I reply, and come up for air. “The fact that Best Bites TV wants to come here to film Seduction is a big deal, Mia.”

“I know, you’ve told me.”

“I mean, this will put us on the map globally. And I know you don’t love the idea of a camera crew being in the kitchen, but it won’t be forever.”

“We’ve already had this conversation,” she says with a frown.

“Not that it matters because I was just a complete ninny with the producer of the show right here in the bar.”

“A ninny?” Kat asks with a grin. “I like that word.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not describing you right now,” I reply with a sigh. “He must think I’m completely ridiculous.”

“I don’t think so,” Mia replies. “He smiled at you, and looked you up and down like you’re a heaping scoop of ice cream and he couldn’t wait to eat you up.”

“Whatever,” I reply, and roll my eyes. “Now I have to pull it together and have a professional relationship with him. I’m the one that has to work with him, not you guys.”

Since I’m the marketing and publicity expert in our fivesome, working with Best Bites TV is all on my shoulders. Which is fine, and what I enjoy, but I’ve never failed so badly during the first meeting with a professional.

“I’m mortified. I have to quit and move to Mexico.”

“Sun and drinks all day, Enrique on hand to service your every whim?” Kat nods thoughtfully. “Doesn’t sound too bad, really.”

“Maybe we should all go,” Mia says with a nod.

“You’d hate it,” I reply, and nudge her with my shoulder. “You’d worm your way back into the kitchen to take over the place.”

“True. I’d better stay here.”

“I don’t think any of us needs to move away,” Kat says as she stows away the last clean glass. “He didn’t seem at all put off by your man crisis, Ri.”

“Dear sweet baby Jesus,” I mutter, and shake my head. “What is wrong with me?”

“You’re letting these men get in your head,” Mia says. “Seriously, stop trying so hard. My mom always says that love will happen when you’re not looking for it.”

“That didn’t work either.” I dig my fingertips into the muscles of my neck, making a mental note to call for an appointment for a massage. “I’m really not a desperate woman, you know. I don’t need a man to complete me.”

“You’ve never been desperate,” Mia says. “It’s not a bad thing to want someone special in your life.”

“Exactly. That’s a perfect way to phrase it.” I grab my handbag and lean in to kiss each of them on the cheek before I walk away. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow if I don’t die of embarrassment tonight.”

“Sleep well!” Kat calls out.



It’s been a long day. Hell, it’s been a long year. I can’t complain, though, because the restaurant isn’t just thriving, it’s bursting at the seams. At the rate we’re going, I can see us expanding to other Pacific Northwest cities in the next three years. We’re always packed, and now that the television show is going to happen, we’ll be turning people away.

It’s something to be proud of, and maybe a little scared of too. When Addie, Cami, Mia, Kat, and I opened less than two years ago, we didn’t anticipate this at all.

We just wanted the restaurant to be successful, to support ourselves, and we did that and more in the first six months.