If I Told You (32 page)

Opening the door to Flynn’s, I walk inside wondering why no one is at the front desk. I peer behind the wall to see Melissa and Flynn engaged in what looks like a heated argument. I wonder for a moment if I should leave, but then I remember, Flynn is mine now, so I take a deep breath and walk forward. He looks up at me and shakes his head. Melissa turns around, and when she sees me her eyes open wide.

“Can I just go now?” she asks Flynn.

“For God’s sake, Mel. Would you just hear me out?”

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“I’m quitting,” Mel says. “Trying to, but Flynn won’t let me.”

“Why do you want to quit?”

She puts her hands on her hips. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously.”

She looks around the empty restaurant for a minute. “I don’t want to get fired.”

I look at Flynn. “Am I missing something here?”

Melissa rolls her eyes. “You know what happened. You saw it with your own eyes.”

“Okay. So?”

“So? You don’t hate me? You’re not mad?”

“Why would I be?”

“Because he’s your boyfriend now and…” she sighs, shaking her head, and I get it now.

“Flynn, can you let me talk to Melissa please? Alone.” Flynn nods leaving us. “Come on, Mel. Let’s sit for a minute.” She sits, staring down at the table. “What happened with you and Flynn doesn’t matter to me.”

“How is that possible?” she asks, glancing up at me. “I don’t want to cause problems, and then you’ll tell him to get rid of me and then—”

“Stop, Mel. You won’t cause problems. Flynn and I weren’t together when that happened.”

“I know, but if I work here then, I don’t know, it just feels disrespectful to you.”

“Look at me.” She looks up and I smile. “Flynn and I have a unique thing for sure. It’s not weird for me, and I’m sure Flynn’s fine with it, too. I hope you can move past it because you’re really valuable to Flynn’s. You’re very good at what you do and customers love you. I know Flynn doesn’t want you to go.”

“But you’re not, I don’t know, worried or jealous that I’ll hit on him again? I mean, I won’t now that I know, but doesn’t that bother you?”

“No.” I pat her hand. “Here’s the thing. Flynn is incredible. He’s one of the hottest chefs in New York right now and women have always and will always throw themselves on him. I knew it as his friend, and I know it as his girlfriend.” I pause for a moment to reflect on that term.
Girlfriend
. “I have to believe, and I do, that Flynn’s affection for me outweighs any possible temptation that comes his way. I know he respects me way too much to do anything with anyone else.” I smile. “And I don’t want to be an asshole, but personally speaking he didn’t care about you that way. Professionally speaking, you’re important to him.”

She nods. “I know.”

“Besides, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not exactly chopped liver. My confidence is tight.”

Mel finally laughs. “Good point. Who could compete with you?”

“Glad I made you laugh. It’s not a competition though. Flynn is one thousand percent mine, and there’s not another woman on this planet that could take him from me. I know this because, well, because I know Flynn. You even said so yourself that once we decided to be together nothing would come between that. Remember?”

She nods, then after a moment asks, “So, you’re okay if I stay?”

“Absolutely. I hope you will.”

“I’d like to. I love my job.”

“Good.” I smile, patting her back. “Let’s go tell Flynn the news.”

“Okay.” We stand and she throws her arms around me. Surprised, I return the hug. “I’m actually super happy for you guys.” She steps back, smiling. “I always knew it was you. I’m glad you both realized it.”

“Thanks, Mel.” I look past her at Flynn who lingers behind us. “I am too.”

After telling Flynn she’s staying, Melissa resumes her position up front and Flynn walks over to me.

“Settled now?” he asks.

“It’s all good. Guess she thought I’d be mad or jealous or something because of what happened with you guys.”

He shakes his head. “Chicks, sometimes.”

I laugh. “Right?”

“I was trying to apologize to her for how I treated her, and she just freaked out. I guess she thought I was gonna fire her.”

“Yeah, she basically thought I would demand it. I told her I didn’t give a shit. It was in the past when we weren’t together, and I had no concerns regarding your faithfulness. None.”

Grinning, he grips my waist and pulls me close. “You’re right. I never need to look again, or wonder what’s out there. I’m holding my dream woman.”

“Took us long enough.”

“I guess we needed the time.” Leaning close, he kisses me softly. “You know what’s really awesome about us?”

“What?”

“We don’t have to do all that getting to know you bullshit that new couples do. We don’t have to think about what secrets we should keep or wonder how long we’ll want the other person around. We don’t have to worry about dumb shit. We can just live and love and be ourselves.”

“That is awesome about us.”

“Hell, we don’t even need to decide when we want to move in together.”

“Nope.”

“All we have to decide is what’s next for us.”

“This is good. Just like it is.”

He nods, searching my eyes. “Maybe we’ll want more someday.”

I tilt my head, grinning. “More? Like what?”

Flynn shrugs. “Just more. For me, Brooks, you and me, this is forever. You’re it.”

“It’s the same for me.”

“I know. It makes me feel good imagining us years from now and what our lives might be like. Do you think about that?”

I shake my head softly. “I haven’t yet.” Rising on my toes, I kiss his lips. “I guess I don’t need to. I just always knew you’d be there, in my future, right beside me. It’s just a little different now.”

“Yeah. Better.”

“Much.”

“I love you.” He chuckles. “I never thought I would say that so freely and mean it like I do.”

“You’ve told me you loved me a thousand times over the years. It’s funny how those three words have such a different meaning now.”

“I’ll tell you a thousand more times.”

“Good.”

Flynn smiles. “I’ll tell you something else.”

“What?”

“You know the way you kiss me, the way you have for years, just that sweet little peck on the mouth?”

“Yeah.”

“Fucking drives me nuts. Every time I saw you, I always hoped you’d do it again. It was like I was a drug addict and that was my hit.”

I smile. “Want to know why I did it?”

“I’ve always wanted to.”

“Simple. Because you have the sexiest mouth I’ve ever seen and because you let me.”

Flynn chuckles. “It’s yours to kiss for the rest of your life, baby.”

“I plan to do just that.”

A few weeks later, I’m helping Flynn set up the dining room for a large private party coming in tonight. As the weeks pass, I find myself hanging out at the restaurant more and more, probably because it’s the only way to spend time with my superstar chef. After straightening a vase of flowers, I call Flynn over.

“How’s this? Meet your approval?”

“Perfect. I love it.” He pulls me into his arms, causing me to laugh. “Almost as much as I love you.”

Just as he leans down to kiss me again, we’re interrupted by a man clearing his throat. I twist around, surprised to see Rhys. Flynn releases me, but only slightly.

“Excuse me for interrupting,” Rhys says. “I was in the neighborhood, and thought I’d stop in.”

“Welcome,” Flynn says. “It’s early for dinner, but if you’d like me to whip up something for you—”

Rhys lifts his hand stopping Flynn’s words. “Thank you, but no. Just came to see how business was going.”

“Fantastic,” Flynn says.

“Good,” Rhys says, looking around.

My eyes shift between the man I used to date and the one I do now. Awkward, party of three.

Nodding, Rhys smiles. “This is an interesting situation we’ve all ended up in, isn’t it?”

“It is.” I glance at Flynn. “Can you give us a minute alone, babe?”

“Sure.” He kisses my cheek, before nodding at Rhys.

Once we’re alone, I turn back to Rhys. “Actually, I’m glad to see you.”

“You are?”

I nod. “How are you? Have you forgiven me?”

“Nothing to forgive, Brooklyn. You tried your best, and in the end, I think you gave me all you had. It’s not your fault someone else had your heart. You’re an incredible person and…” He glances around the restaurant. “I still miss you sometimes, but seeing you just now with Flynn, I know that’s who you were meant to be with. He looked so happy holding you. I know I was.” He chuckles. “Flynn’s a lucky man.”

“Thank you.”

“I may not sound like it, but I’m over you. I’m over what happened. I wish you and Flynn well. I met someone last week, and we’re going out this weekend.”

“That’s wonderful. It’s awesome how gracious you’ve been toward Flynn.”

“You know why?”

“Tell me.”

“I’m not some benevolent nice guy. I loved taunting him and rubbing it in his face that I had you, and I did whenever I could, but I know for a fact, that if you were falling for me, if you were really happy, he would’ve let me keep you. So I had to do the same thing. Like I’ve said, I just want you to be happy. You deserve it.”

Nodding, I smile. “You changed everything, Rhys. You made us see…” I pause. Damn, I’m getting emotional. “You know.”

“I know what you’re saying, Brooklyn. I guess that was my role in your life, and I told you what you did for me. I’m glad things are going well for the restaurant.”

“He has a month long waiting list, even for weeknights. Thanks to you.”

“No, thanks to him. He cooks, I just eat.” I laugh softly. His eyes shift behind me, and I turn to see Flynn lingering. “I’ve probably overstayed my welcome. I’m sure he’s not entirely comfortable with me around you.”

“He’s fine.” I smile. “Maybe a little jealous. I stayed with you longer than any man ever.”

“So, I had a chance?” He laughs.

“Definitely. Who knows, maybe we’d still be together.”

“Maybe, but this is what’s right.” He stands. “As I said before, I’m very happy for you. Both of you.”

I offer a hug that Rhys returns. “You take care of yourself.”

Rhys smiles. “You too.”

Once he’s gone, Flynn walks over and wraps his arm around my waist. “What was that about?”

“I wanted to know if he forgave me.”

“Did he?”

“Yeah. He’s happy for us, and I believe him. He said he knows that if you thought I was falling for him or really happy, you would’ve stayed away. He said he knew he had to do the same.”

“I think he’s wrong. I couldn’t control my feelings anymore.”

Turning toward him, I smile. “No, he’s right. I opened the door. I flirted, teased. I kissed you, showed my body. If I hadn’t done those things, if I was all in with Rhys, I don’t think you would’ve made a move. If I told you I was falling in love, you would’ve sacrificed your feelings for mine. Rhys is right.”