Read Changing Scenes (Changing Teams #2) Online
Authors: Jennifer Allis Provost
Forty-Five
Donnie
The morning after the wedding was nice.
Astrid and I slept good and late, taking full advantage of the hotel’s king-sized bed that came with a million pillows and this down comforter that was so comfortable, I imagined it was what clouds in heaven felt like. When we were finally up for good I ordered some room service, though Astrid was only hungry for toast. After it was delivered we talked over juice and coffee.
“When’s the lease up on your place?” I asked.
“July thirty-first,” she replied. “Why?”
“I’m thinking about us living together,” I replied. “My lease is up April first. Maybe we can stay in your place, save one of the rents.” When Astrid pursed her lips, I asked, “Too fast, babe?”
“Yeah. No. I don’t know.” She flopped back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. “I have no idea.”
I crawled onto the bed beside Astrid, and propped myself up on my elbow and looked down at her. “This is new for me too, babe. All I know is I want to be with you as much as possible.”
That got me a smile. “Still, you can’t live with me,” she said. “It would take you almost two hours to get to work. And get home from work.”
“About that,” I said. “Me and Christa have been talking about opening a second location.”
“With you as the chef?”
“Chef and partner,” I replied. “Someplace close to the city—or even in the city—would be a great location.”
Before Astrid could reply, her phone buzzed. She grabbed it off the nightstand and said, “Britt and Sam want us to join them for brunch downstairs. Maybe you can check that place out, get some ideas for this new venture.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her neck. “Oh, I got plenty of ideas.”
***
When we got down to the restaurant we found Britt and Sam soon enough, seated at the same large booth near the back we’d had drinks at on Friday.
“Shouldn’t you two be on a honeymoon or something?” I asked after we’d said our hellos.
“We’re not leaving until next week,” Britt replied. “No need to rush, you know?”
“Guess what?” Astrid said. “Donnie might move into my place.”
Britt gave me a knowing look. “Did she tell you what her rent is?”
“Britt,” Astrid snapped.
“It’s outrageous,” Britt continued. “You could rent a villa in the south of France for less than what she pays per month.”
I looked at Astrid. “Well?”
“My rent is thirty-two hundred a month,” she replied. At least she had the decency to look ashamed.
“What?” I demanded. “That’s twice as much as my condo! And I get a yard and a driveway!”
“Well, I get a parking spot,” Astrid countered. “And a doorman.”
“What the hell does the doorman do?” I asked. “Besides opening the door, which you’re perfectly capable of doing yourself.”
“Astrid’s rent isn’t that bad,” Sam interjected. “It’s a typical Manhattan rate.”
“Yeah, you only say that because our rent is even more outrageous,” Britt said. Before Sam could defend his way too expensive for me living arrangements, Britt’s mother arrived, with Melody tagging along behind her.
“Morning, everyone,” Cindy said. Now, Britt’s mother was a beautiful woman—and looked way too young to have an adult daughter—but right then she looked pretty rough. Her hands were trembling, her hair was wound into a bun worthy of a Catholic schoolteacher, and she looked like she hadn’t slept a wink.
“How’d you give stepdaddy the slip?” Britt asked.
“I told him it was a girls only brunch,” Cindy replied, then she looked apologetically from Sam to me. “Sorry, boys.”
“That’s quite all right,” Sam said. After an almost full minute of silence, Sam kissed his bride’s forehead and slid out of the booth. “I hear this place has a great buffet. Donnie, why don’t you check it out with me?”
“Sure.” I glanced at Astrid. “Want me to grab you anything?”
“Maybe some fruit?”
“You got it, babe.”
I followed Sam to the buffet, where we grabbed some plates and looked over the offerings. He was right, it looked pretty good.
“What’s up with Britt’s mom?” I asked as I grabbed a fruit cocktail for Astrid. “She sick or something?”
“Or something.” Sam heaped enough bacon on his plate for ten people and continued, “She had quite the experience last night.”
“Yeah, I bet watching your only kid get married is pretty intense.” When Sam only grunted, I asked, “Britt’s stepfather, no one likes that guy, huh?”
Sam shook his head. “Not in the least.”
“He didn’t hurt Cindy, did he?” I demanded. Bride’s stepfather or not, I would not tolerate a sweetheart like Cindy being treated badly by her man.
“Interestingly enough, it had nothing to do with him,” Sam replied.
Sam didn’t elaborate, and since our plates were full we headed back to the table. A waiter stopped us on the way, and we ordered a pitcher of mimosas, and a second of Bloody Marys, and a nice tall water for Astrid. We got to the table just before the drinks did, with all the girls shutting up the moment they saw us. No, that wasn’t the least bit suspicious.
“So, Donnie,” Britt drawled, as she filched some of Sam’s bacon, “Astrid tells me you two are going into the restaurant business.”
“More like me and Christa,” I replied. “Why? You want to be a waitress?”
Britt laughed, while Melody said, “I’ll work for you.”
“Really, Mel?” I asked. “You sure you want to do that? Waiting tables isn’t the easiest job.”
“Yeah, well, I need to do something.” She glanced at Britt and Sam. “You two have been great, but I need to stand on my own two feet. If I don’t, then I’m just the flighty girl Patrick always thought I was.”
Britt reached across the table and grabbed Melody’s hand. “You’re nothing like that. You’re awesome, just like your favorite cousin.”
Melody raised an eyebrow. “I’m like Johnny in Albuquerque?”
Britt narrowed her eyes, tossed her napkin at Melody. “Jerk.”
“Avante-garde.”
“Girls,” Cindy said, and the two quieted down. “Melody, I think that’s a great idea. If you need anything from me, just say the word.”
“I can give you tips on waiting tables too,” Astrid said. “Some days at Al’s Place I made a few hundred dollars.”
“What?” Britt squeaked. “Maybe I’ll take that job over. Then we can finally afford our rent.”
“Our rent is perfectly manageable.” Sam huffed.
I leaned back in the booth, chewing on a strip of bacon while the girls and Sam playfully bickered. Sam was right, in addition to Astrid and our baby, I had a whole new family.
I loved it.
The End
Acknowledgements
As always, it takes a whole team of experts to put together a book. Thank you Team Limitless, for your editors, cover designers, formatters, publicists, and everything else! Limitless Publishing truly is a well-oiled machine, and I’m so glad to be associated with them.
Of course, the ultimate thank you goes to my family, the Wonder Twins and Robb. Love you guys.
About the Author
Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog that thinks she’s a kangaroo, a parrot, a junkyard cat, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior.