it is you. I’m not sure what to tell you other than to be patient. She’s going to expect you to walk away. It doesn’t help matters that you already have.”
“Fuck,” I breathed. “You make it sound like I don’t have a chance.”
Flynn shrugged. “I didn’t say that. Just remember: don’t break her heart.”
Chapter Eleven
Nora
“What do you need?” I called from the pantry.
I peered through the doorway of the pantry into the kitchen with a box of crackers in one hand. Daphne glanced over from where she was rinsing her hands by the sink. “Some clean dish towels, please.”
“You got it, girl,” I called as I turned around and reached for several dish towels from the stack we kept in here on the corner of one of the shelves.
Returning to the kitchen, I set the crackers down and swapped out the towels, tossing the used ones into the laundry bin we kept under one of the cabinets. “Need some help?” I asked as I leaned against the counter and opened the crackers.
I needed something to tide me over for the next few minutes until dinner. I’d meant to eat today, but it never happened because my flying schedule hadn’t left me any time. As a result, I was hungry to the point of feeling faint.
Daphne smiled over at me as she turned off a burner. “No, but thank you.”
She crossed over to the refrigerator. A moment later, she returned, handing me a tray of already sliced cheeses. “Sit down and eat before you fall over.”
I did as she instructed. Rounding the counter, I slid my hips onto a stool and watched her get dinner ready for the staff while I nibbled on the cheese and crackers. I loved hanging out in the kitchen now. Ever since Daphne had taken over as chef here last year, the food was incredible, and she created a sense of warmth and welcoming. Previously, we’d gone through a series of cooks. Some were better than others, but it was more the practical matter of offering food to the guests. Flynn’s prickly attitude and impatience had chased off a few, but he didn’t dare mess with Daphne, so she made that better too.
Now, the guests were disappointed on the evenings when Daphne didn’t serve a guest meal. She took two evenings off, and we encouraged the guests to go into town on those nights to take advantage of the local restaurants.
“How are things with Gabriel?” she asked after I finished my fourth cracker with a piece of cheese. Daphne did that often. She would strike with a targeted question just when you let down your guard.
I almost choked and held a finger up as I finished chewing. She handed me a glass of water, her eyes twinkling and her lips curled in a sly smile. I watched as she carefully shifted the seared vegetables from a pan onto a serving platter and drizzled some kind of sauce over them.
“What’s that?” I asked after I finished chewing and took a sip of water.
“Vegetables with a lemon tarragon sauce. You didn’t answer my question.”
I sighed, glancing around furtively in case anyone was coming into the kitchen.
Daphne continued, “No one’s here yet. Gabriel told Flynn he’s in love with you.”
“What?!” I sputtered.
Her eyes caught mine, her gaze somber as she nodded slowly. “Yes. I think he really means it.”
Just then, my older brother came walking into the kitchen, calm and oblivious to our conversation. He stopped by Daphne, sliding his arms around her waist from behind and dipping his head to press a lingering kiss on the side of her neck.
Daphne’s cheeks flushed pink. “Hi,” she said, a little breathlessly.
I gave her an arch look. After confronting me about Gabriel and dropping that little bomb on me, she deserved to be embarrassed by my brother.
“Hey,” Flynn said as he stepped away from Daphne. “I’m starving. Are you sharing?”
Before I could even answer, his long arm reached over to the counter where I sat opposite the stove and snagged one of my crackers with cheese.
“I guess I am,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
I was torn about whether to confront Flynn about his conversation with Gabriel. Why was he even talking to Gabriel about me? I hated when he was nosy and overprotective. When Grant came walking through the back door, I decided I’d have to leave it alone. I didn’t know if I should be furious at Flynn or Gabriel. No matter, I didn’t appreciate them discussing