“I wanted to refine my skills and you told me it would help you when we started developing a menu for this place,” I said, arching a brow at him as I leaned with my hip against the counter. “It was hardly studying anyway. I took a few short courses that you’ve definitely benefited from.”
“Can’t argue with that.” He grinned and reached out to swat my shoulder playfully. “Thanks for saving my butt. It really would’ve sucked if it had gotten burned.”
“I keep telling you that you’re going get it burned if you don’t settle down soon,” I said. “I just never imagined it would be the restaurant doing the burning. I honestly thought you were going to meet your match in a woman sooner rather than later and that she’d be the one to do it.”
“If I ever meet my match in a woman, I’m screwed,” he replied, expression serious but his eyes alight with humor. “It’ll make for some interesting times. That’s for sure.”
“Interesting times during which you finally get put in your place?” I pretended to think for all of five seconds. “I’d be here for that. I’m already Team Woman.”
Marlee gave me a pat on the arm when she passed me. “You have to be Team Woman, honey. We all do. It’s part of the girl code. Even if the man involved is your very own brother, you still have to side with the girl.”
Rick pouted, scrubbing his fingers over the stubble on his jaw. “That doesn’t sound fair to me. She’s my little sister. Leah should always be Team Awesome. I mean, Team Rick. Obviously.”
“Sorry, Team Awesome.” Marlee smirked and offered me her fist to bump. “It’s not our rules. It’s the girl code. You’ll just have to learn to live with it.”
“Sounds like bullshit to me,” he said, sidling up to sling his arm over my shoulders. “I’d be in a time of crisis. You wouldn’t leave me in a time of crisis, would you?”
“I’d leave you any time,” I joked, rolling my head back on his arm to wink up at him. “Just kidding. You’d be lost without me. I’d draw you a map first. Then I’d leave you. Not a minute before.”
I escaped his grip, leaving him to shake his head at me and feign disappointment. “When did you become so sassy? I could’ve sworn you used to be all sweet and adoring of me.”
“I was five,” I said. “My sixth birthday came with an attitude and the realization that you weren’t as great as I’d previously thought.”
He gripped his chest and faked a grimace. “Ouch. You’ve wounded me. Fatally.”
Taking a step closer, I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. “No, I haven’t. I merely took a jab at your ego. It can take it. I know it can. You’re the great Rick James. Your ego is more than big enough to withstand a few knocks.”
He sighed but eventually shrugged and wagged his eyebrows at me. “You still think I’m great. You said it. The ‘Great’ Rick James. Boom. I knew you still adored me.”
I groaned, bringing my hands up to my face and peeking out at him between my fingers. “It’s called sarcasm. There was a healthy dose of sarcasm in there.”
“Nah.” He waved one of his hands at me, a wide grin on his face as he shrugged again. “There was no sarcasm. You think I’m great. It’s already out there. You can’t take it back now.”
Before I could set him straight, his phone started buzzing on the industrial metal counter in front of us. He frowned when he saw the name on the screen, all of the good-natured humor fading from his eyes when he answered it.
“Sarah?” he said. “Is everything okay?”
I watched him closely while he spoke to her, noticing his gaze tracking over to me every so often as he listened to whatever his other waitress was saying. Rick’s Restaurant had become a staple in our little town just outside of Austin, Texas. He had a small contingent of loyal workers and together, we kept the regulars coming back for more.
Something had been bothering my brother all morning and having seen his reaction when the phone had rung, I was pretty sure it was about Sarah. I knew she was scheduled to be on shift tomorrow, but I had a feeling she wouldn’t be coming in.
As soon as Rick hung up the phone, my suspicions were confirmed. The corners of his lips pressed in