Chapter 3-1
590 Words
Chapter 3
Seth was not as sure about this expansion as Karlee was. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, but she was taking a big risk with her business at a time when she should probably be playing it safer. A baby brought a lot of unknowns and he was worried she was getting in over her head.
Once she’d divulged what she and Chris had discussed, Seth had worried even more. It didn’t matter how hot Chris was, they didn’t really know him. And yet, here they were, discussing Chris paying half the rent on the new space and moving his catering company from his home to the store, plus having him teach.
“But you haven’t even tasted his food,” Seth persisted. “You can’t partner with someone you just met.”
“Jesus Christ, what have you got against this guy? You were drooling over him for months. Now all of a sudden you’re against him?” She threw up her arms and fled to the storeroom.
He followed, not ready to let the matter drop. “You’re having a baby, Karlee. What if this doesn’t work out?” he asked as he pushed through the door.
Karlee whirled on him, her eyes flashing. “Why the hell do you think I’m doing this? Seriously! In three months I’m going to be a single mother. The father wants nothing to do with this baby and I’m going to be all it has. I have to make sure I can provide well for my baby,” she cried, her voice rising in volume with each word.
Seth was shocked; he hadn’t had any idea she was so stressed out. He pulled her into his arms as she wept, her head pressing against his chest. Seth stroked her hair and whispered, “You’ll never be alone, Karlee. You’ll always have me.”
When she’d confided in him a few months ago, he hadn’t been surprised to hear that the father didn’t want to be involved. The guy was an ass that Seth had met only once and had instantly disliked. She hadn’t mentioned him again until now, but Seth understood her well enough to know she kept things hidden when she was hurting. It was just her way.
“But I have to be both parents,” she said, sniffling. “I have to make sure this is already started before I give birth.”
Seth felt like a jerk. He’d been arguing with her for days and all she was trying to do was ensure her baby was taken care of. “Okay. I’ll help. Hell, you’ve done an amazing job here. Not many people can say they own and run a successful business at the age of twenty-five. I trust your instinct to expand.”
Karlee pulled away. “You do?” she asked, her green eyes pleading with him to understand and agree.
“Yes.”
“What about Chris?”
He sighed. “I still think you should try his food first, but I might have been against you partnering with him for another reason,” he grudgingly admitted.
“Like what?” she asked, c*****g her head and wiping at her tears.
He exhaled sharply and glanced at the shelves full of items he needed to inventory, then turned back to Karlee. “I worried my attraction to him was clouding my judgment, so to be sure I didn’t let that happen, I played devil’s advocate with myself, thinking he might be scamming you or something like that. I know it wasn’t fair. But as I said, I still think we need to at least try his food. What if he’s a terrible chef?”
“I already thought about that. He’s bringing a variety of his menu items today for us to taste.”
Of course she’d already thought to ask Chris for that, he chided himself.
“He should be here soon,” she added. “I’m starving, so I can’t wait to taste what he brings.”
Seth chuckled. “You’re always hungry.”
That earned him a pretty nasty glare. “Hey, I’m eating for two!”
- Writer
