"You fuck this up, and I won't just be a contractor, Cousin." I warned him, arms crossed and pissed at him still. Flo was putting her menu on a serving tray to bring out to the dining room for everyone to try.
Kelce, Joe and Mar had been huddled with me, while Hilary was in the office on the phone for orders.
"Still crushing on her, hm?" Kelce tried to break the tension, but Joe nodded and smirked at him, "course he is, they're shacked up but he's just a friend,"
I wanted to strangle that idiot.
"She's living with you? Jesus, Cole. You gotta tell her sometime. It's not good for you,"
My throat itched and I needed a smoke. I couldn't be talking about my love life - or what little i had. I hadn't been interested in talking about Flo, ever, yet the old buddies of mine always seemed to think it was a great topic of conversation.
"Shut up," I grumbled, not interested.
"Dude, you're fucked," Kelce shook his head, but Joe snorted as Flo came out of the kitchen with her menu. "He wishes."
Mary rolled her eyes at them, and patted my shoulder. "I'm sure she'd be good about it, maybe tell her over dinner sometime?"
I'd rather die than tell Flo. Little Flo and I were in our lane, enjoying our time as roommates - even if it felt sometimes like she could like me for more. But I didn't want to jeopardize the nights we'd fall asleep on the couch together and I'd get to wake up to see her asleep in my arms.
I didn't want to jeopardize her smile. Or her comfort at my place. I wanted her and I to stay the way we had been, even if it meant I wouldn't get to keep her all to myself.
Flo proudly, and nervously presented her menu to us. She kept Hillary's pasta, just made some tweaks to the recipe to freshen it up, but otherwise made a new line up of meals.
She stood back as we all tried the two sandwiches she'd made, the new style of fries with a new savoury seasoning that she only called the Flo spice, a roast chicken, veggies, and risotto dish, and beef and mini potatoes dish too. It all looked delicious, and tasted damn fine too.
"Oh, shit, I forgot too," Flo said, heading back to the kitchen as we'd all been trying her food.
Mary jabbed Kelce in the ribs, wanting his opinion while Flo was gone. Flo had been too fast though, and was quickly carrying out a large red velvet cake with fluffy cream cheese icing.
"I forgot about it in the fridge. Figured maybe we could sell it at the counter? Either by the slice or by cake, but maybe some would like a sweet with their coffee?" She said, cutting a few slices and plopping them on plates, handing them out before we could say no - even though I was sure none of us wanted to.
"Shit, Flo," Joe pointed to the cake with his fork, nodding in approval as she started to look a little better, not nearly so pale.
"We can alter stuff, but this is the general vibe I was thinking. Still comfortable, still cozy, and we'll add, but I thought this was a fresh start."
Kelce looked like he hadn't been interested still, and I glared at him as I ate my cake, wanting him to be good to my Flo. She'd cooked her heart out - there was no reason for him to not like this.
"I thought too, Kelce, that we should go over any recipes your dad left behind. We could incorporate them into the menu, but make them represent your family, not just your dad."
Kelce put down his plate, and we all stood there quietly, waiting and holding out for his response.
It was too quiet, and too awkward. We'd all known what Kelce had been like if his dad had been brought up. It was his wound that hurt most when poked at.
