The Spice of Life

Icing on the Cake

Icing on the Cake

“Cheers!” Everyone called out, raising their glasses in a toast to Leo.

Thyme & Sage had officially been open for half a month now and business was good. They were still a restaurant where a reservation was needed, they still had more than enough reservations every day, and, by all accounts, they were a success.

Leo's parents had decided to celebrate. They were holding the celebratory breakfast at Thyme & Sage itself because it was not open yet and that was the only time they could spend with Leo at the moment. Being such a new restaurant, being the only head chef there, he was needed on sight just as often as Brynn was. She wouldn't be ale to hire or train a new chef of Leo's caliber for a while so they would just have to get used to working seven days a week.

Not that either one of them was complaining. They were both enjoying themselves far too much. Leo was finally living out his passion and Brynn had never enjoyed passion like this before. It felt good, it felt right. Not that she would ever admit that to anyone.

Everyone was at the breakfast. Leo's parents were admiring the building once again while Judy stood beside them telling them everything she knew. Which, to Brynn's surprise, was quite a lot. Leland and Lance were talking with Leo. As the youngest, even at a celebration in his honor, he couldn't escape a little good natured teasing from his brothers.

Though Lance's attention didn't stay on Leo for long. Every now and again he would send a glance over at Grace and every time he did, Grace would blush and hide in her drink.

Their date the other night, to Brynn's annoyance, had gone boringly well. The two of them talked and laughed and, when they got up from the table, Lance dared to hold Grace's hand. It was all so sweet and innocent it made her wonder if they would ever graduate to the sex part of a relationship.

Not that she had any right to talk as she and Leo still hadn't made it to that part yet. Not that they had the time. Now that Brynn was getting enough sleep at night, all of her time and energy was going into Thyme & Sage. She didn't regret it, it just left little time for her and Leo.

“Want a biscuit?” Lance asked, appearing at her elbow and offering her the flaky food. They were fresh baked from Grace's ovens just for the occasion. “I've already put butter and jam on it.”

“Thanks.” Brynn took it happily and dug right in.

Ever since Brynn had surprised Lance by bringing Grace to his table the other night, he had been practically her slave. He was so grateful to her for giving him the chance, the break he had been looking for all this time, that he couldn't do enough for her.

“You putting in another full day today?” he asked, just making conversation.

She nodded and swallowed the bite in her mouth before answering. “Yeah, there's a lot of stuff to see to around here. Workday never stops.”

“You look like you're having fun though.” Lance smiled at her.

Brynn shrugged carelessly and took another bite.

Lance's grin only widened. He was used to people in his life expressing their emotions, Brynn was the first he had ever met that didn't. But he was quickly growing used to her. Brynn being quiet and not replying to something like that was her way of agreeing with it.

Still, he didn't like seeing her work so hard without any time to relax. He said as much and got a deadpan stare in return. She didn't understand what he was saying because she didn't think of it as working too much. She was doing what she wanted to do; that just happened to be work.