Jennifer Probst - All the Way

“I bet you’d sell out your career for a cheap lay.” Allison sniffed and looked down at her. “I’ve been in the business much longer than you. It’s a proven fact in the industry. Mix criticism with pleasure and you have a disaster.”

A stillness came over his lover and his gut clenched. Uh-oh. Something big was going down, and he had a bad feeling. A triumphant expression crossed Miranda’s face. He didn’t have a moment to process the result.

“Maybe you don’t take your career as seriously as I do. You see, Gavin is both the owner of Mia Casa and my lover. I wrote the review while we were dating.”

With one quick movement, she grasped his head and pulled his mouth down to hers. He heard the whoosh of his own breath at the openly carnal, open-mouth kiss, the gasp of Allison, and the laughter of the crowd. With a huge wet smack, she released him, and gave her enemy a brilliant smile.

Allison stared at them both. “Impossible. You trashed your own lover’s restaurant?”

Miranda beamed. “Damn straight, I did. I’m hardcore. Don’t forget it, Allison.”

With a saucy grin, she walked out the door.

Point, set, and match to Miranda.

Score.

Yeah, he loved the hell out of that woman. Now he had to find a way to keep her, save the restaurant, and get his partnership. He was due to hear back from his boss by the end of the week, and he hoped to God he wasn’t out of time.

…

Gavin sat in his office and studied the spreadsheets. A slight throb at the back of his neck warned him a headache was on the way. He rubbed his temples and tried to concentrate. His future lay before him in all its former glory, and suddenly instead of the yellow brick road, it looked more like the road to Perdition.

He clicked the mouse and brought up the email. His boss was quite clear in his intentions. Gavin’s time was officially expired. He was due in China by the end of the week. The airline tickets attached slammed him back into reality. If he did his job, he’d finally get his partnership.

A partnership he didn’t even know if he wanted anymore.

Everything seemed to have changed this past year. In a cutthroat world where profit and flexibility for travel meant success, he’d carved out a name for himself and a reputation that preceded him. He’d been proud of the accomplishment, but after walking into his fourth meeting of the day, he realized he’d reached thirty years old and lived on antacids and caffeine. Burn-out flickered at the edges of his life. He lived in conference rooms and out of suitcases and briefcases. He’d been in Rome and never viewed the Coliseum. Lived in London for two weeks and couldn’t say what the Queen’s residence looked like. Life passed him by, and thoughts of what he gave up with Miranda tortured him.

Before his father called, he’d taken a long vacation and traveled for pleasure. For knowledge. For self-actualization. He studied self-help books and got hooked on the mastery of ancient yogis who reached enlightenment and had nothing in their pocket. When he reached India, something clicked deep inside. Finally, he found the truth. Peace was all from the inside, and had nothing to do with how many accounts can be closed in so little time.

Yet, with his own making, he’d trapped himself. Cloaked in a surface life of travel and profit, he had no idea how to step off the endless hamster wheel. When Pop called him to save Mia Casa, the missing puzzle piece clicked into place. For the first time, he felt like he’d found home. With Miranda back in his arms, he’d finally found love.

But was it too late? He’d be in China for three months. His family accepted his help, but he no longer belonged to the restaurant world, and would never yank that from his brother’s grasp. Lately, Brando had worked hard to become more responsible. Hell, he’d been covering his own ass with all the evenings he missed trying to forge a relationship with Miranda. No, his brother deserved the restaurant. Gavin made the choice years ago to walk away.

It had just been the wrong choice.

A knock sounded on the door and his father stepped in. “Tony says he doesn’t have enough tomatoes.”

Gavin grasped for patience. “Pop, there’s plenty there. Remember, you have to look at the inventory chart. Here, I’ll show you on the computer.”

Archimedes snorted in sheer disgust. “I do not like these fancy new programs. Too many colors. Too small print. Makes my eyes hurt.”

“You have to learn it. I’ll be leaving soon.”

“Ah, you are going back, huh?”

Temper and guilt nipped at his nerves. “I don’t have a choice, Pop. I only took a leave of absence to help. We’re going to be okay. I’ve been showing Brando the ropes, and I’m hiring a general business manager to run the day-to-day. I’m also increasing the wait staff and getting Tony a new assistant chef from the Culinary. Marketing is paid up for the next year.”

Archimedes nodded and slowly lowered himself into the battered chair across from the desk. “All of the loose ends are neatly tied up, yes? You have poured much money into Mia Casa. We all have a role here. I guess this one was yours.”

His words ripped like a bullet and shredded flesh. Gavin leaned forward and drilled his father with his gaze. “Are we going to have one of these conversations again? When you tell me one thing but you really mean another? Just say it, Pop. I’ve disappointed you. I chose a different career than the family restaurant and you’ll never truly forgive me. Why don’t we just get it out there for once?”

All the surface niceties splintered beneath his father’s knowing gaze and it only made Gavin more pissed off. Pop studied him, and suddenly he was back in his youth. “You are wrong, Giovanni. You always have been. I will always support my children going after their dreams, as long as this makes them happy. You cannot run a restaurant with just money. You must love what you do and be passionate. Then it will be successful.”

“Bullshit. A restaurant needs money. It had you and Brando, while I was overseas and Mia Casa almost went bankrupt. So, how does heart play into it, Pop?”

“We needed you, Giovanni.”

He jerked back. “What did you say?”

His father smiled. “You are not happy any longer at your company. I heard this in your voice on the phone. I see it here every day. You lost yourself, but found your home again. Do you know the joy I see in you when you greet the customers or help Tony in the kitchen? You are a part of this place—in the brick and mortar—but you’ve just been afraid to admit it. Mia Casa is your home and your passion. You just needed to leave it in order to find it again.”

The room swayed under the gentle knowledge in his father’s eyes. He shook his head hard. “No, I lost my chance. This place belongs to Brando. It’s his inheritance now.”

“I have already spoken to Brando. He wants to go to college with Tracey. He needs to complete his degree, and then he will come back as well. You will run it together, as brothers. This has always been my goal.” Archimedes sighed and opened his hands in front of him. “You are so stubborn. Like your mama. Yes, your money helped put us back on course. But without you, its reputation will falter. Someone who has no love or stake in a place that makes food will never make a success. Brando is too young, and I am too old. This is your time, Giovanni. If you stay.”

“What if I fail? What if I leave a top-paying job, where I make sense, and find I’m not able to take Mia Casa to the next level?”

Archimedes shrugged. “Sinatra failed many times in his career. Then he got his big break in From Here to Eternity , but he wasn’t afraid to try. You must go after what you want, my son. And what about Miranda? Where does she fit into all of this? Are you ready to leave her?”