Steamed

place orders or even to get in the door; the sidewalk was jammed. “Listen, I’m just gonna hop on the line for a minute and help Stein out before you all discover something about my past. I don’t know who else is supposed to be working today, but he looks swamped. I’ll be right back.” He hurried behind the counter and started cracking eggs onto the large griddle.
    As Ade and Owen cleaned their plates, I sat back in my chair, sipped my coffee, and, in between catching glimpses of Josh at work behind the counter, wondered about dinner tonight with the Raffertys. I’d have to keep the evening short and to the point without letting on that I wanted to pin the murder on my host and hostess to exonerate my new man. For the twenty minutes Josh was gone, I was uncharacteristically quiet.
    When he returned, he apologized and said, “The new kid they hired never turned up, so Stein is alone. But Robert just showed up, and he’s going to help out until someone else gets here.” Stein was now accompanied by a man in his mid-fifties whose head was mostly bald, with gray and brown fringe on the sides. A long, bushy mustache hung down around his mouth and curled slightly at the ends. “Listen,” Josh said, “I didn’t realize how late it is. I have to get home and get ready for work. I’m supposed to be there at two to prep for tonight. And I have to do a bunch of ordering.”
    “I forgot you have to work tonight.” I made a mock-pouty face at him. “So when do you get off?”
    “You tell me.” He smiled devilishly.
    “Ha-ha. What time are you done working?”
    “Oh. Probably not till late tonight. I’ve got a late party coming up that I have to take care of. Sorry.” He’d warned me about chefs’ hours. “I’ve got a long day again tomorrow, but how about I come over on Monday and make you dinner? You’re home at like, what? Five?”
    I nodded. I’d leave my field placement early by pleading emotional turmoil resulting from the intensity of the job. I didn’t want Josh to leave, but I knew I could endure two days if the delay meant another amazing meal. And possibly more.
    We all headed for the door, waved good-byes and thanks to Stein, and walked outside.
    “I parked my car down here last night, remember?” Josh pointed up Beacon Street.
    “Um, vaguely.” I searched my drunken memory.
    “There are a couple of meter-free spots down here, so hopefully I won’t have a ticket.” Josh gave me a hug. “Listen, Chloe. Be careful tonight, okay? I appreciate that you want to help me, but if you think the Raffertys are dangerous... well, just watch out. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
    “I don’t want anything to happen to me either, but I have to get clear with them. I’ll leave you a message on your cell when I get home to let you know I’m alive and well, okay?”
    “Fine. But I won’t relax until I hear from you.”
    “Good. I like to keep my men on edge,” I said, kissing him good-bye.
     

FOURTEEN
     
    AFTER Ade and Owen left, Ade to go back to blonde and Owen to fly around in the blimp, I decided to let Heather know that not only had I had survived my dinner at Magellan but that Josh hadn’t even tried to murder me.
    “Aaaah! Help!” I screamed into the phone when she picked up. “I’m being mauled by a murderous chef! Heather! I love you, big sis. Always remember that!”
    “You’re hilarious,” Heather said with exasperation. “I gather you are, in fact, alive?”
    “Yes, and I got Adrianna and Owen’s approval. They think Josh is a doll.”
    “Yes, I’m sure Owen called this guy a doll. But whatever. I’m glad you’re safe. I worry about you sometimes.”
    “Yes, Mommy, I’m fine. And now that I’ve reported in to you, I’m going to take a nap.”
    “What did you do last night that you need to take a nap?” my sister demanded.
    “Unfortunately, nothing. But I’m still tired.”
    “Tired? You don’t have a clue about tired until you have a baby and only sleep in two-hour increments all night. Lucy was up nursing the whole night. I’m more tired than you, and I don’t get to take a nap because I have to take Walker to his Gymnastics for Tots class. So don’t tell me about tired!” Heather’s excellent, if unintended, argument for birth control reminded me that I needed to get to a drugstore.
    “All right,” I said. “You’re more tired than anybody else in the entire world, but I’m still going to enjoy my nap. Good-bye.” I hung