stepped out into the evening shade of the guarding oaks, he scented the heady fragrance of grilling meat and sweet barbecue.
The sight of the Shack, the fragrant aromas, put him in mind of the summer he came here on holiday, met Susanna, and signed on to work for her mama as she enlisted the aid of anyone and everyone to share her daddy ’ s workload after his heart attack.
Nathaniel warmed with the memories of his days at the Shack. He ’ d spent several happy evenings scrubbing grease vats and Cloroxing toilets as an ad hoc employee. No one knew he was a prince.
He ’ d do it again to be near Susanna. To be a normal bloke.
Cutting around to the back of the restaurant, Nathanieltook the deck steps two at a time, the warm sea breeze shoving against his back, and drew open the kitchen ’ s screen door.
“ Glo? ” he called, scanning the kitchen for his future mother-in-law. The place was hopping, with two chefs on the grill and two at the prep table.
Bristol, a lean, ponytailed Shack employee, stood at the service window calling out orders. “ Keri, pick up, table ten. ”
When she turned to garnish a plate of ribs, she caught sight of him standing in the doorway.
“ Well, I ’ ll be. ” She curtsied, smiling. “ Welcome, Your Majesty. ”
“ Bristol, it ’ s a pleasure to see you. ” He nodded, returning her smile. He checked the urge to tell her that since she was American, protocol dictated that she didn ’ t need to curtsy. But she looked rather practiced and polished. He ’ d not deny her the effort. “ Tell me, is Glo about? ”
“ In the office. ” Bristol tipped her head to the kitchen ’ s back corner. “ Y ’ all hungry? I ’ ll pull you a plate if you ’ d like. Liam, you cotton to baby back ribs if I recall. ”
“ You remembered. ” Liam checked with Nathaniel before passing through to the dining room.
The big chap was all but licking his chops at the mention of baby backs.
Nathaniel rapped lightly against the office door frame. “ Permission to enter? ”
“ You made it. ” Glo popped up from her chair, reaching for him, wrapping him up in a hug. “ How ’ s my favorite son-in-law? ” Stepping back, she held him at arm ’ s length, her warmth and down-home goodness embracing the weariest places of his being.
“ Better now that I ’ ve seen you. ” He eased down to the chair adjacent to her desk. A bit younger than his own mum, Glo was a beauty with a bit of brawn in her soul. He could see Susanna in her features, in her actions. And he admired her.
“ Ha! You didn ’ t fly four thousand miles to see me . ”
“ Well, not expressly, no. ” He leaned forward. “ Have you seen Susanna? I thought to surprise her, but now I wish I ’ d rung her. ”
“ She headed out on her bicycle this morning, just as your assistant called saying you were on your way. I ’ ve not seen her since. ”
“ She doesn ’ t know, though, about the plan? ” The plan he prayed worked. That he ’ d not set himself up, once again, to be rejected by the woman he loved. Though his “ love ” for Adel was nothing more than youthful infatuation and lust.
“ She does not. I only told the necessary folks, just like you asked. ” Glo shot him a sneaky smirk as she reached down, tugging open a bottom desk drawer. “ Got the specifications from your assistant— ”
“ Jonathan, my aide. ” Of course she knew Jonathan, but he was nervous, filling the void with words.
Glo passed him the printed checklist. “ As you can see, I conquered half of them today. The food has been ordered. Still waiting on some of the bigger ticket items. ”
Nathaniel scanned the checked items, excitement blooming in his chest, clouded only by the realization he had yet to speak to his beloved. He passed the list back to Glo. “ Thank you for your help. I know I imposed upon you. ”
“ Pshaw, boy, it ’ s for my Suz. We ’ ve not been able to do much for the Brighton wedding. It ’ s my honor
The sight of the Shack, the fragrant aromas, put him in mind of the summer he came here on holiday, met Susanna, and signed on to work for her mama as she enlisted the aid of anyone and everyone to share her daddy ’ s workload after his heart attack.
Nathaniel warmed with the memories of his days at the Shack. He ’ d spent several happy evenings scrubbing grease vats and Cloroxing toilets as an ad hoc employee. No one knew he was a prince.
He ’ d do it again to be near Susanna. To be a normal bloke.
Cutting around to the back of the restaurant, Nathanieltook the deck steps two at a time, the warm sea breeze shoving against his back, and drew open the kitchen ’ s screen door.
“ Glo? ” he called, scanning the kitchen for his future mother-in-law. The place was hopping, with two chefs on the grill and two at the prep table.
Bristol, a lean, ponytailed Shack employee, stood at the service window calling out orders. “ Keri, pick up, table ten. ”
When she turned to garnish a plate of ribs, she caught sight of him standing in the doorway.
“ Well, I ’ ll be. ” She curtsied, smiling. “ Welcome, Your Majesty. ”
“ Bristol, it ’ s a pleasure to see you. ” He nodded, returning her smile. He checked the urge to tell her that since she was American, protocol dictated that she didn ’ t need to curtsy. But she looked rather practiced and polished. He ’ d not deny her the effort. “ Tell me, is Glo about? ”
“ In the office. ” Bristol tipped her head to the kitchen ’ s back corner. “ Y ’ all hungry? I ’ ll pull you a plate if you ’ d like. Liam, you cotton to baby back ribs if I recall. ”
“ You remembered. ” Liam checked with Nathaniel before passing through to the dining room.
The big chap was all but licking his chops at the mention of baby backs.
Nathaniel rapped lightly against the office door frame. “ Permission to enter? ”
“ You made it. ” Glo popped up from her chair, reaching for him, wrapping him up in a hug. “ How ’ s my favorite son-in-law? ” Stepping back, she held him at arm ’ s length, her warmth and down-home goodness embracing the weariest places of his being.
“ Better now that I ’ ve seen you. ” He eased down to the chair adjacent to her desk. A bit younger than his own mum, Glo was a beauty with a bit of brawn in her soul. He could see Susanna in her features, in her actions. And he admired her.
“ Ha! You didn ’ t fly four thousand miles to see me . ”
“ Well, not expressly, no. ” He leaned forward. “ Have you seen Susanna? I thought to surprise her, but now I wish I ’ d rung her. ”
“ She headed out on her bicycle this morning, just as your assistant called saying you were on your way. I ’ ve not seen her since. ”
“ She doesn ’ t know, though, about the plan? ” The plan he prayed worked. That he ’ d not set himself up, once again, to be rejected by the woman he loved. Though his “ love ” for Adel was nothing more than youthful infatuation and lust.
“ She does not. I only told the necessary folks, just like you asked. ” Glo shot him a sneaky smirk as she reached down, tugging open a bottom desk drawer. “ Got the specifications from your assistant— ”
“ Jonathan, my aide. ” Of course she knew Jonathan, but he was nervous, filling the void with words.
Glo passed him the printed checklist. “ As you can see, I conquered half of them today. The food has been ordered. Still waiting on some of the bigger ticket items. ”
Nathaniel scanned the checked items, excitement blooming in his chest, clouded only by the realization he had yet to speak to his beloved. He passed the list back to Glo. “ Thank you for your help. I know I imposed upon you. ”
“ Pshaw, boy, it ’ s for my Suz. We ’ ve not been able to do much for the Brighton wedding. It ’ s my honor
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