A Date with a Foodie (The Dating Series Book 7)

“Did you hear that?”
She nods quickly and rushes over to the window, discreetly peeking out the side of the curtain. “Holy shit, it’s him. He’s on the sidewalk.”
I grab her shirt and pull her back. “Don’t let him see you.” We both drop to the floor, our backs to the wall. My heart is pounding so hard, I can feel it throbbing in my throat. “What do I do?”
Katy looks over at me. “What do you want to do?”
“Maddy, please!” Adam yells, his voice distraught. “I need to talk to you.”
It breaks my heart to hear him, but I can’t give in. I’m not ready.
“Maddy! I love you! Please, let me talk to you.”
Grabbing my chest, I close my eyes and cry. “I never should’ve fallen in love with him … again. He’ll leave just like he did all those years ago.”
“He doesn’t sound like a man who wants to leave,” Katy says softly.
“Should I go out there?”
She shrugs. “It’s up to you. If you love the guy, you might want to hear him out. I’d hate for you to let things end because of a misunderstanding.”
Taking a deep breath, I stand and wipe my face off with the hem of my shirt. “Is he still out there?” When she peeks out, her face falls. She looks around, but I already know the answer. He’s gone. “Guess he gave up,” I say. “Figures.”
Katy joins me back on the couch and takes my hands. “Take a shower and get some rest. He’ll show up at our booth tomorrow. I have no doubt.”
A part of me wants him to, but there’s a nagging feeling in my stomach that warns me not to get my hopes up. Guess we’ll find out.
FOUR DAYS LATER
The Taste of Chicago is over, and Adam never showed back up. Four days have passed and nothing. I knew he was too good to be true. He left before, and I knew he’d do it again. The only thing positive in my life is the tavern. Instead of being booked just one night in advance, there are people calling for tables two weeks out. The Taste of Chicago really put us on the map. People from everywhere, even out of state are calling just to get in to try our food.
“I’m so glad you added the pork chops to the main menu,” Noah says as he plates up his millionth one for the night.
Laughing, I mix up another batch of the balsamic glaze for the pork chops. “Me too. Everyone and I mean everyone is ordering them tonight. I’m going to have to put in a double order next time, so we don’t run out.”
Camryn places the finishing touches on her orange creamsicle cake. “You might have to hire more staff if this keeps up.”
Noah agrees with a nod. “True. I don’t think we’ll be able to handle this every day of the week.”
They have a point. Not unless we want to run ourselves ragged. “Okay,” I give in. “I’ll hire more people.”
Noah smiles. “You shouldn’t have any trouble. People will be dying to work here. Especially chefs.”
The kitchen door opens and Katy walks in with a big smile on her face. She nods toward the dining room. “Tables four, five, and six are almost finished up. I know you like to make your rounds.” I don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s been by my side nonstop the past four days, trying to cheer me up. I had to make her go home yesterday. Her poor fiancé missed her.
I wash my hands and hand Noah the large bowl of balsamic glaze. “Thanks, Katy. I’ll be right out.”
Once in the dining room, I start first with table four which happens to be a middle-aged couple, drinking their coffee. When I walk over, the lady smiles at me and I smile back. “Good evening. Did you two enjoy your dinner?”
The lady gasps and holds her chest. “Are you the owner?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She reaches out and grabs my wrist. “Oh, honey, your pork chops were out of this world. When we read the reviews, we had to try them. We will definitely be coming back.”
“Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.”
She lets me go and winks. “That August Cahill really knows his stuff. He wrote to say that he highly recommends your place.”
My stomach drops, but I keep a smile on my face. What review is she talking about? “I’m glad,” I reply. “He’s a tough critic.”
The lady nods. “Exactly. He hasn’t let us down yet.”
I wish I could say the same about me. I wish them a goodnight and head over to table five. This time, it’s a family of four. A man, a woman, and two teenage girls.
“Hello. Did you all enjoy your evening?” I ask them.
One of the girls is still eating her orange creamsicle cake and she gives me a thumbs up. “I could eat this every day,” she gushes.
I laugh. “So could I.” My thoughts stray to Adam, but I push them out. I can’t be thinking about him right now. What I really want to see is his damn review. “Was everything else good?” I ask.
The father pats his stomach. “Very satisfying. I used to think my dad made the best pork chops in the world, but I was wrong. You have him beat.”
“Oh goodness. Don’t tell him that or he’ll hate me.”
He waves me off. “He’ll hate me if I don’t tell him to come here.”
This makes me feel good, but I can’t help but wonder. “How did you hear about us?” I question curiously. “Do you live in the Chicago area?”
The girl eating her cake lifts her hand in the air. “We live in Downers Grove.”
The mother giggles and looks up at me. “We’re always looking for good restaurants. When I saw that August Cahill highly recommended this place, we had to check it out. I hear you’re booking two weeks out right now.”
Oh, dear God. She saw his review too.