Place Setting by Claudia Mayrant

Author:Claudia Mayrant [Mayrant, Claudia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-64080-972-7
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2019-01-18T05:00:00+00:00

NO MATTER what else was going on around him, working in the kitchen made Gray feel calmer and more positive about everything. The most fun and interesting conversations at parties, in Gray’s experience, were in the kitchen, but he liked being alone there too. Like now, with Dad and Jess not yet home from work and Mom at garden club, Gray had the space to himself to set up his mise en place, which he always did, even for simple meals, because he could let his mind wander as his hands gathered, measured, and chopped on autopilot.

His mind had a lot of wandering to do. There was Jess’s wedding, first of all. He’d need help if he was going to make all the food. If Patsy’s cafe and Leighside were closed, then there were probably kitchen staff and servers up for a gig and, well, possibly more.

He hadn’t told his parents everything about the breakup with Matt. Beyond the cheating and the failure to work things out regarding the restaurant, he’d not gotten into the details. He definitely hadn’t told them that between the money he’d saved toward opening a new place and the amount he’d gotten from Matt buying him out of the restaurant, he had enough to start something—maybe not a whole new restaurant, especially not one somewhere expensive like downtown Charleston like he and Matt had dreamed of, but something, a cafe or a food truck even. A stall at a market or maybe, now that there seemed to be a need for one in town, a catering or event business. It wasn’t that they wouldn’t be supportive, but Mom would worry that the money was burning a hole in his pocket, as she liked to say, and Dad would be a little overbearing with helpful suggestions. Gray wasn’t ready for that; he’d planned to spend some time with his family and let a plan develop slowly, maybe go work in someone else’s restaurant for a while. Now it seemed like with the Leightons’ debacle there might be an opportunity, if only he could find the right spot.

If Cameron could find him the right spot.

Cameron was a pleasant surprise—more than pleasant. One thing he hadn’t been looking for when he came home, would have laughed if anyone had suggested it, was to meet someone. He hadn’t even had the time or energy to think about finding a hookup, much less something that could be more. He definitely would enjoy the former with Cameron, but the latter could be a possibility too.

Dad arriving home interrupted that train of thought, followed by Jess and Mom, who immediately began making the usual round of gin and tonics, Jess’s light on the gin, Gray’s heavy on the lime, just like they liked. It was a comfort of home, and one Gray hadn’t realized he missed, being surrounded by people who knew you and what you liked, and cared enough to enjoy it with you.

It made him think of Cameron again and how Cameron had the potential to be part of that too.

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