Page 5 of Faking It with the Off-Limits Doctor

Beth frowns and shakes her head. “Of course not. By the way you spoke about him earlier, I figured you wanted to keep your distance. He just asked to speak to the chef.”

And I did want to keep my distance. I still do. Clearly, though, I have no choice. So now, I have to do the walk of shame. The last time we met, I was still working in the city. From a high-end city restaurant to a small-town diner. How the mighty have fallen.

It’s bad enough that the whole of Riverdale knows about my failure. I grew up here, and the townsfolk were excited for me when I got my big break. It was tough, coming home and having to face them all.

Now, I have to do it all over again. Only having to speak to someone who is so successful in the city I had to leave just feels like an even bigger slap in the face.

I straighten my whites, pushing them down over my slender frame, and then check that my hair is still neatly tied in a bun. There are a few strands of blonde that have escaped, but I’m not going to worry about that now.

Reluctantly, I head out to the dining room and walk over to Alex’s table. When he sees me, his jaw drops, and he jumps to his feet. “Dara?”

Here we go.

“What are you doing here?” he gawps, his wide eyes taking in my uniform.

He’s several inches taller than me, and he’s looking down at me, which makes me feel even more defensive. I would have preferred he stayed seated. But I pin on a smile.

“I could ask you the same question,” I defer.

My tactic doesn’t work.

He’s still frowning. “But what happened to the restaurant? You loved that job.”

Inwardly, I groan. I’ve had to answer this question so many times since being back, and after six months, I figure I’ve spoken to every single resident of Riverdale in one capacity or another. I thought I was done having to explain myself.

“It burned down,” I say sarcastically, desperately trying to avoid having to get into this.

“What?” he blurts. “When?”

I smile mirthlessly. “I’m joking, Alex. Things just didn’t work out, that’s all.”

I’m not telling him any more than he needs to know. It’s no one else’s business anyway, and I hardly know the guy.

For a second, he looks like he’s going to push it. Maybe he doesn’t because crossed my arms over my chest and I’m giving him all the vibes of not wanting to talk about it.

“Okay,” he says. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He looks a little uncomfortable, but then continues, “I just wanted to compliment the chef, but now I know it’s you, I’m not at all surprised the food was so good.”

“Thanks,” I reply dryly. I’m so tempted to ask why he’s here, but instead, I make my excuses. “Listen, I’ve got to get back. I don’t want this place burning to the ground.”

“Yes, of course,” he says. “But I wanted to speak to you about something else. I’m throwing a dinner party next week, and I wondered if I could avail of your services.”

I’m a bit confused. He lives in the city, and from what Mark has told me, he has a chef of his own.

“Is your chef sick?”

Alex shakes his head. “I’ve bought a house out here.”

Well, blow me down with a feather.

I can’t hide my surprise, and seeing it, Alex half smiles. I think it’s the most he’s capable of.

“I know,” he says with a shrug. “It’s a bit of a curve ball. But I could really do with your skills. You’ll be well compensated.” He looks around. “Far better than you’re making in this place.”

I hesitate, but I don’t know why. I’ve cooked for people higher up the totem pole than Alex Bennett. Besides, if he gives me free rein over the menu, I’ll be able to experiment with the creative flair I miss so much. And let’s face it, I could do with the money. It will go straight into my savings and take me one step closer to my dream.

“All right,” I say. “Where is this house of yours?”

3

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