Page 45 of Smitten with the Single Dad

Wyatt exhaled and brought Vica a coffee. “I’m sorry, again.”

“It’s okay. If that is the extent to which you eat people’s hair, it’s pretty low-key.”

He smirked. “You’re fucking with me now. Right?”

Her grin made his cock twitch, and she bit into a strawberry. He never wanted to be a piece of fruit more in his life. “I’m excited to see you in your work environment as the big boss. Does everyone say, ‘Yes, chef.’?”

He sat down across from her. “No. But I think I’ll make you say it.”

“Yes, chef,” she said with a wink before taking a sip of her coffee.

Annnnd, his dick just jumped again.

CHAPTER EIGHT

God, it felt good to be useful again.

And to be in the kitchen creating.

Even if she was just chopping veggies and doing prep work, Vica was happy to no longer be wasting away in Wyatt’s house waiting for the other foot to drop, or whatever the English idiom was.

Seeing Wyatt in his element as the big boss was a bonus too.

Though, it did nothing to quell her growing attraction to him. In fact, it was like fast-acting fertilizer for her crush on the single dad. He wasn’t a jerk of a boss. He was stern, but fair. He smiled and joked with his staff, and he didn’t seem to get frazzled, even when a big order came in.

She was busy removing the stems and skins of a huge bowl of cremini mushrooms when Dom’s voice in the bar rose to a level that made everyone pause. Although Vica didn’t know the man particularly well, she’d never heard him yell. And now, he was yelling.

“You can’t just go back there. Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Wyatt!”

Pandemonium filled the kitchen when the door from the bar swung open and two immigration officers followed by officers Duane Fischer and Dan Jenkins entered the kitchen.

“We’re looking for Ludovica Vitale,” said the blond immigration officer with the red birthmark on the left side of his jaw. The birthmark was about the size of a golf ball, but irregular in shape. In fact, it was shaped a lot like Spain.

“Why?” Wyatt said, getting right up in the guy’s face.

“Not only has her visa expired, but these officers have received reports that she stole and leaked classified documents from Croft Engineering to one of their competitors.” Spain Birthmark glanced at the cops for verification. Duane and Dan both nodded.

Vica’s bottom jaw nearly hit the tile floor.

“The information was sent to N-ER-G Solartek International and that goes against the contract she signed when she started with Croft Engineering Ltd.,” Dan said, holding up a piece of paper that could just as easily have been the results of his cholesterol test. “We have verification from both companies.”

Wyatt snatched it from his hand so fast, Vica hoped the cop got a papercut. “Let me fucking see that. Dom, call Gabrielle and Bennett, now!”

“On it,” Dom said, disappearing back into the front of house.

“Why should we fucking believe a piece of paper?” Wyatt asked. “Anybody could have fabricated this. This proves nothing. You have no evidence. Just one company who is looking to cover their ass when she wouldn’t take their hush money, and another who is run by fucking cowards and probably being blackmailed or some shit by Croft.” He shook his head. “You have jack shit, and this is nothing but a fucking scare tactic.”

“Ms. Vitale’s work visa has run its course and she has failed to obtain another one. She is to be detained, and then deported,” Spain Birthmark said. “She is coming with us.”

Vica hadn’t even noticed until that moment, but all the kitchen staff had slowly moved to create a barrier between her and the immigration and police officers. They all also held some kind of weapon. Whether that was planned as well or not, each of them held either a knife or a big metal spoon. Except for Radcliffe, the dishwasher, as he held metal tongs. What he planned to do withthose, Vica wasn’t prepared to guess.

“Gabrielle is on her way,” Dom said, reentering the kitchen.

“Ms. Vitale killed a man in cold blood on your property and yet you’re defending her?” Officer Fischer asked, disgust in his tone. “How would you like that to get out to all your loyal customers and followers? Wouldn’t do well for business.”

“Is that a threat, Duane?” Dom said. “Did a cop just threaten our business?”

“Sure did,” Radcliffe said, his phone out. “And I caught it on camera.”

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