Page 46 of Desirous

Then it dawns on me I don’t remember his father’s name. “Kane is the uncle, but what’s your father’s name?”

As Alex begins to walk me into the building, he says, “Cassian. There’s another brother too, but he doesn’t have anything to do with this business. He’s the one who owns Club X.”

“Oh, the one Sadie liked who looks like you. Okay. Are there only three brothers?”

He stops for a moment and smiles. “Yes and no, but that’s for another time. Right now, just remember Cassian March is my father and Kane Jackson is my uncle.”

I feel my palms begin to get sweaty when we walk into the dining room. “I’m glad you told me their last names,” I whisper. “I would have made a mistake and called him Kane March. Not exactly the best way to start out at a new job.”

Alex looks at me and smiles. “You’re going to be fine. I’ve told them both about how great a chef you are, and this is just a formality. You already have the job. You’re sleeping with the head chef.”

I throw him a dirty look for that crack. “Stop it! I want them to like me, not let me work here because we’re together. No more talking about us sleeping together as long as we’re in this building. Got it?”

“Spoken like a true boss. You’re going to be a great head chef once I get to be owner of this place.”

When I see his father and uncle standing near the door to the kitchen, I grip Alex’s hand nervously. He gives me a squeeze in return as if to say, “You’re going to be great. Believe in yourself.”

I take one more deep breath and then make sure I’m smiling as he introduces me to both men. They’re very polite and professional, and I instantly feel welcome, something I never felt at my last job.

“It’s good to have you here, Katerina,” Cassian says as Kane walks away. “Alex has raved about your work.”

“Thank you. I’m thrilled to be working here. But please call me Kat.”

“Well, Kat, I know Alex can’t wait to show off his kitchen, so I’ll let you two get to it. Come see me or Kane when you’re done getting your bearings and we can get all the necessary paperworkcompleted. You know where our office is. It’s the one you were in the other night with Alex.”

I feel my face heat up, probably turning bright red from embarrassment. “Okay, thanks.”

When he leaves, Alex says, “See? That wasn’t too bad.”

“He mentioned me being in his office the other day. God, he probably thinks I’m such a bitch because we were fighting.”

But that doesn’t faze Alex. “Don’t worry. He knows I had it coming. I fucked up. But he’s the one who made sure to get me here to see you and your parents that night, so he can’t think too badly of you. Now let me take you to see the kitchen.”

When he says that, his eyes light up like a kid in a candy store. I’ve seen kitchens before, but maybe this one is different.

And then I walk into the kitchen at CK and it’s like entering a world I’ve only imagined before. Everything is brand new. The stainless-steel shines so I can see my reflection. This is nothing like any kitchen I’ve ever been in before. This is even more impressive than the kitchens my father has worked in.

I stop dead in front of the ovens and look around, swiveling my head to see everything surrounding me. “This is incredible, Alex. Was it like this when you walked in, or did you make it look like this?”

He puffs out his chest and begins to point out the parts of the kitchen he changed when he became head chef. “I told my father and uncle if they wanted this restaurant to be the best, they needed to invest in a top rate kitchen. So they gave me carte blanche and I went to town. Nearly every piece of equipment in here I chose. So welcome to your new workplace. What do you think?”

“I know many people wouldn’t get this, but you will. This kitchen makes me want to cry it’s so beautiful. I can’t imagine ever being unhappy cooking in here.”

“Good. Well, that’s the tour. People are going to be coming in for work, so we can stay, and I can introduce you, or we can go and I’ll do that at another time. It’s up to you.”

Suddenly, the fear that everyone is going to think I got this job because of him comes over me. “I’m not sure. I don’t want to start out on the wrong foot with anyone. Do you think they’re going to hold it against me because we’re together and I’m working here now?”

He smiles and shakes his head. “That’s not how things are here at CK. This is a family business, and we’re all like family here. They’re going to love working with you just like I do. Don’t worry.”

For the first time, I feel like I’ve finally come to a place where I can be the chef I always wanted to be. To find a family too is almost too much to ask.

“Okay. Then I’ll meet everyone on my first shift.”

“Sounds good. Welcome to CK, Kat.”

A gorgeous boyfriend who loves me and a great new job at the best restaurant in town. If I’m dreaming, I hope I never wake up.

CHAPTER TWENTY

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