Page 1 of Zane

CHAPTER ONE

As his shift ended, Zane Halverson took a moment to speak with the two people who had come into the restaurant to clean it now that it had closed for the day.

“I’ve left food for you in the warmer drawer,” he told Carlos, the man who worked there with his wife.

“What did you make for us today?” the man asked, his words heavily accented.

The food the restaurant served was high-end cuisine, which often meant smaller serving sizes, immaculate presentation, and ingredients that not everyone enjoyed. The first few times he’d left meals for the couple, when he’d asked how they’d enjoyed the food, they’d exchanged a glance, then confessed that it wasn’t quite what they were used to.

From that point on, Zane took the time at the end of his day to make a simpler, more substantial meal for Carlos and his wife. It was a nice way to unwind while he waited for the kitchen staff to finish their cleanup and sometimes their prep for the next day.

He made the meals with the blessing of the head chef—and restaurant owner—which made him appreciate the man even more. And it was like cooking for his family, all of whom—except for maybe Kayleigh and Hudson—preferred simpler fare.

“Roasted chicken and rice pilaf with some vegetables.”

“Gracias,” Carlos said with a smile and a bob of his head.

After removing his chef jacket and saying goodbye, Zane left the restaurant and stepped out into the warm, late Florida night air. He quickly crossed the parking lot to where he’d left his car earlier, when he’d arrived for his shift as sous chef at the one Michelin star restaurant.

He was eager to get home to the apartment he shared with his wife.

Hiswife…

Even after six weeks, the word was still new to him. But every time he thought about Kelsey, he smiled.

The late-night traffic was lighter than when he’d driven to work earlier that afternoon, which meant it didn’t take him long to get to the building where he and Kelsey were currently renting an apartment.

After parking his car in its assigned spot, Zane made his way inside the building to the elevator. Though it was nearly one in the morning, Kelsey would still be up. They’d adjusted their schedules so that even though he worked late, they still had time together at the end of the workday.

He’d no sooner stepped into the apartment than Kelsey appeared from the kitchen. Smiling, she approached him and stepped into his embrace. After sharing a kiss, she drew back enough to gaze up at him. Her eyes, which were a lovely blue-green shade, shone with love.

“I missed you,” he said, pressing his forehead to hers. “I wish we still worked at the same place.”

“Me, too,” Kelsey replied.

Stepping apart, Zane took her hand and together they walked to their bedroom, then through to the attached bathroom which sported a rainfall shower. When they’d been looking at apartments, this shower had weighed heavily in their ultimate decision to rent this particular unit. The shower was large, with multiple showerheads, and they both loved it.

Since they’d only been married six weeks, they were still in the honeymoon stage and enjoyed the times they were able to spend together, which had ended up including taking a shower together. It was the perfect way to unwind and reconnect after being apart for most of the day, which was kind of new for them.

They’d met when Kelsey had been hired as a hostess at the restaurant where Zane had been working as a chef. So, most days, they’d seen each other at work, even before they’d started dating.

When they moved to Tampa, there hadn’t been a position available for Kelsey where Zane had been hired so she had had to find work at a different restaurant. Still, he wasn’t going to complain about it because at least he had her there with him.

There had definitely been adjustments in the move from Chicago to Tampa, but having Kelsey with him had made it so much more enjoyable. More like an adventure. A new start to the new chapter in their lives.

Zane had never thought he’d find a connection that rivaled what he’d had with Sarah, his most serious relationship. The end of that relationship had left him devastated, and he’d been convinced that Sarah had been his one and only shot at a deep and meaningful love in his life.

He hadn’t been looking for love—in fact, he’d been actively avoiding any opportunity for it—when he’d first met Kelsey.Becoming friends first had made the transition to a romantic relationship fairly easy when it had happened.

His feelings for Kelsey had snuck up on him, and the realization that he loved her had been such a subtle thing that he hadn’t had time to reject it or distance himself from her. She’d been so sweet, and she had a very steady personality, which he really appreciated since life could be so chaotic in the kitchens where he worked.

The way their lives fit together so well had been just one more thing that had made their relationship work. His hope for his personal future was so much brighter than it had been in a very long time, and a lot of that was because of Kelsey’s presence in his life and the way she loved him.

After their shower, they dressed in pajamas, then went to the kitchen. Sometimes, Zane was in the mood to cook, even after he got home from work. But that day, they’d both eaten their main meals at the restaurants where they worked.

“Sandwich, love?” Zane asked as he pulled some artisan grain bread from the bread box on the counter.

“That would be nice.” Kelsey opened the fridge and removed the turkey breast deli meat, cheese, and tomatoes they’d picked up earlier in the week.

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