Page 138 of All We Need

Déjà vu assaults me when he circles his face and two divots form on his cheeks. “These.”

He leans in close, blue eyes dazzling, and beforeIknow it, the crowd’s cheering as he presses his lips to mine lightly.Thekiss is short and sweet, not our usual, but it has the same effect.Mindbending.Intense.Powerful.

He pulls back an inch, leaving me breathless for more.

“You’re an idiot.”Mylips ache asItry to hold back my smile.

“Yeah,Iknow.”Hestrokes a thumb over my cheek. “Youlove it.”

Yeah.Yeah,Ido.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

booth

The calendar hangingon the noticeboard in the kitchen is a big slap in the face.

Every time a new ticket prints out,I’mforced to look at it.

I want to tear that calendar to fucking shreds.

Working together like a well-oiled machine, my chefs scrub down each surface and stock up, ready for a new day tomorrow.

Simon is filling up one of the stations to my left whileIjot down what items need ordering tonight.Sincewe firedKyle, he’s really stepped up his game.WhichIdidn’t think was possible.

“Hey,”Icatch his attention. “Youever thought of being a head chef?”

He turns to me, surprised. “Here?”

“Um,Iguess, in general?”

His brows pull together as he thinks. “Imean, yeah…Ilove working here, butIsuppose if the opportunity ever came for me to run my own kitchen,I’dbe open to it.Whydo you ask?”

Not wanting to rouse suspicions,Iresume my task. “Noreason, just curious.”

“Oh, right.”Hestudies me closely.

Dumb.Dumb.Dumb.

That was a stupid question to ask.

Ever since the call fromPedroat theSilverGoddess, my mind has been working overtime.

Aly doesn’t know, and the more time that passes, the less chanceI’lltell her.Atfirst,Iwas pissed, thinking she’d put him up to it afterIconfided in her.AccordingtoPedro, it was in factDaniel,Aly’sdad, who passed my name and contact info to the executive chef.Turnsout,Pedrohas been looking to open a seafood restaurant inManhattanand, after hearing about my experience, wanted to chat.

Face-to-face.

InNewYork.

Next month.

He wants someone who has years of experience handling seafood to help curate the menu and to oversee the first few months after opening.Me.Hewas interested in me.

Stunned speechless, it took me a few minutes to collect myself beforeIasked him for some time to think it over.Thatwas a week ago.

Obviously,Ihave to turn it down.

So why haven’t you?

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