Page 24 of The Chef's Kiss
He shot me a sardonic look out of the corner of his eye as we reached the bank of elevators.
The door slid open, and a familiar woman stepped out. I couldn’t place her name, but I thought she worked on the sales side of the company.
“Jorgina?” She froze. “Is it really you?”
“Um… yes?”
A smile brightened her pretty brown face, and green eyes connected with mine. “You’re so grown up.”
“One tends to do that.”
My grandfather pinched me, and I forced a smile.
“She looks so much like her mother, doesn’t she?” The woman glanced at my grandfather.
He nodded. “That she does. I’m sorry, Maggie, we have a meeting with Himself, and you know how he feels about punctuality.” Only a slight lie. There was no actual meeting set, but we’d have one all the same.
Her expression morphed into one of understanding, and she stepped aside. “Absolutely. Good luck.”
I would need it.
My hand drifted to my stomach when the elevator jolted as it rose. I swallowed back the nausea, knowing it wouldn’t do to vomit in front of my father. My grandfather was watching me, so I pretended like the move was just to smooth out the dress I’d worn, one Lena sent with Conner for me from the house.
I’d need more clothes soon, so it was better to get this over with.
My phone rang as the elevator doors opened, but I ignored the call when I saw Conrad’s name. I was doing what he wanted me to do. Couldn’t he leave me alone for five seconds?
Employees called out greetings to my grandfather as we passed by, doing double takes before speaking to me as well. A lot of these people had been with the company since I was a child. There wasn’t a lot of business other than retail or tourism in Superiore Bay, so the winery was it.
What would they all think if they knew my secret?
I’d no longer be little Jorgina, who they remembered running through these halls and stealing snacks from the break room. No, I’d be Jorgina the screwup. Jorgina Ashford, forever the ungrateful kid.
Dad’s assistant was at her desk when we walked up, and you’d have thought I was the rising sun with the way her face lit. “Oh my.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Is that little Jorgina?”
“Not so little anymore,” Granddad put in unhelpfully. I wondered if my brothers had to deal with this kind of reception when they came here. Somehow, I doubted it.
Birdy reached out to touch my face—without my permission, I might add. I shrank back away from her. “It’s good to see you, Birdy.”
She smiled softly. “Oh, honey, you have no idea. I think you’re the only person who can make that man smile.” She gestured to my father’s closed office door. “And that’s been so lacking these days.”
Granddad elbowed me. “She’s not wrong, kid. It’s been a rough four years with your brothers … you know.” I did know. Conrad gave up his role as heir to the family empire to live with his horses. Carter had never wanted it, and things had always been tumultuous between him and Dad.
And Conner … Well, he fell in love with a Contreras. A grave sin in Dad’s book.
“Is he available?” I asked, something lodging in my throat. How had I thought this would go?
Dad, I have something to tell you.
Whatever it is, Jorgina, I love you, and we will get through it together.
I think I want …
What did I want? That was the problem, wasn’t it?
Birdy rounded her desk, knocked on Dad’s door, and opened it. “Mr. Ashford, I have a surprise for you.”
His voice boomed past the door. “Birdy, you know I don’t like anything that interrupts my schedule. I have too much on my plate today for little surprises.”
