Page 27 of Fostering Chemistry
"It’s her favorite hobby." I sighed and took a sip of the excellent chai tea latte they served here. Zoe was a student, just like me, only a few years older. But unlike me, she was studying the hospitality industry. "She spent half an hour yesterday lecturing me on how to treat customers." The small amount of power she wielded had quickly gone to her head.
"What customers?” Hailey asked.
“Exactly.” But I didn’t want to think about Zoe right now and soon nudged the conversation back toward them. We talked a bit about Hailey’s life and the fantastically handsome men she lived with. I’d only seen pictures, but wow. Tori’s guys I knew—especially Jayden, who was my friend. It was far more fun to think of such sexy men than a boss with a stick up her ass.
But, speaking of sexy men, I was supposed to cook for some soon. Along with the unsexy ones. Oh, and Jenna.
"All right, let’s get down to business," Hailey said.
She was the one who knew how to cook, so Tori had called her in when I explained that it would be my turn to make Tuesday night dinner sooner than I thought.
Hailey cocked her head at me. "What can you make?"
"Toast. Scrambled eggs. Cereal. I’m really good at cereal."
"Can you brown meat?"
"With a marker?"
Tori put her hand on my arm. "Come on, we’re trying to help. Be serious."
All right, she had a point. But the thought of cooking for the household made me anxious. "Okay, yes, I’ve browned meat before."
“Perfect.” Hailey beamed. "You can make shepherd’s pie."
I stared at Hailey. "Never heard of it."
"It’s easy. You can double the recipe, and it’ll feed your whole crew. Plus, there are instructions online."
"There are instructions for everything online, but I usually find them hard to follow."
"You won’t find this guy hard to follow."
Hailey exchanged a glance with Tori, and they both smirked
"What, does he use small words and break it down for complete beginners?"
"It doesn’t sound like you’re a complete beginner," Tori said. "And when you see him, you’re not going to be focused on his words."
"What do you mean?"
Hailey slid her phone over, and there was a very attractive man in a white chef’s hat and white apron—and that appeared to beallhe was wearing.
"Um, what’s this?"
"The shirtless chef. You’re going to love him. He really does explain things well—if you can stop yourself from drooling over him."
Tori tilted the phone in her direction and gave a sigh.
Then it was my turn to get another look. He had dark hair and eyes, and a face that was both charming and mischievous. "Okay, he is handsome, but between the two of you, you have a football team’s worth of men. Do you really need an online guy to swoon over, too?"
"But look at that hair," Hailey said.
"And the chest," Tori added.
"And those eyes.” Hailey’s voice was almost a moan.
"And that chest,” Tori said.
