Page 78 of Operation Sunshine
His gaze drifted, fleeting, to the window, imagining Florence: the cobbled streets, the scent of fresh pasta and olive oil, the challenge and thrill of learning from a master chef. And then his thoughts returned to Ben, the man he’d fallen for in ways he still hadn’t fully admitted to himself.
He exhaled slowly, letting the weight of the decision settle. With an almost imperceptible nod, he whispered, “I’ll do it. I… I have to. For me.”
The words hung in the air, fragile and final, carrying both relief and an ache he couldn’t quite name. He didn’t look at Raj or Arun; he didn’t need their approval. He just needed to hold onto the choice he had made, and the reality of what it would cost him.
For now, this was his choice.
His leap.
And now all I have to do is tell Ben.
There was no time like the present.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ben sat at his desk with the books open in front of him, but his eyes weren’t on the numbers. His attention drifted out into the restaurant, where the muffled sounds of laughter and clinking plates floated in from the kitchen. For once, it didn’t grate on him. Quite the opposite.
He felt proud.
It was strange, thinking back to the first day he’d arrived. They’d been nothing but names on paper then: Raj, Lexie, Willow, Mina, Ollie, Chloe, and Franco. A collection of strangers who’d eyed him with varying degrees of suspicion and weariness, as though he was just another owner passing through, bound to either cut corners or throats.
Now?
Raj was his quiet right hand, always steady, always reliable, with a knack for knowing when Ben needed space and when he needed someone to shove a coffee into his hand.
Lexie, sharp-tongued and sharp-eyed, had become something of a sparring partner, someone who challenged him, pushed back, and in her own brusque way made him better.
Willow’s warmth reminded him of the sunniest days of his childhood.She was always fussing, always trying to make sure everyone else was okay, but she could be strong when they needed a firm hand.
Mina, all nerves and determination, had started to stand taller in her role, as if she’d finally realised she belonged. She was still given to bouts of clumsiness, and squeals pitched so high they were ultrasonic, but beneath it all was a sweet soul.
Ollie was still rough around the edges, but he had a spark Ben admired, a hunger that reminded him of himself, years ago. And Ben could see he was trying to drink less. It was a battle only he could fight, but Ben would give him all the support he needed.
Chloe, quiet but observant, saw more than she ever said, grounding the chaos with her calm presence.
And as for Franco…
He was harder to put into words. A burst of colour and heat and laughter, Franco was someone who could draw Ben out of his head in an instant, who made the long nights not only bearable but something else entirely.
And on a personal level, Franco was the man Ben was starting to believe he couldn’t live without.
They were more than staff now. They were a family.
Ben’s family.
The realisation settled in his chest like a warm ache. He’d never have expected this when he first walked in the door. He’d thought he was there to run a restaurant, to prove himself. But somewhere along the way, he’d gotten more than he bargained for. He’d gotten people who mattered.
Ben closed the ledger and leaned back in his chair, allowing himself one quiet, private smile.
The door creaked open, and Franco stepped in, his usual swagger tempered by a tautness in his shoulders, something restless in his eyes. He closed the door behind him, and for once, didn’t immediately fill the room with chatter.
“Ben,” he said quietly.
Ben straightened, the hairs on his arms standing to attention. “Everything okay with your appointment?” He couldn’t deny he’d been dying to know more.
Franco frowned. “My what? Oh. Yeah. That. Yeah, everything’s fine.” He swallowed. “I need to tell you something.”
The hairs on Ben’s nape got in on the action.
