Page 12 of Her Maine Risk

“Who is it?”

“Kyle. He’s the sous chef at work.”

“Ellie! Why have you never mentioned him to me?”

“You’re always so busy working, or too tired to go out on your days off.” She shrugs, looking down.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. Now I feel like the shittiest best friend in the world.

“It’s fine.”

“It’s really not. But thank you.” I smile weakly. “Tell me all about him. Everything.”

“Well, we’ve been flirting for a while now, and I thought it was just that. You know, cute small talk, a smile here, a brush of the hand there, a linger of a look afterward. And then last Friday, I went out for a quick break during my shift because it was a crazy busy night and needed some air, and he was already out there on a smoke break.”

“Ugh, a smoker.” I grimace.

“Stop it,” she says, narrowing her eyes. “I know how you feel about smoking, but he’s a chef. They all smoke. It gives them a reason to leave the kitchen for five minutes.”

“Okay, okay, whatever. Keep going.”

“Anyway, so he was out there already, and we just got to talking. We were definitely gone for longer than five minutes.” She smiles. “And he may have gotten yelled at by Chef, and I may have forgotten to bring a glass of wine to one of my tables.”

“Ahh, Elizabeth! So, you like him? Have you gone out yet?”

“I don’t know much about him really. You can’t exactly have conversations in a kitchen. But he did ask me out for Monday night.”

“Monday?” I question, raising my eyebrows. That sounds like a day you’d ask a mistress out on.

“Yeah, it’s the only night off he has.”

“Oh, right, I forgot about restaurant hours.”

“Yes, and I’m nervous. He’s older, hot, and established in his career.”

“Older?” I smile, leaning forward in my seat.

“Yeah, uh, by ten years.”

“He’s basically 40, Elizabeth!”

“Oh my god,” she says, rolling her eyes. “You know we’re basically 30, right?”

“You take that back! I still have a year.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, he doesn’t look that old. He’s still hot, and he’s the sous chef of one of the best 5-star restaurants in North Jersey. I’m just a waitress.”

“Don’t belittle yourself like that. You make good money there, and one day, you’ll have your own bakery.”

“I doubt that. I haven’t made any moves towards that dream. It’s just something I say.”

“You’ll get there. Even if you’re in your sixties, you’ll get there. Dreams have no expiration date, and no age limits.”

“Thanks, Mel.” She smiles. “You’re the best.”

“You better tell me all about your date afterwards.” I pin her with a stare so she knows I’m serious.

“Yes, mom,” she says, rolling her eyes.

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