Page 10 of Sinfully Shameless Chef

Grant considers me for a moment, running over something in his mind. “You're happy with that timeline?”

I rest my hands on the counter and sigh. “Obviously, sooner is better, in my opinion. Normally, I wouldn't worry at all, considering how long it typically takes to open a restaurant, but…”

He inclines his glass toward me. “But now you have another restaurant opening right next door.”

“Exactly.”

While at first, I wasn’t concerned, the longer the day went on and I saw people going in and out of her building just as fast as they came and went in mine, the more tense I became. For all I know, her side of the shared wall could be much closer to completion than ours. She may be able to open next week, which could be incredibly bad for us, even if she isn’t a well-known name.

Grant takes a drink of his wine and watches the legs slide down the glass. “Do you know the girl?”

I shake my head and absently drum my fingers against the counter. “No. Never heard of her. And I only know her name at all because her friend told me when she flashed my magazine at me.”

“So, she knows who you are.”

I grin at him. “Of course, she does.”

One of his dark eyebrows wings up. “And she isn't worried about opening a restaurant right next to you?”

Worried seems like a bit of an understatement after seeing her reaction this morning. She was livid—which might have had a bit to do with the whole parking situation—and scared at what it means to have Jameson Fury next door. “Oh, she most definitely is.”

“So, it's going to be a rush to open?”

“It seems like it.” I shrug because I honestly have no idea what her plans are. If we’re lucky, she might decide to give up on the location and go somewhere less problematic. “But if she stays, I have no doubt she's going to try to launch before I do in order to ensure that she gets as much media attention as possible before we open and everything becomes about us.”

Because that’s exactly what I would do if I were in her shoes.

Worry twists Grant’s lips. “Any idea what kind of restaurant she's opening?”

I shake my head and rub at my jaw. “No, but you better believe I'll be keeping an eye on her.”

He chuckles and takes another sip of his wine. “Oh, I have no doubt about that. She cute?”

I turn back to the oven, pull out the pan, and transfer the steak to a plate that I slide in front of Grant. “She was drenched from head to toe when I met her and absolutely livid.”

“That's not an answer to my question.”

And that was completely intentional.

My new neighbor being a smokeshow is irrelevant to what’s going on. “I'd be lying if I said I hadn't noticed she was hot.”

It was hard not to with her nipples standing at attention in that tight, wet shirt. Even with the rain plastering her hair down around her face and the black make-up smearing under her eyes, she was still beautiful.

It's too bad we have to be enemies.

Grant narrows his gaze on me. “Why do you have that devious smile on your lips?”

Shit.

I hadn’t even known I was smiling. “I'm just thinking about ways I can mess with our new friend next door. Maybe learn some more intel about what she’s up to or even get her to leave.”

He points a finger at me. “You be careful. The last thing you need is another enemy.”

“Another enemy? What's that supposed to mean?”

He smirks. “I watched your season of Prime Chef, you know, and you didn't exactly make any friends.”

I shrug. “I wasn't there to make friends. I was there to cook and win the money.”

---