Page 76 of Chloé

“I think that’s pretty normal with what you’re about to do.” Ethan walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Nerves show you care.”

“Oh, is that what they’re doing? I thought they were trying to make me revisit lunch.”

“Maybe, if you’d eaten lunch.” He arched a knowing brow, and Chloé let out a groan.

“Ugh, don’t start. Ididn’teat because I knew this is what would happen.”

“Fair enough, but how are you going to stand on your feet all night if you haven’t eaten anything all day?”

Zayne appeared then and held up a bottle of Gatorade and a protein bar. “Come on, Red, we need you to try to eat something. The last thing you want to do is pass out at the stoves and have them calling, ‘Chef down!’ in the middle of dinner service.”

Maybe they had a point. Thatwasthe last thing she wanted to happen. Even though her team was well prepared for the night. She’d be mortified if she passed out and couldn’t see it through.

How would that make her look to the culinary world? She could see the headlines now:

Julien Thornton-Priestley’s daughter can’t take the heat in the kitchen

No way. Not on her watch. She spun around and took the Gatorade from Zayne, cracking it open.

“How much longer until we have to leave?”

Ethan looked at his watch. “About fifteen minutes.”

She nodded and took a swig of the blue drink, and the icy-cold liquid felt good as it made its way down her throat.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous before, Red.”

“I don’t remember everbeingthis nervous.”

“I know it’s pointless to say, but you have no reason to be. The dishes are delicious, and everyone there tonight is in for an absolute treat.”

She knew he meant it, and part of her fully agreed. The dishes she’d finally decided on were top tier for sure. But she was well aware of how harsh food critics and fellow chefs could be.

Too little salt or one sprig of rosemary too many, and it was game over. Their palates were on a whole different level from the usual diner, their opinions quick and brutal by nature. You had one bite, one first impression with these people, and if it hit wrong, you were screwed. But she wasn’t going to think about that.

In fact, all she was going to do right now was focus on eating her protein bar—andkeeping it down.

She turned away from the mirror, sick and tired of staring at her damn self, and decided to focus on the two gorgeous men standing in front of her instead.

In smart casual attire, Ethan and Zayne looked handsome as ever. Ethan had paired his dark sports coat with a crisp white shirt tucked into his pressed pants, while Zayne had opted for black on black.

They looked devilishly handsome, and Chloé allowed herself to become distracted by the fact that these sinfully sexy men belonged to her.

“Well, that smile certainly looks a lot more confident.” Ethan slipped a hand into his pocket, the move as casual and sexy as the man himself. “What’s going through that brilliant mind of yours?”

Chloé took a step forward and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss each of their cheeks. “I just decided to refocus my attention.”

“Oh?” Ethan turned his head until their lips brushed over the top of each other. “And what did you decide to focus on instead?”

Chloé grinned and stepped back. “My two handsome dates.”

Zayne tugged at his lapels and winked at her. “We don’t scrub up too bad, huh?”

“You both look gorgeous.” She ran her eyes over them, letting out a sigh. “Now I’ve got two things to worry about. Dinnerandyou two.”

Ethan chuckled. “We’re the last things you need to worry about. But if you don’t hurry up and head downstairs, you might have to worry about being late.”

Chloé frowned. “You said we had fifteen minutes.”

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