“Oh,yeah? Are you sure?”
Isettled back against him and laid my hand over his heart to catch my balance.“Yes, I’m sure. I think he’ll appreciate the menu more if I’m solely incharge.”
“Yeah,okay. I can see that.”
“Thankyou though.”
Hekissed the top of my head. “Any time.”
Tiltingmy head back, I caught a close-up version of him. It was beautiful and rightand I was so grateful for this man I got to finally call mine. “I love you,Wyatt.”
Hislips lingered on mine, kissing me to oblivion. “I love you too, Kaya. I’mlooking forward to all the different ways you’re going to drive me wild.”
Assumingthat was a challenge, I kissed him this time and didn’t stop until we weresated and exhausted once again. We curled up in each other’s embrace on thebed, surrounded by plates and quiche crumbs and fell asleep. We spent themorning like that and were so enraptured with each other we ended up being lateto work for the first time ever.
Iwas already embarrassed and flustered, but then Wyatt walked into the kitchenand announced to every single one of his staff and my coworkers that we wereofficially together.
Hisexact words were, “Kaya and I finally figured our shit out. We’re together now.Deal with it.”
Thatwas approximately the time I burst into humiliated flames and braced myselfagainst lighting the entire kitchen on fire.
Butthen, everyone cheered for us and forgave us for being two hours late. And Iwas able to relax in my own skin and this new, wonderful, crazy relationshipwith my boss.
Dinnerservice was not my best. And it wasn’t Wyatt’s either. But for the first timesince I could remember, neither of us cared about the potential critics or thereputation of the restaurant or even our professional legacy.
Instead,we spent the night stealing glances and secret smiles and dreaming aboutlater—when more sexual favors would be exchanged.
Ihad Sarita to worry about, and he had his changes at Lilou to implement, butsuddenly none of that felt impossible. This great big thing in my life hadfinally happened and I could relax about my dream job.
Atleast temporarily—until I had to finalize my tryout menu and cook it for Ezra.
Chapter Twenty-One
Abead of sweat rolled down my spine and I contemplated puking. I set the platedown, brushed my hands over my chef coat with trembling hands and then tuckedthem quickly behind my back.
Thisafternoon had been the single most terrifying experience of my life. I’darrived in the Sarita kitchen at nine this morning and started serving Ezra atthree. He’d given me sixteen chances in the form of unique dishes to blow hismind.
Ihoped to do it in twelve.
Itwas risky.
Aftersetting the last and final dessert in front of him, I started second guessingeverything I’d done and didn’t do. Every tiny, insignificant decision. Fromwhere I’d gotten my prosciutto for the fire-roastedPadrónpeppers that I’d tossed in sea salt and turmeric, finished with mint, to thefirmness of the goat cheese I used for the honey dipped goat cheese balls Ilightly fried and served with a mint cream sauce.
ButI’d especially second guessed my choice of using only twelve dishes. Threeappetizers, four second plates and five thirds. Oh, and then the dessertcourse, which I didn’t really count since it barely passed as servable.
Ezraeyed my bite-sizetres lechescakesand churro fries with caramel crema dipping sauce. I didn’t know what he’d beenexpecting, but I had done the desserts in the tapas style of the rest of themeal. Little bites that were meant to be shared around the table.
Theyweren’t the most inventive of desserts ever created, but pastries were not myspecialty. I also knew Ezra hired a pastry company to handle the sweet coursesthroughout the harem, including Sarita. This course was a test to see how well-roundedI was. That was fine. My caramel dipping sauce was spectacular. And my churrofries had turned out perfectly. I had made the cake bites yesterday, so Isincerely hoped they hadn’t dried out yet. But they looked pretty.
I’dhad a third dish planned, some puff pastry fritters with a custard drizzle. Iwas going to cut them in little S’s and wow him with my ability to theme like aboss. But I’d scrapped the idea when I realized they were too similar to thechurros. There was no point in ending the meal with a fried-food-fest thatcould rival the county fair.
Ezraturned to the other two judges with him and I felt like I’d accidentally signedup for a cooking reality show on Bravo.
Killiansat to his right, serious and intimidating. He wouldn’t go easy on me no matterhow much he liked me. And he knew all my weaknesses from my years of workingunder him.
As ifhe wasn’t bad enough,ArónDelgatosat to his left. Delgato owned three Spanish restaurants in the Charlotte areaand a pretty famous flagship out of Raleigh. I’d sat in a lecture he did when Iwas in culinary school and he’d intimidated me back then. Now my kneestrembled, and I had started mentally willing my body to stop sweating.
Thiswas the end, I reminded myself. For better or worse, I’d managed to get throughthe entire service without a major calamity.
